Fifth Grade: FIRE Class
Fifth grade at Berkwood Hedge School is an important transitional year, and acts as a bridge between the lower school program students know well, and the middle school experience that lies ahead. Like our K–4 program, the fifth grade class is self-contained, led by a lead teacher, and continues the lower school’s class naming tradition: fifth grade is known as the FIRE class.
Reading
Reading in fifth grade is designed to cultivate a love of literature and textual analysis skills. Students study four novels—two fiction and two non-fiction—a play, and a wide variety of supplemental texts such as short stories, nonfiction essays, poetry, and audio-visual texts. Guided by teachers trained in the science of reading, students engage with texts through literature circles, independent reading, read-alouds, and shared reading. They learn to interpret text and support their conclusions with textual evidence, and grapple with complex themes and symbolism. Students develop an appreciation for authors’ craft in both poetry and prose and apply these learnings to their own writing.
Writing
Fifth grade writing teaches foundational skills to prepare students to write successfully across a variety of genres and contexts. Students learn to analyze texts, structure convincing arguments, and synthesize evidence from multiple sources to support a claim. The program emphasizes interdisciplinary writing in a variety of contexts, such as presenting arguments as lawyers before a judge, defending historical conclusions drawn from primary source evidence, using poetic rhythm and theme, and explaining complex processes of cause and effect from the scientific world. Vocabulary, spelling, and grammar study are embedded in writing instruction.
Mathematics
Math studies focus on developing students’ problem-solving skills, understanding of mathematical concepts, proficiency with key-skills, and ability to solve complex math problems. Students work collaboratively in the areas of number operations, algebraic thinking, measurement, and geometry as they develop mathematical thinking and reasoning. Students start the school year with activities to develop their number sense, such as prime, composite, and square numbers. The year focuses on fractions and decimals and the relationship between them, including adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing with fractions and decimal numbers. Students are encouraged to explore, discuss, and apply ideas so they learn to see mathematics as creative and relevant.
Social Studies
Drawing on the theme of Power, the social studies curriculum explores topics in United States history from the time of Columbus’s arrival to present day, with an emphasis on the impact of colonialism, the American Revolutionary War, Industrialization, and the Civil Rights Movement. Students work to comprehend, analyze, and prove claims with a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, building their skills as historians and critical thinkers. Through novel studies and interdisciplinary project-based learning, fifth graders develop a deep understanding of several historical periods, geography, cartography. Students engage with Civics through their introduction to the court system and U.S. Constitution, taking on the mantle of lawyers, judge, bailiff, and witnesses in our yearly Mock Trial project.
Science
In the FIRE class, an emphasis is placed on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) as students engage in design and build challenges throughout the year. Curricular topics include scientific practices, the water cycle, Earth’s place in the solar system, the human brain, and properties of matter. Students engage in cycles of observation, experimentation, data collection, and the engineering and design process. They also venture out into the world as scientists, testing local watersheds in the Marin Headlands, and connecting with world renowned experts at UC Berkeley. Students also study human growth and development during a quarter of health and puberty education.
Social Emotional Learning
Social emotional learning in the fifth grade is designed to support preteens as they grow into themselves. This time of life presents complex physical, emotional, social, and academic changes, and students are supported with the foundational skills and knowledge they need. Identity-based topics include neurodiversity, self-regulation, executive functioning, gender identity, and racial identity development. Students learn about and explore their own “Wonderfully Wired Brain” and identify the tools that best help them learn. They explore topics related to healthy friendship, including how relationships change and evolve over time and how to set healthy boundaries. Social emotional learning is also deeply tied to the social justice initiatives integrated throughout the curriculum. Students are able to understand themselves as part of a diverse community, and they develop skills like how to navigate conflict, how to apologize and repair wrongs, how to be an upstander, how to address microaggressions, and how to self-advocate.
Specialist Classes
Specialist classes are part of the daily schedule for all middle school students, including art, music, drama, physical education, and Latin. Our rich specialist program ensures a well-rounded daily experience for all students.
