Fifth graders have literally and figuratively passed the half way mark down the long central hallway into the upper school wing of the school. Here, students hone their writing and math skills and learn about the history of the world from prehistory and early man to ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome ending with the long-anticipated Greek feast for which they dress and dine as Greek gods and goddesses.
Fifth grade literature includes selections from a basal reader and is supplemented by literature circles where students learn discussion skills using novels such as The Boy and the Painted Cave, Door in the Wall and The Whipping Boy. Spelling is taught through word study, and proofreading for accuracy is stressed in final work. Students are encouraged to add clarity and detail to their writing by building their vocabularies with the Wordly Wise curriculum. In writing workshop students practice the writing process with different styles including personal narratives, character sketches, and expository writing. Students are guided through the selection of sources, note taking, outlining, writing, editing, and documenting of their work as they complete two research papers which are integrated with the history curriculum.
In math, students explore whole numbers, decimals, and fractions using the four mathematical processes. Accuracy is stressed in the practice of computation. Students problem solve using a variety of strategies and are encouraged to be creative in their search for the correct answer.
Science instruction strikes a balance between hands-on activities and the content necessary to understand the concepts. Students learn customary and metric units of measurement and how to use a microscope in the study of cells. In life science, plant and animal cells and body systems including the immune and endocrine systems are studied. In earth science, students learn about the earth’s layers and its ecosystems. In physical science, matter and electricity are explored.
History studies begin with Early Man and are carried over into the art room where fifth graders create cave paintings and pottery. They learn about the eastern hemisphere focusing on the culture of early man, tracing his movement from his beginnings through the early civilizations of the Fertile Crescent, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Grymes students are fortunate to live within easy traveling distance of such wonderful learning experiences as those we find at Montpelier, the Science Museum of Virginia, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, the State Capitol, Monticello, and The Washington National Cathedral.