In Grade 5, in math, students build on their understanding from previous grades creating a solid foundation for success as mathematicians. This understanding is developed through the pedagogy of the Singapore Math framework, which emphasizes concept mastery, a concrete-pictorial-abstract approach, metacognitive reasoning, and the use of model drawing to solve problems and justify solutions. At this level, students learn advanced multiplication and division, fractions and mixed numbers, conversion of fractions to decimals and percents, an introduction to algebra and ratio, graphs and probability, surface area and measuring volume. Along with each math concept, students further these skills and apply them to solve multi-step word problems with emphasis placed on building a conceptual understanding through challenging problem-solving and skill consolidation. 

 

In Grade 5 Spanish, using comprehensible input, students engage in an increased amount of reading, writing, speaking, and listening in the target language. Learning includes interacting with stories which provide a context for rich conversations and practicing targeting vocabulary and grammar structures. Students collectively write familiar stories and create newly generated stories. As a culminating project, students collaborate on writing, illustrating, and publishing a storybook using the ‘Sweet 16’ verbs. Writing and reading comprehension are the focal points of this year. The expectation for fifth grade students in Spanish is that they develop confidence in reading and interacting with written texts with familiar vocabulary and grammar structures. As emergent writers, students write sentences in basic structure using the targeted vocabulary. Fifth graders attend Spanish three times during each eight-day cycle rotation.

 

In Grade 5 Mandarin, emphasis is placed on learning tones, pronunciation, listening, and speaking. Students demonstrate comprehension by using Mandarin in real-life conversations with their teacher and classmates in an interactive manner. At this level, students learn more advanced greetings and engage in conversations about their family members, their pets, body parts, the weather, their favorite colors, preferences for food and drinks, and some common Chinese foods. At this stage, students start to read and write sentences in Mandarin, and they use learned expressions to describe things or people in some detail, using the appropriate pronouns, grammar, and various sentence patterns. Fifth graders attend Mandarin three times during each eight-day cycle rotation.

 

Fifth grade students, in PE, are encouraged to embrace challenges and learn from their experiences while developing skills of teamwork, communication, and sense of fair play. At this level, focus is on using the correct techniques in manipulating objects (e.g., throwing, catching, striking, kicking, and dribbling) and utilizing hand-eye and eye-foot coordination in manipulative skills to improve accuracy and distance. Students additionally learn and practice appropriate pacing for a variety of running distances and work together in teams during cooperative games and challenges. At this stage, Grade 5 PE learning encourages listening to the ideas of others and celebrating diversity in all forms as awareness of differences arises. Fifth graders have Physical Education three times during each eight-day cycle.

 

Outdoor Education takes students outside of the familiarity of the classroom, encourages them to undertake challenges that develop new skills, and connects learning beyond school walls. In February, for three nights and four days, fifth grade students go to the Coastal Redwoods in the Santa Cruz mountains where they participate in an environmental education and character development program that includes a hands-on, experiential approach focusing on adventure, self-discovery, and environmental stewardship. This experience is led by Exploring New Horizons and chaperoned by the fifth grade teachers and parent volunteers.

In fifth grade English Language Arts, students continue to grow into independent, lifelong readers where their comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and vocabulary are further developed and refined through engaging in reading, analyzing, and discussing more complex texts and honing comprehension strategies. 

 

Through the writing process, students create multiple pieces of writing in a variety of genres. Their writing skills are developed through the study of mentor texts, application of author’s craft, and peer and teacher conferences. At this level, research skills are further developed: students utilize a variety of reference materials, they learn how to identify credible sources of information, and they apply critical thinking skills to locate relevant sources of information. Grammar skills, language conventions and listening and speaking skills continue to expand and develop in Grade 5 English Language Arts.

 

Lower School art is where students explore and express their creativity through a variety of mediums and study artists from diverse backgrounds. Instruction is fluid and philosophically rooted in the idea that all children are artists and that growth comes from continuous practice, experimentation, and reflection. Fifth graders explore realistic perspective drawing, create their own graffiti designs, and study the sculptural work of the indigenous Coast-Salish from the Pacific Northwest. They also dive deeper into block printing, using carving tools to create two-color negative space designs in blocks of soft rubber and making prints from these blocks. Fifth graders have Art three times during each eight-day cycle.

The Garden to Table program aims to create curious eaters and growers by promoting intentional interactions with the natural world. It also aims to develop empathy for animal and plant life where students become community stewards and responsible global citizens. The program provides hands-on opportunities where young cooks and gardeners cultivate curiosity by exploring food systems and grow as lifelong learners. 

 

Fifth graders, in Garden to Table, keep our plants and habitats healthy and learn how to apply their growing knowledge to the kitchen classroom. They actively participate and engage in the cycle of planting, nurturing, and harvesting varieties of plants (including edibles) and utilize their knife skills and flavor know-how to cook recipes based on social studies learning. The Garden to Table classroom is an indoor/outdoor space where all learners have access and agency, and where cross-disciplinary connections make learning multi-dimensional. Fifth graders learn in the garden and kitchen twice during each eight-day cycle. 

 

Through the lens of multiple perspectives and beginning with the question of “Who writes history?", fifth graders, in Social Studies, focus on U.S. history from English settlements to colonization, the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution, from colonies to a country, and the forming of the U.S. Constitution. Students also learn about the three branches of the U.S. government and westward expansion in the 19th century and its impact on indigenous peoples. Students learn through hands-on activities, media, technology, and projects.

 

In fifth grade music, expressing, creating, and performing continue to be integral to developing and deepening students’ music skills and literacy. At this level, students learn concepts of rhythm, melody, harmony, form, texture, and tonality. Further focus is on improvising, composing, evaluating, responding to, reading and notating music. Schoolwide performances provide culminating experiences for fourth graders as they expand their participation in singing, instrument exploration, and creative movement. Fifth graders have Music three times during each eight-day cycle.

 

In Fifth Grade DBi, students explore the theme of Universal Design where learning is focused on developing a variety of prototype-building skills including the use of motors and paper engineering. They also use design thinking skills to design and build analog and digital projects where the emphasis is on design accessibility. Students work in the DBi Lab ten times within a semester of learning.