Grades 5 and 6

Students in grades 5/6 learn to see stories, both personal and historical, as the threads that connect people, ideas, and time. The Humanities program invites them to think critically, empathetically, and collaboratively as they explore immigration trends, the Civil Rights Movement, and ancient civilizations. Through thoughtful reading, writing, and analysis, students engage deeply with diverse sources and perspectives, connecting lessons from the past to their own lives and communities.

Writing and discussion remain at the heart of the program. Students craft personal essays, persuasive letters, and analytical responses that demand clear organization, purposeful argument, and textual evidence. In collaborative discussions and debates, they build relational skills, listening deeply, questioning respectfully, and articulating ideas with empathy, clarity, and conviction.

By year’s end, students not only understand history’s major movements but also see themselves as informed, compassionate participants in an evolving civic story.

Snapshot of Learning: Students conduct an Immigration Story Lab—interviewing a family or community member about their journey to the U.S., transcribing quotes, mapping migration routes, and creating podcasts that highlight “push/pull” factors and shared humanity.

Science in Grades 5 and 6 invites students to investigate how the world works through observation, experimentation, and design. Students learn to think like scientists, posing thoughtful questions, testing hypotheses, and using data and evidence to explain their findings. Each unit builds conceptual understanding alongside curiosity and persistence as students engage deeply with real-world systems.

Students might explore hydrology by collecting and testing local water samples or examine cells and bacteria under microscopes to compare plant and animal structures. Later in the year, they apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to engineering design challenges that emphasize iteration, precision, and teamwork. Themes of environmental science and sustainability run throughout the program, encouraging students to connect scientific understanding with care and responsibility for the planet.

Every investigation reinforces curiosity, collaboration, and discipline, qualities that turn “what happens if…” into authentic scientific insight.

Snapshot of Learning: During Water Quality Fieldwork, teams test pH and turbidity in nearby ponds, analyze pollution sources, and design working filtration systems that demonstrate how science can improve community health.

The 5/6 math program uses curriculum to build fluency and confidence through experimentation and problem solving. Students tackle multi-step problems, experiment with ratios, operate with fractions and decimals, understand pre-algebraic concepts, and learn to explain their reasoning aloud and in writing. Our assessment extends beyond the right answer to honor the tenacity and collaborative problem-solving essential to the mathematical process.

Our focus is on thinking deeply, not calculating quickly. Lessons are designed to help students uncover why math works the way it does, not just how to get the answer. Students explore multiple pathways to a solution, share their reasoning, and learn from the diverse approaches of their peers. This emphasis on conceptual understanding nurtures flexible thinking, connects math to different perspectives, and helps every student recognize that mathematical thinking is a creative, human process, not a fixed talent.

In class, we invite students into rich mathematical dialogue: they talk and write about math, listen carefully to each other’s reasoning, and respectfully challenge ideas to deepen collective understanding. The classroom hums with a kind of joyful rigor, where mistakes are mined for insight and persistence leads to genuine discovery. Students aren’t asked to work harder—they’re invited to think more curiously, building both mastery and the confidence to say, “I am a mathematician.”

Spanish study in Grades 5/6 invites students to explore language, culture, and communication with curiosity and confidence. Students build skills in speaking, listening, reading, and writing through conversation, games, movement, and creative projects. Each unit blends vocabulary and grammar with cultural exploration, helping students see language as a bridge between communities.

Interactive activities, skits, and collaborative projects encourage playful risk-taking as students practice real-world communication, introducing themselves, describing people and places, ordering food, and sharing likes and dislikes. They also engage with music, stories, and traditions from across the Spanish-speaking world, developing empathy, cultural awareness, and a sense of global connection.

By the end of sixth grade, students can hold meaningful conversations, write short paragraphs, and express themselves with growing confidence, ready to continue their exploration of language and culture in the years ahead.

Snapshot of Learning: During Mercado Day, students transform their classroom into a vibrant marketplace: bargaining, buying, and selling entirely in Spanish. Every label, menu, and price tag is handmade, and the laughter is universal.

Creativity blossoms in Grades 5 and 6 through exploration, collaboration, and hands-on making during the dedicated arts block. Students rotate through visual arts, music, and other expressive experiences that spark imagination and joy. In a typical week, they might sculpt or paint in the art studio, move and improvise in dance, bring a story to life through puppetry, or find rhythm and connection in African drumming. These experiences nurture confidence, creativity, and cultural awareness, reminding students that art is not just something you make – it’s something you feel, share, and inhabit.

In the visual arts, students work with a wide range of media, including drawing, painting, printmaking, and mixed-media design, while studying artistic traditions from around the world. They learn to observe closely, take creative risks, and use visual language to express ideas and emotions. Reflection and critique help them see their own work, and the work of their peers, as part of an ongoing conversation about creativity, perspective, and process.

Music deepens the same sense of expression and collaboration. Students choose and learn an instrument for band, sing in choir, and perform for the school community. Through rehearsal and performance, they develop listening skills, teamwork, and stage confidence, discovering the joy of being both expressive and in sync with others. Across all art forms, the emphasis is on the creative process as much as the final performance: cultivating curiosity, discipline, and the courage to create boldly.

In Grades 5 and 6, Physical Education and Health provide students with opportunities to build strength, coordination, stamina, and lifelong wellness habits. In PE, students engage in cooperative games, movement challenges, and age-appropriate sports, learning the value of perseverance, teamwork, fair play, and mutual respect. Physical activity is approached not only as a way to develop skills but also as a source of enjoyment, confidence, and empowerment.

Health lessons support students in understanding and caring for their bodies and minds. Through conversation, exploration, and real-world scenarios, they examine topics such as nutrition, hygiene, personal safety, and healthy decision-making, developing knowledge and habits that will serve them throughout life.

Together, PE and Health help students grow strong, confident, and resilient, equipped to take on challenges, collaborate with others, and engage fully with the world around them.

Snapshot of Learning: During Mindful Mornings, students set intentions, practice deep breathing, and share goals or gratitude—building focus, calm, and readiness for the day ahead.