Grade 5
Grade 5 begins to resemble middle school. Fractions, decimals and percentages are treated as three views of one idea; data is collected, displayed and interpreted; and texts are analysed for how they were constructed. Independent research assignments usually start here.
Mathematics
Operations with Decimals
Carry out all four operations on decimals as far as two places, and explain the reasoning behind each step.
Volume and the Coordinate Plane
Measure volume with unit cubes, and plot and interpret ordered pairs in the first quadrant.
Science
Matter and Matter Cycling in Ecosystems
Build a model showing that matter is made up of pieces too tiny to see, and follow where matter goes as plants, animals and decomposers feed and decay.
Stars and the Solar System
Explain why the sun appears brighter than other stars, and graph daily and seasonal patterns of shadows, daylight and the night sky.
English Language Arts
Figurative Language and Word Meaning
Interpret similes, metaphors and idioms, and use context, roots and affixes to work out unfamiliar words.
Social Studies
Early United States History
History, grades 3-5 band: study Indigenous nations, European colonization, the Revolution and the founding of the United States, using primary sources. State standards vary in scope and emphasis.
The Arts
Performing and Reading Music
Performing: read standard notation, rehearse and refine a piece, and perform expressively for an audience.