Fifth Grade Academics

Language Arts
The Fifth Grade language Arts program promotes the development of reading, writing, listening, thinking, speaking, and language skills with the goal of preparing independent, self-motivated, critical readers and writers.

The Reading Program in Fifth Grade continues to strengthen comprehension and build and extend critical reading and thinking skills. As they read, they are asked to summarize, predict, interpret, compare, and contrast. Students explore and respond to concepts through discussions, reflective activities, and research.

Students are expected to apply what they learn in reading to their writing, with the goal of enhancing their mastery of written expression. Fifth Graders also work to improve their writing mechanics.

Mathematics
The Fifth Grade math program uses an exploratory, hands-on approach to help students reason and communicate mathematically. Units in Fifth Grade include estimating, organizing, and analyzing data, discovering statistics, prime factorization, divisibility, decimals, positive and negative numbers, writing algebraic expressions, measuring angles, fractions, percents, and ratios.

Science
The Fifth Grade Science program is organized sequentially around Earth Science, Physical Science, and Life Science. Some of the topics are: roots, stems and leaves, animal adaptations, cycles of life, Earth's changing crust, energy resources, the solar system, severe storms, climate, matter and energy.

Art
Fifth Graders are encouraged to become more critical and analytical in their thinking, and to use vocabulary relevant to the elements of art. They create landscapes and learn about graphic design.

Music
Singing, listening, playing an dancing are the core of the Fifth Grade Music program. Children learn about harmony, rhythm, notation and musical interpretation in a sequential order.

Social Studies
The Fifth Grade Social Studies program is by McGraw-Hill. The book is titled Our Nation. The units covered are:

The First Americans Colonization The Flight for Independence Slavery Our Neighbors in the Western Hemisphere

Physical Education
The Fifth Grade Physical Education program continues to focus on improving coordination, fitness, listening skills, and cooperation. Fitness activities and evaluations continue. We offer an enjoyable and challenging environment that allows our children to judge their own successes and gives them a chance to participate.