Grade 5 Curriculum Night August 28th, 2012

WELCOME TO Grade 5 at CIS!

The Grade 5 Team – 9 classes this year!

5-9EG Evan Gillis 5-8LM Lisa Miller 5-7SB Susan Bisby 5-6MM Mylene Marajas 5-5ES Liz Sarich 5-4JW John Wolf 5-3AS Aynsley Smith 5-2KL Karen Lloyd 5-1KJ Kendra Jones

Technology *Log into: m.socrative.com. *Join Room # 993126

Integration approach Using Macbook computers Building skills Online tools and Social networking Digital Citizenship

Single Subject Teachers Drama – Mr. Kevin Epp Music – Mrs. Shanhong Hughes Visual Art – Mrs. Lisa Little P.E. – Mr. Xavier Mahdavian French/Mandarin/E.L.L./Learning Support -Anca Toma, Annie Liu, Shawn Chen, -Bruce Caverly -Katelyn O’Rourke

Grade 5 Language B Language B – foreign language students who are in the mainstream classroom take. CIS offers Mandarin and French. MANDARIN • 6 teachers offering 5 different levels, from Beginner to Advanced/Near-Native

FRENCH • 4 teachers offering 4 different levels, from Beginner to Advanced/Near-Native

Assessment of Skills in both languages • Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing are assessed each term based on criteria which

will be shared with students.

Teaching Units • 4 units differentiated across the various levels of proficiency. Please obtain more details

from your child’s Language B teacher, or from Ms Toma, Languages Learning Lead, at atoma@cis.edu.sg

English Language Learning

ELL will help students to develop enthusiasm, confidence and the ability to use English in meaningful and relevant contexts. Focus on developing both written and oral language skills. Work in close collaboration with homeroom teachers to connect and reinforce vocabulary and concepts relating to classroom curriculum.

Programme of Inquiry (POI)

6 Themes – 1 Unit of Inquiry (UOI) for each: Who We Are – The Brain and Learning (Grade 4 – Rights & Responsibilities) Where We Are In Place and Time – Ancient

Civilizations How the World Works – Earth & Space How We Organize Ourselves - Leadership Sharing the Planet – Sustainability of Resources How We Express Ourselves – Advertising Media

Units of Inquiry (UOI) *Through inquiry children gain essential knowledge and skills in science, social studies and technology. Use of concepts to guide questioning and inquiry Understanding how people think and learn can help us to become better learners. • Connection – How is it connected to other things? • Reflection – How do we know? Transdisciplinary skills - specific skills are focused on during each UOI – Thinking Skills and Self Management Skills

A site-based, 4 day programme of inquiry outside the classroom

All classes grade 4 – 6 participate in off-site, primary-based

research during a selected UOI The research conducted is integrated into the student’s

studies back at school Focuses on building student knowledge, with an emphasis

on developing skills in thinking, observing, and analysing

Open Minds Programme Learning Through Field Research

*Sites are chosen which best support the inquiry Four sites: National University Singapore – Pottery exhibit Asian Civilizations Museum – Artifacts from West

Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, China Chinatown – Cultural tour East Coast Park – Archaeological dig site *Parent volunteers needed!

Language Arts/Literacy

Teachers will teach specific skills and strategies to help students become better readers and writers. The program is balanced in that we aim to work on learning language, learning about language and learning through language. We are looking at the child’s whole language experience. Language Units are based upon 3 essential components: Mini Lessons with explicit instruction Independent practice Group sharing.

PYP Language Outcomes Students will understand: • the reading process • the writing process • the effective use of language as a valuable life skill • the internal structures of languages • the complexity of languages • that communicative competence comes before emphasis on accuracy. Grade 5: “ARCH” (reading & writing routines) Reading - Monitoring comprehension Writing - Sentence fluency & paragraph structure *Integrate with UOI whenever possible

Mathematics The Mathematics program will enable students to make sense of the world around them and will involve the development of strategies, a body of knowledge, skills and attitudes. It will involve active inquiry that will engage students and teachers in answering and solving real life problems.

Mathematical knowledge and skills will provide students with a body of understanding upon which to build and reflect. This will include:

Mathematical Processes Number, Algebra, Pattern and Function Measurement Data Handling and Statistics Shape and Space

Grade 5: Strands Number Knowledge & Basic Facts Mathletics Problem of the Week Differentiation Place value of numbers Operations Geometry

Home Learning

*Approximately 60-75 minutes per day, including 20 minutes of Independent Reading Weekly Spelling/Word Study Problem of the Week Weekly Mathematics Practice (Mathletics or Practice Work) Other tasks based on class work at the time Independent Reading

Communication

Weekly Email Updates – every Friday *Please read!

“W.A.G.” – Week at a Glance for Middle School Parent Advisory Emails

Phone call to Ms. Winnie or Ms. Suzi for urgent

messages Emails – response as soon as possible

Excursion Week Malaysia – location to be

determined April 15-19, 2013 $600 Approximately Grade 5: -promoting real-life learning, problem-solving and independence

Room Parents

1 or 2 per class to assist with planning the holiday

party in December Contact new families to welcome them and offer

support Teacher support when needed – individual teachers

will advise (coordinate field trips, classroom activities etc.)

www.cis.edu.sg

Thank you for attending.