5th grade at Janney is the year where we begin to prepare students for the transition into middle school.  With departmentalize instruction in 5th grade (math, reading, & writing), students transition from one subject to another as they would in middle school. Students are expected to synthesize their learning from Kindergarten through 4th grade and apply it to their studies in 5th grade.

Students are expected to read with a more critical eye to analyze and evaluate literature in multiple genres including realistic fiction, historical fiction, and informational texts.  Students are taught to transfer their analyses of texts into their writing through informative and persuasive writing, literary essays, and narrative writing. Research skills such as note taking, outlining and writing bibliographies are refined.

The math curriculum focuses on three critical areas as defined by the Common Core Standards: fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions and developing understanding of the multiplication of fractions and of division of fractions; extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimal fractions into the place value system and developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths, and developing fluency with whole number and decimal operations; and developing understanding of volume.

In addition to covering academic curriculum, Janney’s 5th graders are preparing for entry into middle school throughout the year.  Among the special transition activities offered during the year are:

• Deal MS Buddy Day

• Fifth Grade Parent Orientation

• End of Year Class Trip

• Fifth Grade Promotion

• Fifth Grade Clap-out