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Fifth  Grade  Curriculum  Overview    

     The  Fifth  Grade  Learning  Environment  The  curriculum  areas  are  integrated  throughout  the  year  between  projects,  novels,  and  assignments.  Fifth  grade  students  at  Cascades  Academy  communicate  through  well-­‐written  multi-­‐paragraph  compositions  in  a  variety  of  genres,  refine  their  self-­‐editing  skills,  and  comfortably  use  reference  tools  to  assist  in  their  work.    They  use  abstract  reasoning  in  math  and  are  also  introduced  to  basic  algebraic  operations.    Fifth  graders  explore  U.S.  History  and  variety  of  science  areas.    At  this  level  technology  is  incorporated  into  all  areas  of  the  curriculum.    This  year  is  focused  on  preparing  for  Middle  School  by  being  independent  in  their  work  efforts  to  foster  responsibility  and  gain  self-­‐confidence.    Fifth  graders  culminate  their  year  with  their  independent  research  projects  to  showcase  their  research  and  presenting  skills.    

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Fifth  Grade  Academics:  Language  Arts  The  fifth  grade  language  arts  program  focuses  on  the  use  of  critical  thinking  and  abstract  reasoning  to  analyze  literature  and  writing  with  a  strong  commands  of  standard  written  English.    Students  regularly  use  technology  to  create,  edit,  and  publish  compositions.    Throughout  the  year  students  read  a  wide  range  of  genres  including  but  not  limited  to  historical,  mysteries,  biographies,  humor,  and  personal  narratives  in  our  novel  based  curriculum.    Each  child  analyzes  the  novels  for  the  elements  of  a  story  and  participates  in  book  group  and  class  discussions.    Students  also  create  multiple  essays  ranging  from  creative  stories  to  research  topics.    The  focus  is  to  create  strong  paragraphs  using  the  6+1  Writing  Traits,  as  well  as,  develop  the  skill  of  researching.    Oral  presentations  and  readings  continue  to  develop  with  their  culminating  presentation  of  their  Independent  Project  in  late  spring.  Reading: At  this  stage  the  students  are  able  to  read  for  content  and  analyze  literature  more  critically.    The  students  explore  a  novel-­‐based  approach  to  learn  the  elements  of  a  story  across  the  various  genres.  They  work  in  groups  and  individually  to  develop  skills  that  include  participating  in  book  group  discussions  and  independent  leveled  reading  with  Fountas  and  Pinnell.  Writing: Each  student  completes  multiple  essays  ranging  from  creative  stories  to  research  topics.    Learning  the  skill  of  summarizing  develops  students’  ability  to  be  competent  researchers  and  limits  plagiarism.    The  year  begins  with  students  learning  about  the  6+1  Writing  Traits  and  applying  them  to  their  writing  and  editing.    Students  also  are  exposed  to  cursive  letter  writing  to  support  sensory-­‐motor  connections  and  development.    Students  typically  show  a  wide  range  of  development  throughout  the  school  year  as  they  advance  in  their  writing  craft.    Skills  • Reads  aloud  with  fluency  using  intonation,  pacing  and  expression • Reads,  analyzes  and  responds  to  novels  using  critical  thinking • Identifies  and  discuss  elements  of  a  story • Sequences  and  summarizes  literature • Discuss,  understand  and  respond  to  different  genres  of  literature • Defines  and  uses  figurative  language • Writes  legibly  in  cursive • Writes  in  organized  multi-­‐paragraphs • Self  edits  for  content,  spelling  and  grammar • Writes  in  various  genres • Uses  and  identifies  grammatical  conventions,  voice,  sentence  fluency,  ideas  and  content,  word  

choice  and  organization  in  writing      

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Language  Arts  Materials:  Various  novels,  may  include:  Wonder,  Johnny  Tremain,  The  Westing  Game,  Stout  Hearted  Seven,  Rascal   Oregon  Department  of  Education  writing  prompts  and  examples  Current  events  magazine:  Time  for  Kids,  National  Geographic  Explorer  

Textbooks/Curriculum:  Wordly  Wise  3000    Easy  Grammar  

Assessments:  Writing  final  drafts  and  journal  writing  Co-­‐operative  group  writings  and  discussions  Final  projects    Novel  study  packets  Mini  grammar  assessments  Wordly  Wise  lesson  tests  

   Social  Studies  The  fifth  grade  social  studies  program  explores  U.S.  History  from  Pangaea  to  the  Revolutionary  War  period,  including  explorers,  Native  Americans,  and  colonial  times.    Geography  is  intertwined  into  the  curriculum  with  map  skills  and  interpreting  information  from  various  resources.    The  fifth  graders  compete  in  our  school  GeoBee  with  the  Middle  School  classes  with  the  goal  of  competing  at  the  state  level.    The  class  discusses  current  events  using  the  Time  for  Kids  and  National  Geographic  Explorer  magazines.    

 Skills  • Recognize  diversity  of  human  character  • Identify  and  analyze  the  causes  and  effects  of  historical  events  • Investigate  current  events  • Place  key  events  in  chronological  order  • Interpret  and  apply  information  from  maps      

   Materials    United  States  maps  National  Geographic  map  skills    

Textbooks/Curriculum:  Novels:  Stout  Hearted  Seven,  The  Captain’s  Dog,  Mr.  Tucket,  Bound  for  Oregon  

Assessments:  Journal  writing  and  projects    

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Math  Using  the  Trailblazers  curriculum,  fifth  graders  encounter  new  concepts  such  as,  using  the  four  basic  operations  to  solve  equations  involving  negative  numbers,  fractions,  and  decimals.    Creating  and  interpreting  graphs  while  analyzing  data  from  math  labs  are  another  key  concept.    Real  life  situations  are  brought  into  assignments.    The  ALEKS  program  is  individually  based  software  for  the  students  to  practice  customized  strands.      Skills  • Investigate  fractions:  equivalent  fractions,  improper  fractions,  mixed  numbers,  ordering,  addition,  

subtraction,  multiplication  and  division  • Ratios,  decimals  and  percentages  and  their  relationship  to  fractions  • Understand  prime  numbers,  exponents,  patterns  • Master  the  multiplication  tables  through  twelve  • Develop  strategies  for  word  problems  • Identify,  describe,  classify  properties  of  geometric  figures  • Display,  compare  and  interpret  different  data  • Use  probability  to  solve  problems  • Introduction  to  algebra      

         

Materials    ALEKS  Math  software  Independent  supplemental  material  and  manipulatives  Excel    

Textbooks/Curriculum:  Trailblazers  curriculum  Marilyn  Burns  curriculum  

Assessments:  Informal  ‘exit  slips’  assessments  Unit  assessments  and  homework  Multiplication  fact  tests  ALEKS  progress  analysis  

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Experiential  Education  Experiential  Learning  at  Cascades  Academy  is  implemented  at  all  levels  of  curriculum  (PK  -­‐  12)  and  revolves  around  the  central  idea  of  learning  by  doing.    The  central  tenets  of  this  learning  methodology  include  engaging  students  in  a  cycle  of  (1)  activity  /  experience,  (2)  reflection,  (3)  conceptualization  and  (4)  application  of  and  on  our  desired  learning  outcomes.    In  the  Lower  School,  students  are  involved  in  experiential  education  both  inside  and  outside  the  classroom.    Experiential  learning  is  manifested  through  a  variety  of  programs:  Storyline  (K-­‐5)  and  Robotics  (4-­‐5),  Outdoor  Education  (PK-­‐5),  Traveling  School  (3-­‐5),  Service  Learning  (K-­‐5),  and  Enrichment  Classes  (PK-­‐5).        Storyline  (K-­‐5)  One  of  the  most  popular  programs  in  the  lower  school  is  Storyline,  a  teaching  method  developed  in  Scotland.    During  Storyline,  students  become  characters  related  to  a  theme  and  are  asked  to  respond  to  various  incidents  using  teamwork,  problem  solving,  and  critical  thinking  skills.  During  past  Storylines,  our  Lower  School  Commons  area  has  come  to  life  as  a  rainforest,  medieval  castle,  research  ship,  art  museum,  and  invention  factory.    Students  are  active  participants  in  the  Storyline  via  their  characters;  they  are  engaged  and  invested  in  the  learning  process.        Throughout  the  Storyline,  fourth  and  fifth  grade  students  work  individually  and  cooperatively  on  various  projects.    These  projects  may  include  research,  construction,  art,  science  experiments,  brainstorming,  inventions,  or  musical  performances.    Storyline  topics  culminate  with  a  showcase  of  the  student’s  knowledge  through  performances,  topic  books,  service  learning  projects,  or  celebratory  activities.    In  addition,  each  teacher  brings  the  Storyline  theme  into  the  classroom  by  integrating  related  topics  throughout  other  curriculum  areas.    In  previous  years,  students  have  played  the  part  of  loyal  British  subjects  traveling  to  a  new  world,  as  well  as,  voyagers  and  opportunist  venturing  out  over  the  uncharted  American  Plains  in  search  of  a  new  way  of  life.      Robotics  Fourth  and  fifth  grade  students  participate  in  First  Lego  League  (FLL)  Robotics  Challenge  each  December.  Teams  of  students  work  together  to  design  and  program  robots,  solve  teamwork  Challenge  problems,  and  research  Project  topics.    FLL  instills  core  values  of:    gracious  professionalism,  teamwork,  inspiration,  letting  kids  do  the  work,  and  having  fun.    Past  Challenge  and  Project  topics  have  been  on  nanotechnology,  climate,  quality  of  life,  and  transportation.    The  Robotics  program  exposes  students  to  potential  career  paths,  STEM  principles,  teamwork,  problem  solving,  and  gives  the  students  opportunities  to  build  on  positive  character  traits.          

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Outdoor  Education  (PK-­‐5)  Experiential  learning  is  showcased  through  the  Outdoor  Education  program  and  is  facilitated  around  teaching  responsibility  for  (1)  self,  (2)  others,  and  the  (3)  environment,  through  participation  in  a  host  of  outdoor  activities  and  experiences.    Outdoor  activities  take  place  in  a  variety  of  outdoor  settings  and  occur  regularly  in  the  context  of  standard  Field  Trips  (PK-­‐5),  the  Outdoor  School  Program  (K-­‐5),  the  Winter  Ski/Snowboard  Program  (K-­‐5),  and  the  Traveling  School  Program  (3-­‐5).        Field  trips  (PK-­‐5)  Field  trips  afford  Lower  School  students  with  real  world  hands-­‐on  learning  experiences.    Field  trips  are  designed  to  enhance  classroom  curriculum,  build  culture,  and  expose  students  to  new  experiences.    Examples  of  field  trips  include:  museums,  local  businesses,  plays,  musicals,  art  shows,  and  more.    Outdoor  School  (PK-­‐5)  The  Lower  School  "Outdoor  School"  occurs  three  times  a  year:  one  day  in  the  fall,  one  day  in  the  winter,  and  a  final  three-­‐day  outing  in  the  spring.    Outdoor  School  takes  place  at  local  parks  and  focuses  on  a  central  theme.    Students  participate  in  variety  of  experiential  activities  ranging  from  academic  to  artistic  that  connect  students  to  self,  others,  and  the  environment.  

Winter  Ski/Snowboard  Program    (K-­‐5)  Students  take  all-­‐day  ski  or  snowboard  lessons  at  Mt.  Bachelor.    Students  are  grouped  by  ability  and  age  and  are  assigned  an  instructor  that  will  work  with  them  throughout  the  five  weeks.  First  timers  are  riding  the  lifts  by  the  end  of  the  session!    The  program  not  only  teaches  ski  and  snowboard  skills,  but  it  also  affords  students  the  opportunity  to  challenge  themselves,  gain  confidence,  be  adventurous,  and  take  responsibility  for  themselves  and  others  in  a  winter  environment.    

 Traveling  School    (3-­‐5)  There’s  no  better  way  to  bring  the  concepts  of  learning  to  life  than  through  the  school’s  unique  Traveling  School  program.    Students  take  school  “on  the  road”  for  a  week  each  spring  semester  to  experience  what  they  are  learning  first-­‐hand.    Teachers  tailor  course  content,  homework  and  reading  assignments  about  the  destination  area,  local  activities,  and  cultural  events.      For  example,  in  the  spring  of  2012,  lower  school  students  traveled  to  Eastern  Oregon  to  study  the  Oregon  Trail.  The  3rd-­‐5th  graders  experienced  what  life  would  have  been  like  living  in  a  covered  wagon,  learned  about  the  Native  Americans  from  the  Umatilla  Indian  Reservation,  visited  the  Whitman  Mission  in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  learned  about  the  Chinese  immigrants  while  visiting  the  historical  sites  in  John  Day  and  Pendleton.  The  students  travel  for  five  days  with  their  classroom  teachers  and  parent  chaperones.  They  learn  to  be  independent  as  well  as  learn  valuable  life  skills  of  traveling  in  a  group.  

Opal  Creek  Ancient  Forest  Leadership  Orientation    (4-­‐5)  Every  fall  students  head  to  the  Opal  Creek  Ancient  Forest  Center  for  a  two-­‐night  environmental  education  and  team-­‐building  experience.    Lessons  focus  on  local  history  and  comparative  ecology,  while  hiking  and  participating  in  team-­‐building  initiatives.  

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 Service  Learning    (K-­‐5)  Through  Service  Learning  opportunities,  students  learn  the  value  of  giving  back  to  the  greater  community.    Lower  School  students  mainly  participate  in  Service  Learning  as  a  part  of  the  Storyline  theme.    In  the  past,  students  have  become  stewards  of  Tumalo  State  Park,  as  well  as,  our  own  campus  through  weed  pulling  and  native  planting  projects.    Lower  School  students  also  visit  senior  friends  at  Fox  Hollow  and  organize  food  and  clothing  drives.        Enrichment  Classes    (PK-­‐5)  Cascades  Academy  believes  that  offering  Enrichment  Classes,  which  include  fine  arts,  foreign  language,  and  physical  education,  is  an  important  way  to  promote  rich  and  diverse  learning  experiences  and  to  enhance  whole  child  development.      Studio  Art,  Music,  Spanish,  and  P.E.   Twice  a  week  for  45  minutes  Science   Once  a  week  for  45  minutes  FLIGHT/Lower  School  Community  Time   Once  a  week  for  45  minutes  Mindfulness   Once  a  week  for  45  minutes  Storyline  and  Robotics   Approximately  3  hours  a  week      Studio  Art  Fifth  grade  art  students  learn  to  successfully  compose  utilizing  the  principles  (balance,  movement,  unity,  emphasis,  repetition,  and  contrast)  along  with  the  elements  of  art  (line,  shape,  color,  value,  texture,  form,  and  space).    Emphasis  is  placed  on  thoughtful  creative  problem  solving  in  students’  designs.    A  deeper  understanding  of  art  as  a  visual  language,  how  it  communicates,  and  connects  us  is  an  overarching  theme  of  the  later  Lower  School  art  program.    More  challenging  art  media  and  techniques  are  introduced  and  we  continue  to  gain  inspiration  from  different  art  forms  and  concepts  from  a  variety  of  cultural  and  historical  sources.    Students  are  encouraged  to  discuss,  interpret,  and  critique  art  as  a  means  to  expand  on  their  personal  connection  and  reaction  to  different  forms  of  art.      Music    In  fifth  grade  music  class,  students  continue  to  develop  an  understanding  of  musical  concepts  through  theoretical  exercises  and  experience  with  voice,  dance,  and  instruments.  Students  are  exposed  to  and  participate  in  the  music  of  other  cultures  and  explore  historically  significant  composers  in  Western  culture.    Students  are  expected  to  practice  leadership  and  positive  social  skills  in  class,  during  all  school  assemblies  and  during  performance.    One  day  a  week  the  fifth  graders  attend  ukulele  orchestra  where  they  learn  about  the  instrument,  practice  proper  technique,  and  develop  repertoire  for  performance.    Fifth  Grade  Ukulele  Orchestra  is  a  right  of  passage  a  Cascades  Academy.    While  the  focus  in  class  is  learning  to  play  the  ukulele,  students  are  also  learning:  skills  and  knowledge  to  enhance  an  overall  understanding  of  music,  to  become  good  listeners,  good  communicators,  self-­‐advocates,  and  team-­‐players.    In  every  song  studied  there  are  lyrical  and  vocal  components,  and  everyone  is  encouraged  to  

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sing  while  playing.    This  engages  different  parts  of  the  students’  brains  and  bodies,  and  in  this  process  they  have  the  opportunity  to  face  performance  anxiety,  to  connect  with  peers,  and  to  examine  song  structure.    By  the  end  of  the  year  fifth  grade  ukulele  students  have  a  basic  understanding  of  verse,  chorus,  and  bridge.        Spanish  Through  lessons,  games,  songs,  stories,  and  art  projects,  students  are  engaged  and  having  fun  while  learning  the  Spanish  language.    Students  learn  to  use  the  verb  dar  to  provide  information  about  what  someone  has  given  them,  and  to  use  the  verb  tener  to  provide  information  about  their  bodies  and  the  bodies  of  animals.    They  learn  to  use  prepositional  phrases  to  describe  where  objects  are,  the  five  senses,  and  how  to  order  food  in  a  restaurant.    Students  learn  to  use  the  conjunction  cuando  and  the  verb  ver  to  form  complex  sentences  in  order  to  provide  information  about  something  they  see  and  more.    Science  Fifth  grade  students  combine  new  information  with  existing  knowledge  to  draw  new  conclusions.    They  creatively  solve  technological  problems  with  resources  and  limited  guidance.    Fifth  graders  keep  a  laboratory  notebook,  in  which  they  log:  questions,  predictions,  observations,  and  conclusions.    They  explore  astronomy,  geology,  energy,  chemical  reactions,  simple  machines,  electricity,  magnetism,  and  areas  of  science  within  the  Storyline  topic.    Students  also  create  and  propose  new  ways  to  improve  agriculture,  equipment,  systems  or  processes  through  the  Central  Oregon  Inventerprise  Project.          Physical  Education  In  P.E.  class,  students  continue  to  learn  a  variety  of  games  and  activities  that  focus  on  effective  manipulative  skills  (catching,  bouncing,  dribbling),  as  well  as,  motor  skills  (agility,  reaction  time,  balance,  speed).  The  class  engages  in  team  games  and  traditional  team  sports  that  encourage  cooperation  with  others  and  the  value  of  safety  and  procedures  (following  rules,  fair  play).  For  these  grade  levels,  P.E.  class  is  an  avenue  to  encourage  joy  of  movement,  skill  competence,  self-­‐confidence,  self-­‐expression,  and  accepting  challenges.        

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Social  Emotional  Learning  (K-­‐5)  The  social  emotional  program  at  Cascades  Academy  is  a  Lower  School  multi-­‐grade  program.    This  program  consists  of  introducing  the  students  to  and  exploring  with  them  positive  character  traits  and  values.    The  community  vision  is  to  impart  a  common  culture  and  language  so  that  the  students  can  feel  empowered  and  safe.  The  acronym  that  is  used  in  this  program  is  F.L.I.G.H.T.    F.L.I.G.H.T.      F  =  Friendship  L  =  Leadership  I  =  Imagination  G  =  Gratitude  H  =  Honesty  T  =  Tolerance        Within  each  of  these  traits,  students  are  encouraged  to  take  ‘flight’  and  investigate,  determine  and  experience  for  themselves  and  with  their  small  groups  the  trait  through  various  activities.    The  5th  graders  are  considered  the  FLIGHT  Captains  and  the  4th  graders  are  the  ‘captains  in  training’,  co-­‐captains.    Each  captain  has  a  mixed  grade  group  between  Kindergarten  and  4th  grade.    The  intention  of  this  program  is  to  enhance  the  Lower  School  community  across  all  grade  levels.    For  each  trait,  students  explore  the  meaning  and  the  action  behind  possessing  the  trait  for  themselves.      Mindfulness  Mindfulness  means  paying  attention  to  the  here  and  now  and  being  in  the  present  moment,  with  awareness  to  breath  and  body.  During  the  Mindfulness  Program,  students  learn  specific  methods  of  attending  to  their  breath,  body,  thoughts,  feelings,  and  the  world  around  them.  Students  learn  to  know  and  navigate  their  “inner  landscape”  by  allowing  for  observation  of  thoughts  and  feelings,  without  being  derailed  by  them.      Technology  Fifth  graders  use  the  computer  to  showcase  their  abilities  with  writing  and  research.    Students  use  multimedia  presentation  software  and  video  editing  software.    Each  student  is  expected  to  keyboard  at  least  20-­‐25  WPM  and  to  use  spell  check,  grammar  check,  copy,  paste,  and  page  setup.    Students  learn  to  analyze  material  from  the  Internet  for  appropriateness  and  reliability.    Research  skills  are  also  a  focus  with  the  ability  to  understand  effective  websites,  plagiarism,  and  to  develop  a  bibliography.    The  Robotics  FLL  program  teaches  programming  as  well  as  presentation,  teamwork,  and  research  skills.  Assessment  Once  a  year,  Cascades  Academy  administers  ERB’s  Comprehensive  Testing  Program  (CTP)  standardized  assessments.    The  assessments  provide  instructionally  useful  information  about  individual  student  growth  and  performance  in  key  areas  of  school  achievement:  reading,  vocabulary,  math,  writing,  as  well  as,  verbal  and  quantitative  reasoning  and  auditory  comprehension.    The  purpose  of  standardized  testing  is  not  “high  stakes,”  but  rather  is  used  to  assess  student  growth  and  performance  in  order  to  inform  best  practice  for  classroom  instruction.