Fifth Grade
Core Virtues
For the 2026–2027 school year, students in grades 4–6 will explore a monthly virtue that strengthens character, leadership, and empathy. These lessons help them grow into responsible, courageous, and thoughtful young adults.
August & September: Respect and Responsibility – Responsibility is doing your part for the groups that make us whole.
October: Self-Control and Self-Discipline – Self-control is stopping to think about my actions before I enact them. Self-discipline is giving the best of ourselves and saying “no” to our weaknesses.
November: Wonder – Wonder is to marvel at mystery, to stand in awe before the unexplained.
December: Charity – Charity is Love. Charity is selfless giving to those in need.
January: Courage – Courage is finding the strength to venture and persevere.
February: Love of Country – Love of Country means being devoted to our nation—loving its ideals, honoring its heroes, respecting its past, and working hard for a just and noble future.
March: Faithfulness – Faithfulness is standing by those we love, those we serve, and what we believe.
April: Graciousness and Courtesy – Graciousness is acting kindly and making others feel special. Courtesy is showing respect through kindness and politeness.
May: Joy – Joy is the fullness of spirit that blooms from the loving heart.
June: Lives to Learn From – Learn from those who act well, think well, forge new paths, and seek a better world.
Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA)
In fifth grade, students refine their literacy skills and engage with complex ideas through Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA).
In the Skills strand, students continue developing vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills while studying the structure of words through prefixes, suffixes, and Latin roots. Instruction emphasizes clear written communication, editing and revising, and responding thoughtfully to texts. Students practice writing narratives, informational essays, and analytical responses while strengthening their reading comprehension.
In the Knowledge strand, students explore significant historical, scientific, and literary topics. These include studies of early American civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, the Renaissance and Reformation, Native American history, chemistry and fossils, poetry, and classic works of literature including Shakespeare and Don Quixote. Through reading, discussion, and writing, students build knowledge, expand vocabulary, and develop deeper analytical thinking.
Together, CKLA Skills and Knowledge prepare students for the literacy demands of middle school while continuing to nurture curiosity, comprehension, and a lifelong love of learning.
Eureka Math²
In fifth grade, students build on their mathematical foundation as they work with larger numbers and more advanced problem solving. They deepen their understanding of place value and operations with whole numbers and decimals, and they develop strategies for multiplying and dividing multi-digit numbers.
Students extend their work with fractions by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing them in a variety of contexts. They also explore volume, coordinate graphs, and patterns in numbers. Throughout the year, students solve multi-step problems, explain their reasoning, and apply mathematics to real-world situations, preparing them for the transition to middle school mathematics.