Reading Students create meaning through literature focus units in which the entire class studies the same book and through reading workshop in shich each student selects a book to read independently. The focus of reading instuction will be on the four cueing systems. Students are required to read 1000 pages every nine weeks. This can only be achieved if 20-30 minutes each night is spent on reading. The amount of time spent reading is the best predictor of academic success.
Students write and publish at least five books in the fifth grade.
Spelling in fifth grade in done through the program, Spell it Myself . This program focuses on the most frequently used words in reading and writing. In conjunction, spelling strategies, including word families, are addressed in the whole class structure. Arithmetic, including place value, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and percents, will be taught within the major strands. Finally, the national standards for Geography are studied - through maps, charts, and other resource materials.