Fifth Grade

In Fifth Grade the expectations are high, and our CCS students always deliver!  Fifth graders are fully capable of taking responsibility for their work, behavior, and belongings.  Every day there are many small lessons to learn about being part of a group and treating ourselves and others with respect (one of our many school-wide Core Virtues).  Along with the campus focus on Core Virtues, we have our own set of Fifth Grade virtues that we teach and practice with our students. 

The Fifth Grade curriculum utilizes the Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Reading program aligned with Arizona state standards.  The stories are engaging and relevant, and each week’s lesson integrates grammar, writing, comprehension, and spelling for a total Language Arts approach.  We also use leveled readers to give each student additional fluency and language practice in a small group or one-on-one setting.  We enjoy integrating a variety of grammar and spelling projects for hands-on learning.  

Our Math curriculum starts by building on material practiced in Fourth Grade and gradually steps it up to create a seamless transition into new math concepts.  Students use white boards, games, number cards and cubes, and resource material in their notes to problem-solve and practice what they’ve learned.

Social Studies and Science are guided by the Core Knowledge curriculum.  Our Social Studies content is rich in cultural history, taking students back to the beginning of civilizations of the Americas, Japan, and Russia.  We sail through exploration and the European Renaissance and Reformation, and travel across the United States in covered wagons to see how our country became what it is today.  In Science we start out small, with atoms and matter, and expand to include plant and animal cells and human body systems.  These units aren’t complete without a wonderful selection of lesson-enriching field trips and integrated projects.   

Projects include, but certainly aren’t limited to, travel logs, cell and element models, ads for Westward expansion, ancient civilization masks, Renaissance and Reformation character sketches, ship and compass construction, and so much more!  Field trips take us further into our Core Knowledge topics, and include excursions to the Wells Fargo Museum, Benihana and the Japanese Friendship Gardens, Chase Field, the Phoenix Symphony, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.  We are still in the planning process for many trips and hope to add more to this already exciting list!  Watch your weekly newsletters for the latest information on all this and more!