Application

Fine Arts

Movement and Physical Education

Music

Fifth Grade Curriculum

The ongoing commitment of the Berry College Elementary School and Middle School is to provide a model of the best in educational practice for children, the college, and the community. In collaboration with the Berry College Charter School of Education and Human Sciences, the school serves children by providing a quality education which will enable the fullest development of their potential in a child-centered program. An integrated curriculum and discovery-oriented activities reflect the child's decisions and interests. A collaborative environment provides opportunities for the child to construct a personal knowledge of the world.

Language Arts: The Language Arts program seeks to reinforce and solidify the mechanics of grammar and writing through reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Although specific instruction is provided through content correlated grammar and writing mini-lessons and reading instruction is explicitly geared toward gaining both fluency and understanding, the primary tool of both the reading and writing programs is authentic work. Thus, students are taught specific lessons which are used continually through their writing process and reading selections.

The Master’s Writing Program is a multi-age cooperative program that seeks to keep writers working through the process of pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Author’s are encouraged to share their work, their struggles, and their ideas with one another to offer support and a fresh perspective. Beginning in Fifth Grade, students produce a monthly newsletter that details the interests of the Elementary School as part of their authentic writing and publication process.

Similarly, students in Fifth Grade work independently and in literature circles to study unabridged trade books that are relevant voices into the historical period they are currently studying. Readers are constantly discussing their understanding, their feelings, and their discoveries as subsequent chapters take them further into the development of our country. As a continuing part of their growth as students, readers are expected to chart their progress in reading fluency and then evaluate how many books they can comfortably read for pleasure during a six week reading period. Finally they are asked to be accountable for their reading progress over the given time period via a reading contract.

Mathematics: The Fifth Grade Mathematics programs focuses on a rapid recall of the basic mathematical facts so that students can focus their attention on problem solving without getting bogged down in simple addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. As a part of the Everyday Mathematics program, students learn multiple algorithms and thus multiple solutions to mathematical problems, giving them the ability to check their work using different methods. This cements the concept that math is a subject that requires constant reevaluation to attain computational excellence, answers that make sense, and practical application of their knowledge. (http://everdaymath.uchicago.edu)

Fifth grade students use concrete modeling and abstract assimilation to cement concepts and their understanding of complex mathematical ideas. For many students in fifth grade, their cognitive development is just beginning to allow them abstract thought, thus mathematics is a series of concrete examples and practice combined with recurrent looping and review of material to allow for mastery rather than memorization.

Science: Within the Science program, each student is expected to apply the scientific process through lab work, technology based research, and new explorations in content. Students work through units on Life Science, Earth Science and Physical Science that correlate and are thematically tied to Social Studies Content. Students often have the opportunity to take their explorations out of doors, as the nature of our campus provides a perfect laboratory. The science program is strengthened with field trips to our new state-of-the-art Science facility on the college campus, and various trips to hands-on sites around the state.

Social Studies: Our Social Studies program is designed to allow students to walk through the history of our nation, beginning with the Native Americans and ending in present day understanding of the recurring themes and issues we face as a human race. With United States History at the center of our curriculum, students study multiple resources as they evaluate the validity of the many voices in history. We focus heavily on the social issues that lead to the American Revolution, the Civil War, both World Wars, and subsequent conflicts. Inherent in this understanding are the economic forces that drive nations, the basic terminology of economics, and a working knowledge of the changes in economic development as a nation grows. Students employ technology, texts, and photographs to evaluate primary sources and report their understanding from the perspective of the time period in which events occur. Thus, evaluation and assessment are based on student generated teaching of what they have learned during each subsequent period in our Nation’s history.

Economics: Economic education is based on the precept that every student is part of a greater community. Thus, students gain experience with the basic ideas of producing, consuming, exchanging, investing and specializing within their classroom community. Expanding studies focus on scarcity through human and natural resources, supply and demand, and basic opportunity costs. Hands-on experiences allow children to build understanding within our comprehensive program that builds upon prior knowledge

Art: The elementary art curriculum centers on the study of the Principles of Design and the Elements of Art, and is supported by our textbook Portfolios by Barrett Kendal Publishing. The students utilize various equipment and media such as graphite and color pencil, watercolor and tempera paint, clay and concrete. Proper techniques for using these mediums are introduced and practiced. Through reading and discussion of our text, students are exposed to the elements of art and principles of design as they apply to the appreciation and criticism of works of art. We also study various artists and artistic movements in the history of art and the importance of art in the cultures of our world.

Library: The Berry College Elementary School Library holds a rich and diverse collection of children's materials, including approximately 6,000 children's books. The library and its staff serve students, teachers, and parents. It supports both the school's curriculum and children's individual interests. Students are encouraged to explore and discover during scheduled class visits and at other times throughout the school day with their teachers' permission. A master storyteller introduces children to a variety of books and stories during their library visits. Members of the library staff provide a comfortable, nurturing environment in which an early love of books is developed and nourished. Here, the imagination of children is captured and stirred, journey freely through new worlds introduced in literature.

Music: The elementary school music curriculum emphasizes the understanding of musical skills such as technique, playing, creating, singing, reading and listening. Students also explore the musical concepts of dynamics, tone color, temp, rhythm, harmony and melody. Learners demonstrate their knowledge of music through performance, listening, and appreciation of a variety of styles of music from different periods and cultures.

Physical Education: The focus of the elementary physical education program is the introduction and exploration of physical education skills and concepts. Physical education emphasizes the total development of the child (i.e. physical, motor, cognitive, social, and emotional development. At the elementary level students are guided through a series of developmentally appropriate experiences and activities that promote a desire to engage in physical activities, create a sense of self worth, encourage cooperation, self control, and lead to choices that promote a healthy life style. Physical education instruction includes vigorous physical activity, diagnosis and learning of neuromuscular skills, information about physical activity and fitness, and time to enjoy the application of skills and knowledge.

Spanish: Our Spanish curriculum fosters an appreciation and enthusiasm for the study of foreign language and culture. Emphasis is on communication which is taught authentically by a native Spanish speaker through songs, games, rhymes, and other activities. Grade specific themes are integrated into Spanish vocabulary study and activities.