We focus on independence in doing work and organization to prepare students for middle school.

We do more long-term projects that require research and using the correct paper form.

Curriculum Highlights

  • Language Arts:  Reader’s and Writer’s Workshop.
  • Math:  Differentiated instruction with flexible grouping; Math Masters.
  • Religion:  Blessing of the Animals Prayer Service and All Saints’ Day Mass.
  • Science:  Utilizing the Scientific Method through a variety of experiments.
  • Social Studies:  Native American Research Project and Colonial American Project.
  • Field Trips include: MN Zoo overnight, Old Cahill School, The Ordway, Nickelodeon Universe and Feed My Starving Children.
  • Activities include: Patrols, Yearbook, D.A.R.E., Adopt-a-Pilot, Compost Crusaders and Stuff the Bus.

IB Themes for Fifth Grade

Who We Are
  • An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
    • Central Idea:  Our identity is shaped by the changes we face as we grow and develop.
      • An iquiry into:
        • Growing and changing
        • Developing relationships
        • Rites of Passage
        • The craft of writing personal narratives   
Where We Are in Place & Time
  • An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations and migrations of humankind; the relationships between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.  
    • Central Idea:  Curiosity and the need for resources often drive exploration of our world.
      • An inquiry into:
        • Exploration
        • Indigenous people of our country
        • Colonization
        • Power and domination   
How We Express Ourselves
  • An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
    • A person's passions, interests, and responsibilities can lead to action.  
      • An inquiry into:
        • Exhibition  
How the World Works
  • An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
    • Central Idea:  Problem-solving and scientific investigations require systematic thinking.     
      • An inquiry into:
        • Engineering process
        • Force and motion
        • Simple machines
        • Scientific Investigation  
How We Organize Ourselves
  • An inquiry into the inter connectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function or organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
    • Central Idea:  Change impacts how we organize ourselves.   
      • An Inquiry into:
        • Causes and events of the American Revolution
        • Early Government
        • Governing Documents
Sharing the Planet
  • An inquiry into the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
    • Central Idea:  Earth systems change due to natural processes and/or humans’ choices.  
      • An inquiry into:
        • Bziomes as earth systems
        • The relationships between humans and earth systems
        • The sustainability of the earth's resources