In 5^th grade the students are using the Scott Foresman Reading Street reading series. Reading Street builds readers through motivating and engaging literature, scientifically research-based instruction, and reliable teaching tools. The program uses differentiated instruction with a strong emphasis on ongoing progress-monitoring and working with small groups of students.

Writer’s Advantage is utilized throughout the curriculum areas. Writer’s Advantage is an instructional system that builds students’ knowledge, skills, and comfort with writing, through targeted, systematic instruction and daily practice. McCrel strategies are integrated throughout the reading and writing curriculum. Writing genres include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive. Writing rubrics are used to assess student progress.

Grammar lessons include sentence structure, nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, and adverbs using Daily Language Instruction. Spelling emphasizes phonics, patterns, proofreading, and vocabulary development. We have adopted the Rebecca Sitton Spelling Series.

5th grade uses the Everyday Math series.  We emphasize numbers and operations, place value, adding and subtracting whole numbers and decimals, multiplication of whole numbers and decimals, data and graphs, division of whole numbers and decimals, standard and metric measurement, adding and subtracting fractions, probability, geometry, perimeter, area and volume. Problem solving and critical thinking skills are integrated into the lessons to demonstrate application of the skills.

The science curriculum for 5^th grade includes the following kits: 1) Landforms, 2) Variables, 3) Ecosystems, 4) Levers and Pulleys. Hands-on activities and exploration are the focus of this program. Observations and inquiry data are recorded or graphed in science notebooks. Students develop inferences from their investigations.

Other life science subjects include human growth and development. Optional units cover Nutrition and Your Body and Drugs.

The social studies for 5^th grade centers on United States regions: prehistory through the American Revolution. The following content areas are addressed: history, geography, civics, and economics. Our textbook is History Alive America’s Past.

All students in 5^th grade keep daily assignments in their planners. They are written each day and serve as a form of communication to parents as an awareness of what students need to have completed for the next day, week, etc. The students use folders to hold assignments and papers. They are responsible for turning work in on time. Points are deducted for late assignments.