5th Grade

updated 03/16/2026

5th Grade GATE – Winter 2026 Highlights

What a wonderful stretch of learning it has been for our fifth graders! We are so excited to share some highlights with you.

To wrap up December, students dove into a creative challenge for the Annual New Jersey Shore Consortium for Gifted Programs Do You Want to Build Competition. They designed snow characters made from at least 50% recycled materials, each one representing one of the Seven Pillars of Character, and produced videos explaining their work. Watching them bring their ideas to life was truly a joy.

A group of students also took on an exciting additional challenge: NJ STEAM Tank, a statewide innovation competition where student teams identify real-world problems and engineer solutions across science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. Teams build prototypes and pitch their ideas just like real innovators. We are thrilled to share that all three of our teams advanced to the regional level. What an incredible accomplishment!

We also welcomed a new program called SilverQuicken, which weaves together storytelling, logic, and problem-solving in a really engaging way. Students follow story episodes and then tackle puzzles that stretch their reasoning and critical thinking. They have been loving it!

Right now, students are deep into our Farm to Table unit, exploring topics like food systems, sustainability, nutrition, and entrepreneurship through a choice board that lets them follow their own curiosity.

One of the highlights of the season was our 4th and 5th Grade Farm to Table Convocation on March 4. What a special day it was! Students were inspired by Dr. Courtney Zeni, who shared her career journey and illuminated how research shapes both medicine and the foods we eat. Members of the Fair Haven Garden Club then brought their passion for gardening, sustainability, and local food growing to life for our students. The day closed on a delicious note with Chef Feeza Khan, who wowed everyone by showing how creativity and science come together in the kitchen. It was the kind of real-world learning that stays with kids long after the school day ends.