Fifth Grade Curriculum
The Fifth Grade curriculum at Mount Alvernia Academy challenges the students to become independent learners as they gain autonomy over their academic life. With a strong emphasis on critical thinking, study skills, cooperative learning, and time management, the students are provided with opportunities to meet these objectives in all discipline areas.
In Grade Five, the Sacraments are the main focus for Religion classes. Religious instruction highlights this vital component of the Catholic faith—it is through the Sacraments that we encounter Jesus, experience grace, and deepen our relationship with God. Throughout the year, students are given opportunities for prayer and reflection as faith is an integral part of the children’s lives at Mount Alvernia Academy. Each Friday the children study the Readings and the Gospel for Sunday's Liturgy which, in turn, enables them to participate more fully in the Eucharistic celebration.
In Mathematics, the students learn fundamental concepts as well as computational skills while solving math problems. These concepts and skills are then applied to everyday life. The topics covered are mathematical operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals, geometry, graphs, time, measurement, capacity, perimeter, area, volume, and circumference.
Under the Fifth Grade English Language Arts curriculum falls reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, and spelling. Using well-written literature, the children are exposed to complex characters, intriguing plots, and timely themes while engaged in literature circles, class discussions, and analysis of text and literary skills fostering a greater understanding of the novels. The writing component of this discipline follows the writing process which has the students developing good habits which are enhanced through the grammar, spelling, and vocabulary strands. The children are encouraged to express their creativity, ideas, and information through writing pieces, such as compositions, essays, stories, poetry, and oral presentations.
In Social Studies, the students gain an understanding of American history and geography while making the connections between the people and events of the past with the people and events of today. Enriching the student's understanding of other times and places and promoting respect for cultural diversity, the topics covered include the following: Native Americans, exploration of North America, the colonial period, the Revolutionary War, the Constitution, westward expansion, and the Civil War. Through a variety of research and writing projects, the students learn to inquire, discover, problem solve, and integrate information while, simultaneously, developing the following skills: map, visual learning, study, critical thinking, and cooperative learning.
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