Carden West Upper School program provides fourth through sixth grade students with a rigorous, exciting academic program in which students find both challenge and support. Working in partnership with parents, teachers, and the community, we foster a sense of self-confidence, connection, and curiosity in learners who are capable of creative and critical thinking in the classroom and beyond. Our goal is to help children develop a life-long love of learning which extends to meaningful and deep contributions to others and the changing world around us.
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Upper Grade students work closely with caring, committed teachers who develop and implement an interdisciplinary and individualized full curriculum with a team teaching approach.
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Areas of study include English/language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, technology, physical education, one of three world languages, art, and music.
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Each course is taught by an experienced subject area specialist who possesses an in-depth understanding of the content as well as an ability to foster an excitement and love of learning within each student.
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The Carden West upper school combines outstanding individualized attention with rigorous academics, critical thinking and discussion, and innovative hands-on learning.
Fifth grade students are now academically ready to take on bigger challenges. While students become proficient writers and readers, our teachers continue to teach organizational skills and to help them improve their study habits.
Language Arts
Mathematics
Social Studies
Science
The fifth grade reading program develops comprehension skills, vocabulary skills, and analytical skills while promoting a deeper appreciation for literature. Students read and discuss a variety of genre in large groups and in literature circles. They expand their reading comprehension through written work and oral discussions. Writing focuses on fine-tuning the mechanics of a well-written paragraph. Students' writing includes a variety of styles: narrative, expository, poetic, creative and persuasive. Research papers and scientific note taking are also covered.
Students use the math concepts and skills that they have learned to solve multi-step problems. They analyze problems and use logical reasoning to choose the best strategies to solve these problems. Pre-algebra is introduced at this grade level.
Social studies includes studying the development of the nation to 1850. Students recognize that ours is a nation that has a constitution that derives its power from people who:
- experienced conflict over land with the original inhabitants,
- lived through a revolution that once sanctioned slavery, and
- experienced a westward movement that took its people across the continent.
Students in the fifth grade science program analyze, interpret, evaluate and comprehend the world around them. They work with the scientific method and develop scientific reasoning skills that enable them to think critically. Subject areas covered include:
- Physical Science — types of matter, as well as elements and their combinations
- Life Science — plant and animal structures
- Earth Science — water, energy and the solar system
Fifth graders use our science lab to conduct investigations and experiments relating to various topics of study.