This age marks the pivotal point between childhood and puberty and students attain a certain ease and grace of movement intrinsic to the age. One keynote of this age is movement that is coordinated, balanced and harmonious. Cognitively, the children are more able to understand questions and phenomena in a realistic and reasoning manner.
In 5th grade, we emphasize:
Geography: Geography awakens in the child a feeling of relatedness with fellow human beings living in all other parts of the world.
Plant life: Beside the discovery of the physical characteristics of the earth is the study of the plant life that grows upon its surface. The children learn that there is order and structure in all that surround them in the natural world. Just as the children at this age have within them the potential for all that they are to become in their later life, so they see that the seed contains within it the mighty oak tree.
Ancient cultures: The fifth-grade children journey with their teacher back to the dawn of human civilization, in ancient India. Through mythology, music, and art the children are given a taste of how the ancient Indians, Persians, Egyptians, Chinese and Greeks viewed the world. Students begin to develop a sense for the differences between these cultures and their gifts to society so that they may begin to understand how human consciousness has evolved through time.
Decimals: In Math, fraction skills are solidified and decimals are introduced.
The 5th grade curriculum includes:
Math: Decimals; fractions; metric system; geometry as it developed in ancient cultures
Literature & Grammar: Elements of grammar; sentence structure; descriptive writing; continuing cursive, punctuation and compositions; Greek, Indian, Persian and Egyptian myths
Science: Botany; Inductive Method; continuation of garden and nature studies
Music and Performing Arts: Singing; flute/recorder; possible inclusion of violin/cello; 3-part choir
Art: Freehand geometric drawing; painting; clay modeling of ancient world; varied landscapes, drawing
World Language: Spanish continued (simple conversations, poetry, cultural activities, vocabulary, continued writing)
Handwork: Knitting in rounds; knitting socks, hats, or mittens (develop and follow written instructions)
History & Social Studies: Mythology and life in ancient civilizations from ancient India through ancient Greece. Greek history through Alexander the Great
Geography: North American geography as related to vegetation, agriculture, culture and economics
Physical Education: Greek Olympic Games (the pentathlon)