Elementary Grade 5 Curriculum
Grade 5 Curriculum
The sacraments, with the strongest emphasis on the Eucharist, are the focus of the fifth grade curriculum. Students will have a rich understanding of the seven sacraments. Students are given opportunities and encouragement to live their religion through community service projects as well.
In addition to the faith-based curriculum, students participate in a social skills curriculum that teaches children life skills based on Christian values. This program challenges the children through role-playing situations to make good choices when faced with difficult situations in their lives.
The language arts curriculum includes reading, writing, grammar, and spelling. In addition to explicit teaching of writing through numerous writing assignments, writing is regularly incorporated into the reading area of this block. The focus in grade five reading is to continue teaching reading strategies. As the year progresses, the emphasis becomes more of an analytical nature of the literature.
The math curriculum is based on the Saxon Philosophy that centers on students success by incremental development and continual review of topics. The content in the Saxon program is organized in a series of lessons that gradually develop concepts. This incremental approach provides the students with the opportunity to master concepts and skills before they are introduced to a new topic. By continually review of concepts and skills, through extensive practice over the year, the students are strengthening their ability to comprehend the concepts and how to apply them to solve complicated mathematical problems.
The students use the Saxon Math 7/6 text book, Smart Board, Manipulative as well as Facts Practice, Mental Math, Problem Solving Activities in each lesson to develop the new concepts and review other skills. A test is scheduled for every five lessons and an Investigation is scheduled for every ten lessons. This program challenges the students as they learn new math concepts and skills in a variety of ways.
The curriculum focuses on Life, Earth and Physical Science. Some of the topics are Diversity of Life, Ecosystems and Biomes, Earth and its Resources, Weather, Space and Energy. Students use the text book, smart board, library, supplementary activities as well conducting a science experiment weekly in the science lab to develop the concepts being introduced in class. In addition to the classroom and science lab activities, the students will take two field trips during the course of the year to the Topsfield Fair and Endicott Park. This program challenges the students through class activities, formative assessments, creative writing and hand on activities to become aware of the world that surrounds them.
The students will learn about themes in American History through directed lessons, timelines, map skills, discussions, research and technology. The students will develop an understanding of major movements, events and processes in our American Heritage. A global understanding of the historic economic and geographic factors which contributed to the development of our great nation will be identified and learned. They will read about famous people whose actions and words contributed greatly to the principles and values of our country such as freedom and equality for all.