Fifth Grade

 Bible

Witnesses to the Gospel, written and published by Christian Schools International.  Students learn to understand the various writings in the Bible.  The lessons examine the Gospels, the New Testament letters, and the book of Revelation.  Through these studies, students learn to apply the teachings of the New Testament to their own lives.

Bible Memory is an important part of our Bible program.  It is consistent with our mission as a Christian school to equip our students to serve God in His world and prepare them for kingdom work.  It is important to have God's word in our minds and in our hearts.  Bible memory is assigned each week.

Language Arts

 The goal of the language arts program in fifth grade is to integrate all areas of study so that students may communicate more effectively and understand a variety of mediums.

            Literature: Students study the various components of reading including; vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, and the critique of both expository and narrative texts.  Different genres are presented and compared.Students read material from both the Scott Foresman text and a variety of novels.  As in the fourth grade, quality literature is presented and studied.

             Writing:  Different types of writing is discussed and presented throughout the year.  They learn paragraph structure, write narratives and poetry, and research and write informational papers.  Writing is integrated in other subject areas.  For example, when studying a story that is written from the first person perspective, students write a story using the same voice.  When they study the Revolutionary War, students research and write a paper on a related topic.  Good writing takes time, and students are asked to revise their writing. 

             Grammar:  Parts of speech along with punctuation rules as the apply to the students' writing are studied.  One cannot have good writing without good grammar, therefore, the two are taught in an integrated manner.

             Spelling:  Weekly spelling lists come from the Scoot Foresman text.  Students are also given an individualized list and they work with their spelling words in a variety of ways throughout the week.

Math

Everyday Mathematics:  This course is designed to show students the importance of mathematics and how it applies to their everyday lives.

            Skills and Concepts:

    • Number theory
      • prime and composite numbers
      • squaring numbers
      • factor string and prime factorization
    • Estimation and Calculation
      • adding and subtracting whole numbers and decimals
      • multiplication
    • Geometry Explorations
      • using a protractor and compass
      • properties of polygons
      • tessellations
      • congruent triangles
    • Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
      • adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions and mixed numbers
      • converting between fractions, decimals, and percents
      • finding percents of numbers
      • making and reading circle graphs
    • Collecting and Working with Data
      • organize data using multiple types of graphs
      • correct and incorrect ways to collect valid data
    • Division, Rations, and Exponential notation
      • extended division facts
      • rations using fractions, colon, or words
      • exponential, scientific, and standard notation
    • Coordinates, Area, and Volume
      • plotting points on coordinate graphs
      • find areas for rectangles, triangles, and circles
      • find perimeter of rectangles and triangles
      • find circumference of circles
      • find volume for geometric solids
    • Algebra Concepts and Skills
      • addition and subtraction of positive and negative numbers
      • introduction to algebraic expressions and sentence

Social Studies

            Units of study:

    • Early American Settlements
    • Colonies to Constitution
    • A New Nation Divided
    • Industrial America and the Old West
    • Twentieth Century America

Science

A student inquiry curriculum developed by the Battle Creek Area Mathematics and Science Center.  Guided inquiry instruction takes advantage of the students' natural curiosity and thinking ability to focus their learning.  The students learn from thinking about their own experiences, using research-based materials and teacher guidance. God's power, creativity, and design are revealed to 5th grade students in studying:

            Matter Matters: focuses on the states and properties of matter, chemical and physical changes and reactions, and the relationship between atoms, molecules, and compounds.

           Simple Machines and Sound:Students apply principles of force and energy as they experiment with simple machines constructed from Legos.  Students investigate how sound travels through different media and how it is reflected.

          Caretakers of the Earth:Emphasis of this unite is placed on the rock cycle, composition and characteristics of the atmosphere, and ways humans alter the environment.

           Life-Systems:Students examine the systems in their lives.  They use body structures for a classification system set up an ecosystem to learn how organisms depend on each other, and investigate human body systems.  They also use microscopes to examine cells.

Art, Music, Physical Education, Computer, and Library Time are offered as part ofthe curriculum.