RELIGION

The main theme is the Seven Sacraments. Students learn about the Sacraments by studying the life of Christ, the profession of faith, the celebration of Christian Mystery and prayer.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Students learn common spelling rules, patterns and their exceptions; develop their vocabulary; learn to correctly and consistently apply grammar and mechanics rules in all written work and develop a consistent writing process. They also work on listening and oral communication skills and practice the elements of good cursive handwriting. Students use the writing process to develop writing in varied forms such as poetry, reports, journals and stories; they write for different purposes such as persuasion, entertainment or to inform.

READING

Students continue to develop reading and comprehension strategies in order to respond appropriately to literature. They identify different genre and are able to use elements of book structure in order to access information. Students at this age are learning to use reading to learn more than learning to read.

MATHEMATICS

StudentS will develop various strategies to solve real world problems in a reasonable and efficient manner. Numeration requires that students understand the place value number system, ways of representing numbers and the relationship among them. Fifth graders will use numbers through the millions and thousandths place. Operations and Computation require a balance between understanding concepts and computational proficiency. Students will use all four operations as they relate to whole numbers, mixed numbers, fractions and decimals. It is important that students have mastered the basic facts in each operation. Students use Measurement in relationship to a tangible reality that provides them with opportunities to practice their other math skills. Students learn to gather, organize, display, interpret, predict and use information in useful ways in Probability, Statistics and Data Analysis; fifth graders learn to express probability as a ratio and determine the mean of a set of numbers. In Geometry, students work with lines, angles, 2 and 3 dimensional figures, tessellations, area and perimeter. Students will explore, model and describe sequences, patterns and variables and will simplify expressions in Algebra.

SCIENCE

is developed through four strands: Earth and space, life, physical and the nature of science. The main themes are plants, Earth and the solar system, energy, work and machines, light and sound, populations and ecosystems, and movement and control in the human body.

SOCIAL STUDIES

are primarily history based and follow the development of the ancient world through the fall of the Roman Empire. The material is developed through the five strands of geography, economics, civics, history and social/cultural/religious world perspectives.