Fifth Grade

Students in Fifth Grade will experience many opportunities for personal, social, and academic growth during the school year.  All of these opportunities will prepare them for a successful transition to junior high. The emphasis at this level is on organization and independence. They will be expected to utilize the skills and concepts that they have been taught thus far. The Fifth Grade classroom teacher will use a variety of instructional methodologies including whole group discussions, small group cooperative learning, individual work, and one-on-one support.

Fifth Grade Curriculum

LANGUAGE ARTS

Please see Language Arts for more information regarding the Language Arts curriculum.

READING

The Fifth Grade program is designed to foster a love of reading and to develop the skills essential to students becoming effective, lifelong readers. The program provides opportunities for learning experiences in listening, vocabulary development, and comprehension strategies. Students read a variety of genre in both the fiction and non-fiction categories. They will learn reading strategies to optimize their comprehension including previewing and predicting, using prior knowledge, visualizing, using graphic clues, and re-reading.

SCIENCE

Fifth Grade will explore many areas of science including Environmental Science, Biology, Astronomy, Physics, Chemistry, and Life Science as they research Properties of matter, Weather Patterns, Cell Structures, Plant life, and Ecosystems.

MATH

Fifth Grade starts off the year with a review of the previous grade’s key concepts. Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing whole numbers and fractions are emphasized. The students continue the year with collecting, organizing, displaying data, and having to read and make pictographs, bar graphs, and line graphs. Geometric concepts, such as naming and measuring angles, quadrilaterals and circles, finding the perimeter and area of polygons, finding the area and circumference of circles, are explained. Problem solving strategies are learned and presented in real life contexts that are relevant to students. The students’ understanding of mathematics can be built if they actively engage in tasks and real life experiences designed to deepen and connect their knowledge. Students are continually asked to read, write, and talk about math.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Students will focus on an overview of U.S. History. The five fundamental themes of geography are used to support the ties among past and present people, places, and events. Students will be introduced to a style of note taking that will be used for the next four years.  Use of various styles of information – maps, graphs, charts, pictures, primary sources, etc. – will be introduced and reinforced throughout the year.  Chapter tests, unit tests and various projects will be used for assessment.

RELIGION

Fifth Grade students will gather to learn about beliefs of the Catholic religion and how to respond to those beliefs as a Christian through the six tasks of Catechesis: learn, celebrate, choose, pray, share, and live. The Fifth Grade program focuses on the seven sacraments. The curriculum also includes human sexuality and development, taught from a Catholic perspective. The Benziger text FAMILY LIFE is used as an aid for this part of the curriculum.

ART

Fifth Grade students will produce a variety of seasonal art projects. Appreciation for art is fostered.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Please see 
Other Areas of Study for more information regarding the gym curriculum.

MUSIC

The Fifth Grade program includes an in-depth study of the elements of music and how they combine to create different kinds of music.

Please see Other Areas of Study for more information regarding the music curriculum.

TECHNOLOGY
Please see 
Other Areas of Study for more information regarding the technology curriculum.