Religion
Students grow in understanding of their role as disciples of Jesus Christ in continuing His mission to share the life of God with all people. Students learn that as members of the Body of Christ, we meet Jesus in Scripture and through His presence in the sacraments which strengthen our relationship with God and the Church. Students grow in understanding and appreciation of our Catholic identity, the seasons of the liturgical year, the example of Mary and the Saints as models of discipleship, as well as the origin and celebration of the seven sacraments.
Math
Students expand their knowledge of place value of whole numbers through billions and thousandths. Fifth grade topics include multiplication and division of multi-digit whole numbers, as well as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of multi-digit decimals. Students will expand their understanding of fractions to include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of both fractions and mixed numbers. Other topics include: measurement conversions in customary and metric systems, plane geometry, area and volume, and beginning algebraic expressions. Problem solving of real-world problems will be explored throughout the year.
Language Arts
Students expand their knowledge of parts of speech and sentence construction. They continue to develop their command of standards of grammar in writing and speaking. Writing genres include: personal narrative, how-to, persuasion, compare/contrast, and expository essays. Comprehension of written and spoken language, vocabulary, spelling skills and reading fluency are introduced, developed, and applied through reading genres including informational text and various types of literature. In addition to using the Reading Street series, students will apply comprehension skills and strategies while reading at least three novels during the school year.
Social Studies
Students expand their understanding of physical geography skills and explore the tools of history, including the critical thinking skills of archaeologists and historians. Fifth grade students are introduced to the history and culture of ancient civilizations from the rise of civilizations in the Fertile Crescent through the two classical civilizations with the greatest impact on the founding of the Western world: Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The enduring legacies of each of the civilizations, as well as similarities and differences among social organization, tradition, and customs, religion, language, arts, literature, government, and economic systems are the core of the units of study. Skill in reading, interpreting, and applying information from maps, charts and graphs, and critical thinking skills are developed throughout the year.
Science
The performance expectations in fifth grade help students formulate answers to questions such as: “Where is water located on Earth? How much water can be found in different locations on Earth? Can new substances be created by combining other substances? How does matter cycle through ecosystems? Where does the energy in food come from and what is it used for? How do lengths and directions of shadows or relative lengths of day and night change from day to day? How does the appearance of some stars change in different seasons? What are the characteristics of the planets and other celestial bodies?”