FIFTH GRADE
The fifth-grade curriculum at Saint Helena School is designed for students to cement the skills they have gained throughout the lower grades. Students receive a solid foundation to support them in their middle school years. Students build on what they learned in fourth grade by analyzing material in more profound ways and writing structured, clear, and detailed pieces about a variety of subjects. They are encouraged and expected to be more independent in their learning, and to require less guidance and support from teachers and other adults. Technology is used extensively for all subjects, and it is often an integral part of the curriculum across many disciplines. Project-based learning projects and STREAM activities help gear the students on the path toward becoming 21st-Century learners.
Religion
In the fifth grade Religion curriculum, the students come to a basic understanding and appreciation of Christian worship. The Seven Sacraments are studied in detail. The students will become more familiar with the parts of the Mass. They are encouraged to have a more profound love for their brothers and sisters with whom they are united in the Eucharist. The students come to understand and appreciate vocations. They learn to better understand the Ten Commandments, to grow in respect for self and others, and to see the need for justice, kindness, and love.
Language Arts
In fifth grade Language Arts, students are provided with challenging and focused learning that progresses throughout the year. The reading program is designed to develop students' abilities to comprehend the text of varied genres and increasing complexity while continuing to support foundational skills. Writing instruction includes opinion pieces, informative/explanatory pieces, and narratives. Research skills are expanded upon, as are the skills of editing and revising. Meaningful, structured discussions are one of the ways students engage in the text or topic. Students are encouraged to expand their knowledge of the subjects studied through collaborative research and presentations. The use of language to acquire and convey meaning effectively is stressed in vocabulary, spelling, and grammar lessons.
Mathematics
In fifth grade Mathematics, mastery of complex computation with fractions, decimals, order of operations, area, perimeter, and volume are vital to student progress as they approach middle school. Emphasis on using math in real-life situations helps students strengthen their skills and solve problems that occur in their own lives. Project-based learning is used in the classroom to bring their skills and learning to life. Fifth graders are also often asked to explain how they solve problems to ensure that they truly understand the underlying concepts.
Science
The fifth grade Science curriculum incorporates inquiry-based activities that support conceptual understanding of life, physical, and earth science topics. Themes such as Diversity of Life, Ecosystems, Earth and its Resources, Weather and Space, Matter, Force, and Energy are introduced and increase in scope and depth as students advance through the year. Interpretation and application of complex concepts are explored through laboratory experiences, visual presentations using technology, and hands-on experiences. Investigative and collaborative lessons provide opportunities for self and group assessment. One major project is assigned each marking period, including one STREAM project of a school-wide theme.
Social Studies
The fifth grade Social Studies curriculum focuses on the study of history and how it relates to the United States. Students learn geography skills and apply these through simulations that foster a “real-life” situation. Students review all that they have learned about Native Americans and how they interacted with each other before and after the invasion of European explorers. Students study the exploration of the New World and how the United States changed as migration took place, and colonization began. Students examine events that shaped our country, such as the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. They discover how our government was created from the Declaration of Independence to the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The course is designed as an opportunity to engage in the past and work towards exploring the story of our country. Students are challenged to complete books on the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the American Revolutionary War.
Penmanship
The fifth-grade students perform daily handwriting exercises, as studies show that learning to write in cursive improves brain development in the areas of thinking, language, and working memory. All students are required to write in cursive, and the proper formation of letters is expected at this level.