Fifth grade is both a challenging and exciting year for
students. The goal for every fifth grader is to accept
responsibility for his/her actions in order to enhance self-confidence
and to understand how each student is ultimately responsible
for decisions made. Organization, study techniques,
and setting goals are all skills that fifth graders work
on continually throughout the year. At this grade level
there is more emphasis on developing time management skills,
along with planning and completing projects independently. These
skills are necessary for success in middle school and are
strengthened during this important transition year.
Language Arts
Starkey students refine and master previously-learned knowledge
and skills in increasingly complex presentations, reading
selections, and written compositions. They identify
a speaker’s persuasive technique in presentations. Students
read from classic and contemporary selections, as well as
informational text. Students learn to recognize the
way an author organized information and engage in more sophisticated
analysis of characters, plot, and settings. Fifth graders
are also required to read independently in novels of their
choice, and participation in the Accelerated Reader program
is encouraged. Fifth grade students select and use different
forms of writing for specific purposes such as to inform,
persuade, or entertain. Students vary sentence structure
and use conjunctions to connect ideas. A study of literary
devices such as suspense, dialogue, and figurative language
offers students opportunities to enrich their writing skills. Fifth
graders edit their writing based on their knowledge of grammar
and usage, spelling, punctuation, and other conventions of
written language. Students produce final, error-free
pieces of written composition on a regular basis. They
also search out multiple texts to complete research projects
and use visuals to support their research.
Mathematics
The fifth grade math curriculum focuses on helping students
make sense of math in meaningful ways. Students learn
that there are different ways to solve a problem, and they
must demonstrate a true understanding of concepts.
Within a well-balanced mathematics curriculum, the primary
focal points at Grade 5 include comparing and contrasting
lengths, area, and volume of geometric shapes and solids;
representing and interpreting data in graphs, charts, and
tables; and applying whole number operations in a variety
of contexts. Students develop a deeper understanding
of decimal and fraction concepts.
Fifth graders build a foundation of basic understandings
in:
- number, operation, & quantitative reasoning
- patterns, relationships, & algebraic thinking
- geometry & special reasoning
- probability & statistics
Instruction for mathematics emphasizes the process of problem
solving.
Social Studies
A fifth grade student studies the history of the United
States from its early beginnings to the present, with a focus
on colonial times through the 20th century. The roots
of representative government in this nation, as well as important
ideas in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
are studied. Students also learn about the variety
of regions in the United States. Through social studies,
the fifth grade student at Starkey uses critical thinking
skills (sequencing, categorizing, summarizing information,
and making inferences while drawing conclusions) to study
the history of the United States.
Fifth grade Social Studies build a foundation in:
- history
- geography
- economics
- citizenship
- culture
- science, technology & society
- social studies skills
Science & Health
In Grade 5, the study of science includes planning and implementing
field and laboratory investigations. As students learn
science skills, they identify structures and functions of
Earth systems. They also learn that adaptations can
improve the survival of members of a species, and they explore
an organism’s niche within an ecosystem.
Science is a way of learning about the natural world. Students
study how science has built a vast body of changing and increasing
knowledge.
Fifth graders learn that a system is a collection of cycles,
structures, and processes that interact. Investigations
are used to learn about the natural world. Students
learn that certain types of questions can be answered by
investigations, and that methods, models, and conclusions
built from these investigations change as new observations
are made.
Since opportunities for student exploration are provided
through hands-on lab situations, fifth graders demonstrate
their science expertise by participating in the Science Expo
in January.
Communication
It is important to each fifth grade student that parents
and teachers communicate frequently. Fifth grade teachers
communicate with parents in a variety of ways, including:
- Back-to-School Night
- Open House
- Daily Assignment Agenda Book
- Starkey Newsletter
- Progress Reports at 3 weeks
- Report Cards at 6 weeks
- Student’s work and notes sent home in weekly progress
folders
- Comments in weekly folders
- Conferences – personal and phone
Parents are encouraged to schedule a conference any time
there is a concern or they would like to visit with a teacher. We
care about our fifth graders and want them to succeed. The
fifth grade teachers’
conference period is 8:05-8:55 a.m. Parents are also urged
to call the school (257-2210) to participate in phone conferences,
as needed.
Weekly Progress Folders
Every fifth grader will bring home a progress folder each
Thursday with completed work. It may also include messages
of importance pertaining to school-wide or fifth grade activities. Parents
can communicate with any fifth grade teacher in the comment
section provided in each folder. Parents are asked
to sign that they have seen the papers, and then the students
return the empty folders on Friday.
Assignment Agenda Book
On the first day of school, each student will receive an
assignment agenda book which will fit inside his/her binder. Homework
assignments are written in this book daily and should be
checked off when completed. This book always stays
in the student’s binder and therefore goes back and
forth between home and school daily. It is a tool for
both organizing and assuming responsibility for all work. It
also assists fifth graders with time management skills.
Character & Citizenship
In order to create and maintain the best learning environment
possible, character and citizenship are integrated into all
fifth grade activities. The six pillars of “Character
Counts” – trustworthiness, respect, responsibility,
fairness, caring, and citizenship – are emphasized,
modeled, and reinforced daily.
A STUDENT IN FIFTH GRADE MUST PASS THE TAKS MATH
AND TAKS READING TESTS IN ORDER TO BE PROMOTED TO SIXTH GRADE.
The fifth grade teachers’ conference time
is 8:05 a.m. – 8:55 a.m. Please call the
school office (257-2210) to schedule a conference.
FIFTH GRADE FACULTY
Hollis Uecker Grade
Level Chair
Southwest
Texas State University
Degree: Bachelor
of Science
E-mail: hollis.uecker@kerrvilleisd.net
Bruce Kryzer Winona
State University & St. Mary’s University of Winona,
MN
Degree: Bachelor
of Science
E-mail: bruce.kryzer@kerrvilleisd.net
Sheri Fryrear University
of North Texas
Degree: Bachelor
of Science
E-mail: sheri.fryrear@kerrvilleisd.net
Stella Blocker Bilingual
Teacher
University
of Texas at Austin
Degree: Bachelor
of Science
E-mail: stella.blocker@kerrvilleisd.net |
