Fifth Grade Curriculum
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Communications
Skills:
Fifth graders are introduced to literature
that is rich in descriptive detail as well as informational
and practical texts. They compare pieces they read and defend
their reading preferences. They detect the implied motives
of characters as revealed in dialogue and action and distinguish
between "heros" and "villains." Students learn to include
description in their writing and provide detail for the
reader. Writing is further developed as a process. Students
continue to focus on study skills, research skills, listening
and speaking skills.
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Mathematics:
Grade 5 students name and write numbers
through one billion. Multiplication by two-digit numbers
and division by a single digit are mastered. Patterns are
used to solve problems. The concept of a variable is modeled.
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Social
Studies:
Students study the United States, Canada, Central America
and South America, with the major focus on the United States.
Emphasis on geography, people and the economy.
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Science:
An exploration of plant communities and
the ecological relationships among plants and animals is
conducted. Students investigate the forms and sources of
energy and the preservation of the earth's natural resources.
The earth's landforms and forces affecting them over geologic
time, such as weathering, earthquakes and volcanoes are
studied. Weather and climate are investigated, including
the concepts of temperature, atmospheric pressure, and cloud
formation. Science process skills (predicting, defining,
inferring, etc.) and science equipment manipulative skills
are emphasized.
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Health:
Students will be aware of the important
health risks for their age groups and will comprehend some
of the major influences on their own health, epecially including
the role of their own behaviors in regard to eating healthful
snack foods, foods prepared by healthful methods, and foods
containing important nutrients. Also, students will be able
to healthfully direct their own personal behavior in regard
to the use of bicycle helmets, exercising caution as a pedestrian
or bike rider, and refusing to be involved in substance
abuse.
Students will be able to demonstrate means of managing their
own behaviors in regard to impulsiveness, conveying acceptance
versus hostility, dealing with strong feelings, arguing,
and adapting to changing relationships and friendships.
Students will be able to state rational counter-arguments
to pressure to use drugs, alcohol or tobacco, explain the
dangers of various substances, and evaluate the reliability
of health information sources. They will be able to provide
first aid for choking victims, describe patterns of normal
development associated with puberty, and analyze advertising
for health-related products.
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Physical
Education:
Students will be able to name
the benefits of personal fitness, describe and demonstrate
activities that enhance health-related fitness, demonstrate
a variety of flexibility, strength and endurance exercises,
demonstrate the ability to use the appropriate intensity
and state the guidelines for developing cardiovascular fitness,
understand basic nutrition and fitness concepts, and demonstrate
an appropriate level of personal fitness.
Students will demonstrate a wide variety of manipulative
skills that reflect a refined mastery of ball-handling skills,
display the behaviors needed for cooperative and other non-traditional
games, practice acceptable social behaviors and create jump
rope routines. Students will develop and refine abilities
to demonstrate a variety of motor skills, develop and refine
their ability to demonstrate safe, balance and weight transfer
skills, perform mixer and couple dances and create dance
and gymnastic routines.
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Computer
Education:
Computer utilization with an integrated
approach is expanded, along with keyboarding, logic and
problem-solving strategies. Students will use the computer
as a tool through applications such as word processing,
database management and telecomputing. Students will explore
and understand the impact of computer technology on society
and individuals.
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Music:
Students learn to sing melodic lines
that include accidentals (sharps, flats), sing with accompaniment,
sing individually and in groups, write simple rhythmic patterns,
and analyze tone color (timbre). They learn to recognize
different periods of music and composers, sing in two-part
harmony, read simple music scores using melodic and percussive
instruments, use instruments to create sound effects, demonstrate
musical moods, use key signatures, identify electronically-produced
sounds and identify dultures through music.
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Visual
Arts:
Students further develop creative expression,
knowledge, skills and aesthetic awareness. Drawing, painting,
sculpture, graphics, ceramics and crafts are part of the
variety of art media at this level. Students are exposed
to concepts of balance, proportion, mood and perspective.
Vocabulary, manual dexterity, observation and communication
skills are expanded.
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Media
Education:
3-5 students review and refine the competencies
developed in the primary grades and develop new competencies
in the use of materials and equipment and produce simple
nonprint materials. Opportunities are provided for more
independent and small-group research activities integrated
with classroom content and instruction. |
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