The reading curriculum in fifth grade includes a balanced literacy program (reading, writing, listening, speaking, creating and viewing). The focus of reading changes from teaching the logistics of reading, to the interpretive art of reading. Students are challenged to read narrative and expository text, as well as many different genres. Students are actively engaged in the reading process (read, understand, respond to, analyze, interpret and appreciate literary works) as they relate to the author’s purpose in writing. Students need to use comprehension strategies to understand complex texts. Students gather information from a variety of sources, synthesize that information and use it in new ways. Differentiated instruction meets the needs of all learners (shared, guided and independent). Students continue to practice phonics, fluency, and build vocabulary spelling, and comprehension. They continue to grow using multifaceted fluency (using multiple skills simultaneously).

Differentiated instruction meets the needs of all learners (shared, guided and independent). Students continue to practice phonics, fluency, and build vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension.

They continue to grow using multifaceted fluency (using multiple skills simultaneously). Students continue to write for a variety of purposes and to understand the importance of writing in their lives. Writing is taught as a process as fifth graders focus on crafting a clear and complete paragraph. Students write descriptive, narrative, persuasive, informative and creative paragraphs and essays. Students work on Standard English conventions, fluency, word choice, voice, organization, ideas, spelling, and cursive handwriting.