5th Grade – 1 Year

Description

Language Arts A&B:

Semester A

The 5th grade Language Arts curriculum integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening, and the study of vocabulary and grammar in a way that engages today’s learners and supports them in building a broad and diverse set of literacy skills.  Students study classic literature as well as more contemporary forms, including media and multimedia products. Writing assignments in semester A focus on narrative and persuasive modes and emphasize the use of reasoning and details to support opinions. Each writing assignment spans several lessons and guides students through a writing process that begins with prewriting and ends by emphasizing one or more aspects of conventions of standard written English. Students also learn how to participate in collaborative discussion and peer review sessions. In each lesson, engaging and relevant models and step-by-step instruction guide students toward mastery and appreciation of 21st century communication in all its forms and functions.

Semester B

Like semester A, semester B provides an integrated curriculum.  Whereas the first semester focuses on skills needed to literary text, semester B focuses on skills for reading and analyzing informational text. In the second semester of the course, students learn how informational text differs from literary text and how different forms of information text differ from each other. Writing assignments emphasize expository writing and guide students through research projects. Near the end of the semester, students learn how to present information orally and using multimedia.

Science A&B:

Semester A

Grade 5 Science continues to build on the science skills that have been obtained in years previous.  There will be an emphasis on earth and space science, life science, and physical science.  Students will begin the course by focusing on earth and space science by looking at the solar system and planets.  Students will come to an understanding of the concept of the earth as a sphere and the earth’s place in the solar system.  The course continues with a focus on physical science and the different tools that can measure force, time, and distance.  They will also grow in their understanding of how light and sound travel and interact with each other as well as the different types of energy.  The semester concludes with a look into life science and the ways that organisms are interconnected.   Instruction will include real life application, hands-on projects and assessments, and video and short research projects.

Semester B

Semester B puts great emphasis on life science and begins by focusing on the many ecosystems of the earth and the way that all parts of ecosystems depend on each other.  Students will learn the different types of ecosystems that exist.  They will learn that ecosystems change and how the changes affect their ability to support their populations.  Learners will examine plants; that they have different structures and how those structures allow them to respond to different needs.  Students will also grow in their understanding of the importance of good nutrition to all living organisms.  The course concludes with a look into the scientific process and the importance of investigations and conclusions in the study of science.   Instruction will include real life application, hands-on projects and assessments, and video and short research projects.

Social Studies A&B:

Semester A

Grade 5 Social Studies combines the study of United States History through the Civil War with a geographical exploration of the Unites States and what it has to offer. Students will use their understanding of social studies skills and concepts as they study the development of the United States. The first semester begins with early settlements of North America and allows learners to take an in-depth look into what life was like for colonists and Native Americans. Students will come to understand the causes of the Revolutionary War and the people that played a significant role in it. The semester ends with students examining the new nation and what life was like for European immigrants and those on the frontier. Students will learn through the use of video, journaling, and varied types of creative instruction.

Semester B

Semester B begins with an exploration of the west and what life was like for those looking to find gold. Learners will then look at slavery and what lead to the Civil War. The course then takes a departure from American history and takes a more in-depth look into cultures, people, and the geography of the United States from past to present. Learners will have the opportunity to explore the country region by region and come to appreciate all that it has to offer. Students will conclude the course by planning and describing a trip they would like to take to a particular place within the 50 United States. Students will take a hands-on approach as they get to know the geography, climate and culture of their country. Video, creative projects involving technology, journaling, and varied assessments will be used throughout the course.

Math A&B:

Semester A

Students will learn math topics outlined in this course drawing from a variety of sources, including hands-on activities, interactive lessons, and practical math applications. Students will focus on several critical areas including but not limited to developing fluency with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions. They will also learn to extend division to 2-digit divisors, integrate decimal fractions into the place value system, and increase an understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths. They will develop a fluency with whole numbers and decimal operations. The semester begins with operations and expressions, moves into decimals and money, and ends with more work on fractions. Learners will gain valuable skills as they carry out activities that model real life situations like grocery shopping throughout the semester.

Semester B

Semester B begins with students continuing to work with fractions.  The first lesson focuses on ratios and challenges students to solve word problems using fractions and ratios in practical life situations.  Learners continue to strengthen their math skills by studying mixed and fraction products, and fraction application, models, and division.  The third critical area that students will focus on in Grade 5 Math is volume.  Students will receive lessons in measurement of length, weight, and volume.  They will end the course with a focus on geometry.  Varied types of instruction are used to enhance their learning, including video and real life applications, activities, and creative projects.