What your child learns in fifth grade

Religion

Your child will learn about:

• The seven sacraments
• The liturgical year
• Parts of the liturgy
• The study of scripture
• Ways to pray
• Family life

Writing

Your child will learn to:

• Write in narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive forms
• Use the six traits of writing: content, organization, word choice, fluency, conventions, and presentation
• Use the writing process: prewrite, draft, edit, revise, and publish
• Write coherent paragraphs using complete sentences
• Apply correct capitalization and punctuation

Reading

Your child will learn to:

• Read fluently using decoding skills, vocabulary development, and context clues
• Participate in self-selected reading
• Use comprehension strategies: identify purpose, infer main idea and theme, predict, summarize, determine cause and effect, analyze character and setting, and interpret diagrams and charts
• Read and respond to various genres (fiction, nonfiction, biography, poetry) for enrichment, recreation, and lifelong learning

Spelling

Your child will study a weekly list of words focused on a new spelling pattern each week.

Math

Your child will learn to:

• Understand place value using decimals and commas
• Multiply whole numbers up to four digits
• Divide whole numbers by a two-digit divisor, with or without a remainder
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals
• Determine factors and multiples
• Identify equivalent fractions
• Add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers
• Understand basic geometry
• Solve one-variable expressions
• Develop and interpret graphs, charts, and tables
• Apply problem-solving strategies to word problems

Science

Your child will use the scientific method to solve problems and explore navigation by the sky, providing fresh water, and motion and design through inquiry-based activities.

Social Studies

Your child will learn to:

• Understand the reasons for studying history and how we learn from the past
• Develop directional and mapping skills
• Understand early American history from European explorers through the American Revolution
• Explore the multicultural development of the United States

Physical Education

Students have two 45-minute P.E. classes each week and change into P.E. clothes for health and hygiene. They participate at their current skill level, show growth, and practice good sportsmanship.

Activities

• Field trips for science, social studies, and art enrichment
• A salmon bake at Tillicum Village near Seattle
• Junior Achievement BizTown
• Raising and releasing salmon each spring, with visits to view spawning and a fish hatchery
• Peace Partners
• Beginning band and strings
• Kostka Club

Computer Technology

Your child will learn to:

• Become proficient with classroom technology
• Give presentations using PowerPoint or Google Slides
• Use the internet for project research

Music

Students have music twice a week for 45 minutes, reviewing concepts and exploring moderate folk, sacred, and secular pieces through rhythm, melody, form, and texture and expression. They experiment with pitched and unpitched percussion and may continue band or strings.