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Welcome to the 5th Grade at
Eagle Cove School (formerly GICS)!
(Picture: Oyster Release Project)
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.
They are members of the school's Student Council, with
school-elected officers, and show school spirit and a sense of community through the tasks they
perform for ECS, including morning carpool assistance, serving as ambassadors
to the younger grades for school assemblies, and other jobs.
They also conduct a monthly performance for the school.
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
The Baltimore Symphony, an overnight visit to Echo Hill, and a
multi-day, graduation
finale to such places as St. Mary's City, Williamsburg, and New York City.
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 Mr. Tucket, Walk
Two Moons, Out of the Dust, The Egypt Game, Julie of the Wolves, and
various novels in the Dear America series)
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, and fractions and decimals as well as
geometry and measurement, statistics, and ratios. (Text: Mathematics,
Scott Foresman)
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.
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; Core Knowledge, E. D. Hirsch, Jr., 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 also
present a report on a Spanish speaking country of the world.
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