Language Arts

Text – Tropies: Distant Voyages by Harcourt

The text and related small books are used to model and practice a great many specific reading comprehension skills in three main areas – forming an initial understanding, developing an interpretation, and demonstrating a critical stance as they relate to literature selections. (See attached)

Through reading and discussing a variety of genres (realistic fiction, historical fiction, personal narrative, informational text, autobiographies, biographies, etc.) students will become familiar with the elements of literature. Exiting Fifth Grade students are expected to have the ability to identify genre, main idea, important characters and relationships, setting, and conflict/resolution. Students are also expected to be able to make connections related to the literature as well as compare and contrast elements of fiction and nonfiction. Identifying the author’s point of view and distinguishing between fact and opinion are additional skills covered in fifth grade.

The writing in Grade 5 focuses on expository elements of writing – introductory, body, and concluding paragraphs. Students are taught to use main idea sentences, supporting details and examples in their writing. Consideration of word choice and sentence beginnings are covered as well transitional phrasing.

Social Studies

Text – Horizons: United States History by Harcourt

Through the use of the current text it is expected that students exiting Grade 5 will have a basic knowledge of the events in American History from exploration through the American Revolution. By using related materials such as trade books, films, plays, etc. it is expected that students will have a better understanding of the cause and effects of the events presented. Students are also expected to gain greater tolerance for the variety of cultures within the classroom, neighborhood, and nation.

Additionally, students are expected to have some understanding and basic working skills with regard to the use of maps. The ability to understand and utilize associated vocabulary is also an expectation. Through this study, students should have an awareness of major geographical areas around the world (i.e., the Middle East, the Far East, the 7 continents) and should have the ability to locate these using latitude and longitude on a world map, globe, or an atlas.

Science

Text – Science by Harcourt

Using the text as a resource and the scientific process, the following units of study will be covered:

• The Nature/Nurture of Flowering Plants
• Sound
• Light
• Earth, Moon, and Sun Interactions
• Technology and Our Senses

Scientific process skills include: observing, hypothesizing, predicting, categorizing, classifying, inferring, modeling, making a model, comparing, and recording.