Fifth Grade Curriculum
Reading
use phonetic strategies, context clues and word reference materials to determine the meanings of unfamiliar and multiple meaning words as well as patterns of language.
Read fictional and non-fictional text to construct meaning, identify, compare and analyze common elements of author's purpose, conflict, resolution, cause and effect, and rising/falling action and climax.
Experience a variety of genre and explore cultural diversities/similarities in those texts.
Read for a sustained period of 75 to 100 minutes per week.
Writing
Implement the writing process to include: prewriting, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, and publishing.
Employ multiple strategies when composing text to persuade, inform, entertain, and describe.
Write a variety of poetry.
Correctly spell a selected list of high frequency use and misspelled words appropriate to fifth grade.
Demonstrate grammar usage appropriate to fifth grade.
Demonstrate the mechanics of writing appropriate to fifth grade.
Listening
Listen and respond appropriately as soon as the speaker is finished.
Speaking
Design and deliver an oral presentation that persuades, informs, entertains, or inspires after analysis of a prompt which includes purpose and audience.
Identify and practice elements of effective communication to enhance relationships. Elements include: confidence, volume, pace, poise.
Research/Study Skills
Identify and use necessary resources.
Take notes.
Outline information.
Be responsible for own learning.
Demonstrate the ability to perform various test-taking strategies.
Science
Ecosystems
Analyze and conduct experiments to assess the positive and negative effect of humans on the environment.
Describe the basic requirements of all living things to maintain their existence.
Explain common patterns of interdependence of living things.
Mass & Density
Design and conduct experiment to determine displacements.
Develop an awareness of the method of the need for evidence in making claims.
Measure weight and dimension in standard units.
Light & Sound
Experiment with light waves to measure its properties.
Explain how light travels.
Measure experimental results of sound waves.
Weather Forecasting
Describe patterns of changing weather and how matter creates weather events.
Measure and record weather events and make predictions based on data.
Health
The fifth grade health education curriculum focuses on:
Positive relationships.
Solving problems and resolving conflicts.
Health habits to grow by.
Human body systems.
Resisting pressure to use drugs.
The respiratory system, the environment and disease.
Staying safe, avoiding danger and violence.
HIV infection and AIDS.
Social Studies
Social Studies is defined as the integrated study of the social sciences to prepare young people to become responsible citizens. The social studies curriculum builds four capacities in students: disciplinary knowledge, thinking skills, commitment to democratic values, and civic participation. Each capacity contributes uniquely to the development of responsible citizenship.
At the fifth grade level, the social studies curriculum focuses primarily upon the disciplines of history, geography, civics and economics of the United States.
The primary text is A Young Nation by: McGraw-Hill. In addition, we use the Atlas of our Country by Nystrom, and We the People written by the center for civic education.
The units of study are:
Discovery and Exploration
Settlement and the Colonial Period
The American Revolution
The United States Establishes a New Government
Mathematics
Mathematical thinking at grade 5:
Develop an understanding about the properties of numbers, recognize similarities, and generalized patterns, use patterns to make models and predictions. Build computation strategies using number composition in all four operations.
Measurement Benchmarks
Students develop a strong understanding of the metric and U.S. standard measurement
Physical Education
The elementary physical education department delivers curriculum addressing: physical fitness, cognitive understanding, motor skills, leisure skills and personal/social skill components. Physical education classes meet twice weekly for 30 minute periods.
Art
Art class meets once weekly for a forty-five minute period. Students explore ideas about themselves, their world and other cultures through work in various art processes such as painting, collage, drawing, sculpture and ceramics. Art history is a major component of the elementary art curriculum. References to art of the past and present teach how ideas have been explored by others.
Music
Elementary students receive thirty minutes of musical instruction twice each week. The seven strands of the TCAPS musical instruction are: singing, playing instruments, musical literacy, listening, movement, creativity, and music in relation to history, culture and other disciplines. The students begin to develop skills and understanding in all seven areas throughout American music, and the music of other cultures.
Library
The elementary library media centers are at the heart of education at TCAPS. With a minimum of 30 minutes each week at the library , our students are surrounded by wonderful resources for school research and individual reading enjoyment. Special reading promotions throughout the year encourage our students to develop a love of reading and a desire to "find out more" at the library.
Classroom Tools
Minimum of Three Desktop Computers
Access to Wide Area Network
Access to Internet and World Wide Web
Access to Software
Television
Video Cassette Recorder
Electronic and Voice Messaging System