EXTEND Curriculum
We will incorporate the following skills into lessons taught throughout the
year:
*Creativity
*Brainstorming
*Problem-solving
*Critical Thinking
*Affective Learning
*Logical Thinking
-Students will be fluent, flexible, and original thinkers and problem solvers!
-Students will learn to brainstorm ideas, develop criteria to evalute their ideas, follow through with
an evalution, and pick the best idea. They will then form a plan of action based on their best idea.
During this school year, the 5th graders will participate in the following unit studies:
BANK ROBBERY - Students will investigate the robbery of the Oakford Bank and use deductive
reasoning to decide who robbed the bank. Students will determine which information is relevant,
how to assess the likelihood of outcomes, and if the data is consistent and credible.
THE UNITED STATES VS. JOHN WILKES BOOTH -The students will participate as prosecutors, defense
attorneys, defendants or witnesses as we create/recreate the trial of the assasination of President
Lincoln. In reality, John Wilkes Booth died of gunshot wounds during an attempt to capture him but
for our mock trial purposes, we have hypothesized that Booth was captured and lived to stand trial.
Students use higher-level thinking skills to plan their strategies and represent the best possible case
for their side.
WORMS & FROGS: Fifth graders will study the importance that worms and frogs play in balancing
our ecosystem. We will learn about various frogs around the world and how worms help keep our
planet healthy. We will culminate our study with a dissection of a worm and a bullfrog.
GO SLOW RAMP RACE - Students will work with a partner to build a ramp in a shoe box to inable a
marble to go from the top corner to the opposite bottom corner in the slowest time possible.
http://www.allaboutfrogs.org/
INVENTION CONVENTION - Students will participate in the M.T.S.U. Invention Convention on
February 25, 2010. They may work alone or with up to four people in a group. The categories which
we compete in are: 1) Things To Make Life Easier, 2) Games. Parents, we will need volunteers to
transport the inventions/games and to chaperone small groups for lunch. Actually, we have lots of
fun and you will enjoy yourself. Let me know if you can help us out!
THNIKING CAP BOWL - Students will compete in teams on knowledge based questions. Our top two
teams will compete, via computer, against teams from across the United States.
MIND BENDERS - Studnets will be given mind benders, Sudoku's and logic puzzles each week to help
teach them to think critically, analytically, and logically.
CREATIVITY - Students will participate in various creative activities each week including drama
games, art, writing, and storytelling.