The fifth grade reading curriculum continues the gradual shift towards more
advanced comprehension and analytical thinking. Reading is approached as a
whole class with an emphasis on strengthening students’ oral reading
and word identification skills. Teacher-led discussions and writing assignments
help students to develop inferential comprehension and critical thinking. Fifth
graders also meet in smaller, student-directed literature circles to read and
discuss books. Students solidify their knowledge of syllable patterns. Their
word study is focused primarily on word origins (prefixes, roots, and suffixes).
The writing process (pre writing, drafting, revising, editing) continues in
fifth grade as students write longer multi-paragraph compositions. Writing
mechanics are taught explicitly in lessons as well as practiced during the
editing stage of the writing process.
Goals and Objectives
READING: By the end of fifth grade, students are expected to…
Use context clues and their knowledge of word origins to determine
the meaning of specialized vocabulary and grade-level appropriate words
Read and understand grade-level appropriate material
Describe and connect the essential ideas, arguments, and perspectives
of the text by using their knowledge of text structure, organization, and purpose
Read and respond to historically or culturally significant works of literature
Find ways to clarify ideas and make connections between literary works
Read independently for fifteen minutes each night
Complete seven independent reading book projects during the year
WRITING: By the end of fifth grade, students are expected to…
Write clear, coherent, and focused essays to exhibit the students’ awareness
of audience and purpose
Write formal introductions, supporting evidence, and conclusions
Understand
and progress through the stages of the writing process
Write narrative, expository, persuasive, and descriptive texts
Use writing to demonstrate a command of standard American English and the research,
organizational, and drafting strategies outlined below
WRITTEN LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS: By the end of fifth grade, students are expected
to…
Write and speak with a command of standard English
conventions appropriate to fifth grade as set forth in The Golden Guide
LISTENING AND SPEAKING: By the end of fifth grade,
students are expected to…
Deliver focused, coherent presentations that convey ideas clearly
and relate to the background and interests of the audience
speak to demonstrate a command of standard American English and the organizational
and delivery strategies outlined below
Annual Fifth Grade Language Arts Projects
Paragraph of the week (expository, persuasive, etc.)
Independent reading book projects
Egyptian god/goddess research report
Creation myth
Short story
Memoir
DIG
Resources
Texts Words Their Way, Bear Spellwell, Book D and DD, Educators Publishing Service, Inc. Great Source Writer's Express: A Handbook for Young Writers, Thinkers and
Learners,
Great Source Education Group Building English Skills, McDougal, Littell Language for Daily Use, Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich Junior Great Books, Series 5, Great Books Foundation Harcourt Brace Social Studies-Ancient Civilizations, Harcourt Brace and Company
Whole Class Readings Dar and the Spear Thrower, Marjorie Cowley Boy of the Painted Cave, Justin Denzel Ch’i Lin Purse Stories, Linda Fang Tales of Ancient Egypt, Roger Lancelyn Green The Golden Goblet, Eloise Jarvis McGraw The Cay, Theodore Taylor
Books read aloud Royal Diary Series, Lady of Chiao Kuo, Laurence Yep Boy, Roald Dahl (selected chapters)
Childtimes, Eloise Greenfield (selected chapters) Red Scarf Girl, Ji-li Jiang House on Mango Street, Sandra Cisneros (selected stories) Gift of the Magi, O. Henry
Baseball in April, Gary Soto (selected stories)
Small Group Readings Something Upstairs, Avi Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt The House with a Clock in its Walls, John Bellairs Bud, Not Buddy, Christopher Paul Curtis Half Magic, Edward Eager A Girl Named Disaster, Nancy Farmer The Fledgling, Jane Langton A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin Wringer, Jerry Spinelli Maniac McGee, Jerry Spinelli The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
Dragonwings, Laurence Yep Because of Winn-Dixie, Kate DiCamillo Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech
