Welcome to Fifth Grade. As the senior students of the Lower School our year is filled with fun, exciting adventures in learning and leadership opportunities. The Fifth Grade reading curriculum encompasses a variety of genres including realistic fiction, historical fiction, and biography. Comprehension and interpretative skills are integral parts of the reading curriculum. Students read independently each evening as well as part of our Reading Workshop program. They work on both spelling and vocabulary skills throughout the year.
The basis for the math curriculum is Singapore Math. Students are taught mental math strategies and computation as skills needed to solve problems which are the focus of the curriculum. There is a focus on number sense, mathematical confidence, and metacognition – a true understanding of what is being learned. Children are encouraged to use and share multiple strategies to solve problems.
The Fifth Grade writing curriculum is based on the Writing Workshop model. Classes meet daily to work on personal narrative, realistic fiction, essay, and poetry. Students learn the parameters of each genre and learn to write within each framework. Grammar and usage are taught in the context of their writing.
The Fifth Grade social studies curriculum involves a study of ancient civilizations, including ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. Students gain a greater understanding of the roots of all civilizations and an appreciation of the development of language, government, and democratic processes, religious diversity, arts and literature, scientific inventions and technologies, and economic concepts. Throughout the year we take several trips and engage in cooperative group activities and projects that make the subject matter come alive. We also learn about current events by reading and responding to Time for Kids weekly.