curriculum.html

What We Study in Fifth Grade

My class is self-contained, meaning that I teach all of the subjects. Those subjects are: math, science, spelling, language arts, reading and social studies. This year, some of the students that I have for math and science will go to another teacher in the afternoon for their other subjects. This will allow the afternoon classes to be smaller, thus enabling me use cooperative learning more effectively.

Math

We have a new math program this year. It is the Addison-Wesley Mathematics series, and it is a more traditional approach to teaching math than was CSMP. This text is more language oriented than what you may have had in school, but I think that is good because it presents problems in an authentic way. Junior high text books are already using this approach. It is difficult to comment on the series in detail until I have taught it, but I am very impressed with what I have seen thus far. The series was selected by a committee of district math teachers and parents which worked more than a year to analyze available materials.

Science

About 3/4 of the science curriculum is based on the Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits which are hands-on science materials that teach the fundam ental facts needed later in higher level science courses. If your child was in PSD in fourth grade, he/she is aware of FOSS. The district is phasing in FOSS in the primary grades, and they will be using it soon. Fifth grade FOSS units include environments , variables, levers and pulleys, and landforms.

Another portion of science is health. We have a new curriculum for health which was introduced last year called Know Your Body. It covers hygiene, nutrition, exercise, etc.

Finally, for about ten days in the spring we have a unit on Human Growth and Development which your child also had in fourth grade, if he/she was with PSD. We will have a parent meeting several weeks prior to the start of the unit, and you will be notified of the time and date. This is a district curriculum that was selected be a committee of teachers, parents, and administrators a couple of years ago.

Spelling

In addition to teaching the district spelling curriculum, Sparkle, I include words from reading and the other subjects. We have a pretest on Monday, a reinformcement actvity on Wednesday, and the mastery test on Friday.

Language Arts

A language text and daily exercises from the chalk board are used to reinforce grammar rules. Langu age arts, writing and grammar, is incorporated into interdisciplinary lessons from reading, science, and social studies.

Reading

Our reading text is from Scott-Foresman Company. It has a variety of stories from fiction, science fiction, history, historical fiction , and biography. Reading is also taught in an inte rdisciplinary manner with research projects on topics such as: endangered species, states, cultural heritage, explorers, and American colonists. I also require a book report each six-weeks from a book of 150 pages or more. When you are wondering what your child can do at home, the book report is almost always "in-the-works," so have them read or work on it.

Social Studies

In social studies we cover the United States, mainly from the early explorers through the Civil War. The idea that we are a "land of immigrants" is a common thread throughout the program. Students are required to do research on famous people throughout the year. Many reading skills can also be utilized in studying social studies.

Technology

I work very hard to incorporate technology into your child's education. If you read my section on philosophy, you know that I believe people should be life-long learners. Technology can help in that endeavor. Also in the work force, your child will be in contact with ever- changing technologies. My goal is to make students comfortable with technology and help them to understand and appreciate what it can do for them.

Specifically, sutdents will learn keyboarding, create multi-media presentations, and use CD ROM and Internet for research and communication. I also encourage my students to use the POT (plain old telephone) to get information. I think they should use every resource that is available in order to learn how to access information. Six of my students are also very excited about Web page authoring and managemnet. Currently they are writing a grant application for a computer and software that will enable them to achieve this goal with less problems than they now encounter in the area of computer accessibility.

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