Fifth and Sixth Grade English Curriculum
Students in fifth and sixth grade English continue to work on becoming effective communicators with both the written and spoken word. Using the six traits of writing model, students work to develop and organize ideas, to find a distinctive and appropriate voice, to expand word choice, to increase sentence fluency, and to write accurately. Students at each grade level explore a variety of writing genres (narrative, expository, descriptive, and persuasive) using a writing workshop format, which gives them opportunities to conference with both their peers and teacher. Picture books are used to inspire ideas and to model good writing and literary techniques. Editing skills are developed through extensive practice writing, explicit instruction and skill building workbooks and weekly edited sentences. Laptop-based word processing and publishing skills are taught so that students can present their essays to a school-wide audience.
A comprehensive understanding of grammar leads students to a better understanding of how to write well. Therefore, grammar skills are taught with an emphasis on learning the vocabulary and structure of the English language in addition to practicing correct usage. By mastering grammar skills in 5th and 6th Grade classrooms, students are prepared for the challenges they will encounter in both English and foreign language classes when they leave Riverside. The effectiveness of classroom instruction is enhanced by the use of interactive technology such as the SMART board, which appeals to all learning modalities.
As a result of this integrated approach to language arts instruction, students leave Riverside as confident, accomplished, and enthusiastic writers.
