Fifth Grade

Fifth grade provides a transition for the students into the Middle School. We retain the homeroom structure and the student's schedule is almost identical to that in fourth grade. Homeroom allows the teacher to know each student well and to provide opportunities for guiding the student's social and academic growth. We use the homeroom structure to create an atmosphere of mutual respect so that each student's uniqueness is acknowledged and nurtured at the same time that a spirit of cooperation and cohesiveness is fostered. We strive to create an environment in which: Everyone is special and no one is privileged.

The general goals of fifth grade are:

1. To stimulate each student's desire to learn and foster a positive attitude toward school.
2. To provide a secure social environment so that students can have ease of mind at school.
3. To promote mutual respect among students as well as between students and adults, and while offering guidance, give students opportunities for resolving problems on their own.
4. To offer learning activities that give students opportunities for success and that challenge them to improve their skills and expand and deepen their knowledge.
5. To organize activities in which students are active participants in the process.
6. To promote each student's self-confidence not only for its own sake but to support the learning process.
7. To call upon each student to take responsibility for his or her actions, both in academic performance and in personal behavior.
8. To give students opportunities to work individually and in small groups, and maximize the benefit gained from students working together and teaching each other.
9. To provide activities that involve the whole fifth grade so students can feel a part of a larger entity than each homeroom.
10. To engage the students in community service activities.

Language Arts

Writing:
Writing is one of the most important skills taught in the fifth grade. It is a necessary component of every curricular area. Most fifth graders enjoy writing and think of themselves as competent in the area. They readily express their ideas and are most willing to share their work with their classmates and teachers. Teachers seek to capitalize on this enthusiasm and creativity, while at the same time, help students refine their writing skills.

Students are encouraged to share their work with their peers, and to provide constructive criticism to each other. Self and peer editing is an important component of the writing program at this level. Drafting and revising are emphasized.

The following types of writing and writing skills are taught in fifth grade classes:

• Creative writing - Study focuses on plot development and resolution, characterization, setting and dialogue.
• Expository writing - Study focuses on summaries and interpretations of reading material, essays, reactions to literature, current event discussions, and journal writing.
• Research reports - Study focuses on library usage and research, defining the topic, organization of material, note taking, assimilation of material, and oral and written presentations.
• Dictionary and reference skills - Study focuses on use of dictionaries, indexes and glossaries, and tables of contents.
• Mechanics of writing - Study focuses on the use of complete sentences and paragraphs, proper punctuation and capitalization, correct grammar and usage, simple parts of speech, and cursive writing.

Reading:
It is recognized that proficiency in reading is nurtured when children are exposed to reading in as many content areas as possible. This occurs in literature, mathematics, history, geography, as well as reading of their own and classmates' writing, and a variety of resource materials. Our goals at this level are that children learn to read instructions accurately and comprehend literal meaning, as well as to be able to grasp deeper meanings. These are all fundamental to critical thinking.

Young adult literature is the primary focus of our reading program, and each classroom has a variety of books in place. This is in addition to rich libraries and library programs. Much emphasis is placed on reading for pleasure and children are encouraged to pursue their particular interests through reading. Silent reading occurs regularly in all classrooms. Oral reading by the teacher provides a shared experience through which the children's understanding is enriched, and through which listening, comprehension, and vocabulary skills are developed. Different genres are explored both in the classroom and in conjunction with library programs.

Each year, books are chosen to be read by the entire grade level. Small groups made up of students from different homerooms are formed and the students read and discuss the books with adult group leaders. In addition, students engage in activities related to the books (e.g. illustrations, book reviews, and skits) that enhance their experience.

Social Studies

Social Studies in the fifth grade includes the study of geography, history and cultures. The subject provides a wealth of topics for students to explore while learning research and report-writing skills. Homerooms often generate social studies topics based on subjects the class is curious about or the particular backgrounds of the students that year. Many fifth graders study their own family's history. Contemporary history, black history, women's history, ancient and medieval history, westward expansion and a study of drugs and medicine are topics that receive attention in various classrooms. Current events are also brought into the curriculum.

The program focuses on the development of the following skills and experiences:

• Students continue to hone their research skills using, in particular, resources available in the Middle School library, classroom reference materials, and the Internet, and culminating in a major research paper by each student.
• Students make use of their family and community resources, including libraries, museums and public facilities.
• Students make observations and generalizations based on their readings, their research, and their life experiences.
• Students experience working in both large and small groups, and individual and group decision-making.
• Students will be guided in how to evaluate sources and information so they can learn to distinguish what is valid and useful from what is specious and shallow.

When students enter fifth grade, it is assumed they have a passing (but not necessarily in depth) acquaintance with such reference materials as encyclopedias, atlases, dictionaries, maps and almanacs. All fifth graders work extensively with world geography, practicing with latitude and longitude and developing recognition of major landforms and bodies of water. Use of atlases and maps is emphasized in addition to a variety of other reference materials. Many incoming fifth graders also have some familiarity in using the Internet to gather information. Productive, worthwhile use of the Internet is an ongoing concern. There is no assumption, however, that a student has used the aforementioned resources to write objective research reports. Consequently, fifth grade social studies focuses on the development of these skills.

There is a strong emphasis in fifth grade on the search for information. In addition, students learn to write introductions to their reports, and in some cases, prepare rudimentary outlines to help in organizing their information. Fifth graders need considerable help in defining and limiting research topics. Writing reports is a big challenge for fifth grade students, not just in organizing the information they collect, but also in learning to report the material in their own words. Drafting, and redrafting, working from notes, and peer editing are some of the methods used to help students learn to clearly express what they have learned

All fifth grade classes have a unit on growth and reproduction, in which they study and discuss the changes which occur during, and pressures of, adolescence. In some homerooms, this topic provides the subject matter for research reports.

The math program in fifth grade includes a quantity of information about American demographics, which touches on the concept of change over time. Here, as in other fields, students ponder the value of their sources, and often deal with conflicting or biased information. Viewing facts from a remote time, and examining and comparing different sources on the same topic help students develop more balance about the subject of history.

Mathematics

The basic textbook for fifth grade mathematics is Fifth Grade Everyday Mathematics. The textbook is published by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project ("UCSMP"). The UCSMP is an ongoing project of the University of Chicago; it was first developed under the guidance of Professor Max Bell.

The curriculum developed by the Project is a program of applied mathematics consisting of hands-on, experiential lessons. It is based upon the belief that mathematics is present in everyday life, and even the youngest children use mathematical concepts and apply mathematical reasoning without even being aware they are "doing math." The UCSMP curriculum seeks to build upon and exploit these skills and intuitive understanding of mathematics in the teaching of more complicated mathematical concepts. The objective of the program is for students to develop strong mathematical skills that can be applied to everyday life - whether in an academic or non-academic setting. The UCSMP has become a nationally recognized program and is used by various schools and districts across the United States.

In developing the curriculum, the UCSMP asked itself the following questions:^[1]

• What mathematical skills are needed by most people?
• What are the mathematical capabilities of young children, and to what extent have those capabilities been recognized and built upon in the ordinary school mathematics experience?
• What are the assets and limitations of typical school mathematics programs? What resources are generally made available to mathematics teachers?
• How can a program with the goal of teaching applied mathematics be developed using the types of resources available generally to mathematics teachers?

UCSMP materials are used by all the Middle School mathematics classes. The Project regularly reviews its textual materials, and periodically issues revised materials.

Everyday Mathematics - like all UCSMP textbooks uses a "spiral" approach to mathematics, in which concepts are introduced, re-introduced, and reviewed regularly throughout the year (as well as in later years). The following subjects are specifically covered in the fifth grade:

• Numbers, numeration and order relations which include place value; reading and writing whole numbers and decimals; scientific notation with both large and small numbers; integers; fractions; equivalence; and relations (<, >, =).
• Measurement, measures and numbers in reference frames including basic measures (length, weight, capacity, time, and angles); compound measures (area, volume, density, and calories); and reference frames (ordinal numbers, time of day, dates, timelines, and thermometers).
• Operations, mental arithmetic, and number systems including arithmetic concepts (including meaning of operations), skills, and procedures; whole number facts and extensions (+, -, x, ÷); estimation; number theory (primes, composites, divisibility); and properties of numbers.
• Algorithms and procedures including multi-digit procedures for whole numbers and decimals; fraction operation procedures; and procedures with scientific calculators.
• Problem solving and mathematical modeling with mental and written arithmetic in problem contexts.
• Exploring data; finding or collecting data; using landmarks (maximum, minimum, mode, median, range); displaying data in tables, charts, graphs; and probability.
• Geometry and spatial sense including notations, definitions, and basic relationships for two and three-dimensional figures; basic metric properties of plane figures; and congruence, similarity and transformation of geometric figures.
• Patterns, rules and formulas including number and visual sequences; and formula models using variables.
• Algebra and uses of variables including properties of number systems; operations with positive and negative numbers; parentheses, order of operations; solving and writing of equations (open sentences); relations on number lines; and function models (rules, tables and coordinate graphs).^[2]

Many fifth graders also use an almanac, The American Tour Almanac, in conjunction with the basic textbook. The Almanac, which contains various tables and other data about the United States, was developed by the Project to supplement the math textbook as well as to provide original source material for the fifth grade social studies program. The Almanac is divided into three main subject areas: historical topics (e.g., first Americans, diversity of nation, westward expansion, and population); census data; and environmental tables (e.g., US highways, US air distances, latitude and longitude of US capitals). Other complementary and supplementary materials are used as deemed appropriate by individual fifth grade teachers.

Science

The fifth grade science curriculum focuses on concepts, skills and the scientific method. Science concepts are learned through a variety of partner, group and independent activities. General academic skills are taught as well as those that are science specific. Skills practiced include: making measurements, observing, hypothesizing, collecting and analyzing data, scientific drawing, graphing, problem solving, text and internet research, note taking and organizing for homework.

Students learn about current scientific research and discoveries through parent scientist visits to the classroom, a field trip to the university research labs and through reading Science World magazine.

The following topics are explored in the fifth grade science curriculum:

• Plants
• Science Fair
• Predicting Dissolving Rates
• The Ocean
• Machines

Unit Descriptions

• Plants - Students learn the anatomy of flowering plants. They grow a plant from seed and create an illustrated booklet of its life which they share with Lower School students.
• Predicting Dissolving Rates - Students learn the kinetic theory of heat and measure the dissolving rates of seltzer tablets at different temperatures. They use a graph of their data to hypothesize about and test dissolving rates at other temperatures.
• Science Fair - Students choose a science demonstration or experiment and research the underlying scientific concepts. They prepare an oral presentation to accompany a hands-on demonstration or experiment for Science Fair Night.
• The Ocean - Through cooperative group study, students learn about the ocean�s geologic and physical features and its ecosystems. They bring this knowledge to their student teams and use it to cooperatively solve problems through simulated video missions.
• Machines - Students investigate engineering principles using Legos. They construct a simple motor, learn about electronic components, then take apart an appliance to investigate how it works.

The fifth grade science curriculum focuses on scientific investigation. Students learn how to ask questions, to design and conduct investigations and to think critically about their results. They develop scientific habits of mind in their approach to situations and phenomena both in the classroom and outside of school. Additional emphases include learning science concepts and content related to the experimental units and learning about current science issues.

World Language

The Middle School offers three world languages: French, German, and Spanish. Students begin their study of world language in third grade and proceed through the lower and middle school program in heterogeneous groups.

German

Goals:

• Present learning activities based on a multi-sensory approach to language acquisition
• Reinforce the Lower School German curricula
• Increase students speaking ability (pronunciation, free dialogues) and aural comprehension
• Expand students writing and reading ability and implement a systematic study of grammar
• Teach appropriate study skills for learning a world language
• Integrate cultural components into the curriculum to heighten students' interest in German and enable students to function with ease in a foreign setting

Skills and Concepts:

• Vocabulary: living environment, shopping, colors, family members, gardening, clothing, parts of the anatomy, city, countryside, means of transportation, farm animals, amusement parks, crafts, trades, sports, birthday parties
• Grammar: personal pronouns, gender, definite and indefinite articles, basic present tense conjugation, word order, imperative
• Activities, Projects and Materials
• Emphasis on audio-visual material, which has proven to be very successful for this age-group
• Traditional children's poems and rhymes
• World language day: students are immersed in a daylong German cultural program that includes guest speakers, a German meal, and traditional German games

French

Goals:

• Reinforce the Lower School French curricula, continuing with a multi-sensory approach to language acquisition
• Re-introduce Lower School French curricula in written rather than oral form
• Implement a systematic study of grammar (e.g., basic verb conjugations, and articles)
• Teach appropriate study skills for learning a world language
• Elicit an increasingly active response from the student and more student-generated activities such as role-playing, dialogues, and speaking)
• Integrate cultural components into the curriculum to heighten the students' interest in French and enable them to function in a foreign setting

Skills and Concepts:

• Vocabulary: numbers 1-100, professions, family, telling time, clothing, food, and parts of the anatomy
• Grammar: regular er verb conjugations, être, avoir, definite and indefinite articles, adjective agreement, question formulation
• Cultural concepts: structure of a traditional French meal and appropriate table etiquette, introduction to the culture of various Francophone countries, French folk dancing
• Development of listening, speaking, writing, reading skills
• Activities, Projects, and Materials
• Videos such as French Folk Dances by Cindy Lopez, Ma Journée en Français
• Films such as Rue Cases Nègres, which complements the study of Francophone cultures
• Various French poems and songs
• Various projects: family tree, une journée typique (time and �er� verbs), restaurant project, fashion show, the play � Une Maladie Contagieuse
• World language day: students spend the day immersed in artistic and recreational activities carried out in French; Matisse découpages; the French game of pétanque; restaurant projects; folk dancing

Spanish

Goals:

• Present learning activities based on a multi-sensory approach to language acquisition
• Utilize the four language modalities (listening, speaking, writing, and reading) with increasing emphasis on acquisition of reading skills
• Integrate culture and geography into overall program
• Reinforce study and organizational skills at age-appropriate levels throughout the Middle School curriculum

Skills and Concepts:

• Vocabulary: greetings, numbers 1-100, family, school, professions, telling time, parts of the body, days, months, seasons, the house
• Grammar: definite and indefinite articles, plural, adjectives, personal pronouns, present tense of regular ar verbs (e.g., ser, estar), idioms with tener, possession
• Cultural concepts: addressing people formally and informally with tú and usted, traditions regarding names, the Aztec people, activities relating to Day of the Dead and other holidays, sports, geography of the Spanish-speaking world
• Activities, Projects and Materials
• Videos such as Aladdin, Story of the Aztecs, Mexican Christmas Traditions, El Partido de Béisbol, Mexican Sports
• Various projects which vary from year to year including family tree, verb magazine, class play, dialogues
• World language day: field trip to a Mexican neighborhood in Chicago carried out in Spanish in which students spend the day immersed in artistic and recreational activities

Arts

Visual Art

A primary focus of the fifth grade fine arts curriculum is the role of art as a language; a language stretching back to the pre-history of our species and uniquely suited to the expression of observations, ideas and beliefs. Art serves to make us aware of who we are as individuals and joins us to other people, other cultures and all eras in which artists explained their world and expressed their beliefs through visual means. Fifth grade fine arts classes allow students to balance the understanding and use of myth with observational skill and accuracy, expressing what they see and feel about their world with increasing freedom and clarity.

What children are exposed to and learn in fine arts classes goes well beyond a listing of art projects: Fundamental questions of how students approach learning are addressed through the sequence of creative activities in which they participate.

• Attitude and "Ownership" of Work:
  Students are encouraged to: Build confidence in their ability to use visual expression as a means to communicate significant ideas; Become personally invested in their work beyond meeting minimum project requirements; Take responsibility for the success of their work (pride) or a lack of progress. Students are expected to raise their standards of achievement during the year.
• Affective Development: Work Habits and Interpersonal Relations:
  The fine arts studio is an important location for students to develop interpersonal skills and productive work habits. Students are encouraged to use class time efficiently as they interact, share ideas and opinions with one another and offer and receive honest and constructive criticism. Appropriate ways to manage disagreements and the delineation of acceptable behavior is discussed early and reinforced throughout the year. Students are expected to grow increasingly able to recognize the balance between the individual's needs and the needs of the class as a whole, exhibiting increasing self-control in monitoring their own behavior. Students develop an understanding of their "job as a student", explicitly defining their responsibilities and commitment to the learning process.
• Classroom Atmosphere:
  The fine arts studio/classroom looks different from other school spaces, filled with large work tables and various collections of objects, materials and equipment for student use and examination. A number of messages are maintained simultaneously: Safety, creativity, risk-taking, seriousness of purpose, respect, perspective, diligence and humor all have their place in the art room. Directed experience and independent learning/problem-solving are jointly exercised. Students often generate a number of possible approaches to a problem before analyzing and choosing the most appropriate avenue of pursuit. Ideas are respected, discussed and nurtured as they grow into accomplishments.
• Organization of the Year:
  Studio art activities fall into two major categories: Exercises, which are short-term activities introducing or focusing on "single" concepts or techniques and skills and Projects, art-making activities of longer duration with multiple goals. The curriculum is sequenced, building on simpler ideas and techniques to create a more complex set of concerns and a deeper level of expression. Individual student sketchbooks are used throughout the year for exercises, homework and preliminary work. Few, but vital, homework assignments are given throughout the year.
• Communication, Art History, Appreciation and Interpretation:
  Art is taught as a language of expression. The component parts of the interaction are analyzed and discussed, including: Clarity of message (and thoroughness of ideas); the role of an audience (judging the intent and success of the message sent/received); the descriptive and expressive intent of the message; creating visual correspondence to verbal, emotional and sensory stimuli. Vocabulary is taught and students are encouraged to translate freely between written, oral and artistic language.
• Observation:
  Students are trained to look closely at their world and record their observations with increasing accuracy. Training in this area often takes the form of working from life, where students are urged to continuously compare the created image to the original model. They are encouraged to look closely for detail, often realizing that in repeatedly observing the same object or phenomenon new observations come to light.
• Mythology (Imaginary Imagery):
  Beginning in the world of Natural History, students extrapolate when creating myth-based or fantastic imagery. The experience of life drawing and the accuracy of observation is drawn on to create "believability" in fantastical work and a more complete image of an imaginary world.
• Creative Problem Solving and the Discipline of the Fine Arts:
  Students are encouraged to develop individual artistic responses and make important creative decisions in the process of meeting the challenges of each activity. They are expected to engage in the artistic process; which does not have a predetermined answer, but whose solution can be found through the creative risk-taking of the student. Students are expected to overcome frustration or initial "failure", be able to analyze what went wrong, and subsequently seek a successful solution to the challenges the project has presented. Students learn and use correct terminology for materials, techniques, and art references. Students are encouraged to meet both the technical and intellectual requirements of the program.
• Expression/Completeness of Ideation:
  Students "find their own voice" and become increasingly sensitive to the concerns of other artists. By generating many possible ways to express an idea, students experience the creativity of problem-solving: Ideas lead decision-making in the process of finding artistic form. Novel solutions are encouraged and nurtured. Students are expected to grow increasingly willing to go back into their work to make improvements. The expressive use and application of various materials increases student artistic awareness and success.
• Visual Vocabulary:
  Fifth grade students are taught to recognize and use the following formal elements of the language of art and visual communication:
  
  Modes of expression: Drawing (as art and preliminary), painting (as art and preliminary), collage, sculpture, graphics, (installation is discussed); Line: Expressive and descriptive uses; Color: Mixing, matching observed color; expressive use and individuality of response, color families, tints/shades, hue, value and intensity, opacity, translucence and transparency.
  
  Additional elements of the visual vocabulary are:
  
  Direction/Dimensions/Space: Two dimensions and depths of space, the figure-ground relationship, etc.; Composition/Scale: Arrangement of elements to express ideas, meaning, importance, position in space, point of view, scale, size, role in 3-dimensional illusion/pre-perspective; Effect of Light on 3-D surfaces: Depiction of mass and volume, shading, contrast; Shape/Proportion/Transformation: Descriptive/accurate, expressive; Pattern/Texture: Repetition of simple form to create complex patterns, translation of sensory experience; Multiple imagery/the art original: One-of-a-kind work, stencils, photocopies.
• Genres:
  Students will create work in several genres; portraiture, still life, landscape and interior space. Realism and fantasy are used throughout the curriculum.
• Craftsmanship:
  Clarity of expression, pride of effort, thorough understanding of media potential and limitations, skill of expression. Development of fine motor skills and increased dexterity. Hand-Brain-Eye coordination.
• Knowledge of Materials/Techniques:
  Students learn safe and expressive handling techniques for all tools and materials and are responsible for appropriate up-keep and storage. Various media are used for drawing, painting/glazing and sculpturing.
• Critique:
  Students observe, discuss and analyze works of art. Students grow increasingly able to translate between visual and verbal/written language, seeking to understand and interpret the artist's message and techniques. All student work is critiqued anonymously, helping students to focus on the art and not the art-maker. Critique is used as a de-briefing after a project's completion, or occasionally as part of the on-going discussions while work is still in process (larger trends are found and guidance is given at a class-wide level). All students are expected to actively participate in critiques.
• Evaluation:
  Student evaluation takes many forms: On-going dialogues are used to develop work, students evaluate each other's progress, student-teacher dialogue is vital and constant. Formal written evaluations are given twice per year: Progress reports list successes as well as circumstances that prevent or retard optimal development of art-making and learning.
• Outreach/Integration:
  The program often pulls from and moves beyond the confines of the classroom, using a number of skills and concepts commonly found in other subject areas. Projects have provided a number of community service experiences.

Computer

The primary goal of the computer science curriculum is twofold: to experience the critical thinking and problem solving that comprise the foundation of computer science; and to use the computer as a tool in all aspects of the student's educational experience. These goals are achieved through the direct study of computers as well as the integration of computer technology into the curriculum of other classes. In addition, the computer science curriculum also addresses issues of ethical behavior surrounding the use of computers.

The course of study focuses on developing the following techniques and skills: keyboard facility; file server usage; logging in with a password; research on the Internet and the application of such skills to specific assignments from the homeroom teachers; word processing, including story-writing on the computer; spreadsheets and graphing; geography and map usage; digital photography; programming; simulation and modeling; critical thinking and problem solving through educational computer games; image processing; and multimedia techniques. The program also includes a discussion of the Laboratory Schools' computer policies and ethical issues relating thereto.

^[1] From Sample Lessons and Excerpts UCSMP.

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