Welcome to the 5^th Grade at GICS!

Be sure to look at our Monthly Highlights following the Program and Curriculum Overviews.

Program Overview

     Fifth Grade is a culminating year as students put together all previous skills and experiences to enhance and strengthen their personal abilities.  They write and publish their own literature, use math skills in the sponsoring of Pizza Day and "travel" back in time in Social Studies.  There are increased opportunities for individual projects, greater responsibility, and organization as students ready themselves for the challenges and excitement of middle school.  Fifth-graders show school spirit and a sense of community through the tasks they perform for GICS, including assembly set-up and daily jobs.

     Learning methods used in the Fifth Grade include small cooperative group work, teacher-led or student-led discussions, whole group instruction, one-on-one assistance, discovery activities, collaborative and independent projects, and the use of role playing, original skits, games, poetry, and emergent learning responsive to student interests.  Homework is regularly assigned.  Field trips have included an overnight visit to Echo Hill, The Baltimore Symphony and our graduation finale, and overnight trip to Williamsburg, Virginia.

    The fifth graders also have the use of personal laptops throughout the year.  The laptops are given to the students toward the end of their 4th grade year.  They take them home to use over the summer, then use them as a normal part of their school day throughout their senior year.  When May comes around again, they are collected, re-formatted, and given to the upcoming 5th grade class for use in their fifth grade year.

     Begun in the 2007-2008 school year, the laptop program has proven both popular and beneficial.  The students use the laptops as a normal part of their academic day, taking notes, writing reports, doing research, tracking data in spreadsheets, and creating presentations, as well as learning essential computer use and maintenance skills.  The program has proven to be a success, and we hope to continue it for many years to come.

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Curriculum Overview

     Language Arts:  Reading and Literature
          Students read a variety of literature based on themes that are coordinated with subject areas taught.  Emphasis is placed on vocabulary development and on comprehension and critical thinking skills.  Genre studies include adventure, mystery, historical fiction, realistic fiction, and biography.  These studies are carried over into their writing process.  There are times when the novel being read also coordinates with Social Studies. (Texts: Treasury of Literature, Harcourt Brace; various trade books such as Abel's Island, The Egypt Game, My Brother Sam is Dead and The Journal of Augustus Pelletier)

     Language Arts:  Writing
          The fifth graders use the writing process to develop their thoughts.  We use POWER: Plan, Organize, Write, Edit, Rewrite.  Each child has an opportunity to work individually and with the teacher.  In addition to specific skill building work, grammar is reinforced and enhanced in the context of student writing.  (Text: Language, HBJ)

     Language Arts:  Spelling
          The spelling program is based on student growth and maintenance and advancement of spelling ability.  The program can be individualized and coordinates with high utility words that are incorporated in their written efforts. (Text: Useful Spelling, Useful Learning)

     Language Arts:  Handwriting
          Cursive writing is expected and D’Nealian cursive is practiced throughout the year.

     Mathematics
          In Fifth Grade we emphasize mathematical process and strategies, developing reasoning skills, and problem solving.  Skills covered include addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers, fractions and decimals as well as geometry and measurement, statistics, and ratios.  (Text: Math Central, Houghton Mifflin)

     Social Studies
           We begin the year with a globe and map study to gain a sense of locations of future units of study for the year.  Students go back in time to study the immigration of cultures and peoples to this country.  We also review American history starting with the colonization and going through to the American Revolution.  The fifth graders then experience the Lewis and Clark Expedition through the eyes of a teenage boy.  Research skills are emphasized as important foundation work in preparing projects and presentations.  Projects, special "days", and written and oral reports enrich units of study. (Text: America Will Be, Houghton Mifflin; USA Studies Weekly; various other resource materials from the library and classroom)

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     Art
          Fifth Grade focuses on a review of the principles of art and elements of design, and provides further opportunity for the encouragement of the imagination.  Students create a self-portrait using photography as a compositional aide.  Printmaking using soft-cut printing plates is introduced.  Traditional perspective drawing is introduced, and students are required to create an art history project.  Emphasis is placed on individual interpretation, good technique or craft, and attention to detail.  Correct Art vocabulary is incorporated into all lessons.

     Computer
           Fifth-graders continue to practice keyboarding and file management skills and now begin to work with spreadsheets as well.  They regularly use non-print sources to locate information, copy, paste and multi-task on their own, and use their knowledge of software programs’ generic similarities to explore, navigate and use new and unfamiliar software packages.

     Library
          Fifth-graders review and use multiple informational sources, recognize and communicate specific information needs, choose sources and locate information to meet those needs, skim for information, and are introduced to the arrangement of certain Dewey Decimal subclasses.  The Internet is used to find information, and students learn to evaluate websites and their authority.  Book talks continue to be used often to promote interest in books and a lifelong love of reading.

     Music
          Students continue exploring music elements such as pitch, tempo, complex rhythmic patterns and music notation.  They learn songs with two parts and others offering solo opportunities.  Another major focus will be the reinforcement and expansion of the four major instrument groups and exposure to different music genres through composer of the month and multicultural music.  The fifth graders are required to take notes on these famous musicians.  There are many performance opportunities in this class: during the December Holiday Program, through Assembly Programs, and performing a class show.  The scenery for such events is prepared in the art class, and research or writing is done in language arts class.

     Physical Education
          Students participate in activities that reinforce skilled movement and enhance skillful performance.  They give their best efforts through vigorous physical exercise, sports, games and dance.  The Physical Assessment is administered in the fall.  We concentrate on promoting lifetime health-related fitness.  Students may participate in classroom and field lessons on paddling and canoeing skills.  The physical fitness unit is expanded.  Sportsmanship, cooperation, and safety are reviewed and enforced.

     Science
          The major topics studied are the human body, healthy choices, nervous system, nutrition, earth science, weathering, solar system, Bay studies, matter, motion, and energy.  Students use previous knowledge and experience in developing inquiry-based questions and content learning goals.  They build upon these authentic questions using the appropriate steps of the scientific method.  Emphasized are: thinking skills, forming hypothesis, interpreting data, and problem solving.  Animal studies include invertebrates and those of the deep sea.  Possible field trips are to Echo Hill Outdoor School, Bay Boat Studies, Maryland Science Center, Wetlands, and National Aquarium.

          The fifth graders will conduct a research project in collaboration with the Maryland Association of Saltwater Sportfishermen and Maryland Association of the Environment.  They will be performing a fishing survey off our pier to test the effects of the seven reef balls that were placed under it at the end of the 2005 school year.  Fifth Graders learn to write grants for culminating class restoration projects at the end of the year. (Text, Science Horizons, Silver Burdett)

     Spanish
          In the fifth grade we continue to expand all areas of vocabulary and culture. We continue to use the textbook, Spanish is Fun, Book A (Amsco School Publications, Inc.), and learn more vocabulary, regular and irregular verbs, and more grammar. We become more familiar with the Spanish speaking world through maps, books, and class discussions. Students will also present a report on a Spanish speaking country of the world.

Notes from the teacher can be found at www.schoolnotes.com  Just enter our zip code (21122) and follow the link to Gibson Island Country School.

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  Fifth Grade Highlights

May & June 2008

"He who has imagination without learning has wings and no feet."
—Joubert

Although the year is coming to a close, students continue to work hard, and to grow. This month will be a special one in terms of travel. The class will visit the Walters Art Museum to view a special exhibit in mid May and then drive to Historic Williamsburg for living history lessons late in the month.

Graduation is approaching as well. Each student will deliver a graduation speech at the ceremony. The students will work on these in school.

Reading

Students are currently reading a piece of historic fiction they chose from a class library. The group has worked all year to analyze novels in terms of literary elements; character setting, plot, theme and point of view. This final unit will serve as a wrap-up of our study of the elements.

Each student has a historical novel packet on their laptop. As we move though the month they will work both in class, and at home, on reading the novel and completing the worksheets. Several students are already looking ahead to the final project and planning to complete one as a group.

Math

Both fifth grade math groups are finishing a geometry section during this first week. Each group is using their own book to study lines, angles, circles and triangles. Students are also doing real world projects involving these concepts. During Bay Week the class made scale drawings of the outdoor gardens, including correctly determining and drawing the angles of the wood perimeters.

During this month students will also review important skills from each unit we covered in order to prepare for a final evaluation.

History

History classes this month will be focused on the American Revolution and the formation of a new American Government. The historical novels chosen by the students cover some part of the early American history; the sharing of those novels will enhance the history unit.

In addition, the class will use textbooks and view two short educational films about the writing of the constitution. All of the information will give background for the history lessons students will receive at Williamsburg. For the past three years our tour guide has been a professor of history from William and Mary College. The trip is a wonderful learning experience.

Writing/Language Arts

The class is finishing their research project. The majority of work has been done in class so that I can be available to help them at any time.

The major focus of this project is two-fold. The students are aware that they are expected to turn in a thorough and accurate research paper. The class is also aware that this is a process they will need to repeat many times during school. The second focal point for the students is on the process of researching. Each student is encouraged to discuss how to research a topic, how to keep track of notes, and how to organize the information into an essay. Each student will be prepared to write an essay or a research paper in sixth grade.
 

Specials Highlights

May & June 2008

Art

   Fifth graders have completed an abstract painting. Artists often work from the concrete to the abstract, so student paintings actually began with recognizable shapes. Can you find them now? Currently, students are creating lots of marbleized papers to use in the construction of a handmade book. The pages inside the book are theirs to create with…poetry, sketching, autographs…enjoy these busy weeks!

Due date for submissions to the Art Show is May 1st! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to show us your talent!

Computer

  We will be working with spreadsheets in these final weeks. The students will begin with a graphing activity that will introduce them to formatting options, then they will record data about their class and school demographics and create a variety of graphs to reflect that data.

Library

  In May, we will be exploring a variety of maps and atlases, both in print and online. Students will use map indices and legends to locate cities and places of interest and examine some of the “extra” sections included in many atlases.

Students will also be using road maps to plan trips – choosing roads, calculating times, and planning rest stops. Each student will plan a route to Williamsburg, then compare his/her chosen route with that of another classmate’s, discussing their reasons for planning the routes as they did. Following these discussions, an online source will be used and that site’s chosen route compared with the ones chosen by the students.

Music

  Fourth grade and fifth grade will be preparing songs to perform at the upcoming graduation ceremony.

P. E.

The Student-Faculty Basketball game was a huge success and the 5th graders are now enjoying our lacrosse unit. They will continue to work outside with an emphasis on eye-hand coordination and agility. The class will participate in various “playground activities” such as SPUD, 4-square, hopscotch, kickball, tee-ball/softball, and a jungle gym obstacle course.

Field Day will be held on Wed, June 4. Parent volunteers are needed!

PE Uniform reminder: navy dress shorts are not PE uniform shorts. Please wear the navy gym shorts with the GICS logo.

Science

The students have just finished their projects for Bay Week. We will spend the rest of the school year building holding tanks for the dock. These tanks will allow us to view some of the plants and animals that we find in the Magothy River. 

Spanish

In May we will take a field trip to a Mexican restaurant and use our Spanish vocabulary. We will begin to conjugate “ar” verbs and will do many activities to reinforce this segment. We will continue “Que hora es?”, “What time is it?”. We will do more work with descriptive words and their proper use. We continue to review past vocabulary and practice reading, pronunciation, comprehension and spelling. We will have “un amigo secreto,” “a secret friend” with the fourth grade. The students will participate in a Cinco de Mayo celebration to become aware of an important event in Mexican history.

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