BRONX CHARTER SCHOOL FOR EXCELLENCE
CURRICULUM NIGHT
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Fifth Grade
Ms. Haas
Mr. Katz
Mr. Brignola
Ms. Gerald
Ms. Tannure
Fifth Grade Curriculum Overview
Course Description
In fifth grade, your scholar will focus on developing reading and writing strategies that will help him/her
navigate through all levels of literary study.
This class values thinking. In addition to pushing academic success, we will encourage students to
utilize the following 4 habits of mind: Striving for accuracy, thinking and communicating with
clarity and precision, and responding with wonderment and awe. Students will be challenged to
reflect and analyze what they read, express their thoughts, and be open to differing perspectives.
Scholars will be encouraged to give their input in class, with supporting statements to enhance their
thinking. The process of pushing himself/herself to learn from what he/she reads and applies to his/her
life is what the class will focus on.
5th Grade English Language Arts
Anthology
Fifth grade scholars will use the Journey anthology. The anthology includes both fiction and non-fiction
narratives. The fiction narratives include: realistic fiction, fantasy, readers’ theater, tall tales, and poems.
The non-fiction includes expository non-fiction, biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Each
lesson includes a paired selection, robust vocabulary, reading focus skill, grammar, and spelling.
Reading with Stamina
Throughout the school year scholars will engage in silent sustained reading in class. We ask that the
independent book of choice be appropriate and engaging to the scholar. Scholars will be reading these
books in addition to the anthology and trade books. As a way to respond and understand the text,
scholars will be responsible for various assignments and projects including journaling and book reports.
Book Presentations:
Part of a long-term project that allows scholars to read independently, build reading comprehension,
foster a passion for reading rich literature, and develop writing skills are books reports. Scholars will
choose one “book report book” to read and write four times during the academic year. Scholars will
choose a “book report book” from a provided list of grade level Newberry Award and Newberry Honor
books.
At the end of each quarter, your scholar will present their book report book to the class. They may
choose a creative way (author interview, mock ending, trailer, etc) to showcase the narrative elements of
their book. A list of suggested ideas can be found on our class website.
One book presentation will be due on the following dates:
1) Friday, November 7, 2014
2) Friday, February 6, 2014
3) Friday, May 1, 2015
4) Friday, June 12, 2015
Not being prepared to present a book report book could result in failure of ELA class for that quarter.
5th Grade Science Curriculum/NGSS
The performance expectations in fifth grade help students formulate answers to questions such as:
“When matter changes, does its weight change? How much water can be found in different places
on Earth? Can new substances be created by combining other substances? How does matter cycle
through ecosystems? Where does the energy in food come from and what is it used for? How do
lengths and directions of shadows or relative lengths of day and night change from day to day, and
how does the appearance of some stars change in different seasons?”
1st Unit: Structure and Properties of Matter
2nd Unit: Earth’s Systems
3rd Unit: Space Systems: Stars and the Solar System
4th Unit: Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
5th Grade American History
For the 5th grade history year students will learn the history of America starting from the Native
Americans and ending at the Civil War. Within this year students will also learn how to properly
take notes, write DBQ’s, read maps, tables, charts, timelines, etc.
Areas of Coverage
Geography
Colonies
American Revolution
Civil War
Native Americans
Settlements
Government
Mayans
Explorers/discovery of America
Slavery
Westward Expansion
Aztecs
Incas
5th Grade Math
In Grade 5, instructional time should focus on three critical areas: (1) developing fluency with addition
and subtraction of fractions, and developing understanding of the multiplication of fractions and of
division of fractions in limited cases (unit fractions divided by whole numbers and whole numbers
divided by unit fractions); (2) 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 (3) developing understanding of
volume.
Grading
At the end of each quarter, your scholar’s report card will reflect grades based off of the following scale:
Academic:
Exams (Essays, Projects, etc.)
50%
Quizzes
30%
Classwork/Participation
10%
Homework
10%
The conduct scale is as follows:
Excellent 4 Good
3 Fair
2 Poor 1
The BCSE Middle School Grading Scale
Level
Level 4+
4
4Level 3+
3
3Level 2+
2
2Level 1
Percentage
98-100%
93-97%
90-92%
88-89%
83-87%
80-82%
78-79%
73-77%
70-72%
69% and Below
Policies and Procedures
Arrival
Scholars can arrive between 7:30am and 7:45am; during this time scholars will have an opportunity to
eat breakfast. Scholars arriving at 7:45am or later will need to sign in at the front office and receive a
tardy slip (scholars who arrive on the school bus will not be marked tardy). Homeroom instruction
begins at 7:45 am.
Homework
The purpose of homework is to reinforce learning, facilitate mastery of specific skills, teach
responsibility, and help students develop excellent work habits that will prepare them to compete and
succeed in the future. You can expect your scholar to have his/her assignments written in his/her student
planner. Homework is assigned every night and will average one and a half to two hours per night and
longer on occasion. Please note that homework includes short term and long-term assignments, both on
the computer and written as well as studying. Scholars should plan ahead for long term and cooperative
assignments or projects. It is expected that homework will be: neat, complete according to directions,
and handed in on the day it is due. Computer/printer problems are not acceptable excuses for missing
assignments. All assignments handed in after the due date will be penalized and scholars will receive a
0 for that assignment. Three missing assignments will result in an automatic after school detention and
scholars will still be responsible for missed assignment(s). Chronic problems in completing homework
are causes for serious concern. Scholars who chronically fail to hand in homework assignments will
lose privileges including: extra-curricular activities and/or school trips.
Plagiarism
According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary plagiarism is taking another person’s ideas and
passing them as one’s own. Plagiarism is not tolerated at BCSE and is a punishable offense. Any
scholar found guilty of such fraud will receive a zero for the assignment in addition to in-school
suspension. Parents/guardians will be notified of the fraud on the progress report.
Progress Reports
Progress reports are an excellent communication tool: a way for teachers to inform you of your scholar’s
attendance, academic, and behavioral progress. Progress reports will go home every other Friday and
began Friday, September 26, 2014. The reports should be read, signed, and returned on the following
Monday. Any unreturned progress reports will result in your scholar receiving a detention.
We are looking forward to working and learning with you and your scholar this year. Please do not
hesitate to contact us. We are here to help and challenge your scholar; we have high expectations and
aspirations for them.
Contact information
Dawn Haas dhaas@bronxexcellence.org;
Regina Tannure rtannure@bronxexcellence.org
Jamie Gerald jgerald@bronxexcellence.org
Russell Katz rkatz@bronxexcellence.org
Chris Brignola cbrignola@bronxexcellence.org
“Life takes on meaning when you become motivated, set goals, and charge after them in an unstoppable
manner.”-Lee Brown
Approved by: Ms. Hunter, Principal