5th Grade Curriculum at a Glance

MAIN LESSON BLOCKS

Mythology/History Ancient Cultures: China, India, Mesopotamia, Persia, Egypt, Greece

Science: Botany I & II Geography United States & North America

Math: Introduction to Decimals, Freehand Geometric Drawing

Drama: Class Play

5th Grade Curriculum in Detail

LANGUAGE ARTS

• Reading: Continued building of reading fluency and reading comprehension skills through assigned reading and reading aloud practice at home

• Literature: 5th grade marks shift from Reading Groups to Literature Class. Now the class reads several novels and short stories together with their class teacher rather than in small groups with a Reading Helper. All literature books are accompanied by written comprehension work and class discussions led by the class teacher. Some months, students will read a book on their own and prepare a book report or project. Every student is expected to read 8-10 age-level classics over the course of fifth grade.

• Writing: Continued practice on paragraph writing with clear topic sentences and supporting details. Expanded main lesson writings, story summaries, captions, descriptive paragraphs, creative writing, report writing, letter writing, poetry.

• Writing: Continued attention on punctuation and capitalization conventions with goal of Conventions achieving writing that is free of punctuation and capitalization errors.

• Handwriting Students write in cursive and continue to develop “their hand” with goal of having a fluid, relaxed motion by the time they receive their fountain pens midyear.

• Grammar Students consolidate their understanding of parts of speech, learn to distinguish between simple from compound sentences, and active and passive voice.

• Vocabulary: Intro to Wordly Wise Vocabulary Series with weekly unit work. Additionally, continued vocabulary building through main lesson-related vocabulary lists.

• Spelling: Ongoing work with spelling rules; students also maintain personal spelling lists to improve their own editing skills. Self-checking – using dictionary or google – for misspelled words becomes part of the drafting process. Weekly Friday spelling quizzes.

MATH

• 5th Grade Singapore Math Workbook & Key Curriculum Series for fractions and decimals

• Review: Four operations, long division, and fraction concepts covered in 4th grade

• New Material: Introduction to decimals; finding averages; conversion within English system of measurement; & conversion from English to metric system; graphs – pie chart, bar graphs

• Ongoing practice with 4 processes and times tables with speed and accuracy

• Ongoing mental math, math games, story problems, developing problem solving strategies

FOREIGN LANGUAGE: SPANISH & CHINESE

• Short dialogues, skits, and games build vocabulary, develop comprehension, & provide speaking practice

• Writing simple pictograms and ideograms

• Formulating sentences and having basic conversations in Spanish & Chinese

• Cultural enrichment activities including celebration of festivals

MUSIC

• Part singing

• Interval work with voice and recorder

• Study of music theory including key signatures, dynamics, vocabulary

• Recorder practice at home

GAMES

• Preparation for regional Olympiad which includes javelin, discus, Greek wrestling, relay, and sprints

• Ball and Frisbee-handling skills

• Yoga

• Learning to rely upon own strength, perseverance, courage

• Sportsmanship

PAINTING & FORM DRAWING

• Painting: both plants and humans are portrayed through color exercises

• Daily drawing practice in main lesson as part of lesson processing

HANDWORK

• Knitting in the round

• Finishing techniques for knitting projects

• Advanced skills like thumb holes, gussets, crowns of hats, cable stitching, and i-cords

• Projects: hats, gauntlets, mittens, baby booties, pom-poms

WOODWORK

• Chisel, mallet, and hand drill are introduced

• Projects: mushroom-shaped container and student’s name chiseled into pine board

EURYTHMY

• Harmonious group movement to poetry and classical music

• Staying centered while in the flow and feeling the self as part of the whole

• Work with copper rods and balls to develop focus, stillness, balance, coordination

FRIDAY CURRICULUM

Wellness Program ( 4-6 per year)—Guided conversations to promote social/emotional awareness

Chinese Cultural Enrichment (2-4 per year)—Foods, customs, holidays, crafts, traditions

Science Fridays— Ecology studies: relationship of animal life to their environment