Fifth grade language arts consists of four major components: literature study, writing, vocabulary, and grammar.

Literature study focuses on reading works by diverse authors and works about diverse characters. Lessons concentrate on story comprehension, story elements, character analysis, plot analysis, and developing critical thinking skills. Students read class novels together and are expected to read a minimum of four books on their own, two books per semester.

In writing, students explore the six traits of good writing: word choice, voice, sentence fluency, organization, ideas, and conventions. Students use these traits to write stories, essays, poetry, and book reviews.

Using the book Vocabulary from Classical Roots, students expand their vocabulary by learning how to analyze the meanings of words by exploring Greek and Latin roots.

Grammar instruction is taught using the textbook Grammar Workshop and is supplemented with lessons that teach grammar through writing.

The ultimate goal of the fifth grade language arts program is to teach students to develop a passion for reading and writing.

The Fifth Grade math curriculum this year is filled with challenging concepts and problem solving strategies. We will be:

• reiterating number sense all year

• multiplying and dividing numbers

• learning order of operations

• converting measurements involving decimals and fractions

• finding volume and areas of triangles

• adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions and decimals

• identifying angles and constructing with math tools such as a protractor

• calculating average, rate, and speed

• interpreting a given ratio

• discussing the concept of percentage

• utilizing note-taking and study strategies

• learning higher level math vocabulary

In fifth grade science, students focus on the fundamentals of science and how to think like a scientist. We start off with the question “what is science?” and then dive into tools scientists use and the scientific method. We use what we learn from these to study chemistry, the periodic table, and living things.

In Social Studies, Fifth Graders learn about some of the civilizations of the ancient world including Ancient Greece, Egypt, China, and Mesopotamia. We will start with some important foundational ideas such as:

• What is civilization and what are its characteristics?

• How is it different from a society or culture?

• How do people in the present day learn about the ancient world?

Fifth Grade Social Studies will build on skills that they learned in Elementary School and will introduce new ideas and concepts related to the study of history, geography, and culture. They will participate in a variety of learning activities designed to create high interest and enthusiasm in the subject. Such activities include creative projects; research; simulations and reenactments; cooperative learning; creating and analyzing maps; examining and interpreting documents; and comparing and contrasting people, places, and ideas.