Our Academics
Our fifth grade classroom will use the following point value scale, learner progress scale, mastery of content strands, and learner behaviors when grading various assignments.
POINT VALUE SCALE
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100% of overall subject grade for classroom assessments and projects
LEARNER PROGRESS SCALE
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A = 90-100% mastery of grade level common core standards
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B = 80-89% mastery of grade level common core standards
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C = 70-79% mastery of grade level common core standards
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D = 60-69% mastery of grade level common core standards
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F = 55% mastery of grade level common core standards
MASTERY OF CONTENT STRANDS
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E = exceeds grade level standards S = meets grade level standards N = needs improvement
LEARNER BEHAVIORS
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E = exceptional progress S = satisfactory progress N = needs improvement
Science
In fifth grade, we use the science program entitled Mystery Science. Mystery Science is an online, standards-aligned science curriculum that aims to make science engaging and accessible for all students. It utilizes video lessons, hands-on activities, and discussions to foster inquiry-based learning and a deeper understanding of scientific concepts.
Our Mystery Science units include Web of Life, Watery Planet, Spaceship Earth, Stars and Planets, and Chemical Magic.
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Web of Life: Students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students investigate food chains, food webs, and the importance of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
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Watery Planet: Students consider the profound importance of water as a natural resource. Students investigate the distribution of water, how it cycles through Earth’s systems, and explore how it affects human societies.
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Spaceship Earth: Students explore patterns of the Earth, Sun, Moon, and stars. They investigate how shadows change throughout the day, how the Sun's position changes throughout the year, and how stars change throughout the seasons. They also create Earth, Sun, and Moon models to explore Moon patterns.
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Stars and Planets: Students explore our solar system! They investigate how bright the Sun appears from each planet in our solar system in addition to stars of other solar systems in galaxies far away. They also investigate gravity on Earth and gravity on other planets to discover patterns of this incredible force.
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Chemical Magic: Students investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Through these investigations, students begin to build conceptual models for the particulate nature of matter.
Social Studies
Our inquirED's fifth grade social studies curriculum, Inquiry Journeys, focuses on inquiry-based learning, engaging students in investigations of history, civics, geography, and economics. Students explore compelling questions, gather evidence from diverse sources, and construct informed arguments and actions based on their learning. The curriculum is designed to align with national standards and integrate literacy skills, while also supporting teachers with resources and professional development.
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​There are four Inquiry Journeys: Native America, Colonial Era, The American Revolution, and Rights and Responsibilities.
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Native America: Ever since their first encounter with Europeans, Native Americans have been misrepresented in both the popular imagination and the historical record. This Inquiry challenges students to explore diverse historical sources to form a deeper understanding of Native America’s rich and varied cultures and histories.
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Colonial Era: The European settlement of North America created a collision of worlds that led to profound global impacts. In this Inquiry, students go beyond a single narrative to explore the complex web of events and cross-cultural interactions that helped shape both the past and present of our nation.
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The American Revolution: The American Revolution reshaped society, culture, and government in the American colonies and territories. In this Inquiry, students explore the events, causes, and consequences of the Revolution, uncovering how diverse groups and individuals shaped the course of US History.
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Rights and Responsibilities: The concept of freedom can be applied to the relationships between individuals, governments, religious groups, tribes, or other organizations. This Inquiry explores the concept of freedom in parallel with a study of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and branches of government.
Citizenship
To earn exemplary citizenship on his/her progress report and report card, a student is graded on seven categories of the Learning Behavior. The seven graded categories are as follows:
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follows classroom rules
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observes school rules
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follows directions
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accepts responsibility
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works independently
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works cooperatively
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quality of work