The fifth grade curriculum at MES focuses on academic growth and study skills, while fostering independence as students prepare for middle school.  A wide range of reading skills are developed through both the reading program and a selection of two core literature novels, Hatchet and The Mixed Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler.  Students begin fifth grade making a major transition in writing as they shift from the narrative to the expository style.  Students learn strategies that help them to write effective lead sentences, main ideas, supporting details, and conclusions.  Students hone their writing skills by continuing to utilize the 6 traits of writing in their writing pieces.  

Math Trailblazers is a spiral program with many concepts and skills introduced and taught at different grade levels at an increasing level of complexity.  In fifth grade these concepts and skills are reinforced through the use of Daily Practice Problems and applied in problem solving.  The units in the fifth grade program include measurement, data collection and analysis, estimation, graphing, multiplication, division, fractions, ratios, probability, decimals, and geometry.  Problem solving is an integral part of each unit as students use varied problem solving strategies to solve "real life" math problems.  
          During social studies, the students explore geography concepts organized around the five themes of geography and complete unit studies on Latin America, Canada and the United States.  Fifth grade geography involves an application and extension of reading, writing, and numeracy skills transferred from the language arts and math classrooms.
          Our science program begins with an introduction to the field of science and scientists.  This unit is followed by a unit on the Solar System.   Next, students explore the world of light and sound. We end the year by studying populations and ecosystems, which correlates with our study of owls and the dissection of owl pellets.