Grade 5

Foundings and Futures

Fifth grade’s “Foundings and Futures” theme explores the founding of the United States and its evolution to the world we live in today. This interdisciplinary study integrates social studies, language arts, geography, math, science, art, and music as students develop a wide range of skills, ask thoughtful questions, engage in meaningful discussions, and draw inclusive conclusions about the past and present.

As fifth graders transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn,” students further develop their ability to read effectively and establish a love of reading. Classes are organized in a variety of groupings, both teacher-facilitated and student-led, allowing students to read and analyze a range of literature from poetry to nonfiction to biography. Students use writing both as a process of self-discovery and as an effective mode of communication. Through writing workshop and the writer’s notebook, students develop personal writing topics and create drafts that they revise and edit. Each week, students study a specific spelling pattern and grammar topic and complete a short weekly assessment to show what they have learned, supporting their development as writers.

Examples of the types of texts we read are:

• Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas
• And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps
• Stamped (For Kids) by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi
• The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm

Examples of writing skills include:

• Write cohesive expository paragraphs consisting of a clear thesis statement, supporting evidence from the text, and a concluding sentence
• Write research paragraphs using multiple nonfiction resources
• Develop their voices as a writer via creative writing in both short and long form assignments. 

In Fifth Grade, students solidify their elementary math foundations by mastering multi-digit algorithms, calculating 3D volume, performing operations with decimals and unlike fractions, and plotting points on coordinate grids.

• Unit 1: Finding Volume | Exploring 3D space using unit cubes and deriving volume formulas (Volume = length * width * height).
• Unit 2: Fractions as Quotients and Fraction Multiplication | Connecting fractions to division and multiplying fractions by whole numbers/fractions.
• Unit 3: Multiplying and Dividing Fractions | Dividing unit fractions by whole numbers and solving complex real-world fraction problems.
• Unit 4: Wrapping Up Multiplication and Division with Multi-digit Numbers | Mastering standard algorithms for multi-digit whole number operations.
• Unit 5: Place Value Patterns and Decimal Operations | Reading, writing, comparing, adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing decimals to hundredths.
• Unit 6: More Decimal and Fraction Operations | Solving complex word problems using unlike fraction denominators and decimal reasoning.
• Unit 7: Shapes on the Coordinate Grid | Plotting points in Quadrant I and analyzing numerical rules and patterns.
• Unit 8: Putting It All Together | Synthesizing Grade 5 concepts through collaborative math investigations.

Integrated Math projects

• Volume robot creation
• Design a Tiny Home for a family displaced by a natural disaster
• Revere Beach trash pick-up data analysis and interpretation

In alignment with Unit 1 of Illustrative Math, Grade 5 students apply their understanding of volume to design and build their very own robots! They begin by sketching their robot designs, determining the length, width, and height of each body part. Next, they calculate the total volume by adding the volumes of all the individual parts. Using Unifix cubes, students construct each section of their robot, then create a net (blueprint) for every part on graph paper to make the body parts 3D. Finally, they bring their robots to life by coloring, decorating, and personalizing their creations.

In connection with the Tiny Home project in Theme, each student works to design a house for a family that has been displaced due to a natural disaster. Using addition and subtraction of three- and two-digit numbers, each student calculates the current expenses for a given family and then begins to consider what their new home will look like. They must consider cost throughout the process and develop the layout of the rooms and furniture using a one inch to two foot scale, with the ultimate goal of building a tiny home that, when built to scale, would be the size of their classroom. Throughout the project, students apply their knowledge of area, volume, addition, subtraction, and multiplication, all while thinking about the needs of others.

Fifth graders begin the year thinking about what it means to be a historian, learning to draw reasoned conclusions from primary source material.

Units include an exploration of the history and geography of the original 13 colonies and an investigation of the history of immigration to America, highlighting how various communities shaped the nation’s geography. Integrated throughout these units are deep reflections on themes of social injustice and prejudice toward minority groups, guiding students to consider how we can actively contribute to a more equitable society.

Example units include:

• The Beginnings of a Nation: specifically through the lens of immigration and the inherent inequities baked into the Constitution    
• Banned Books Investigation: developing an understanding of the First Amendment, the geography of book banning, authors affected by book banning, and the effects of untold stories on our understanding of our country
• Impacts: specifically how the inequities of our founding manifest themselves in today’s world

Example Skills include:

• Developing research categories
• Discerning important information about a topic
• Discerning source reliability
• Source citation 

Science is an integral part of the fifth grade year, delving into topics related to migration, adaptation, humanity, and human impact on the environment. Students learn about analyzing and interpreting data, how to communicate scientific information clearly, and most importantly ask questions about the world around them. Major units include: Owl Adaptations, Digestive System, and Pellet Dissection, Human Body systems including skeletal, muscular, respiratory, circulatory, and sensory systems including the eyes and ears; Oceans, currents, temperature & salinity, climate zones, waves, tides; and Invertebrate study in the Wetlands. 

Example skills include:

• Analyze and interpret data, compare & contrast data
• Use mathematics & computational thinking
• Develop a simple physical prototype to convey an object, and test cause and effect relationships
• Communicate scientific information orally and in writing, including tables, charts, and diagrams

The fifth grade technology curriculum shifts heavily toward student autonomy, universal design, and project management. While previous years focused on teacher-led technical skills, this year challenges students to act as independent creators, engineers, and researchers. The curriculum is built around several core pillars: self-directed problem-solving. universal design & accessibility, and long term project management. Students learn to navigate digital environments by relying on peer collaboration, user interface clues, and online tutorials rather than immediate teacher intervention. Digital and physical engineering challenges push students to look beyond their own experiences and design spaces that accommodate diverse mobility and sensory needs. A major emphasis is placed on executive functioning skills, teaching students how to estimate task durations, break large projects into milestones, and troubleshoot unfamiliar roadblocks independently.

Example units / topics include:

• How to find trustworthy tutorials and “how-to’s”
• Coding a variety of games in Scratch
• Designing accessible playgrounds (3D Modeling software)
• Digital music (Music and Soundtrack project)
• Fabricating LED Acrylic Signs with the laser cutter
• Long-term independent passion projects

Color theory is central to the fifth grade art curriculum, guiding the majority of projects throughout the year. Students begin with the basics, including refamiliarization with the color wheel, understanding complementary and tertiary colors, and building sophisticated color palettes. After working with grayscales and learning about value, students progress to examine the interrelation of light, color, and visual perception, and how it can be utilized in the art making process. A sequence of studies and experiments typically culminates in a large collaborative project in which the class does a deep exploration of an advanced color concept. 

Example topics include:

• Using color to create optical illusion
• Recreating art historical works through optical mixing
• Creating large photorealistic portraits with colored “pixels”
• Minimalist movie posters inspired by the work of Saul Bass

In October, fifth graders begin their formal study of either French or Spanish.  Classes are created based on student preference and class size. Students with expertise in Spanish are asked to enroll in French and vice versa. Focus in both classes is on pronunciation, speaking and comprehension as classes meet one time per week at this level. Each student continues to study that language through eighth grade.

Example skills / topics include:

• Alphabet and accents
• Greetings
• Describing oneself
• Talking about one’s likes and dislikes.
• Weather

The Physical Education program is developmental and skill-based. The program includes cooperative games, standard games, such as capture the flag and ultimate Frisbee, and team sports including field hockey, soccer and basketball. Students practice motor and sports skills throughout these activities. Students develop sports skills through movement exploration, specific skill work and playing games.

Example skills / topics include;

• Locomotor Movements: Walk, run, hop, slide, jump, crawl, roll
• Non-Locomotor Movements: Swing, bend, stretch, twist, turn, dodge, push, pull
• Sports Skills: Throw, dribble, kick, bat, catch, shoot (basketball), volley

Fifth grade students continue to use the library as a resource for reading for pleasure and information, and more increasingly, for developing skills in inquiry and research. Fifth grade students develop and practice fluency in identifying fiction genres, and, in collaboration with their homeroom, read widely from a variety of genres. Students are exposed to primary sources such as newspaper articles, videos, and audio related to multiple historical events, honing the skills they will need to become sophisticated consumers of news and information.

Example skills / topics include:

• Recognize characteristic styles of various authors
• Distinguish, use, and navigate effectively a variety of print and electronic reference sources to locate information
• Develop news literacy skills; curating and comparing multiple sources of information, both digital and print

Communication-Presentation is a unique class to CRS that blends skill-building and performance opportunities for public speaking, presentations, theater, and interpersonal communication. In the culminating year, fifth grade students focus on more formalized public speaking and presentations.

The fall semester begins with studying group work styles: collaboration, competition, compromise, avoidance, and accommodation. Students identify group situations where the styles might be most effective, with an emphasis on the skill of collaboration. Students then work in groups throughout the year to practice active listening, team-building, and collaborative work. 

Public speaking focuses on persuasive speech writing and delivery, with projects such as a Model UN and a Zombie apocalypse survival simulation. Students examine real-world collaboration with diverse perspectives by studying the United Nations. 

In fifth grade, students continue to expand skills of creative musical participation through singing, movement and playing instruments. Students learn to play both chords and notes on the keyboard. Students also learn the role of music and sound effects in storytelling in an extended soundtrack project where they provide the music and sound effects for a film clip. Students also study songwriting and instrumental composition, learning to use online music composition software.

Example skills / topics include:

• Sing independently with accurate pitch
• Play melodies on various instruments
• Learn to play basic chords and notes on the keyboard in a self-paced unit
• Compose unique compositions using the computer programs Garageband and Soundtrap

Fifth-grade students build the skills needed for greater independence and a successful upcoming transition to middle school. Lessons focus on managing stress, developing healthy coping strategies, strengthening executive functioning skills, and navigating increasingly complex friendships and peer relationships. Students continue exploring identity, belonging, empathy, leadership, and self-advocacy while practicing responsible decision-making and problem-solving. Students also strengthen their ability to identify and connect with trusted adults, recognizing the importance of seeking support and building a network of caring adults both in school and beyond.