Fifth Grade

Over the course of the year, students explore the questions: “Who am I?”; “Who are you?”; “How do we share the world?” and “How do we shape the world?” Social studies classes delve into the early civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and the Maya. Students identify cultural values through myths, writing, and play performances, and prepare artistic projects based on ancient themes and characters. Fifth graders conduct research for each of these units, studying their religion, mythology, government, class and gender roles, architecture, and art. They explore questions about gender, race, and socioeconomic status as factors that inform whose story is told. The year ends with students performing Greek plays — original scripts that mirror famous Greek myths — in our black box theater.

The focus of fifth-grade science is ecology and ecosystems. Students take field trips to a salt marsh in Milford and an environmental study center in Lakeside, CT, both of which illustrate the interactions between organisms and their environment. Foote’s campus serves as another field work location, with students completing observational studies in which they apply concepts and methods of ecological research to gather information about campus ecosystems. Through these studies, students examine humans’ impacts on the natural world and our use of resources as they develop an understanding of the interactions between humans and the environment. In the spring, studies of energy, light, heat, and electromagnetism include activities such as generating electricity from friction, battery-powered motors, and photovoltaic cells. The year culminates with students designing and building solar-powered ovens using primarily recycled materials.

In fifth grade, children are exposed to a variety of written and spoken language to develop appreciation of and excitement for using language to express themselves. Two books are always in motion: one is read aloud and leads to extensive discussions of detail, style, and theme; the other is undertaken as a class book that students read on their own. Comprehension activities focus on identifying purpose, making interpretations, and responding with clarity. Students write every day to refine their style and mechanics, and conference with teachers and peers to improve fluidity, dialogue, setting, and character development, as well as overall plot. Students experiment with literary genres including poetry, drama, fiction, and also learn how to express their opinions using persuasive writing. Writing is often shared in class and discussed. Spelling, vocabulary, and grammar programs complement the Language Arts curriculum.

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With a one-to-one Chromebook program, students and teachers collaborate on the writing process using the entire Google Suite of applications. Students engage in an in-depth robotics and coding unit using VEX Robotics and the corresponding software for the robotics kits. Students also engage in STEM/design projects that focus on basic engineering and technological principles and incorporate the use of science and/or math including the design and construction of earthquake simulators and earthquake resistant towers.

In fifth grade Chinese, listening and speaking continue to be emphasized, while reading and writing now play a more important part in class. Through engaging activities and interactive games, students practice all four language skills and have opportunities to work with different partners to engage in real-life conversations. They learn to talk about professions, places of residence, physical appearance, rooms and furniture. At this level, the students are expected to communicate not only in simple sentences but also in a string of sentences within familiar contexts. They make significant progress in writing Chinese characters, deepening their understanding of character etymology to strengthen sight word recognition. Pinyin is now used more consistently to aid students’ pronunciation and tone production. One of the final projects is the creation of “All About Me” books, in which students integrate various sentence structures and content learned in previous years to write and illustrate facts about themselves.

In fifth grade, students build upon their previous language skills by engaging with increasingly complex and meaningful content. They will read another comprehensible input novel, such as La piñata de Renata or La familia de Federico Rico, which introduces richer vocabulary and more intricate storylines, challenging them to interpret language in context while strengthening their ability to express ideas, ask questions, and engage in discussions. While the methodology remains student-centered — with total physical response (TPR), games, and collaborative learning at its core — students take greater ownership of their language development through more advanced reading, writing, and conversational activities. Cultural exploration reaches a new level as students not only learn about daily life and traditions in Spanish-speaking countries but also examine the impact of influential Spanish-speaking figures across various fields. This broader perspective encourages students to see language as a bridge to history, the arts, and global achievements, deepening their appreciation for the richness and diversity of the Spanish-speaking world.

Fifth graders continue to build on melodic and rhythmic concepts learned in previous years, and deepen their theoretical understanding of music. The students add fa and ti to their melodic set to complete the diatonic scale, continue to practice identifying interval quantity, and continue to practice using the treble-clef note-naming system. Theory concepts such as half versus whole steps and key signatures are introduced. Students continue to practice counting rhythms using beat-counts, and they incorporate new rhythms (“tom-ti/ti-tom” — dotted-quarter eighth — and dotted half note). They begin to work with triple meter as well. Repertoires are expanded through part-singing, longer and more difficult rounds, and partner songs. The students continue playing the soprano recorder, expanding their repertoire to include more advanced solo and ensemble pieces. The dance program continues with more complex square dances and other social dances.

Group work is a core aspect of fifth-grade drama. Theater lessons challenge students to collaborate in a variety of ways: to solve a problem requiring physical dexterity and logic; to create characters through the use of body and voice; and to work as an ensemble. Self-monitoring skills such as concentrating and focusing, thinking quickly, using the creative imagination, and adapting to the needs of a situation are encouraged. Fifth graders work together to write and perform a mystery using costumes, props and creating a simple set.

Fifth grade P.E. focuses on refining skills, increasing comfort with various sports and activities, and deepening students' appreciation for physical activity. Through sports such as Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, flag football, basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, kickball, and badminton, students fine-tune their techniques while gaining confidence in both individual and team settings. With opportunities to choose their level of competition and engage in a variety of nontraditional and large-group games, students develop strategic thinking, teamwork, and communication skills. The curriculum emphasizes both the physical and social-emotional benefits of exercise, promoting perseverance, cooperation, and sportsmanship while fostering a lifelong enjoyment of movement and healthy living.

Library classes in fifth grade engage students in more complex texts and deeper discussions. They recognize literary and illustrative strategies used in fiction and nonfiction books about historical figures and movements, and apply prior knowledge in their discussions. Research projects expand students’ ability to locate and use materials in the library. Students find the information they need by creating suitable search strategies, using keywords effectively, and evaluating sources of information for reliability and usefulness.