Grade 5

GRADE 5 CURRICULUM

Literacy
MUSE fifth graders are enthusiastic readers and writers. In fifth grade, students read and analyze a variety of genres, including poetry, narratives, informational texts, and short stories. They read to learn new information, strengthen their critical thinking skills, develop their writing style, and make inferences about characters, settings, and events. Students participate in weekly fluency, practice vocabulary studies, and become active readers through annotating text and posing and answering comprehension questions. Students participate in collaborative novel studies, independent reading, learn how to conduct research, and navigate through credible sources. They learn to express themselves in writing through journal entries, opinion pieces, narratives, and informational text and begin to take ownership of the writing process as they experiment with different forms of brainstorming, drafting, peer editing, revising and finally publishing their work.

Math
In fifth grade, students explore measurement through U.S. customary units and the metric system through hands-on experiments and passion-based projects. They learn to gather and interpret data collections, study numbers, and operations in base ten which are presented through various real-world situations. In Fifth Grade, students are developing math fluency through the multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction of fractions, along with basic geometry and graphing. The understanding of mathematical concepts is strengthened through thematic projects throughout the year. The foundations of being a mathematical learner are approached with an open mindset and an understanding that failing forward can lead to positive growth.

Science
Fifth graders are inquisitive, innovative, experiential learners. They engage in scientific inquiry and hands-on experiences while exploring multiple domains of science. Life science is covered through the lens of biodiversity and the study of plant life and water, while in earth science, students take a deep dive into our solar system and explore NASA and weather. Students are also introduced to physical science elements through studying the human body, specifically digestion and the circulatory system. While our campus’s natural beauty and geographical location give students an outdoor perspective and hands-on experiments to inquire, test, and learn, fifth graders also travel off campus on field trips that support their science studies.

Social Studies
Fifth graders start the year learning about Pre-Columbian settlements and Native Americans’ way of life. Students learn about the explorers and the technological developments made during European colonization. Throughout fifth-grade social studies lessons, students engage in a geographical study through map-making and identifying the water and land routes of the explorers. Students experience what life was like during the development of the 13 colonies and travel to the American Revolution through a historical fiction novel study.  Students enjoy developing their own opinions, thoughts, or feelings about historical content and sharing them with peers. Fifth graders spend time learning about the start of the U.S. government and conduct studies analyzing the meaning and purpose of the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights, and the U.S. Constitution. They learn about the three branches of government and the fundamental principles of American constitutional democracy. Students enjoy learning about the 50 states, creating maps and making connections between what they learn in class, their personal travels, and the United States.