IX. GRADE 5 PROGRAM
Grade 5 Program LANGUAGE ARTS – CREATION OF CONNECTIONS Students become creators of their own learning by making meaningful connections through their literature and writing. Students are asked to uncover the deeper meaning and hidden messages found in great literature, both fiction and non-fiction, by drawing upon personal experiences, other stories, and the larger world around them. Through careful reflection and insight, students begin to see how the stories they read and the pieces they write are not single experiences, but are interwoven and connected through their academic and social being. Throughout the Language Arts curriculum lessons address issues centered around inclusion and plurality. Summarizing, questioning, identifying point of view, predicting, paraphrasing, and other comprehension skills are practiced so children become more proficient readers. Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary skills are built through isolated practice and then applied to everyday writing. The writing process is broken down into different phases, namely, mapping, outlining, drafting, editing, and publishing. This is internalized as students create narrative, descriptive, and expository writing pieces throughout the year. Research skills, organizational methods, and time management are fundamental aspects for every student as they undertake various reports and long-term projects. All students are expected to be able to articulate and present information in a clear and appropriate manner. Instructional Materials t “Junior Great Books, Series 5, Book 1,” Great Books Foundation t “The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963,” by Curtis t “Tuck Everlasting,” by Babbitt t “Where the Red Fern Grows,” by Rawls t “Vocabulary Workshop Blue,” Sadlier-Oxford t “Writer’s Express,” Kemper, Nathan, and Sebranek t “Spelling Workout,” Modern Curriculum Press t Teacher-created materials
MATH – DEVELOPMENT OF FOUNDATIONS The Math Program is designed to increase student proficiency in computational skills and reasoning processes. Skills introduced in Grade 4 are reviewed and expanded with increased complexity. Problem solving skills underlie all facets of the program, with emphasis placed on process rather than product. Developing and articulating strategies to demonstrate conceptual understanding overshadows the importance of simply arriving at the right answer. Students are encouraged to move from the concrete to the abstract level of cognitive skills according to their stage of development. Instructional Materials t t
Singapore Math Curriculum Teacher-created materials
SOCIAL STUDIES – THE UNITED STATES: A NEW NATION The program centers on the development of the U.S. as a nation in the Western hemisphere. Students develop a sense of the past in order to better understand the present. Using the Age of Exploration as a starting point, students are introduced to the concept of colonization. They follow the journeys of Western European explorers to the New World. The American Colonial period is then studied and researched extensively. By integrating skills taught in Language Arts, students produce a formal written research report on a topic of their choice. They also are responsible for creating a visual display and giving an oral presentation to the school community. Students continue to study the growth of our country as they follow the course of the Revolutionary War and the development of our country’s governing document, the Constitution. A three-day trip to Boston in late Spring serves as a wonderful culminating event. Study of current events and weekly periodicals help children become well-informed citizens who understand local, national, and global events that shape their lives. Throughout the Grade 5 Program, students develop and appreciation of the value diversity through literature and expository text. Respect and personal responsibility are fostered through unstructured materials, discussion, and activity-based projects.
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IX. GRADE 5 PROGRAM
Instructional Materials t t t t
“America’s Story, Colonial America 1600-1750,” Sundance Publishing “United States,” Harcourt Brace Social Studies “Time Magazine for Kids,” Time, Inc. Teacher-created materials
SCIENCE – EARTH SCIENCE AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE The Grade 5 Science Program is designed to help students develop an attitude of inquiry and to search for simple explanations about the natural and physical phenomena in the world around them. Areas of study include an introduction to chemistry, and an introduction to physics, space, and the water cycle. Students also create original experiments or projects for the Grade 5 Science Fair.
Students participate in the Grade 5 Science Fair. They choose a scientific idea or theory that they have learned about or are interested in and approach the problem scientifically. They determine the purpose of the experiment, form a hypothesis, oganize their collected data, and draw conclusions based on their findings. This project is experimental in nature and they present their work to the LS Teachers, students, and parents. To conclude the year, students study the water cycle. They complete labs related to evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration.
During lab, there is a great focus on the scientific method and writing lab reports. Students focus on determining a purpose or problem, making a hypothesis, following a specific order of steps, recording observations, and drawing a conclusion for their experiment. To begin the year, students study chemistry. They complete labs related to each group of elements on the periodic table – they take a closer look at the alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, main-group metals, metalloids, nonmetals, halogens, noble gases, transition metals, lanthanides, and actinides. Students also study physical and chemical changes, matter, and the three principal states of matter. Students then study the basic concepts of physics. During this unit, they focus on force, energy, work, and motion. Labs include “Balloon Rocket,” “Build Your Own Pendulum,” “Energy Change,” and “Farther.” Next, they study the solar system, starting with the formation of the universe and the solar system. Major topics of class discissions are the Big Bang Theory, the Nebular Theory, the moon, the sun, eclipses, why we experience day and night, and why we have four seasons. They use mathematical equations and ratios to create scaled models of the Solar System and complete labs and activities related to gravity, revolution, and rotation.
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