Fifth Grade
Fifth Grade is the culmination of Mulberry School's effort to promote independent, creative and critical thinkers. For Fifth Graders, it is a time for transition from elementary to middle school, engaging in self-motivated and rigorous academics, learning personal responsibility, time and task management skills and building inter and intra personal skills
Rigorous Academics & Critical Thinking
The Fifth Grade curriculum consists of rigorous academics and a continued focus on the development of critical thinking. Highly motivational academic projects and a creative learning environment fostered by enthusiastic and dynamic teachers nurture a lifelong love of learning.
"Building our classroom community is the first step in creating a solid foundation for innovative academics and developing social confidence. Each student is recognized as an individual, a contributing member whose input is important, and who begins to understand who they are as a learner so that they can embrace their role in the learning process and reach toward a personal best in all areas of the curriculum.
It is upon this trust that students feel able to take the risks involved in truly learning, in becoming critical thinkers and creative expressionists - in discovering their full potential, clearly seeing themselves, their strengths and struggles. "
- Kara Riordan, Fifth Grade Teacher
Fifth Graders are active participants in both setting their own goals - for papers and projects - and in their own assessment. The process includes peer assessment and individual self-assessment, allowing students to gain an understanding of their own learning styles. Self-assessments include True Colors, Multiple Intelligences, and Emotional Intelligence and this work is woven through every strand across the curriculum, culminating in the spring when students lead the parent teacher student conference.
Language Arts
In Fifth Grade, students read to learn. Readers and Writer's workshops use mini lessons to highlight, explore and expand specific skills – the ability to critically analyse, infer, reflect, concisely summarize and effectively present their findings in book reports. Book reports explore plot, setting and character analysis from a variety of genres. Children read and write mysteries, science fiction and autobiographies, experiment with journalistic writing and write their own graduation speeches.
Math
Fifth Graders review in-depth, all math concepts taught thus far, and then symbolically and abstractly apply their knowledge in new areas. The class focuses on problem solving and algebraic thinking and students acquire competence in algorithms, fractions, decimals, ratios and percentages and as well as geometry. We use math games, small group instruction and review and correct class work and homework together as part of the learning process.
Science
Individual and class science projects are a large part of the curriculum and emphasize scientific method as children learn about chemistry, energy, ecology, the solar system, the physics of roller coasters and the human body. Fifth Graders learn how to merge information from multiple sources in order to acquire a complete understanding of a particular topic.
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Social Studies
Small group, collaborative and project based learning brings History to life! Fifth Graders use the web for research and word processors to write reports. They learn by teaching each other concepts and use whole body/kinesthetic techniques to act out and internalize concepts. The focus is on European explorers, colonization of the New World, the American Revolution, the American Civil War, Civil Rights, Westward Ho!, US Government and Elections, geography, states and capitals.
Character Development
| Because Fifth Grade is the transition from elementary school to middle school, there is a continued emphasis on personal responsibility, organization and autonomy. Students set personal goals for themselves so that they are aware of and working toward becoming the type of student and person they envision themselves to be. "Our objective is to... - Sarah St. John, Fifth Grade Teacher |
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Field Trips - 5th Graders in Action
Fifth Grade is out and about. Activities include a beach trip to Pajaro Dunes, studying ecology during Science Camp at Headlands Institute in Marin, examing earthquake faults at Point Bonita, exploring via NASA and the Jason Project, visiting the Tech Museum Labs, the Chabot Space and Science mission to Mars and others.
Ceramics, Art Pastels, Quilting, Service Projects and more...
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And of course, we do PE, lots of Arts and Crafts, Gardening, Cooking, Sewing, Quilting, Service Projects and more!
What Parents Say
"Dear Kara,
...<Our daughter> is prepared for middle school through a combination of the cumulative education and nurturing she received at Mulberry and the crucial transitional period of her fifth grade year. You were a teacher who gave personal attention to each student, a teacher who gave no quarter when behaviour muddled the learning experience, and a teacher who put her arm around the child having a tough time understanding something...." - Tom and Barbara, alumni 5th grade parents
What Mulberry Graduates Say
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"Be True to Yourself"
“One thing that I have really learned through all five of my years at Mulberry School is that it is so important to be true to yourself, no matter the place or the time. This is the piece of Mulberry that will always stick with me...When I am true to myself I follow my heart. I try to make good decisions, and when I don’t, I look back and think that, “That was then, now is now.” ” - Alana
"Happy, Smarter and more Confident"
“Before I came to Mulberry, there was only one way to describe me: Miserable! That is when my mom found a perfect little school. I was nervous, but I did it! Look at me now - I am happy, smarter, and more confident to face the future! I hope the future is good! Ever since I came to Mulberry I have been challenged, and I learned to face my challenges and now those challenges can be fun!” – Maisie
"Be a Leader without Bossing People around"
“In fifth grade, we practiced being a leader in small groups and that helped because now I’m learning how to be a leader without bossing people around, and I think other people are too, but I’m not saying names.” - Aaron
"Our Attitude towards Life determines Life's Attitude towards Us"
"...It pays off to have a positive attitude...In the first month or so of first grade, I didn’t have any friends. I was as lonely as a wandering polar bear. Then in the next month I discovered my amazing social skills. The second month, everybody was screeching like monkeys just to play with me. So case closed or otherwise known as problem solved.” – Jemma
"Treat others the way You want to be Treated"
“That has always been one of my favorite quotes to say. It has taught me to give people a chance, no matter what. For example, when Jemma first came into third grade I thought I would not like her because she seemed really shy. But now Jemma and I are best friends. Mulberry has taught me to be nice to all people no matter what, and to put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” – Christina
"Try My Best"
“I think the most important thing that Mulberry taught me is to try my best. Trying your best I think is a critical skill in life. If you don’t try your best you will never produce your best work. In preschool I didn’t do any school work, but in first grade I realized that school work was hard and there was no way to get out of it. In second grade I decided that rushing was my plan. Even though I could try my best in third grade, I normally didn’t. I preferred by second grade plan. However, it really didn’t work to get answers, at least not the right ones. Judy kept telling me to slow down, but I was not ready to listen. I had my ears plugged.
Jenny, my fourth grade teacher was not happy with this. She kept making me redo my work so that it was my best. However, I was so fast at rushing that I did not care if I had to redo my work. I would still finish first or second. One day, Jenny had had it with my rushing! She made me redo my whole spelling book, and that did it. From then on I always tried my best. I think that redoing that spelling book is one of the best lessons I have learned in my whole life. I really thank Jenny even though that spelling book made my hand hurt because I learned to try my best!” - Aaron
Take a peek into how 5th Grades Maximize Every Moment or better still, Visit 5th Grade at Mulberry and meet us yourself!
