How do Individual Differences Enrich the Learning Community?

Grade Five Curriculum Overview

Introduction: This curriculum letter provides a broad overview of learning outcomes, instructional
approaches and assessment focus over the upcoming months in Grade Five.
Time Frame: September to December 2014
Overarching Question:
Throughout the term students will inquire into the question How do individual differences enrich the
learning community? What we can learn from those around us? This inquiry will focus on exploring
their identities as individuals as well as understanding their part as a part of Canadas collective
identity.
Calgary Board of Educations Result Statements for Students:
In the coming months students will have opportunities to develop their understanding and application
of Character, Citizenship and Personal Development through cross-curricular areas and learning
tasks.
Character:
-Making responsible and wise choices for your own learning.
-Completing work with integrity (making sure you do the best work you are capable of doing)
Citizenship:
-Using your voice and your actions responsibly to contribute to the common good.
- Working well or collaborating with peers so that you can learn from others. (Contributing valuable
ideas and work, listening and justifying your ideas.)
Personal Development:
-Being willing to take risks and try new ways of learning and new ways of showing your learning.
-Set and work toward achieving learning goals
Language Arts
During the first term, the students will be working with Jeff Stockton on a school-wide digital
storytelling project. Each student will develop and present their own story based around individual
identity in relation to the collective Canadian identity.
Students will complete a variety of authentic writing tasks where they will develop and apply
writing skills and processes that will assess reflective, responsive and expository content.
Use own experiences as a basis for exploring and expressing opinions and
understandings.
Reflect on areas of personal accomplishment, and set personal goals to improve language
learning and use.
Retell or represent stories from the points of view of different characters.
Explain how simile and hyperbole are used to create mood and mental images.
Identify the main problem or conflict in oral, print and other media texts, and explain how it
is resolved.
Organize ideas and information to emphasize key points for the audience.
Use developed criteria to provide feedback to others and revise own work.
Mathematics
Through engaging in problem solving tasks and authentic math projects, students will explore and
develop their understanding of Number Sense and Shape and Space.

Represent and describe whole numbers

Use estimation and mental math strategies to solve problems
Understand fractions and decimals and represent them concretely, pictorially, and
symbolically.
Determine area and perimeter

Science
Students will observe, describe and interpret weather phenomena, investigate its relationship to
human activity and relate weather to the heating and cooling of the Earths surface.
Ask questions that guide exploration and investigation
Use suitable methods to record, compile, interpret and evaluate observations
Communicate with others to share and evaluate ideas
Social Studies
Students will critically examine the histories and stories of ways of life in Canada through their work
with Jeff Stockton. Students will use stories, legends, myths, song, music and dance to represent
their learning.
Explore values and attitudes about history, culture and heritage
Build knowledge and understanding of the diversity of Canadas heritage.
Understand the dynamic nature of people, cultures and events that are integral to
Canadas history and contemporary society.
Assessment
Parents will be able to see a portion of this process documented within their childs personalized
learning plan through setting and reflecting on goals and teacher feedback within IRIS. Parents will
also receive feedback about their childs progress through Friday Journals and various assessment
samples in their Assessment Folders. Leading to summative indicators of success and Student-Led
conferences in January.