5th Grade

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 Fifth Grade math curriculum is based upon the program Everyday Mathematics developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. This problem-solving approach uses everyday situations to enable students to make connections between their own knowledge and their experiences, both in school and outside of school. In addition to basic arithmetic, this curriculum develops concepts and skills in numeration; operation and computation; data and chance; geometry; measurement and reference frames and patterns, functions, and algebra.

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.