Fifth Grade Course Guide 2022-2023
UMS-Wright PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Our School...Our Mission The mission of UMS-Wright is for the UMS-Wright Family to educate all students to their highest potential in mind, body and spirit and to produce in each student character of the highest possible order. Our Founder, Dr. Julius T. Wright, instituted our tradition of excellence in 1893. Each day we strive to maintain the high principles and ideals established by Dr. Wright. Our mission drives each decision we make, allowing UMS-Wright Preparatory School to provide a variety of opportunities for our students to excel to their greatest potential in “mind, body, and spirit.” This guide provides essential information on our academic program. Included are academic requirements, explanations of each course offered with required prerequisites, and important information about the process of course selection.
The Curriculum & Instruction Department The role of the Curriculum and Instruction Department at UMS-Wright is to support teaching and learning across divisions. We look forward to having the opportunity to work closely with students to navigate their middle school academic experience. As the coordinators of the course selection and scheduling process, we are happy to answer any questions you may have along the way.
Dr. Patricia Boehm Associate Head of School - Curriculum and Instruction pboehm@ums-wright.org
Mrs. Bre Stricklin Director of Learning and Innovation Grades 3-7 bstricklin@ums-wright.org
2
General Information for Course Selection Course Selection and Registration
Course selection takes place in the spring of each school year. Leading up to the day of registration, students are strongly encouraged to discuss their course selections with parents, teachers and members of the Curriculum and Instruction Department. Students should carefully consider their personal interests, current and future time commitments. Students are provided a deadline for registration. Failure to register by the posted date may result in the student’s forfeiture of course selection rights, and a schedule may be chosen for him/her. Honors Coursework
Honors courses are taught at an accelerated pace and advanced level as compared to the College Preparatory (CP) courses. Students who choose to take an honors course at UMS-Wright should be mindful of the additional requirements involved. At the middle school level, UMS-Wright offers Honors English and Honors Math at the seventh and eighth grade levels. To enroll in Honors courses, a student must receive a recommendation. Recommendations are determined based upon the following criteria: Attendance and work ethic Grades in prerequisite coursework Contributions made to the learning process that indicate intellectual engagement and curiosity in the subject Strong ability to analyze, evaluate, problem solve and conceptualize new ideas Performance on standardized tests, as appropriate Scheduling Conflicts
UMS-Wright offers a great variety of courses and activities for its students to pursue. Because of the varied nature of student interests, sometimes scheduling conflicts will occur. Every effort will be made to place each student in the courses that he or she requests. However, sometimes this is not possible. It is very important that students clearly indicate acceptable alternatives when registering. Schedule Changes
Requests for schedule changes must be made within the first four weeks of the course and approved by the Curriculum and Instruction Department. Due to the pace of instruction, students may not begin Honors level classes after the seventh day of school. Please note that due to our commitment to small, balanced classes, requests for specific class periods cannot be accommodated.
3
Middle School Courses English Language Arts 5th Reading 5 and English 5 6th Reading 6 and English 6 7th English 7 or Honors English 7 8th English 8 or Honors English 8 Mathematics 5th 6th 7th 8th
Math 5 Math 6 Math 7 or PreAlgebra PreAlgebra or Algebra I
Science 5th 6th 7th 8th
STEM 5 STEM 6 / Earth Science STEM 7 / Life Science STEM 8 / Physical Science
Social Studies 5th 6th 7th 8th
Social Studies 5: Ancient History Social Studies 6: Medieval History Social Studies 7: Modern History Social Studies 8: American History
World Languages 5th 6th 7th 8th
Introductory French Exploratory Spanish and Exploratory French Spanish A or French A Spanish B or French B
Elective Offerings 5th 6th 7th 8th
All students will participate in a rotation consisting of: Exploratory Band, Drama, Chorus & Technology All students will choose either two semester elective courses or one year-long elective All students will choose up to four elective classes, depending on length All students will participate in Speech & Debate and choose up to three elective classes
4
Fifth Grade English Language Arts Reading 5 This course is designed to improve vocabulary and reading skills while also promoting critical thinking. Students are assigned novels that are attainable, yet provide enough challenge to increase their level of fluency and comprehension. Students work independently, in small groups, and as a class to interpret the novels with the help of visual tools. In addition to class novels, students have ongoing independent reading projects to encourage exploration of genres and authors. English 5 The primary focus of this course is for students to compose a variety of genres while demonstrating command of Standard English grammar and conventions. Students will apply their knowledge of Standard English to produce clear and coherent pieces which are appropriate to the task, purpose, and audience. Throughout the course, students will have the opportunity to experiment with sentence length and complex sentence structures. Mentor texts, used as examples of exemplary writing, are used to model skills, generate meaningful conversations about literature and the writing process, stimulate the students’ imagination, and fuel their motivation to write.
Mathematics Math 5 In this course, students continue to build thinking skills, develop number sense, and learn to apply problem solving strategies. Students begin with a review of basic mathematical computations involving the four basic math operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and the properties that apply to each. Throughout the year, these operations are used to work with whole numbers, decimals, and fractions. Students at this level also continue to build and apply their skills in measurement, geometric concepts, ratios and percentages, and data and probability.
History Social Studies 5: Ancient History In this course, students discover the beginning of the human story through a chronological and thematic approach by focusing on the early civilizations of Egypt and the Near East, India, China, Greece, and Rome. Some of the themes explored are thinking like a historian, humans’ interaction with their environment, cultural development, interaction and change, leadership and decision making, inventions and achievements, and economic systems and trade. The course centers around the essential question, How does the study of
ancient history help us understand the world today?
Science STEM 5 Our middle school science courses at UMS-Wright are taught using the STEM approach to teaching and learning. This approach requires teachers to facilitate learning so that students apply skills and knowledge in context as they work to solve problems that integrate science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Students work together to plan and carry out investigations, develop and use models, and analyze and interpret data. Each unit contains hands-on activities, experiments, problem solving, critical thinking, and research assignments. The fifth grade science curriculum will cover topics from Earth, Space, Life, and Physical Sciences.
5
World Language Exploratory French 5 This weekly exploratory language course introduces all fifth graders to the French language. During this time, students will engage in all forms of communication (interpersonal, intrapersonal, and presentational) using basic vocabulary and expressions that are essential for the beginning language student. In addition, students will gain basic cultural knowledge through products, practices, and perspectives of the Francophone world.
Additional Courses Exploratory Band Exploratory Band is one of a four-part elective rotation. This class is designed to expose students to the world of instrumental music. Activities include reading and understanding of different styles of music and developing the ability to instrumentally communicate the intent of the composers. In this hands-on class, the students are given the opportunity to touch, hold, and play a variety of instruments. They make music as a group with individually chosen instruments to sample. The students will perform a few musical pieces on their chosen instruments at the end of the quarter for their parents. Exploratory Chorus Exploratory Chorus is one of a four-part elective rotation. Each student in fifth grade will participate in learning the fundamentals of vocal music and sight-reading. Students will explore a variety of musical styles while developing skills such as vocal technique, the solfege system, and diction. Exploratory Drama Exploratory Drama is one of a four-part elective rotation, and serves as an introduction to theatre. It will cover topics such as movement and space, environment, improv, technical theatre, and many others. These skills will not only help the students discover the joy of theatre but will also aid the students in leadership and collaboration skills. Exploratory Technology Exploratory Technology is one of a four-part elective rotation. Using their school-issued device, students will explore a variety of computer programs essential for academic success in the middle school. Each class will begin with a brief keyboarding lesson followed by instruction on proper computer use and utilization of digital environments. Through a variety of digital platforms, students will create projects to demonstrate mastery of the skills they have learned. Character Education This course aides in the development of “character of the highest possible order,” which is a part of the mission of our school. Students deepen their knowledge and understanding of character traits and core values that are exemplary in all UMS-Wright students. Fifth grade students will have this exploratory course one day per week. Physical Education Fifth graders will participate in Physical Education every day. Physical Education (PE) in the middle school provides students opportunities to learn and practice key motor skills while encouraging lifelong physical activity. During PE, students learn the rules and concepts of sports activities as well as movements that are crucial for success in all areas of exercise and athletics. Students practice these movement skills through individual drills, games, team and individual sports, and team building exercises. A variety of sports are taught, including: basketball, football, soccer, softball, swimming, track, and volleyball. Students are required to dress in the PE uniform for participation in class.
6