Reading and Writing Curriculum
Math Curriculum
Greendale Schools are implementing a new curriculum this year for mathematics, entitled Bridges in Mathematics. It is a comprehensive elementary curriculum that helps to build mathematical thinkers through a rigorous, coherent, engaging curriculum that is accessible to all learners.
Throughout the year students will work to develop a deep understanding of various concepts, by becoming proficient with foundational skills and expanding upon their abilities to solve complex problems. The Bridges curriculum combines direct instruction, structured investigation and open exploration.
The fifth grade curriculum is comprised of 8 units, wherein there are 3 modules that are each comprised of 5 to 7 sessions each. Our content overview is as follows (Click the links for "Parent Letters" for each unit):
Unit 1: Expressions, Equations & Volume
Unit 2: Adding & Subtracting Fractions
Unit 3: Place Value & Decimals
Unit 4: Multiplying & Dividing Whole Numbers & Decimals
Unit 5: Multiplying & Dividing Fractions
Unit 6: Graphing, Geometry & Volume
Unit 7: Division & Decimals
Unit 8: Solar Design
Each unit contains an instructional practice known as Number Corner that helps students to develop their problem-solving skills through exposure to challenging story problems and discussion around how these problems were solved. Throughout the year our Number Corner topics will focus on adding and subtracting fractions, operations with decimal numbers, volume, conversions and graphing of ordered pairs.
Throughout the year students will work to develop a deep understanding of various concepts, by becoming proficient with foundational skills and expanding upon their abilities to solve complex problems. The Bridges curriculum combines direct instruction, structured investigation and open exploration.
The fifth grade curriculum is comprised of 8 units, wherein there are 3 modules that are each comprised of 5 to 7 sessions each. Our content overview is as follows (Click the links for "Parent Letters" for each unit):
Unit 1: Expressions, Equations & Volume
Unit 2: Adding & Subtracting Fractions
Unit 3: Place Value & Decimals
Unit 4: Multiplying & Dividing Whole Numbers & Decimals
Unit 5: Multiplying & Dividing Fractions
Unit 6: Graphing, Geometry & Volume
Unit 7: Division & Decimals
Unit 8: Solar Design
Each unit contains an instructional practice known as Number Corner that helps students to develop their problem-solving skills through exposure to challenging story problems and discussion around how these problems were solved. Throughout the year our Number Corner topics will focus on adding and subtracting fractions, operations with decimal numbers, volume, conversions and graphing of ordered pairs.
Science Curriculum
Our Science Curriculum, Active Science, is an investigation-centered program that allows students to engage in the curriculum through activities, experiments, discussions and challenges. This curriculum works to help students develop problem-solving skills, which allow them to increase their scientific knowledge. Throughout the year we will work to become scientists who constantly ask "why" questions and search for the answers throughout the investigation.
A fantastic feature of the Active Science curriculum is that the creators considered student's needs, creating lessons that utilize various instructional strategies to accommodate student's differing learning styles. Students will have the opportunity to work in teams, draw conclusions and share out their ideas with their classmates. More importantly, students will work through their ideas during the investigations working to find evidence and express their findings in their Science Notebooks.
The Active Science Units include:
The GSD Units include:
A fantastic feature of the Active Science curriculum is that the creators considered student's needs, creating lessons that utilize various instructional strategies to accommodate student's differing learning styles. Students will have the opportunity to work in teams, draw conclusions and share out their ideas with their classmates. More importantly, students will work through their ideas during the investigations working to find evidence and express their findings in their Science Notebooks.
The Active Science Units include:
- Life of Animals: Students will have the opportunity to study food chains, habitats and ecosystems, vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
- Universe: Students will have the opportunity to observe the night skies, build rockets and study the life cycles of stars.
- Substances: Students will have the opportunity to explore the processes used to separate substances from mixtures, especially the most important substance, which is that of water.
- Machines & Motion: Students will have the opportunity to work with simple machines and the corresponding laws of motions.
The GSD Units include:
- Human Growth & Development: Students will have the opportunity to better understand the changes that occur as they grow.
Social Studies Curriculum
Our Social Studies curriculum has a couple of stand-alone units, but other units are embedded within our literacy curriculum. We utilize the Houghton-Mifflin text and readers, but have worked to supplement the curriculum to make it as engaging and hands on as possible.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the following:
Our Social Studies topics are tackled in a manner that allow students to step into the time periods through simulations, as well as explore further through extensions. Students will utilize digital tools and printed resources to create original projects related to their learning.
By the end of the year, students will construct projects that represent how we became "America". This learning will help them to grow into respectful citizens that are involved in their community and world.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about the following:
- The beginnings of the United States through the study of the First Americans and Explorers
- The development of the current government through the study of the Revolutionary War
- The movement and changes within the United States through the study of the Western Movement and the Civil War
- The growing diversity and consistently changing scene through the study of the Reconstruction of the nation
Our Social Studies topics are tackled in a manner that allow students to step into the time periods through simulations, as well as explore further through extensions. Students will utilize digital tools and printed resources to create original projects related to their learning.
By the end of the year, students will construct projects that represent how we became "America". This learning will help them to grow into respectful citizens that are involved in their community and world.