5th Grade

Trinity Lutheran School

Offering Quality Christian Education Since 1893

Course Description

GRADE FIVE

BIBLE STUDY: Textbook: Voyages, Exploring God’s World

Fifth grade materials are designed to teach students about key concepts of faith, such as Law, Gospel, confessions, repentance, forgiveness, and grace. It encourages us as Christians to live in hope with the assurance of eternal life. The curriculum starts with the Bible, continues with the Reformation, and works through the stories of Old Testament times leading to the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. Children are assigned verses to memorize weekly with opportunities to recite on either Thursday afternoon or Friday morning. The first three weeks of school are devoted to putting to memory the books of the Bible.

LANGUAGE: Textbook: A Beka Series

A Beka Series stresses grammar and the eight parts of speech. Fifth graders become proficient in identifying sentence structure, and diagramming is used to reinforce the concepts. Language is presented as God’s gift and students learn to express themselves in correct English. Since the series is used throughout the school, concepts are expanded upon each year including capitalization, punctuation, sentence structure, etc. “Step Up To Writing” will be implemented this fall to encourage creative writing.

READING: Textbook: Open Court/SRA

Open Court/SRA whole language reading series is used. A story is assigned weekly with a comprehension and vocabulary test following. Stories are grouped in themes such as cooperation and competition, heritage, the Civil War, new frontiers, and journeys and quests. Along with reading and comprehension other skills taught are as follows: author’s purpose, story settings, point of view, sequence, types of stories, main idea and details, cause and effect. Worksheets are assigned to reinforce concepts taught in the weekly story. Learning Link books supplement the reading program at various times throughout the year. These books include The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the War with Grandpa, and The Lion, Witch, and Wardrobe.

SPELLING: Textbook: Scott-Foresman-Addison Wesley

The Scott-Foresman-Addison Wesley text consists of 36 units. Practice spelling tests are taken on Wednesday, and final tests on Friday. If students pass the pretest on Wednesday, they are a “champ” and are rewarded with computer time during Friday’s test. Every sixth unit is a review. If students have received one-hundred percent on either test for the previous five units, they are not required to take the review tests. Units stress different letter combinations, homophones, vowel sounds, suffixes, possessives, etc.

PHONICS: Textbook: Modern Curriculum Press

Modern Curriculum Press provides a strong phonetic approach to reading and reinforces reading and spelling skills. Each unit covers different concepts such as the following: syllables, digraphs, diphthongs, prefixes, suffixes, roots, compound words, possessives, contractions, plurals, and various dictionary skills.

MATH: Textbook: Saxon Math-Intermediate 5

The fifth grade curriculum comes from the textbook Saxon Math-Intermediate 5 published by Saxon Publisher/Harcourt Achieve Inc. This course uses integrated and distributed strands of mathematical learning in order to achieve maximum long-term retention of mathematical skills and concepts. Saxon Math provides integrated review, practice, and assessment throughout. Saxon instructs in smaller, easily assimilated increments that are spread across the year. A level of mastery is reached for each increment through consistent and integrated practice and assessment throughout the year. Daily use of Saxon Math uses Power Up each day to review concepts, new concepts to increase student knowledge base, lessons practice to be done in class so the teacher can observe learning, and written practice. This series encompasses a wide range of problems and includes computation, mental math, and problem solving. Testing is done after every ten lessons.

Lessons learned are numerous, however, major lessons covered are follows: Whole numbers; sequencing; comparing numbers; addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers, fractions, and decimals; rounding and estimation; pattern recognition; single and multi-step word problems; graphing; geometry; money; metric and customary system, decimals, percent, properties of numbers and operations. Students are given a CD, which has the textbook on it and can use that at home rather than carrying the book home.

COMPUTERS:

Fifth graders continue to improve keyboarding technique and computer terminology. In November, students publish a Tri-Fold brochure on “Things I am Thankful for.” In December, they create a Christmas Power Point using WordArt and ClipArt. The second semester focus is geared toward learning how to create a Power Point presentation for their Social Studies’ country report. Fifth grades are also expected to design a catalog page.

SOCIAL STUDIES: Textbook: Houghton Mifflin “Build Our Nation “

Units begin with our land, move to the first Americans and settlers, explorers, the colonies and the history of the United States until present time. Chapters are broken into three to four sections for which study guides are assigned. Tests are administered after every chapter. Special project: A history report is assigned in January over the students choice of foreign country. A syllabus is distributed which outlines requirements for the report. Reports are due the first week in April with students completing a section a week until that time. The report culminates with an oral presentation in class, project board, and a native dish prepared for open house in May. The food dish is optional for the oral presentation but students love it! A power point is done in computers that may accompany oral presentation.

SCIENCE: Textbook: A Beka “Investigating God’s World”

Students enjoy studying science and seeing the plan of God as it is revealed in His creation. The A Beka Science Series provides a solid foundation in science that is soundly based on the Word of God and Christian principles. It encourages students to see, observe, and understand the world around them. Students learn to recognize insects, how to attract birds to their own backyards, how to use field guides, how to interpret cloud formations, and how to identify rocks. They learn to appreciate the abundant design of the stars, the ecology of the ocean depths, and many aspects of creation. Activities are included throughout the text to support the learning of basic science and the development of thinking skills. Comprehension checks follow each section and Chapter Checkups at the end of each chapter provide thorough reviews. Quizzes are given periodically and tests are administered at the end of each chapter. Individual units are as follows: Nature, Mammals, Light, Earth, Sea, Engines, Sky, Weather, and Vertebrates.

ART:

Art History is studied and experimentation with individual artist’s styles are explored. Over the course of the year students develop and construct a three dimensional design product using ideas and techniques learned from famous artists. Additional projects for fifth grade also include: still life drawings, series of crosses that are drawn, and free-handed drawings of natural things.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

PE is conducted twice a week in the gym or on the playground. PE begins with stretching exercise and running for proper warm up purposes. Different games and team sports are played. Sportsmanship and the importance of “team” are stressed as well as the necessity of proper exercise and eating habits in the lives of students. Eighth grade students come in during the spring to teach cup stacking which improves dexterity and eye-hand coordination.

EXTRAS:

Fifth graders participate in service projects particularly visiting of the elderly at the Chateau at Sharmar for various holidays and special occasions. It is my philosophy that to be contributing members of our society, one must learn the importance of service and appreciation of our fellow man no matter what their circumstance. Christ set the perfect example for us!

Field trips throughout the year include the Sangre de Cristo Art Center performances, the water festival at CSUP, Museum of Science and Nature and Imax in Denver, annual bike hike to Osprey Picnic Grounds on the nature walk (helmets required), and various other activities.

The week before Christmas fifth graders are split into groups and work together to make cookies for their Christmas party (we watch The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), construct graham cracker houses, and carol for nursing homes and shut-ins.

Fifth graders present one chapel during the school year and participate in all the activities included for National Lutheran Schools Week (first week in March).

Fun Olympics is a great opportunity to learn the value of “team”. Eighth graders are captains and teams select team names, t-shirt designs, and a cheer. Students from grades K-8 are on each team. Teams genuinely learn to care for each other in Christian fun and sportsmanship.

Our school participates in a noncompetitive field day in Denver the first Friday in May. Students pick three events and compete with fifth grade students from other Lutheran schools in Colorado.

Fifth graders also participate in sports for the first time as JV team members. In the fall girls play volleyball and boys play soccer. Winter sport is basketball for both. We participate in DALS League (Denver Area Lutheran Schools). This is strictly optional and fifth graders learn the value of budgeting their time and being organized with work because games and practice take time!! Fifth grade does not participate in track.