Welcome to fifth grade at St. Timothy’s. An important theme for 5th grade at St. Timothy’s is service, and students entering fifth grade will have several opportunities to be of service to others. These opportunities include serving as school safety patrols, singing in choir, being altar servers, and attending Mass at a local care center with Father Meyer and the residents.
Fifth graders are also given opportunities to be leaders within our school in several different capacities, including assisting preschool students during lunch. During Lent, fifth graders are responsible for enacting the Living Stations of the Cross, an activity that is eagerly anticipated by the students. Band at the public school is an option for those fifth graders who wish to play an instrument. These students meet at Maple Lake Elementary one to two days a week for large band. The band instructor comes to St. Timothy’s to give band lessons on another day.
Fifth Grade Notes:
Religion:
We use the Christ Our Life series, published by Loyola. The main themes for fifth grade include the Mass and the Sacraments. In addition, we do a Respect Life unit starting in January. We also spend time in class reading and reflecting on Scripture, and occasionally visit the Adoration Chapel to spend a few precious moments with our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Fifth graders are eligible to be altar servers and sing in choir at our weekly Masses. Students also have the opportunity to be readers at Mass at a local care center, when our priest is the celebrant at those Masses.
Math:
My Math, published by McGraw-Hill, is the new Math curriculum used at St. Timothy’s this year. It is a highly interactive program which leads students, step-by-step, toward higher level mathematical thinking. Fifth graders work on place value, multiplying and dividing, fractions and decimals, geometry, expressions, and measurement. Each day, students apply their new skills to solve real-life problems. Since math skills build upon one another, it is very important that students practice each day. Check your child’s homework
Reading:
We use a variety of books and activities daily, to develop well-rounded reading skills, such as textbooks, personal reading time and small-group book studies. For personal reading time, students are able to choose books from home, the school or public library, or the classroom. We will continue to use our basal reader for experience with various genres and skills to enhance the reading experience. We will also read novels together that complement other areas of study, especially the Revolutionary War period of American History, as well as purely for the joy of reading.
English:
Students practice their grammar skills, as they improve their writing skills, with daily and weekly writing assignments, paragraph editing and our English text. Various writing purposes will be explored, including personal narratives, opinion essays, research writing, and compare-contrast essays. Fifth graders will do research on national parks, and write a research paper on each student’s park of choice. To be a great writer, one must read, read, read!
Social Studies:
American History, up to the Civil War, is the main focus of study in fifth grade, and we have an exciting new Social Studies program to help with learning. Students will also hone their skills with maps and identification of states and capitals of the United States. During study of the Revolutionary War period, the class reads a novel entitled Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. We also work on our skills in reading informational text with articles on explorers and famous Americans, such as Samuel Adams.
Science:
Students study Earth, Physical, and Life Science concepts during fifth grade. A project particularly enjoyed by fifth graders is planting and tending classroom gardens in the spring.
Spelling:
Fifth graders have weekly Spelling units, which include 25 basic words plus 5 challenge words. Each unit has a specific skill that is covered, and students complete a variety of activities followed by a test each week.
Music:
Students will continue developing skills on the glockenspiels, learning to read more challenging rhythms, and singing more challenging solfege patterns. An especially fun element of fifth grade music is learning about the woodwind family and learning how to play the recorder!
