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Language Arts

Fifth Grade approaches Languages Arts as part of an integrated Humanities course. Students are taught vocabulary, comprehension, phonemic awareness, handwriting, spelling, reading, study skills, writing, grammar, speaking, and listening skills. These components will be addressed using the primary sources in social studies, short stories, poetry, and novels. Vocabulary lessons are taught weekly and may include challenging words.

Students will be exposed to a variety of writing forms that include expressive, imaginative, analytical, informative, and persuasive writing. They are challenged to produce an excellent product. Fifth graders continue to use the writing process throughout the year. Students will master writing well-organized, five-paragraph structure essays that include a variety of sentence structures and a rich and varied vocabulary.

Social Studies

The fifth grade will spend the year discussing the theme of “Freedom” in United States history. What does it mean to be free? What have people throughout our history been willing to do to attain freedom, and protect it? Building upon their course work in the fourth grade, the course will begin with the relationship between Native Americans and westward expansion. Units of study will also include slavery and the Civil War; women’s suffrage; World War II and the Holocaust; and the Civil Rights Movement.

Mathematics

In fifth grade, students become proficient in using non-negative rational numbers to solve problems. They apply previously learned procedures to measure a variety of geometric figures and to collect, organize, and analyze data. Students solve problems involving area and perimeter and further develop algebraic sense through writing and interpreting numerical expressions and open sentences. The concept of volume, as well as relating volume to multiplication and addition, is taught through geometric measurement. Students also learn to graph points on a coordinate plane to solve real-world and abstract problems.

Science

This general science course introduces the major concepts that will be studied in greater depth in Junior High School. In the Fifth grade, students will learn about the following topics: Ecosystems, The Water Cycle, The Solar System and Chemical Reactions/Properties of Matter. In the Ecosystems unit, students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. They will investigate food chains/food webs and the importance of producers/consumers and decomposers. In the Solar System unit, students explore the Earth, Sun, Moon and stars using observations of shadows and changing patterns in the sky. They will also explore planets in our Solar System and begin to consider what might lie beyond. In the Water Cycle unit, students investigate the distribution of water, how it cycles through the Earth’s system and explore how it effects of human societies. Lastly in the Chemical Reaction unit, students investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Through these investigations, students begin to build conceptual models for the particulate nature of matter.

Spanish

As an addition, LES is incorporating Spanish as a second language to fifth grade. Fifth grade is the transition year from elementary to middle school Spanish. The focus of our language curriculum remains in the knowledge of the Spanish Language (writing, grammar, oral and comprehension components) as well as the culture of Latin American Countries and Spain. Reading and writing activities are used frequently in order to properly prepare students for middle school next year. In order to eventually become fluent in a language it is important that these skill levels be attained and practiced. Spanish classes will be held two times a week. Fifth grade Spanish is a pass/fail class, taking into consideration the following:

Respect in the classroom: We are all learners of language in the classroom. A safe environment in the classes that encourages students to express themselves in Spanish. Spanish is a supportive, collaborative and engaging class.

Homework: Most written/artistic work we will try to complete in the classroom. However, some unfinished work may need to be completed for homework. Homework assignments are to be completed promptly.

Effort and Participation: Spanish class takes place two times a week for 45-minute blocks of time. Spanish is taught in an interactive, authentic, audio-visual way that completely engages the students in their learning of foreign languages. The primary reason we learn another language is so that we can communicate with others; therefore, the students need to be active and engaged learners.

Grades (pass/fail): Student performance is based on the following: homework, participation, effort, oral and written work, respect for the class and students. Each of these areas is modeled throughout the school year so that students have a clear understanding of how they can achieve success in Spanish. Consistency, support and respect is the foundation of strong growth in the knowledge and understanding of the Spanish language for students.

Also, for a better understanding of Spanish I would like to include technology by using free applications such as:

  • Duolingo App
  • ConjuGato App
  • Spotify App
  • Autentico App (from the textbook)
  • Google Art and Culture App

Music

Fifth grade students will learn the fundamentals of performing in a percussion ensemble. Students will continue learning to read and perform more difficult rhythms with contrasting parts. They will learn about contemporary and classical music in addition to all the things a true percussion ensemble can accomplish, from complex chamber music to bombastic show stopping drumline cadences performed commonly at football games.

Junior Choir

Fourth and Fifth Grade students are part of The Junior Choir, where they are introduced to the skills needed for group performances. They learn diction, how to follow a conductor, and how to blend together as a group. They also learn how to work with the Senior Choir to create harmony. The Junior Choir performs multiple times during the year, at Chapel Services during holidays and for special events. The year culminates with The Musicale, where they perform songs from different genres. This is a mandatory performance.

Art

Students will continue to explore traditional media of colored pencils, crayons, markers, and paint. They will study different styles of art, based on various artists. In addition, they will be introduced to string art in the forms of lanyard and needlepoint. Students will understand that art can be created in many forms and learn how to combine different media to create one piece of art.