Grade 5

List of 7 items.

• Hebrew

  In the 5th grade, we complete our final year of the Tal Am program. As the “thinking and acting” class, our goals include:

  • Increased reading comprehension by examining texts through the lens of the “thinking hats” and our characteristics
  • Continued improvement in writing and creative writing through the use of a personal journal, group and individual projects, and presentations
  • Expansion of conversation and listening skills through group work, presentations, and newspaper articles
  • Continued work in topics of grammar through supplemental workbooks, including past, present, and future tenses, connecting words, numbers, constructing paragraphs

• Judaic Studies

  Chumash: The main focus of 5th grade Judaic Studies is Chumash, where we begin learning Sefer Shemot. Students continue to work on the skills of being independent learners; by fifth grade, students are able to work in chavruta (pairs) to read and translate new psukim. They analyze text by beginning with a literal, word-by-word translation and then they expand their understanding by asking interpretive questions and learning various commentaries on the texts.
  
  Students continue expanding their understanding of Biblical Hebrew, grammar and the overarching themes in Shemot.
  
  We focus on the language of the text. By paying close attention to repetition, irregularities or inter-textual connections, the students learn how to ask questions and provide educated responses that are supported in the text.

   

  Navi: Fifth graders continue their study of Navi with Sefer Shoftim. We focus on the major themes of the relationship between Bnei Yisrael and God, leadership and the major events in the text. We learn about each judge and how he/she fit into the repeating cycle throughout the Sefer. The students express their understanding of the text in a creative scrapboo. This multi-sensory approach encourages each student to internalize his/her understanding and present the information in his/her own way.

  
  Tefillah: We build on 4th grade tefilla skills and textual understandings. As we add new tefillot, we focus on the meaning of each passage and how to best concentrate and connect with prayer.

  
  Parsha: We review the weekly Torah reading with an eye to engaging the students in further inquiry through thought questions and activities to help them internalize larger messages in the Parsha.

  
  Mishna: We begin our study of Mishna with an introduction to the background of the Oral Law, its centrality in our tradition and the historical timeline of its development. Students learn the technical language of the mishna text and begin learning mishnayot that are connected to holidays and tefilla.

  
  Chagim: Building on the students’ prior knowledge, we expand their understanding of minhagim, halacha and large overarching themes within each holiday.

• Language Arts

  The English Language Arts curriculum focuses on an introduction to multiple genres in literature and informational text reading using independent reading, small literature circle groups, and shared readings in class. Through the use of multiple approaches, students develop fluency, comprehension strategies and skills, and vocabulary while learning to identify cause and effect, identify main idea, make inferences, identify author’s purpose, and summarize.

   

  An emphasis is put on written response to literature and informational text. Students learn note taking skills, quick outlines to organize writing, short answer responses, summary writing, and longer formal essay writing. While developing as writers, students learn the writing process (organizing, drafting, editing, rewriting, proofreading), and write paragraphs and short descriptive essays, personal, explanatory, analytical, and narrative forms.

   

  Along with reading and writing, students learn new vocabulary related to the 5th grade curriculum and related skills to enhance the complexity of vocabulary and understanding of the English language. An emphasis is put on the proper use of spelling, grammar and mechanics, and the complexities of English language usage.

• Math

  Math in 5th grade continues with the in depth study of how numbers work and how math relates to the world in which the students live. Students focus on understanding and applying creative problem solving strategies along with abstract and quantitative reasoning in the following topics:
  

  • Place value
  • Adding and Subtracting
  • Decimals
  • Multiplying Whole Numbers
  • Numerical Expressions
  • Patterns and Relationships
  • Adding and Subtracting Fractions
  • Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers
  • Multiplying Fractions and Mixed Numbers
  • Volume of Solids
  • Units of Measure
  • Data
  • Coordinate Geometry

• Physical Education

  Westchester Day School is committed to a quality Physical Education Program which is an essential part of the core curriculum deserving and receiving equal priority in the total educational philosophy of the school. Research from several scientific studies are in agreement that daily physical activity improves cognitive function, achievement performance in the classroom, mental health, confidence, self-esteem, the total improved physical health and fitness of the individual, and makes happier and healthier kids. It is with this in mind that each week the students in the lower school (grades 1-5) are provided 4 periods of physical education (30 minutes each).

• Science

  Students benefit from a dedicated science lab and science teacher. They also use Sound Shore environment to do an in depth study of the Long Island Sound.

   

  5th grade students take ownership over WDS’s prime location on the Long Island Sound with a half-year course of study on this important resource.  Beginning with an early fall seining project, when students collect organisms for the science lab’s intertidal fish tank, students revisit the topic of classification and learn about taxonomy before beginning an intensive study of the animals and plants that call the Sound home.  Students also learn the geological history of the Sound and local area. This unit transitions well into the Earth Science unit at the end of the year.

  Units of study include:

   

  Long Island Sound	Earth’s layers
  Geological formation	Tectonic Plates
  Intertidal Zone	Rock Cycle
  Animal/Plant study	Rocks and minerals

• Social Studies

  United States history is the focus of the 5th grade Social Studies curriculum covering the 13 Colonies, American Revolution, the Constitution, and westward expansion and industrialization. Students learn about the effects this had on the Native Americans and the growth of slavery. Students learn about cause and effect of the events that helped form the United States and then relate these early events to current events and their own world. Reading and writing are integral parts of the Social Studies curriculum.

   

  Students study current events, such as national elections and primaries, and relating current events to other events in history is an important part of 5th grade Social Studies. Current events are broken down into four categories: state news, national news, world news, and Israel news. Current events include research and public speaking. Over the course of the year, each student presents on all four categories.

   

  The 5th grade students learn how they “fit” into history through creating their own Heritage Fair Museum project which is displayed for the entire WDS community. Students choose one “artifact” that relates to their own Jewish American heritage and tell their family story through the artifact. A book is created for the entire grade, reflecting the diverse backgrounds of the WDS community.

   

  Integration of technology is an integral part of the 5th grade Social Studies curriculum. Multiple forms of media are used in presenting information: books, articles, videos and magazines. Students complete several projects related to the study of the United States using available technology to enhance their studies and projects.