Lake Forest Country Day School
GRADE 5 Curriculum UPPER School
LAKE FOREST COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL A co-educational independent school for students age 2 through Grade 8, graduating students of strong character with a passion for learning since 1888.
Upper School Curriculum (Grades 5–8)
Overview The Upper School experience at Lake Forest Country Day School offers a challenging, yet engaging curriculum coupled with the skills needed to flourish in a twenty-firstcentury world. The Upper School curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to giving each student the opportunity to discover his or her academic, social, creative, and physical strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a supportive, respectful, and safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge. Dedicated faculty members work together in our state-of-the-art facility to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, collaboration, character, creativity, and critical thinking. We aim to help students grow in self-awareness and self-discipline so they can manage increasingly challenging coursework. Each student has an advisor to whom he or she can turn for assistance. A middle school social worker is also available to provide students with strategies that help the transition or aid in negotiating friendship dynamics as students mature and explore new interests.
STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM §§ The School's strong commitment to offering excellent academic preparation in all subjects and opportunities to participate in extracurricular arts and athletics programs. §§ An emphasis on twenty-first-century skills, including information literacy, the productive use of technology tools, and digital citizenship. §§ Our emphasis on character development and various delivery systems for social and emotional learning creates an environment in which core competencies (self-awareness, self-management, relationship skills, social awareness, responsible decision-making) are activated.
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UPPER SCHOOL
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§§ A faculty who understands brain and child development and works collaboratively to engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning. §§ A commitment to experiential learning where students’ learning is enriched with field trips to Lake Forest Open Lands, the symphony, the theater, and a variety of historic sites. §§ A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, diversity, and openness to different points of view. §§ Expert assistance with the transition to selective high schools.
TEaching Philosophy Knowing the students we teach—individually, culturally, and developmentally—is of utmost importance to us. We also believe in the importance of getting to know their families. We value the input of parents as the child’s first teacher, beginning with advisor intake calls prior to the start of school when parents share their knowledge of and hopes and dreams for their child. Two important beliefs are at the heart of our teaching philosophy: first, the social curriculum is inextricably linked with the academic curriculum; and, second, how students learn is as important as what students learn. Upper School faculty shares a commitment to the following teaching and learning practices:
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Strength of character is emphasized and developed through social-emotional skill-building in the advisory curriculum, opportunities for leadership and service, and through the disciplinary system. AUTHENTIC WORK OF THE DISCIPLINES The curriculum emphasizes academic work that requires critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration, and has real-world applications. DIFFERENTIATION Teachers focus on each individual student’s learning style and make adjustments as needed to provide support or additional challenge.
Character Development Character education at LFCDS begins in the Early Childhood Program. As appropriate, children are introduced to terms that refer to specific “Habits of Mind,” such as persistence and empathy. As students move through the Lower School, their understanding of the various Habits of Mind deepens, and many opportunities are given both inside and outside the classroom to demonstrate increased social emotional skills.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING Students enjoy opportunities to engage in handson activities and role-play experiences that help them understand abstract ideas. UNIFYING CONCEPTS Ideas are introduced in the context of central unifying concepts or themes to help students recognize and remember connections in what they are learning in different disciplines. ACADEMIC RIGOR Teachers and students share responsibility for pursuing learning goals that are challenging yet attainable and position the student for future academic success.
Upon entering Upper School, each student is paired with an adult advocate. As his or her advisor, this faculty member takes on numerous essential roles, including being a guide for academic growth, executive functioning, social-emotional learning, and character development. Each student is placed in a small advisory group consisting of eight to ten students who meet two to three times per week. During these sessions, students are engaged in activities related to empathy, communication, social cruelty, emotion management, and problem solving. Students also participate in teambuilding activities related to collaboration, diversity,
UPPER SCHOOL
Overview
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“Until recently, most economists and psychologists believed that the most important factor in a child’s success was his or her IQ. This notion is behind our national obsession with test scores. But the scientists whose work I followed for How Children Succeed have identified a very different set of skills that they believe are crucial to success. They include qualities like persistence, curiosity, conscientiousness, optimism, and self-control. Economists call these non-cognitive skills. Psychologists call them personality traits. Neuroscientists sometimes use the term executive functions. The rest of us often sum them up with the word character.” —Paul Tough, Author of How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character respect, trust, and sensitivity. Finally, each advisor plans age-appropriate lessons throughout the school year such as movie discussions, study skills, test-taking strategies, and leadership skills. At LFCDS, we espouse certain core values—excellence, partnership, responsibility, participation, and diversity. So, for us, ‘strong character’ means acting in accord with these five values, which is what students and families agree to do by joining our school community. The School’s character education efforts, therefore, are designed to help students recognize examples and lapses of these values in action and to
develop the social-emotional skills needed to make behavioral choices consistent with what the school community recognizes as important.
Authentic Work of the Disciplines At LFCDS, we emphasize authentic learning experiences—ones that reflect critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and real-world applications. In order to prepare students for a university education, a meaningful career, and life in general, we work to develop students’ deep understanding of content and issues and ask them to demonstrate their new learning, not just recite it. The authentic work of real-world learning experiences enables students to develop important lifelong skills and to view their education as relevant and connected to the larger world. So what does this look like at LFCDS? After reading The Phantom Tollbooth, fifth-grade students discuss the three-dimensional world and properties of space figures in math class. They then create a two-dimensional net pattern from which they are able to construct a dodecahedron model. On each of the faces, students create questions and share facts from the story. In sixth grade, students create structural models of town buildings and test them for strength and durability by
OUTDOOR EDUCATION Lake Forest Country Day School’s Outdoor Education Program is designed to promote a positive and supportive atmosphere by heightening students’ awareness of and concern for others. This program provides a unique opportunity for teachers and students to become acquainted outside the classroom and to respond to and learn from the needs of others by working in a broader community. The program supports the School’s mission of producing students who have strong character and are responsible citizens. These goals are pursued through fifth-grade collaborative group activities and team building exercises, sixth- and seventh-grade camping experiences, and a four-day eighth-grade trip to Washington, DC. Numerous field trips to sites in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Springfield also enhance and enrich our School’s goal to provide students with ongoing opportunities for the development of collaboration and team-building skills.
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UPPER SCHOOL
Overview
recreating hurricane-like winds using fans. Seventhgrade students reenact a traditional, unified musical piece from an African drum circle using only nonverbal communication. Eighth-grade student groups build, analyze, and test their own roller coasters based on advanced physics principles. Learning experiences like these offer intellectual challenge, build work habits of persistence, metacognition, and accuracy, and engage students in the kinds of creative and critical thinking that will serve them well throughout their lives.
STEM+ AT LFCDS
Differentiation
In the Upper School, STEM+ education is integrated through a series of project-based, semester-long classes, one for each grade level. Some of these units are new to the LFCDS curriculum; some are existing components of our current math and science programs. In the fifth grade, for example, students will design video games, with the goal being to foster critical twenty-first century skills such as systems thinking and digital media literacy. Seventh-grade students will work together to design, build, and test CO2 dragsters, with a design process that teaches them to identify problems, research and develop solutions, and ultimately redesign their vehicles based on feedback. A new addition is the sequence of a computer generated design, balsa wood model, and actual building of a conservation building. In each grade-level course, the goal is to prepare middle school students for the advanced courses that await them in high school—with the added benefit of giving students the confidence to ultimately pursue a career in one of these fields later in life.
Differentiation is the process of matching instruction to varied students and their interests and needs. It is a cornerstone of high-quality teaching and learning and a practice that pervades LFCDS. We pride ourselves on our ability to deeply know our students as learners and to think outside of the box when it comes to approaching their learning in the most appropriate and effective ways. This is responsive education. Students who exhibit academic talent may participate in Illinois Regional Math Counts Competition, LEGO Robotics Tournaments, or write articles for the latest edition of our School’s newspaper. Those children who require additional support may receive in-class individual and small-group assistance or instruction offered through our Learning Services department. Ongoing assessment enables us to efficiently and flexibly encourage our students’ interests and to meet their academic and developmental needs.
Experiential Learning What adolescent wouldn’t want to design and build a bridge and test it for integrity and strength? Or research data that inspires them, and create their own formula for predicting trends based on algebraic knowledge of linear equations? Perhaps even write his or her own music and lyrics using the latest MIDI technology? Experiential learning occurs when
STEM+ (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education is designed to incorporate technology, engineering, and design thinking across the curriculum. A STEM+ curriculum encourages problem solving, discovery, exploratory learning, and challenges students to actively engage a problem using an emphatic lens in order to find a solution. Identification of the problem is the first step in determining solutions. This process is critical to the development of high-level problem solving and will prepare students to become global leaders.
students investigate and gain understanding through their play. An excellent instructional strategy to engage the whole child—cognitively, socially and emotionally, physically, and creatively—experiential learning allows students to learn by doing: creating, constructing, planning, solving problems, and collaborating. LFCDS teachers carefully craft experiential, hands-on learning activities that will tap students’ interest and engagement and then allow for independent thinking, open-ended responses, student choice, and rich understanding. Creative thinking and academic rigor can occur simultaneously!
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Overview
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Unifying Concepts Knowing how students learn best, we developed middle school curricula around unifying concepts that build upon and connect to each other. For example, the eighth-grade social studies curriculum is taught using a theme-based approach rather than sequentially. Units include War and Peace, Manifest Destiny, Expansionism, National Politics & the Presidency, African American Studies, and Reconstruction; all afford students the opportunity to make continuous connections while learning historical facts in context. Similarly, world language courses offer students engaging activities and applicable units of study based on culture, food, clothing, art, and notable destinations. Spiraling concepts by theme allows students learning Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese to apply previously learned structure while identifying and utilizing new vocabulary. At the same time, each grade level represents a new layer of unifying concept that enriches and broadens students’ understanding of it and its application in varied contexts. Unifying concepts are integral to ensuring that students make connections within and across disciplines and topics and, as a result, comprehend their learning experiences more deeply.
Academic Rigor Rigor at LFCDS targets specific goals for both teachers and students. Teachers develop curricula that are rich with varied and intentional challenges.
LFCDS faculty: §§ Set high, yet attainable, expectations. §§ Establish learning objectives that are clear and measureable. §§ Assess student understanding formally and informally. §§ Employ technology and varied resources. §§ Give students clear, meaningful feedback to encourage positive work.
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UPPER SCHOOL
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§§ Ask a range of questions and target synthesis. §§ Vary learning experiences to include some of the following: multi-sensory materials, kinesthetic activity, technology/media, visual aids, and inquiry-based labs. §§ Provide students opportunities to work collaboratively. §§ Assign relevant homework with opportunities for summarization, questioning, reflection, and/or analysis.
Students responding to rigorous curricula: §§ Demonstrate investment in and ownership of the learning process. §§ Set reasonable and attainable goals in recognition of their own strengths and challenges. §§ Advocate for themselves and their own learning. §§ Engage in class discussions and activities. §§ Complete assignments thoughtfully and carefully. §§ Show curiosity by asking pertinent and thought-provoking questions. §§ Seek answers using a variety of reliable sources. §§ Apply knowledge, skills, and concepts independently. §§ Make connections to previously learned concepts and skills. §§ Transition beyond rote memorization and restatement of facts to demonstrate depth of understanding. §§ Think critically.
COMMUNITY SERVICE The LFCDS Community Service program is a manifestation of the School’s commitment to responsible citizenship and its dedication to producing students of strong character. The Community Service program affords students an opportunity to respond to and learn from others by providing service to those in need in the broader community. The program offers a wide variety of service environments from which to choose and encourages family participation. Emphasis is placed on the development of an independent desire to serve others. Beginning in Lower School, class- or grade-level service projects are adopted as they arise through curriculum integration. This approach to service continues through sixth grade and is enhanced by many other service projects supported by the entire School. The development of social, environmental, and community consciousness becomes more individualized in seventh and eighth grade. At this point, each student researches and selects projects that are personally meaningful to him or her and that emphasizes the duty of giving back to the community. By reaching outside of the LFCDS family to give service to others, students are exposed to the greater needs beyond their day-to-day school life. Past community projects have benefited the environment, wildlife, the hungry, the sick, the homeless, and underprivileged children here and abroad.
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GRADE 5 Curriculum The Fifth-Grade Experience at LFCDS Entering fifth grade is an exciting time for your ten-year-old. The move to the
successfully. We recognize that, in addition to taking on new challenges as learners, fifth-grade students LFCDS Upper School is are experiencing a new social accompanied by lots of environment. Some of the changes. Everything feels peer dynamics that seemed Highlights of the different, from having a fixed in earlier grades begin to Fifth-Grade Experience locker to having multiple change as children mature and §§ Memorize and learn to abide by the teachers instead of one explore new interests. Coping Honor Code. classroom teacher for with these friendship losses §§ Trade in ePET (laptop for in-class use) for core subjects. Students and gains can be emotionally an ePAL that can be used both at school have more freedom and difficult, especially because and at home. opportunities, but also ten-year-olds do not yet have §§ Experience Outdoor Education with more responsibility the social and emotional skills team-building opportunities than they had in to manage relationships with §§ Learn to use new organizational tools, Lower School. Most tact and sensitivity. At LFCDS, such as the LFCDS Portal, for keeping students adjust relatively we teach the “whole child,” track of assignments. quickly, but tougher so we make time to talk with §§ Participate in Advisory group discussions academic expectations, and activities exploring both group students both individually and a more complex weekly dynamics and individual strengths. in groups about matters like schedule that includes §§ Go on downtown Chicago field trips, trust, respect, communication, such as the Chicago Civic Orchestra, the extracurricular activities, and resilience. We also teach Field Museum, and the Robie House. and the challenges of positive ways to handle §§ Take part in the annual Robbie learning to use and situations through skillBermingham Speaking Contest. take care of their ePAL building activities. Our §§ Build a Rube Goldberg-type device (electronic Portable Collaborative Disciplinary to demonstrate understanding of Anytime Learning) can model lets students know simple machines. make the first few weeks when they have made §§ Conduct Student Led Conferences to seem overwhelming. poor choices. Through share academic progress with parents. Parent encouragement ongoing reinforcement of §§ Try an instrument in the band program. during the transition is the Honor Code and other §§ Play organized sports for the school. very important. Students LFCDS values, we create a at this age are still very learning environment that eager to please and often benefit from both support and is developmentally appropriate and conducive to the opportunities for independence. development of “strong character.” Our fifth-grade program is designed to provide both the challenges your child is ready for and the reassuring support he or she needs to settle into middle school
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Overview
Having a strong social and emotional safety net is crucial for students at this age. That’s why fifth-grade students, like all Upper School students, are placed in
small advisory groups right away. Students get to know an adult to whom they can turn for both practical help and emotional support. They also build relationships with a small group of peers in their advisory group, which helps expand their group of friends and learn to appreciate individual differences. Your child’s advisor can be a helpful resource for you as well as for your child. Open two-way conversation between parents and advisors is encouraged. Our middle school social worker is also available as a resource for both students and parents.
TUTORIAL TIME A unique characteristic of the Upper School schedule is that students have a daily opportunity to receive support, connect with teachers, reinforce concepts, engage in enrichment activities, or make up work. Each day, there is a thirty-minute block of time where all Upper School teachers are available to meet with students and students are not scheduled in a class. This dedicated time period affords middle school students the opportunity to build self-advocacy skills and deepen their relationship with teachers in order to ensure their success.
SCHEDULE Students in the Upper School follow a rotating six-day cycle consisting mainly of forty-minute class periods with the addition of one or more extended blocks. Grade-level academic courses are clustered into blocks in order to provide opportunities for team meetings, integration of curricula, and flexibility. This hybrid schedule creates a balanced, developmentally appropriate middle school culture of learning. With varied class lengths – some 40 minutes – some 80 – strategically placed English and mathematics classes routinely meet more often with English courses focusing on each of the numerous language arts strands including literature, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and writing. Students also attend year-long fine arts courses that meet on alternating cycle days. Two times per cycle, Upper School students meet with their advisors and engage in a formal character development program consisting of such topics as empathy, communication, problem solving, peer dynamics, social cruelty, and stress management. These adult-led sessions involve a variety of resources including the Second Step program and Student Success Through Prevention. These Social Emotional Learning components inform age-appropriate discussions facilitated by both our middle school counselors and faculty advisors in collaboration. Once per cycle, an advisory group designs and leads a division-wide community meeting, in which students
gather to share information, talents, successes, and celebrations with their peers. Finally, students have a daily opportunity to receive support, connect with teachers, or make up work during a thirty-minute tutorial time. This affords middle school students an opportunity to build self-advocacy skills and connect with teachers in order to ensure their success.
HOMEWORK Homework is assigned in the Upper School based on curricular needs for repetition, application, reflection, and/or student inquiry. Assignments are written down by each student, but are also posted digitally on the Panther Portal for confirmation and updated regularly. In general, homework assignments in the Upper School should require the following preparation: Grade 5: 50 minutes, Grade 6: 60 minutes, Grade 7 and 8: 70–80 minutes. Students in Grades 6–8 usually have four academic study periods per cycle. When used effectively, homework for one or more subjects should be completed during this period. The time for completing homework may vary depending on individual learning style and productivity. The value of homework depends upon how it is done. It is essential that each child find a quiet place to work and determine a definite time for study. Distractions and interruptions such as those from television, cell phones, video games, and social networking technologies should be minimized. Each child should be responsible for his or her own assignments.
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Overview
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STANDARDIZED ASSESSMENTS Standardized and normed data provided by the following tools, along with classroom-based assessments, offer teachers a more complete understanding of each student’s learning profiles and guides individual instruction as well as curriculum design.
§§ Fifth-grade students take the NWEA MAP (Measurements of Academic Progress) assessment. This test is designed to identify areas of strength, opportunities for interventions, and overall performance over time. The adaptive, untimed assessment provides reliable, detailed
information about what each student knows and is ready to learn. Because the test is administered two times a year, educators have immediate and highly accurate data on the precise learning level of each child so their teaching can be adjusted to meet the individual needs of students. §§ MAP results allow for individualized Compass Learning activities to be provided to each student. Compass Learning provides online blended learning for support and enrichment, which is specifically targeted to each child's level of understanding and mastery
ENGLISH OVERVIEW Upper School English is a multi-strand subject. Students study literature, composition, vocabulary, grammar, and spelling appropriate for their grade level. Students read and write in a variety of genres. Literature selections vary by grade level. Composition mainly revolves around several different genre studies including poetry and memoir. Students also write about the literature they study and prepare and present persuasive speeches as part of the annual Robbie Bermingham Speaking Contest. Vocabulary focuses on Greek and Latin roots and prefixes. Students also discuss new vocabulary words organically as they occur in reading. Grammar covers parts of speech, sentence syntax, and the usage conventions of the English language. The skill levels vary and increase with the complexity of texts as students progress through grades five through eight.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following English skills:
Reading
§§ Read for information, understanding, and appreciation. §§ Apply word analysis and vocabulary skills to comprehend reading selections. §§ Clarify understanding of words by using a variety of resources, including context clues and dictionaries. §§ Connect reading selections to personal experiences and other texts. §§ Empathize and identify with character roles. §§ Use information from reading selections to inform, explain, and support questions and predictions.
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Overview, English
§§ Gather and comprehend information from a variety of sources. §§ Recognize and understand structural elements in informational texts such as main idea, supporting details, and conclusion. §§ Quote from the text accurately to reflect or support a point of view. §§ Make and support inferences about the author’s purpose.
§§ Identify and appreciate literary elements. §§ List the main events of the story’s plot using terms such as exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, and falling action. §§ Identify narration, point of view, and use of dialogue in a variety of literary works. §§ Identify character, setting and theme as they apply to reading selections.
Writing
§§ Gain experience with writing an assortment of composition modes. §§ Generate and organize ideas using a variety of planning strategies. §§ Identify and accomplish personal purpose. §§ Recognize and formulate standard parts of an expository paragraph such as topic sentence, supporting details, transitions, and concluding sentence. §§ Engage in the stages of the writing process: drafting, revising, and sharing final copy.
Presentation
§§ Express clearly personal responses to classroom discussion. §§ Read a text aloud with appropriate inflection. §§ Collaborate and present material as part of a group presentation.
§§ Identify the author’s use of certain literary elements such as foreshadowing, flashback, figurative language, and irony. §§ Analyze and appreciate poetry through an understanding of poetic devices such as similes, metaphors, alliteration, rhyme scheme, and personification.
§§ Begin to incorporate figurative language and wellchosen vocabulary. §§ Edit documents for clarity and correct grammar usage. §§ Apply the rules studied for syntax, grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation to writing. §§ Strive for grace of expression through effective sentence syntax, paying particular attention to identifying and correcting sentence fragments and run-ons. §§ Write concisely and accurately for selected forms of assessment.
§§ Practice and exhibit essential presentation skills such as diction, volume, eye contact, appropriate gestures, and pacing for many sizes and types of audiences. §§ Participate as an effective audience member.
MATHEMATICS OVERVIEW By incorporating researched standards and best practice strategies, our Upper School mathematics program challenges fifth- through eighth-grade students to compute accurately, think analytically and to reason logically. Instruction is individualized and differentiated within each class in addition to having a framed readiness path to allow for a variety of flexible grouping based on specific criteria. The curriculum is infused with manipulatives, creative applications, projects, technology, and critical thinking activities. The goals of the Upper School mathematics program at LFCDS are: §§ to stimulate enthusiasm for mathematics. §§ to teach and reinforce essential mathematical concepts. §§ to develop students’ problem-solving abilities.
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
English, Mathematics
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§§ to foster mathematical creativity, flexibility, and ingenuity. §§ to offer challenging, engaging learning experiences. In order to best meet the needs of all of our middle school students, a math readiness path allows for fluid and flexible movement among leveled courses within each grade. In sixth grade, an accelerated course is designed to accommodate individual conceptual understanding with greater depth, pace, and rigor. Resources, manipulatives, projects, web-resources used on an ongoing, rotational basis: §§ Prentice Hall Mathematics textbook series and online supplemental resources §§ Marcy Cook Tiles §§ BuzzMath individualized online mathematics skills program §§ Compass Learning
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following mathematics skills: §§ Build conceptual understanding of ratio, rate, and §§ Think critically and abstractly. percent. §§ Develop problem-solving strategies. §§ Define facets of measurement. §§ Build upon a conceptual understanding of order of §§ Understand and apply concepts related to statistics, operations, integer rules, and algebraic expressions and measures of central tendency, and graphing. equations. §§ Analyze data representation through the study of §§ Study scale within figures and drawings. different graphing techniques. §§ Apply knowledge of geometric concepts and relate this §§ Create means of analysis using Microsoft Excel. to 3D space figures. §§ Investigate number patterns and sequences. §§ Construct three-dimensional polyhedra. §§ Study geometric concepts related to area and perimeter. §§ Develop an understanding of two-dimensional §§ Solidify mastery of decimal and fraction concepts which geometric terms. are fundamental for algebraic equation work. §§ Explore and learn proportionality. §§ Examine concepts related to probability. §§ Investigate the metric system and make connections between metric and customary units.
SCIENCE OVERVIEW The Upper School curriculum includes three units of study per year at each grade level that address the three branches of science—physical science, life science, and earth/space science. In a hands-on inquiry-based setting, students pose questions, explore hypotheses, and form conclusions. Students further their scientific understanding through learning that is relevant to real-life experiences and through spiraling unifying themes from grade five through grade eight. Fifth-grade students develop understandings around the theme of change and constancy. Throughout the year, they practice organizational skills, test-taking strategies, and cooperative group behaviors as well as develop independence, confidence, empathy, and responsibility. Technology is incorporated as a tool to further scientific understanding
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Mathematics, Science
and to improve students’ communication skills. In the fall, students review and practice the critical thinking and inquiry skills that they have developed in their Lower School science classes through units on force, motion, buoyancy, and simple machines. During the winter, fifth-grade students learn about the human body. They have a unique opportunity to design and implement their own experiment involving biofeedback, once again putting their knowledge of proper scientific procedures to practical use. The universe and microscopic aquatic biology are topics explored during the spring. We are fortunate to have a vernal pool in our very own outdoor laboratory. Our students are able to apply their skills to real-world problems that await them in their outdoor classroom.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following science skills:
General: Review and Reinforcement of Inquiry §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§
Graphing data. Communicating through sketches. Communicating through paragraph writing. Distinguishing observation from inference. Using the scientific method. Using inquiry.
§§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§
Forming hypotheses. Writing clear procedures. Drawing conclusions. Designing and running controlled experiments. Identifying variables. Supporting claims with evidence.
Physical: Force, Motion, Buoyancy, and Machines §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§ §§
Using the scientific method. Using inquiry. Forming hypotheses. Writing clear procedures. Drawing conclusions. Measuring and analyzing forces. Identifying the relationship between force and motion. Describing and predicting the motion of objects.
Life: Human Body
§§ Explore the relationship between structure and function in the human body. §§ Identify the parts of the body systems and how they work together to sustain life. §§ Discover how external factors, especially stress, can impact body systems.
§§ Relating the mass of an object to the gravitational force. §§ Applying knowledge of buoyant force and gravitational force in the lab. §§ Calculating the mechanical advantage of levers, wedges, pulleys, inclined planes, screws, wheel and axles. §§ Planning and constructing a compound Rube Goldberg machine while applying knowledge of all simple machines.
§§ Recognize that choices we make can impact our health. §§ Use biofeedback techniques to improve our health. §§ Recognize how our bodies change over time.
Earth/Space: The Universe
§§ Discover our place in the universe. §§ Explore the forces and processes that govern motion in the universe. §§ Use models to represent size and distance in space. §§ Compare and contrasting earth to other objects in our
solar system. §§ Identify the characteristics of other planetary bodies. §§ Apply our understanding of force and motion to explain seasonal change.
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Science
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Life: Life in a Vernal Pool
§§ Discover ways that aquatic organisms interact with each other and their environment. §§ Compare and contrast ways that aquatic organisms have adapted to their environment. §§ Compare and contrast ways that aquatic organisms depend on the feeding relationships of one another.
§§ Compare and contrast ways that organisms in an ecosystem get the resources and energy they need. §§ Determine ways that energy is transferred from one organism to the next. §§ Identify invasive species in our ecosystem and participate in returning our open lands to their native state.
SOCIAL STUDIES OVERVIEW With the unifying theme of problem solving, students in fifth-grade social studies examine the development of ancient civilizations with an emphasis on Mesopotamia, Sumer, Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. As students explore a variety of cultures and civilizations, they discover new ways in which the history of humanity has been shaped and altered by climate, geography, outside peoples, and other factors. In addition to the historical aspect of the curriculum, students discuss and present current events throughout the year. Students are actively engaged in this course by focusing on hands-on learning projects such as skits, simulations, news reports, models, film creation, PowerPoint presentations, and debate.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following social studies skills:
Projects and Public Speaking (Cooperative Learning, Problem Solving) §§ Read, reflect, discuss, and present on a current event on the local, national, and international level. §§ Work independently or cooperatively with a variety of
peers to complete projects and presentations using media such as PowerPoint, posters, models, Movie Maker, or iMovie.
Social Studies Concepts (Economic, Political, Historical, Geographic) §§ Using authentic evidence, students conclude whether an ancient people were a civilization based upon the seven characteristics of a civilization. §§ Explain how geographical features impact the growth, development, and culture of a people. §§ Explain how ancient civilizations used technology to overcome geographic challenges. §§ Explain economic and political systems in ancient civilizations. §§ Discuss the pros and cons of a variety of different forms of governments in ancient civilizations including tyranny, oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy.
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Science, Social Studies
§§ Explain how the necessity for trade led to cultural expansion and assimilation in the ancient world. §§ Discuss the role of women in a variety of different ancient cultures. §§ Explore the similarities and differences of social groups throughout the ancient world. §§ Explain different types of work available to people in the ancient world. Discuss how the division of labor allowed rulers to accomplish great testaments to their power.
Comprehension and Synthesis (Reading, Writing, Thinking) §§ Examine daily life and culture in various time periods and places. §§ Describe the historical development of city-states. §§ Compare and contrast the quality of life for different social groups.
§§ Use a variety of writing styles and products to express learned concepts. §§ Create and interpret timelines to develop a stronger sense of the continuity and discontinuity of the development of civilizations.
Classroom Skills (Organization and Time Management, Note-Taking, Research) §§ Review and reinforce Cornell Note-Taking Skills. §§ Learn to utilize resources available on online textbook as necessary to aid in note-taking and test preparation. §§ Review identification of the main idea and supporting details in a reading selection. §§ Take notes, organize, compose, and present information on topics of historical interest. §§ Find and utilize a variety of reliable resources, both in print and online, to further learn about a topic.
§§ Effectively use technology as an aid in research and organization. §§ Introduce/review effective study techniques for a variety of different types of assessments. §§ Reflect on how historical events mirror or contrast current events. §§ Develop written and oral arguments supported by historical facts.
World Language OVERVIEW The world language program intertwines communication, culture, comparisons, and connections in accordance with National Standards. World language events that pertain to community take place throughout each year of the program. We also invite our students to see and explore language and cultures beyond classroom walls by looking through an abundance of multi-media windows to the outside world.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS Fifth-grade students begin proficiency-level study of their chosen world language. They commit to the study of this language for the remainder of Upper School.
Spanish
§§ Meet new people and make beginning conversation. §§ Apply correct phonetics and accent to speaking, writing, and spelling. §§ Count and use any numbers in conversation. §§ Ask/tell the time and discuss “at what time…” §§ Use definite and indefinite articles with beginning vocabulary. §§ Learn to conjugate and use regular present tense verbs. §§ Discern the difference between ser and estar.
§§ Discuss such topics as greetings, health, time, courtesy, calendar, and school. §§ Appreciate the rich contribution of Hispanic culture to the US. §§ Find all Spanish-speaking countries on a world map and know their capitals. §§ Understand and celebrate El Dia de los Muertos.
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Social Studies, World Language
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French
§§ Identify the French-speaking world §§ Understand the history of the French language and recognize cognates §§ Review and expand previously learned vocabulary (numbers 0 to 1000, colors, and shapes) §§ Classroom expressions and commands §§ Use formal and informal greetings and leave-takings §§ Learn the French alphabet and identify sounds (pronunciation) and accents marks
Mandarin Chinese
§§ Comprehend oral Chinese and respond with short answers and sentences. §§ Ask for clarification of meaning when needed. §§ Share ideas in Chinese and contribute to classroom conversations. §§ Read and understand short stories and conversations. §§ Respond to written prompts with answers in Chinese pinyin and/or characters. §§ Introduce themselves, their interests, and their family in Chinese. §§ Begin reading, typing, and hand-writing Chinese characters.
§§ Be able to talk about oneself (name, age, birthdays, feelings, where you live, nationality, brothers and sisters, animals, favorite color) §§ Introduce family members and friends §§ Identify and know how to use gender (un/une) and possessive adjectives (mon/ma) §§ Celebrate and compare French culture/traditions (Mardi Gras, …) with their own §§ Cultural project: French-speaking countries
§§ Recognize and learn about the meaning of characters and their components. §§ Refer to the pinyin phonetic guide to clarify pronunciation. §§ Understand important facets of Chinese daily life and culture, polite phrases, and introductions. §§ Celebrate Chinese New Year with culturally significant foods and activities. §§ Interact with other Chinese speakers in the community.
fINE ARTS OVERVIEW Education in the arts is an integral part of the education of the whole child. Children learn to express and interpret ideas through observation and analysis of the fine arts. They learn creative modes of problem solving and develop an array of expressive, analytical, and developmental tools which can be applied to a variety of human situations. Students at LFCDS understand the influences of the arts in their power to create and reflect about cultures, both past and present, thus enabling them to make informed judgments about cultural products and issues. They also develop attributes such as self-discipline, perseverance, and collaborative skills. Through experiences in the arts, children develop their imaginations which brings them happiness and a sense of personal fulfillment.
GENERAL MUSIC The three main components of the Upper School general music program at each grade level are music literacy, performance, and music listening and analysis. Students learn proper performance etiquette (posture, facial expression, and singing and instrumental technique) and audience etiquette (active listening and predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
World Language, Fine Arts
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following instrumental music skills: embouchure, and articulation. §§ Perform on a wind instrument of their choice (flute, §§ Perform music in legato, tenuto, staccato, and accented clarinet, alto sax, trumpet, trombone or baritone). styles. §§ Explore notation in treble and bass clefs. §§ Execute proper performance etiquette at two concerts §§ Execute rhythms from whole notes to eighth notes and and several in-school assemblies. corresponding rests. §§ Analyze band music with attention to style, balance, and §§ Identify various time and key signatures. blend. §§ Understand simple transpositions. §§ Learn the basic characteristics of tone production, air,
VISUAL ARTS The three main components of the Upper School art program at each grade level include: art production, art literacy and criticism, and art history.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following general visual art skills: §§ Demonstrate art techniques & visual organizational §§ Participate in discussions about art and artists. skills to create more complex works of art: §§ Demonstrate an understanding of the elements of §§ Value change in black and white and in color design (color, line, shape, texture, space, value, §§ Creation of form in 2D art and form). §§ Abstraction §§ Demonstrate an understanding of the principles of §§ Relief sculpture with texture and symmetry design (balance, unity, pattern, emphasis, contrast, §§ Composition movement, and rhythm). §§ Monochromatic ink painting, sumi-e §§ Create art with various visual art media to produce 2D §§ Block print demonstrating contrast and 3D works of art: ebony, paint, pastels, ink, ceramics, digital media.
DRAMA Drama engages students in a progressive curriculum in grades four through eight. The emphasis is on process and exploration, rather than product. Each year, drama will give students the opportunity to hone their voice and movement skills. Students will continually have the chance to learn more about themselves, others, and engage in the world around them through mindfulness-awareness practices. Students will utilize critical thinking skills and stretch their imagination as they learn about the history of the theatre through interactive, hands-on activities. Students will learn how to think on their feet, practice memorization techniques, and learn about the physical theatre space as well as different acting techniques. Through our drama classroom philosophy of O.T.O. (Other Than Ourselves), students will better understand the idea of our interconnectedness as human beings and make lifelong connections between the past and the present. The three main components of the Upper School drama program are mindfulness/awareness practices, storytelling and theatre history, and performance. Students learn proper performance etiquette (body carriage, facial expression, and voice and speech technique) and audience etiquette (active listening and predicting appropriate responses based on genre and venue).
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Fine Arts
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GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following drama skills: §§ Develop memorization skills. §§ Utilize their sensory awareness, spatial awareness, and §§ Explore the history, conventions, components, mindfulness practices. playwrights, and style of the ancient Greek theatre. §§ Develop voice and movement skills. §§ Develop ensemble skills.
PERFORMING ARTS The musical performing arts are an important part in the life of an Upper School student at Lake Forest Country Day School. Beginning in fifth grade, students have the option to participate in the choral program. There are three separate choruses in which students can volunteer to participate: Fifth- and Sixth-Grade Chorus, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Chorus, and Honors Chorus (merit based and by director’s invitation only). All students participate in the band program in fifth grade as part of their general music curriculum. In sixth grade, students have the option to continue to participate in the band program. There are three different instrumental ensembles in which students can volunteer to participate: Sixth-Grade Concert Band, Seventh- and Eighth-Grade Symphonic Band, and Jazz Band. Students in the choral and band performing groups regularly perform at all-school assemblies including the Thanksgiving Assembly, the Holiday Assembly, the Grandparents Day/Music In Our Schools Assembly, various evening concerts, and Upper School Graduation. Additionally, there are several opportunities each year for individual students to prepare solo and ensemble pieces for competitions in both singing and instrumental playing.
Fifth- & Sixth-Grade Chorus Students learn to sing within a choral ensemble. For this group, repertoire can include, but is not limited to, standard folk arrangements, pop arrangements, and arrangements from the standard American Broadway Theatre genre. Skills include: §§ Sing with open-mouth/raised soft-palate position §§ Sing with proper choral vowels. §§ Perform in unison, two-, and three-part harmony with §§ Stand with a good choral singing stance. vocal independence. §§ Engage proper breathing technique. §§ Follow a conductor’s cues and patterns.
Physical Education & Wellness OVERVIEW The mission of the physical education & wellness program is to develop a lasting appreciation for physical activity and the skills, strategies, and knowledge that lay the foundation for a lifetime of well-being through athletics. Teachers strive to inspire a commitment to health-related fitness and positive lifestyle choices regardless of athletic ability. Our goals are to enhance students’ ability to lead, work together as a team, participate fairly with sportsmanship, and develop respect for peers. We expect active participation from all students.
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UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Fine Arts, Physical Education & Wellness
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS In fifth grade, students work to master the following physical education & wellness skills: §§ Participate in daily physical fitness activities consistently; §§ Develop fluid combinations of fundamental be able to monitor individual heart rate. locomotor skills. §§ Be able to monitor individual heart rate during exercise. §§ Develop combination of locomotor and §§ Be introduced to the principles of frequency, intensity, manipulative skills. and time. §§ Follow rules, procedures, and etiquette, and wear §§ Understanding of components of health-related fitness. appropriate attire to actively participate in §§ Have a basic understanding of the body systems and fitness activities. their impact on athletic performance. §§ Use equipment safely and properly. §§ Learn and follow the LFCDS PE Code of Conduct. §§ Develop an understanding of fundamental strategies used in sports and games. §§ Understanding that aerobic exercise improves the efficiency of the cardiovascular system.
INFORMATION LITERACY Information literacy in the Upper School is embedded in the academic curriculum. In classes from social studies to science to music, students develop skills in: accessing and evaluating information; organizing knowledge and presenting it creatively; and participating ethically as members of social and intellectual networks. The LFCDS library supports the Upper School curriculum by providing resources, both print and electronic, for student use and by teaching particular information skills as necessary.
Education Technology With technology increasingly permeating the fabric of society, success in completing many everyday tasks and projects hinges on competence in information technology. The continuing expansion of information requires that students focus on the following skills: §§ initiative and self-direction §§ creativity and innovation §§ social and cross-cultural skills §§ critical thinking and problem solving §§ productivity and accountability §§ communication §§ leadership and responsibility §§ collaboration §§ flexibility and adaptability To prepare students for a high-tech world, LFCDS includes instruction in information technology in the classroom through its education technology program as well as providing elements of direct instruction to increase competencies and familiarity. The major goal is to provide opportunities for students to use information technology as a tool to complete a task rather than as an end in itself. Students learn both the technical skills of computer and technology use, and their proper role in attaining the skills of a competent twenty-first century learner.
UPPER SCHOOL—GRADE 5
Physical Education & Wellness, Information Literacy, Education Technology
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learning is a partnership At Lake Forest Country Day School, we believe that the optimal educational experience requires a partnership between the parents, the students, and the School, resulting in a community of focused, joyful learners. Lake Forest Country Day School offers many options for parents to connect with our school community. Beginning with an intake conference with your child’s advisor or homeroom teacher, informational coffees in early September, and grade-level social events, there are many opportunities to establish important connections. As the school year progresses, there are multiple ways for parents to volunteer, from classroom activities and field trips, to a variety of volunteer positions with the Parent Association and the School’s annual Auction. The Parent Association Office is open each day and welcomes all LFCDS parents to stop by for coffee, peruse the spirit wear, and connect with other school families. In addition, parents are always welcome at our weekly Wednesday Community Meetings and for Coffee and Conversation on Tuesdays in the Parent Relations Office. Throughout the school year, LFCDS hosts outside speakers such as bestselling authors Dr. Michael Thompson, Dr. Ned Hallowell, Dr. David Walsh, Dr. Lisa Damour, Dr. Mark Brackett, Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, and New York Times parenting columnist Jessica Lahey. All community members are welcome to attend. The School’s portal offer a wealth of information, including:
§§ Enrichment Activities and Resources: At LFCDS, we believe that summer is an important time to balance learning with leisure. This page provides information about required summer work, book lists for particular grade levels, mathematics and science challenges, and parent resources. §§ Grade Level Curriculum Guides: Each year, faculty members prepare a detailed description of the curriculum for each grade level. These guides provide an in-depth review of the educational experiences your child will be a part of at each grade level. §§ Teacher Communication: Many teachers share classroom experiences through newsletters and photo sharing sites, emails, and phone or personal conversations. §§ Curriculum Review Information: On an ongoing basis, a faculty task force examines and revises a specific curriculum component. §§ Parent Association Information: The Parent Association web page provides up-to-date information regarding volunteer opportunities and other parent-related events. Social media is a timely way to tell the story of Lake Forest Country Day School. The School regularly maintains and updates its Facebook page, Twitter account, and Instagram with relevant information regarding the School. Please note that we have a strict social media policy and never post individual student names or information on these channels. We encourage you to explore the website and learn more about the Lake Forest Country Day School Experience.
Questions? Please contact the Admission Office at 847-615-6151.
Lake Forest Country Day School 145 South Green Bay Road Lake Forest, Illinois 60045 (847) 234-2350 | www.lfcds.org