Fifth Grade at St. Peter's
The Program
Fifth grade is a time for preparation for the transition into middle school. Throughout the year, there is an emphasis on personal responsibility for all school work and school behavior. In Religion, studying and living the Beatitudes provide guidelines on how students show respect for God, others, and themselves. Across all subject areas—Math, Language Arts, Science, History, and Religion—fifth graders learn to consider and share other perspectives, think critically about historical and current events, solve problems in multiple ways, and communicate their ideas clearly.
Teacher
MS. Wendy Wong
Fifth grade teacher, Wendy Wong, was born and raised in San Francisco and loves living and working in her community. She holds a B.A. in Broadcast Communications with emphasis on Writing and Production and received her teaching credential with a Bilingual Authorization at San Francisco State University.
Wendy taught in bilingual settings in Suzhou, China for three years before returning to San Francisco to work with elementary school students. She taught kindergarten, first, and second grades in local schools and K-5 in literacy camps before coming to St. Peter's. "I love teaching third graders! They're so independent, creative, and courageous!”
Activities and Field Trips
United States Government
Students examine the origins of the present system of US government and make connections between our history and the present day. Fifth graders learn how the three branches of government have a system of checks and balances and take part in a student Congress, where they simulate the process of passing a law. Students understand that they can take an active role in their community and their government.
literature circles
As part of the Language Arts curriculum, students participate in Literature Circles. They read novels, discuss what they've discovered and predicted, while building vocabulary, making text-to-life connections, and researching information to support a claim.
Science Explorations
Students actively investigate scientific principles through the use of FOSS Science. In one unit, students enjoy hands-on small group Investigations to explore properties of mixtures and solutions, while another unit challenges students to understand human body systems. In science, regular connections are made with math, history, and language arts. Fifth graders also take part in an annual field trip to the Academy of Sciences.
