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5th Grade Curriculum Overview

 
Reading
Reading consists of strategies and skills that will improve student comprehension. Throughout the school year, students will implement these skills while reading short stories, novels, and self-selected books. Students will learn how to annotate text to aid in understanding and take part in novel studies and book clubs. These skills and stories help instill the love of reading.
 
Writing
The writing curriculum focuses on the writing process along with parts of speech and grammar. Students will write daily and learn to improve their writing with elaboration, sentence variety, word choice, voice, and conventions. Various writing purposes will be explored through assigned pieces including narratives, informational and argumentative essays and poetry.
 
Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum is organized into five strands: (1) number and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry; (4) data analysis and probability; and, (5) algebra. Problem-solving strategies are embedded into each of the 5 strands.
Grade five is a pivotal year. It is a culmination and synthesis of what has come before in grades K through 4 and a transition to the greater independence and responsibilities students need to exhibit in middle grades.
 
Social Studies
The major focus is the study of history and how it relates to the United States. Students will learn geography skills and apply these skills through simulations that foster a “real life” situation. Students will review all that they have learned about Native Americans and how they interacted with each other before and after the invasion of European explorers. Students will learn about exploration of the new world, and how the United States changed as migration took place and colonization began. Students will examine events that shaped our country such as the French and Indian War and the American Revolution as well as how our government was created. This course is designed as an opportunity for students to engage in the past and work towards exploring the story of our country.
 
Science
The focus for fifth grade students is on using evidence, models, and reasoning to form scientific explorations.
Science Concepts: interdependence of plants and animals, forces and motion in technological designs, understanding of landforms
 
Religion
Fifth grade will learn about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and how to apply the cardinal and theological virtues. We focus on the sacraments and being part of the church community as well as being part of the Community of Saints. Students will learn how to be active participants in Mass, read scripture, and understand important parts of their religious faith.
 
Spanish
We finish our numbers 0-1000. There is a review of days of the week, months and seasons. After we study food, we go to a Mexican restaurant and speak only in Spanish. We create menus and practice ordering. We review and add vocabulary words to clothing, body, family and animals. We focus on writing and grammar. We write something for every unit. In grammar, we learn prepositions, adjective agreement, basic verb conjugation, and subject and object pronouns.
 
Art
Students in 5th grade will start to understand the relationship between the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. They will classify art as Realistic, Abstract, and Non-Objective and create art in these categories. Students will continue to explore and refine skills with materials and will complete a large weaving unit. They will discuss how design is used in everyday life and design products themselves. They will continue to talk about art and critique personal and professional art based on criteria and expressive qualities.
 
Music
In 5th grade we take time to solidify the musical structure learned in Lower School, to prepare for 6th grade. 5th grade also takes an approach into learning more musical terminology in the areas of performance, song structure, and performance technique. 5th grade also begins the overall view of music history. There will be a performance in the Christmas Musical, as well as 2 student led masses.
 
Health/PE
Physical Education focuses on the following areas: Applying competent motor skills and movement patterns as needed to perform a variety of physical activities. Understanding concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics that apply to the learning and performance of movement. Understanding the importance of achieving and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Using behavioral strategies that are responsible and enhance respect of self and others and value activity.