Grade 5 Subjects

From math to inquiry, this is Grade 5. This is where you learn about Energy,
Leadership, and do the PYP Exhibition. This is where you learn about Algebra,
Graphs, and Measurement. Where you learn different writing styles and where
your Specials, train different parts of your body. This is Grade 5.
Unit Of Inquiry in Grade 5, 3 Units of Inquiry stood out and those were the most
important ones. Our Leadership one was an important one showing how we
lead in different situations and what to do in those situations. It brought the
students doing real life scenario's and showing them when they need leader
and activities such as the human knot where students hands got there hands
tangled up and required a LEADER to guide the way and show the group how
do get untangled. For the summative students had to show there understanding
of Leadership by giving a lesson to the Grade 4's on leadership, followed by
activities to keep them interested and wanting to learn more at the same time.
For the Energy unit, the students investigated into how electricity is made and
how a generator works through video's and a mini scale generator followed by
learning the different resources from which energy comes from. The summative
task was to partner up and show one renewable source of energy and one non-
renewable source of energy and show how electricity is created from them.
Each partner would investigate into one of them (so one does renewable, on
does non-renewable) and come back together after there research is finished
and present it to the class. You could bring in models or whatever would help
explain the energy source. The PYP Exhibition was our biggest unit. In this unit,
you explain a topic that you're group would agree to do. From there the group
would investigate into that topic in relation to the transdisciplinarity theme, Who
We Are. The students will plan lessons, just like a teacher, and then they would
plan how they would research ALL of there lines of inquiry and THEN research it.
In the end, you would present it to the school and explain to the people who
visit you're board about you're topic. These are the 3 most important Unit of
Inquiries in Grade 5.
In Math, 3 Math units have been taught in Grade 5 which were Measurement,
Algebra and Statistical Investigation. In Measurement, the students were
investigating into area and perimeter along with activities that gave the
students more information measuring the length in meters, kilometers, etc, that
would help the students when finding out how to calculate area, perimeter and
the distance of something. To show that the students understood Measurement,
the students had to draw a blueprint of out ultimate backyard with
measurements of the size of it and the size of everything in it along with the
perimeter and area of it, to show our understanding. In Algebra, the students
were learning about letters and what happens when you put them in different
places and what they mean. The students were also learning about simplifying
equations by collecting like terms and solving and making equations, by finding
out what the variable (x, y, z, b, l, ect) means. In Statistical Investigation, the
students learned how to collect information and put it in a frequency table, and
into 2-3 more types of graphs. The students learned how to make a frequency
chart and an correctly labeled graph. The students also learned how to find the
average answer from a graph and ratio from smallest to largest both using
frequency charts. To show there understanding of Statistical Investigation, Grade
5 had to make a correctly labeled graph with a frequency chart, collect data
from a survey and answer question below our graph.
The Specials this year are the same specials that Grade 4 does. The specials are
Music, P.E, Strings, Art and Arabic. In Arabic, the students do different Arabic
units to understand different parts of the Arabic language due to it being one of
the hardest languages in the world. For example, we would have a unit on
countries and one on grammar such as Lam Kumeriya, Lam Shamseya, etc. In
P.E, the students train different aspects of our body to keep fit such as
gymnastics, to keep them flexible and fitness such as running to strengthen the
muscles and keep fit. They also learn tactics playing games like different
formations, attack and defense tactics, passing, spreading out, ect. In Music,
the students train our vocal chords and try to go higher pitches and to improve
our voice. In Strings, we play classical music on string instruments which the
options are cello and violin. We do this because studies show that classical
music and playing an instrument improves visual attention. In Art, Grade 5
expresses themselves freely based on there emotions and creativity is
encouraged. We also learn drawing skills such as shading, felling something
when you draw an object, etc. These are the Grade 5 Specials.
In Grade 5 Language, we learn about different writing styles. This year, the
students learned how to write a explanation text, a biography, a persuasive text
and a report. All these styles of writing have one thing in common: They have
the same structure which is a Title, an Introduction, Middle Paragraphs and
Conclusion. All the Titles explain something about the text as a WHOLE. When
writing an explanation text, you need to explain how to do something like tying
shoelaces or riding a bicycle. In the introduction, you talk about what you are
going to teach the reader with interesting language to keep them interested
and engaged. In the middle paragraphs you explain the procedure without
bullet points or numbering. Each paragraph has a different step so some
paragraphs can be short. In the conclusion, you write a final statement to end
you're writing. When you write a persuasive text, in the introduction you write you
write a statement with interesting language to keep the reader interested on
why the reader should take action on what you want them to take action on
like voting for a person to be class president, or why you should save electricity.
In a persuasive text, each paragraph states a reason why they should take
action on something in a detailed way using persuasive language such as
repetition. You're conclusion states what you're reasons were to take action in
the middle paragraph and ends with a BANG. In a persuasive text, it is key to
use persuasive language to interest you're reader. A Report is a factual piece of
writing telling the reader about certain topics like Drums and Planes. It has no
opinions and only facts. Also, you cant write it like you are taking someone. A
Biography is similar except you can have opinions in it, you can write it like you
are talking to someone except you have to talk about someone else's life. These
are the writing styles we have learned this year.
So this is what Grade 5 is like. From planning you're PYP Exhibition to writing
Reports, this is Grade 5. And from learning Dubai's native language, Arabic, to
learning Algebra for the future. This is Grade 5 2013-2014.