Fifth grade is full of many hands-on learning activities across all subjects -- from experiencing the perils of our forefathers in social studies simulations, to stepping into the shoes of an engineer to building a structure that could withstand a hurricane. In both science and math, the students are constantly presented with real-life problems that require critical thinking skills and encourage them to foster a love for learning.
Our fifth graders are voracious readers who publish their ideas for their peers using an online blog. Students complete a webquest through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York while reading The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and they create their own course of study while reading Surviving the Applewhites. During this year, students learn to write with detail and description, projects include an extensive research report on a Native American tribe, writing their own tall tale, and creating their own scripts for original iMovies about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As the elders of the lower school, the fifth graders have many new privileges and responsibilities. The students are matched with their own Early Childhood buddies, and they enjoy their monthly visits where they bond and learn the importance of responsibility and friendship. The fifth grade also celebrates the end of the year at a class camp out at the All Saints’ Church campground in Big Sur. Ultimately, throughout the year, the students are constantly being challenged and prepared for their upcoming transition to middle school.