In Grade 5, students will be exposed to a range of texts and tasks and build on the skills and understandings acquired in 4th grade. There will be a regular focus on all four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing and students will be expected to participate actively in class, take ownership of their own reading choices, think critically, and write frequently, both formally and informally. There will also be a focus on students reading widely and independently, and expanding their vocabulary/lexis.
In this course, students will engage with themes and issues that apply to the real world, like social justice, prejudice, and persistence. This course will emphasize the development of key reading and writing skills and habits using the Lucy Calkins Reading and Writing Workshop model. The overall goal is to help students develop the skills and understandings of previous courses and prepare students for success in future English courses and academics in general.
These reading units guide fifth graders toward intellectual independence. In Unit 1 students practice close reading, noting how authors develop themes in fictional works. Unit 2 deals with higher-level nonfiction and emphasizes strong foundational skills, such as fluency and word solving. The third unit has kids read complex nonfiction under the umbrella of argument and advocacy. In the final unit students explore fantasy bookclubs.
The sequence of fifth grade units consolidates writing skills and introduces the learning objectives for sixth-grade. Unit 1, students make stories more thematic. In Unit 2, students draw inspiration and understanding from history, primary sources, maps, and timelines. Unit 3, students grasp that form follows content, and use insights about their lives. In the final unit, Unit 4, students create powerful arguments to persuade readers to take action.