The Fifth Grade art program builds upon the elements of art: line, shape, color, and form, and principles of design: unity, rhythm, proportion, balance, and variety. Students
refine their drawing, painting, and sculpting skills to create the artworks of their own while interpreting artworks made by others and exploring ideas, materials and techniques
in this process.
They are encouraged to develop ideas for artwork and to use media expressively.
The Fifth Grade units are:
- People and Their Stories: Students will practice drawing realistic portraits, people in different poses, and create papier-mâché figures of people in motion.
- Surprises: Materials and Forms: Students experiment with new ideas, materials, and forms. They create photo and paper collages, and imaginative sculpture from found objects.
- Getting Close to Nature: Students understand that art helps people appreciate draw realistic flowers, patterned animals, create an abstract watercolor painting to express nature’s
mood, and make an animal sculpture from clay.
- A World of Wonder: Art and Imagination: Students understand that art helps us to visualize and give form to our imaginations. They create a perspective drawing of outer space,
a painting with dreamlike qualities, and a foil relief sculpture of a mythical creature.
- Sharing: Communication in which students understand that art is a way for people to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas through a variety of forms and media. They create
stories in motion, practice the art of calligraphy, and create a set of symbols to represent different aspects of time spent at school and scroll-like paintings inspired by Asian
art.
The program includes CD-ROMs with art images and information about artists to support lessons and concepts. Music CDs have a variety of genres, time periods and themes to inspire
students during studio time. Students create a collection of vocabulary cards to enhance their language skills while viewing and discussing fine art.
References:
Explorations in Art, Davis Publications, Inc. and Wilton Art Appreciation CD-ROMs: “Elements of Art”, “Color”, “Art Adventures”, and “Artists at Work”.
The core of the Fifth Grade Bible curriculum is a comprehensive study of the Old Testament. Beginning in Genesis, students will explore Old Testament stories and gain a clear
picture of how they fit together and how they direct us towards Jesus Christ. Each lesson includes a principle based on the life of a Bible character. Life application questions
at the end of each lesson ask students to analyze information, draw conclusions, and personalize the Biblical principles taught during that week.
One goal of our Bible curriculum is for each student to allow the Holy Spirit to work in his or her life to become more like Jesus Christ. Character trait activities help students
relate to people within the Old Testament by showing practical ways of applying Biblical principles to their daily lives. Memorization of weekly scripture verses helps each student
internalize God’s Word as they grow in their walk with Him. Students will be challenged to live out their faith by engaging in effective prayer, exhibiting qualities of leadership
for both classmates and younger students, and by taking part in an annual service project.
Fifth Graders continue to develop their proficiency and their creativity as they use technology. Students create presentations, incorporating a minimum of fifteen slides. Students
work collaboratively with one another to share their knowledge and expertise while further honing their keyboarding and research skills. Finally, the Lower School technology experiences
create an appreciation for the virtual possibilities that are becoming the hallmarks of 21st century learning.
The Fifth Grade social studies curriculum focuses on the history of the United States. Students begin the year by exploring the factors that led up to the European settlement
of America; as we study the Renaissance, the Reformation, the Age of Exploration, and Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations. Other topics include the American Revolution, the U.S.
Constitution, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Westward Expansion, and the 20th Century. Heavy emphasis is placed on the Christian foundations of our nation. Students learn about
Christian influences in Renaissance art, the importance of the printing press in spreading the Gospel throughout Europe during the Reformation, and the passion for missions that
motivated many of the first explorers. Additionally, students learn specifically about the Christian faith of the founding fathers, reflected in the creation key of historical
documents of our nation such as the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Grade social studies curriculum uses the
Pearson Learning Core Knowledge
textbook.
The geography portion of the curriculum focuses on having students identify and locate all of the countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Students complete a geography
unit reviewing the names and locations of all 50 states. Students are able to use laptops and Smart Board exercises to prepare for weekly geography quizzes.
Students will also learn how to write a research paper as they complete the Famous Folks project and the Historical Reporter Project. Throughout the curriculum, Fifth Graders
take part in several learning activities including Inca relay races, Revolutionary Tug of War, a field trip to the Atlanta Cyclorama, class “visits” from historical figures, and
speakers focusing on World War II, the Cold War, and the Civil Rights Movement.
The Fifth Grade
reading curriculum is based on teaching reading for the purpose of reading for fun and for understanding. Students learn reading comprehension skills through
novels, short stories, teacher read-alouds and periodicals. Our four novel studies of the year are
Hinds’ Feet on High Places,
Behind Rebel Lines,
Call It Courage,
and
Number the Stars. Students identify the main idea, summarize, inference, draw conclusions, sequence, define words in context, and relate text to the world/self or other
text.
Composition writing in Fifth Grade is a process of learning how to construct eloquent sentences while organizing a well structured five paragraph essay. The six components
of writing that students develop throughout the year include the following: overall development, organization, support, sentence structure, word choice, and mechanics. In addition
to constructing essays, students learn to identify and demonstrate an understanding of various forms of poetry during our month-long poetry unit. The celebration of the unit is
a “poetry café” where students share their own illustrated poetry books. Students also enjoy expressing creativity through daily journal writing.
The Fifth Grade
grammar curriculum is integrated with our composition writing, through the use of the Shurley English, to understand grammar rules and to practice editing
skills. Throughout the year, students learn five patterns of sentence structure, subject nouns and pronouns, transitive verbs, prepositional phrases, direct objects, indirect
objects, linking verbs, predicate nouns and adjectives, articles, adverbs, and adjectives. By labeling the various parts of speech, students understand how sentences are formed
and can become more eloquent writers.
Spelling in Fifth Grade is actually a sixth grade level curriculum, Spectrum, based on learning words according to patterns. Every other week, words are introduced and
the pattern of those words is discussed in class. Throughout the week, students practice learning the words at home. Their knowledge is tested through various methods at the end
of every week.
For
vocabulary development, (using the Level Five Wordly Wise curriculum) students learn the definitions of words, but more importantly how these words are used in context;
if prefixes and suffixes change the words’ meanings, and the connotation of various words within our language. To gain understanding beyond definitions, students study 100 basic
Greek and Latin roots words, to enhance their knowledge of origin of English words.
Students are challenged to independently select age-appropriate materials and to read independently during library classes. Fifth Graders are exposed to the Library of Congress
organizational structure as an alternative to the Dewey Decimal System. Read alouds involve more complex themes and promote discussion and debate about plot, characters, and theme.
Students select and create a skit based on an easy fiction book and perform the skits for younger students at Whitefield and the Atlanta Youth Academy. The Fifth Grade year culminates
in a visit to the Middle/Upper School library for an orientation and discussion about library services in the Middle School.
Fifth Grade math builds on arithmetic skills learned in earlier grades to give students a strong foundation in calculation, problem solving, data collection, and spatial reasoning.
Instead of simply teaching “how” to approach problems, instruction emphasizes the “why” by exploring connections across the math curriculum. The Fifth Grade math curriculum uses
the Houghton Mifflin textbook. Study includes multiplication and division concepts, place value, units of measure, statistics, fraction and decimal concepts, geometry, probability,
and algebraic principles. Students will have the opportunity to participate in such math-related activities as Pi Day, Math Olympics, data collection surveys, math fact races,
the estimation jar, and the challenge problem of the week.
In Fifth Grade, students’ transition from a general music class and each chooses a performing ensemble to join -band, orchestra, or chorale. The Fifth Grade is another culmination
year, giving students an opportunity to build on all previous skill acquisition by learning to play an instrument or develop vocally. The band is a wind ensemble comprised of
the following instruments: flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and baritone. In the orchestra students may choose from the following string instruments: violin, viola,
and cello. The chorale is a vocal ensemble of students who learn to effectively use their voice, learning proper breathing technique and tone production. All ensembles rehearse
during the school day.
The goal for our Fifth Grade students is to demonstrate competency in locomotor and non-locomotor movements and skills, acquire knowledge of fitness components, be able to demonstrate
exercises to increase strength and endurance, while understanding the benefits of regular physical activity. Fifth Grade students are accountable for sportsmanlike conduct through
class and competition. The focus on Fifth Grade health is on nutrition, physical fitness, and personal hygiene. The physical education program is designed to develop physically
educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthy physical activity.
Science in Fifth Grade is a balance between experiential learning and direct instruction as we study four specific units, all part of the Houghton-Mifflin science curriculum.
While students learn the biological make-up and functions of plants, they are able to demonstrate creativity and knowledge of a plant cell by constructing a model to present to
the class. We conclude the plant unit with a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens.
The second unit of study in science is the solar system. As students learn the steps to an empirical study, they are challenged to think and problem solve like an astronaut. Students
explore the vastness of our universe and analyze its beginning as it relates to the Bible. Planetary knowledge is deepened as students demonstrate their ability to research and
collect data about one particular planet of interest. Study in this unit includes a three day, two night adventure to the Huntsville, Alabama U. S. Space and Rocket Center where
students participate in building and launching rockets, as well as take part in a rocket simulation activity.
The third and fourth units involve lab-based learning of energy, work, simple machines and light. Students are asked to generate hypotheses, organize data, infer conclusions and
synthesize information to understand the principles of motion, friction, forces, and properties of light. Various materials are used in order that students gain experience in
measuring length, weight, force, and work.
Fifth Grade students continue acquiring new vocabulary with the Total Physical Response Storytelling method. Speaking, reading and writing skills are practiced the first semester
with Volume 3 of the
Cuentame Gabi Series. In the second semester verb patterns are studied with the aid of musical verb chants in preparation for the grammar focus of
Middle School. The culminating highlight is the preparation for a Spanish/Mexican restaurant outing, where students build confidence and the reward of good Spanish speaking skills
is most satisfying.
