Reading:
This year the fifth grade students will have the opportunity to explore a
wide range of genres in the form of novels, poems, articles, journals, and
short stories and so much more. The students will be using a reading
mountain to reach their independent reading goal and they will have to
complete a letter in their reading notebooks. The students
will also participate in reading centers, literature circles; collaborate
with partners and cooperative learning groups.
READING STANDARDS FOR 5TH GRADE
Competency Goal 1 : The learner will apply enabling strategies and skills to
read and write
1.01 Expand and refine vocabulary through knowledge of prefixes, suffixes,
roots, derivatives, context clues, and etymologies (word origins) to assist
comprehension.
1.02 Select key vocabulary critical to the text and apply appropriate
meanings as necessary for comprehension.
1.03 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
• wide reading.
• word study.
• word reference materials.
• content area study.
• writing process elements.
• writing as a tool.
• debate.
• discussions.
• seminars.
• examining the author's craft.
1.04 Use word reference materials (e.g., glossary, dictionary, thesaurus,
online reference tools) to identify and comprehend unknown words.
1.05 Read independently daily from self-selected materials (consistent with
the student's independent reading level) to:
• increase fluency.
• build background knowledge.
• expand and refine vocabulary
Competency Goal 2: The learner will apply strategies and skills to
comprehend text that is read, heard, and viewed.
2.01 Use metacognitive strategies independently and flexibly to monitor
comprehension and extend vocabulary (e.g., skim, scan, reread the text,
consult other sources, ask for help, summarize, paraphrase, question).
2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening,
and viewing by:
• making predictions.
• formulating questions.
• supporting answers from textual information, previous experience,
and/or other sources.
• drawing on personal, literary, and cultural understandings.
• seeking additional information.
• making connections with previous experiences, information, and ideas.
2.03 Read a variety of texts, such as:
• fiction (tall tales, myths).
• nonfiction (books of true experience, newspaper and magazine
articles, schedules).
• poetry (narrative, lyric, and cinquains).
• drama (plays and skits).
2.04 Identify elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing
the text to determine the:
• plot development.
• author's choice of words.
• effectiveness of figurative language (e.g., personification,
flashback).
• tone.
2.05 Evaluate inferences, conclusions, and generalizations and provide
evidence by referencing the text(s).
2.06 Analyze choice of reading materials congruent with purposes (e.g.,
reading for information, reading to extend content area learning, reading
for pleasure, entertainment).
2.07 Evaluate the usefulness and quality of information and ideas based on
purpose, experiences, text(s), and graphics.
2.08 Explain and evaluate relationships that are:
• causal.
• hierarchical.
• temporal.
• problem-solution.
2.09 Listen actively and critically by:
• asking questions.
• delving deeper into the topic.
• elaborating on the information and ideas presented.
• evaluating information and ideas.
• making inferences and drawing conclusions.
• making judgments.
2.10 Identify strategies used by a speaker or writer to inform, entertain,
or influence an audience.
Competency Goal 3 : The learner will make connections through the use of
oral language, written language, and media and technology.
3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive,
critical, and evaluative processes by:
• analyzing word choice and content.
• examining reasons for a character's actions, taking into account the
situation and basic motivation of the character.
• creating and presenting a product that effectively demonstrates a
personal response to a selection or experience.
• examining alternative perspectives.
• evaluating the differences among genres.
• examining relationships among characters.
• making and evaluating inferences and conclusions about characters,
events, and themes.
3.02 Make connections within and between texts by recognizing similarities
and differences based on a common lesson, theme, or message.
3.03 Justify evaluation of characters and events from different selections
by citing supporting evidence in the text(s).
3.04 Make informed judgments about television, radio, video/film
productions, other electronic mediums and/or print formats.
3.05 Integrate main idea and supporting details from multiple sources to
expand understanding of texts.
3.06 Conduct research (with assistance) from a variety of sources for
assigned or self-selected projects (e.g., print and non-print texts,
artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks).
3.07 Make informed judgments about:
• bias.
• propaganda.
• stereotyping.
• media techniques.
Competency Goal 4 : The learner will apply strategies and skills to create
oral, written, and visual texts.
4.01 Read aloud grade-appropriate text with fluency, comprehension,
expression, and personal style demonstrating an awareness of volume, pace,
audience, and purpose.
4.02 Use oral and written language to:
• formulate hypotheses.
• evaluate information and ideas.
• present and support arguments.
• influence the thinking of others.
4.03 Make oral and written presentations to inform or persuade selecting
vocabulary for impact.
4.04 Select a self-evaluated composition for publication and justify
rationale for selection.
4.05 Use a variety of preliminary strategies to plan and organize the
writing and speaking task considering purpose, audience, and timeline.
4.06 Compose a draft that elaborates on major ideas and adheres to the topic
by using an appropriate organizational pattern that accomplishes the purpose
of the writing task and effectively communicates its content.
4.07 Compose a variety of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using
selfselected topic and format (e.g., poetry, research reports, news
articles, letters to the editor, business letters).
4.08 Focus revision on target elements by:
• improving word choice.
• rearranging text for clarity.
• creating simple and/or complex sentences for clarity or impact.
• developing a lead, characters, or mood.
4.09 Produce work that follows the conventions of particular genres (e.g.,
essay, feature story, business letter).
4.10 Use technology as a tool to enhance and/or publish a product
Competency Goal 5 : The learner will apply grammar and language conventions
to communicate effectively.
5.01 Consistently use correct capitalization (e.g., names of magazines,
newspapers, organizations) and punctuation (e.g., colon to introduce a list,
commas in apposition, commas used in compound sentences).
5.02 Demonstrate understanding in speaking and writing by using:
• troublesome verbs.
• nominative, objective, and possessive pronouns.
5.03 Elaborate information and ideas in speaking and writing by using:
• prepositional phrases.
• transitions.
• coordinating and/or subordinating conjunctions.
5.04 Determine the impact of word choice on written and spoken language.
5.05 Spell most commonly used words accurately using a multi-strategy
approach to the learning of new spellings.
5.06 Proofread for accuracy of spelling using appropriate strategies to
confirm spelling and to correct errors.
5.07 Edit final product for grammar, language conventions, and format.
5.08 Create readable documents through legible handwriting (cursive) and
word processing.
Writing:
Fifth grade writing will consist of putting together a portfolio of five
various modes of writing. These writing samples include an
informational/research piece, a creative/poem, a book review, a persuasive
letter, and a response to a piece of literature. The students will also
include focus on editing peer work and the conventions of writing. We will
use a lot of Thinking Maps, vocabulary, and creating questions that
facilitate higher levels of thinking. This will add voice and details to
the students writing.
Social Studies:
Fifth grade covers the United States primarily, while incorporating Canada
and Mexico.
Science:
The first Nine Weeks the students will get to discover how Ecosystems
function by making their own terrarium and aquarium. Next, the students
will make observations and conduct investigations to build an understanding
of landforms. The third Nine Weeks the students will use appropriate
technologies to understand forces and motion in technological design.
Finally, the last concept the students will analyze weather.
SCIENCE STANDARDS FOR 5TH GRADE
Competency Goal 1: The learner will conduct investigations to build an
understanding of the interdependence of plants and animals.
Objectives
1.01 Describe and compare several common ecosystems (communities of
organisms and their interaction with the environment).
1.02 Identify and analyze the functions of organisms within the population
of the ecosystem:
• Producers.
• Consumers.
• Decomposers.
1.03 Explain why an ecosystem can support a variety of organisms.
1.04 Discuss and determine the role of light, temperature, and soil
composition in an ecosystem's capacity to support life.
1.05 Determine the interaction of organisms within an ecosystem.
1.06 Explain and evaluate some ways that humans affect ecosystems.
• Habitat reduction due to development.
• Pollutants.
• Increased nutrients.
1.07 Determine how materials are recycled in nature.
Competency Goal 2: The learner will make observations and conduct
investigations to build an understanding of landforms.
Objectives
2.01 Identify and analyze forces that cause change in landforms over time
including.
• Water and Ice.
• Wind.
• Gravity.
2.02 Investigate and discuss the role of the water cycle and how movement of
water over and through the landscape helps shape land forms.
2.03 Discuss and consider the wearing away and movement of rock and soil in
erosion and its importance in forming:
• Canyons.
• Valleys.
• Meanders.
• Tributaries.
2.04 Describe the deposition of eroded material and its importance in
establishing landforms including:
• Deltas.
• Flood Plains.
2.05 Discuss how the flow of water and the slope of the land affect erosion.
2.06 Identify and use models, maps, and aerial photographs as ways of
representing landforms.
2.07 Discuss and analyze how humans influence erosion and deposition in
local communities, including school grounds, as a result of:
• Clearing land.
• Planting vegetation.
• Building dams.
Competency Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and use
appropriate technology to build an understanding of weather and climate.
Objectives
3.01 Investigate the water cycle including the processes of:
• Evaporation.
• Condensation.
• Precipitation.
• Run-off.
3.02 Discuss and determine how the following are affected by predictable
patterns of weather:
• Temperature.
• Wind direction and speed.
• Precipitation.
• Cloud cover.
• Air pressure.
3.03 Describe and analyze the formation of various types of clouds and
discuss their relation to weather systems.
3.04 Explain how global atmospheric movement patterns affect local weather.
3.05 Compile and use weather data to establish a climate record and reveal
any trends.
3.06 Discuss and determine the influence of geography on weather and climate:
• Mountains
• Sea breezes
• Water bodies.
Competency Goal 4: : The learner will conduct investigations and use
appropriate technologies to build an understanding of forces and motion in
technological designs.
Objectives
4.01 Determine the motion of an object by following and measuring its
position over time.
4.02 Evaluate how pushing or pulling forces can change the position and
motion of an object.
4.03 Explain how energy is needed to make machines move.
• Moving air.
• Gravity.
4.04 Determine that an unbalanced force is needed to move an object or
change its direction.
4.05 Determine factors that affect motion including:
• Force
• Friction.
• Inertia.
• Momentum
4.06 Build and use a model to solve a mechanical design problem.
• Devise a test for the model.
• Evaluate the results of test.
4.07 Determine how people use simple machines to solve problems
***This year the students will have to take a science EOG that consists of
80 multiple choice questions. It is important that your child knows the
following vocabulary words:
Science EOG Vocabulary Words
Weather Concepts:
1.nimbus clouds: are rain bearing clouds that are dark and ragged at the
edges.
2.cumulus clouds: are fluffy like pieces of cotton. Often they are
thick and extend very high in the sky.
3.stratus clouds: are flat layers that form close to the Earth. They
are often connected with stormy weather.
4.cirrus clouds: are thin and wispy and form high in the sky. They
appear before a change in the weather.
5.climate: is the average weather conditions in an area over a long
period of time.
6.precipitation: rain, snow, sleet or hail.
7.condensation: the process by which a gas becomes a liquid.
8.evaporation: the process in which a liquid becomes a gas.
9.temperature: is the measure of how warm or cold something is.
10.water cycle the process in which water moves through the ground,
evaporates from the earth into the air, forms clouds, and falls back to
earth.
11.rotation: is Earth spinning around once every 24 hours, resulting in
day and night.
12.revolution: is Earth moving in a path around the Sun, resulting in
one Earth year.
13.runoff: water flowing over the Earth’s surfaces into the lakes,
rivers, and oceans.
14.groundwater: water that has soaked into the soil.
15.humidity: the amount of water vapor in the air.
Earth’s Landforms:
16.irrigation: The process in which humans supply waters to the land
through artificial ways.
17.landforms: the features of the earth’s surface, such as mountains,
plateaus, and plains.
18.abrasion: is the grinding away of rock by other rock or sand
particles.
19.estuaries: are bodies of water found in areas where freshwater from
rivers and streams and salt water from the ocean meet.
20.delta: an area of land where a stream empties into a larger body of
water
21.meander: a large bend in a stream channel that develops when soil is
eroded from one bank and deposited in another.
22.tributary: is a river or stream that does not reach rivers.
23.erosion: the process in which earth’s materials are broken down and
carried away
24.deposition: the process by which water or glaciers lay down earth’s
materials
25.sediments: rock and sand particles.
26. weathering: the process in which earth materials are broken down by
natural forces.
Animals and Ecosystems:
27. predator: animals that eat each other.
28. prey: animals that other animals hunt for food.
29. producers: are organisms that use the Sun’s energy to make their own
food. Ex: plants and trees
30. decomposers: organisms such as fungi, worms, and bacteria get energy by
breaking down nutrients in dead organisms.
31. increase: to go up
32. decrease: to go down
33. ecosystem: A community that includes all living and nonliving things
found in a certain area.
34. habitat: is the physical space used by a population.
35.population: a group of organisms of the same species living in the same
place.
36. community: is made up of all different kinds of populations living in
the same area.
37. adaptations: when animals go through changes that make them fit in
better with the environment around them.
38. hibernate: is to go to sleep for the winter and live on stored food.
39. migrate: is to move from one place to another, usually with the change
of seasons.
40. organisms: are all living things.
41. food chain: is a series of organisms through which energy is passed.
42. behavior: is the way an organism responds to a change in the
environment.
43. consumers: some organisms must get energy by eating other organisms.
44. omnivore: animals that eat both plants and other animals.
45. herbivore: animals that eat only plants.
46. carnivore: animals that eat only meat.
47. niche: the role each animal has.
48. food web: a diagram of several connected food chains.
Force and Motion:
49. momentum: is the product of the mass and velocity of an object.
50. laws of motion: Three laws formulated by Sir Isaac Newton that describe
how objects move in relation to the forces acting on them
51. potential Energy: Stored energy.
52. kinetic Energy: moving energy.
53. inertia: when an object remains at rest or in motion unless acted by a
force.
54. friction: forces that resist movement
55. simple machines: is a tool that makes work easier.
56. category/classify: to group things together because they share one or
more properties.
57. balanced forces: are forces that have a net force of zero or equal
weight.
58. unbalanced forces: have a force that is stronger on one side than the
other.
59. motion: how a position changes over time.
60. force: a push or a pull.
61. energy: the ability to do work.
62. gravity: a force of attraction between any two masses.
63. weight: a measurement of how heavy something is.
Math:
The first Nine Weeks the students will review place value, graphs, range,
median, mode and measurement. The second Nine Weeks the students will
develop fluency in adding and subtracting fractions. They will continue
measurement and learn more about geometry. Next, the students get the
chance to learn angles and algebra. Finally, the last Nine Weeks the
students will estimate the mass of an objectNumber and Operations
***Math Concepts:
Hundredth- One of one hundred parts .01 or 1/100.
Difference- The answer to a subtraction problem
Thousandth-One of one thousand parts .001 or 1/1000
Compatible numbers- Numbers that are easy to compute mentally
Equivalent- Having the same value, equal
Hundred thousand- 100,000
Round- Relacing a number with one that tells about how much of how many
Basic fact- A multiplication fact, such as 3x5
Benchmark-A familiar number used as a point of reference
point- A symbol used to separate dollars and cents
Estimate- Find a number that is close to an exact amount
Factor- A number multiplied by another number to find a product
Mixed number- A number represented by a whole number and a fraction
Multiple- The product of two given whole numbers
Product- The answer to a multiplication problem.
Quotient- The answer to a division problem
Tenth- One of ten equal parts .1 or 1/10
Measurement Vocabulary
Millimeter- a metric unit for measuring length (mm) 0.001 meters
centimeter-a metric unit for measuring lenfth (cm) 0.01 meters= 1 centimeter
meter- one meter equals 39 inches and 100 centimeters
kilometer- (km) Equal to a thousand meters
gram- (g) measures mass
kilogram- (kg) One thousand grams
ounce - (oz) measures weight
pound- (lb) measures weight
milliliter- (mL) measures capacity
liter- (L) measures capacity ( a little bigger than a quart)
cup- (c) measures capacity
gallon- (gal) measures capacity (4 quarts equals 1 gallon)
angle - a figure formed by two rays that meet at a common end-point.
area- the number of square units needed to cover the surface
base- a polygon's side or a solid figure's face
degree- a unit for measuring angles or temperature
height- the length between the bottom and the top of a figure
perimeter- the distance around a closed figure
protractor- a tool used for measuring or drawing angles
vertex- the point where two or more rays meet
Geometry Vocabulary
Line symmetry- when you can divide a shape into two congruent parts
Rotational symmetery- Rotate a shape around a point with a line
Equilateral-All sides of a triangle are equal
Isosceles- A triangle with exactly two congruent sides
Parallelogram- A quadrilateral with opposite sides parallel and congruent
Rectangle- A parallelogram with all right angles and opposite sides
congruent
Reflection- a movement of a figure by flipping it.
Scalene- A triangle with no congruent sides
Similar- Two polygons that are the same shape, but different sizes
Square- A polygon with four equal sides and 90 degree angles
Translation- A movement of a shape by sliding it across a straight line.
Trapezoid- A quadrilateral with two parallel sides.
Congruent- Having the same size and shape.
Data Analysis and Probability
bar graph- A graph that uses bars to represent data
circle graph- a graph that show how parts of data relate to whole.
line graph- A graph that uses a line to show change over time.
mean- The average of a set of data
median- the middle number of a set of data that is in order
mode- the number that occurs most often in a set of data
outlier- A value separated from the rest of the data.
pictograph- A graph that shows information by using pictures.
population- The entire group of people considered for a survey
random sample- a sample of each population
range- the difference between the larges and smalles number in a set of data
sample- a part of a population
stem-and-leaf plot- A table that shows data by place value
survey- a method of gathering information about a group
Algebra
variable- A letter or symbol that represents a number
inequality- A number sentence that contains symbols
expression- a number sentence that contains
equation- a sentence that shows two quantities are equal
equal- when two numbers are the same
