Fifth Grade

Fifth graders will study what writers do, as they participate in the Literacy Collaborative Writer’s Workshop model of instruction. This model of instruction ties together reading and writing practices, promotes independent writing habits, and encourages student growth through sharing and listening to each other. Students keep a Writer’s Notebook in which they will collect ideas, practice different strategies to make their writing even more powerful, and experiment with different types of writing.

During the reading portion of the day, students will participate in the Reading Workshop model. This includes students participating in guided reading groups, word study, independent reading, book talks, and response to non-fiction (informational text).

In Grade 5, instructional time focuses on three critical areas:

• developing fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions, and developing understanding of the multiplication of fractions and of division of fractions in limited cases (unit fractions divided by whole numbers and whole numbers divided by unit fractions);
• extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system and developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations; and
• developing understanding of volume.

Visit the District Math Department web page to learn more >>

The theme for Grade 5 Science is systems: the Earth, Moon, Sun and Stars system, and Earth systems (ecosystems and matter in Earth’s systems). Learn more >>

In social studies this year, the students will study the movement of people (and cultures) over time with an emphasis on migration to North America, and America’s past. We’ll start by exploring Ancient civilizations (Mayans, Incas, Aztecs). We’ll then focus on the North American continent as we study Early Explorers. Later, we’ll review Colonial Times and the road to the American Revolution. We’ll cover westward expansion and the causes of the Civil War.