49 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Fifth Grade

Fifth grade is the final year before your child takes their next step in education: middle school. It is an exciting time for your child and you want he/her to be prepared as best as possible. By the end of fourth grade, children should have improved their language and writing skills in not only language arts, but in other subjects. A child should have mastered multiplication and conquered fractions. Fifth grade focuses on a lot more thinking, rather than doing. 

Here is a checklist of what a child needs to know before starting fifth grade (note that this checklist can vary based on your state’s academic standards).

Reading Comprehension Skills

1. Identify what the author’s main point is in the story and explain/ show evidence that supports the text
2. Compare writing styles in different cultures
3. Understand various forms of information (charts, drawings, timelines)
4. Understand more difficult examples of cause-and-effect
5. Work on research projects in groups 
6. Read grade-level assigned books

Writing Skills

7. Take notes and organize facts (written and oral reports)
8. Use dialogue and descriptive language when writing a story (ex: The bright rays of the sun shined off the ocean’s cold, salty waves.)
9. Know how to revise, edit, and proofread their work
10. Mastered writing expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative essays
11. Know how to write other forms of writing (personal letters, poetry)
12. Understand and know the figurative language and how to use it properly (metaphors, similes, personification, alliteration, idioms, hyperboles, and onomatopoeia)
13. Mastered prefixes, suffixes, homophones, and root words
14. Know proper punctuation and the parts of speech

 Mathematic Skills

15. Work with multi-digit numbers
16. Solve multi-step word problems 
17. Compare fractions by using the numerator (top) and denominator (bottom)
18. Create fractions that are equal to each other (1/2 and 3/6)
19. Know how to subtract and add fractions
20. Know how to multiply fractions
21. Learn to change fractions with the denominators in multiples of ten to decimals
22. Compare fractions using > (more than) < (less than) and = (equal to) and place them on a number line in order from least to greatest 
23. Know measurements and what is equivalent to them (1ft. = 12 in. 1yd. = 3ft. 1mi. = 5,280 ft.)
24. Should know what polygons are 
25. Should be able to identify polygons (triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons, and octagons)

 Social Studies Skills

26. Measure distance using map scales
27. Know our county's five regions (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Midwest, and West)
28. Know the highest points in the world (ex: Asia = Mt. Everest)
29. Know about medieval Europe
30. Know about the American Revolution
31. Become introduced and familiar with the U.S. Constitution 
32. Identify customs, celebrations, and traditions in various cultures and groups
33. Know their state's physical features and know-how to identify places/ things on a map (mountains, rivers, cities)
34. Know what a current event is and why it is important to discuss them

 Science Skills

35. Know the circulatory system 
36. Understand and know what matter is and how it works
37. Understand mass, volume, and density
38. Know about earthquakes
39. Describe famous volcanoes
40. Know how mountains are formed 
41. Understand cold and warm fronts and how weather changes
42. Understand earth, physical, and life science
43. Know how to conduct an experiment (scientific method)

 Social Skills and Abilities 

44. Know how to juggle multiple tasks and assignments 
45. Have a great deal of confidence 
46. Work cooperatively in a group
47. Follow directions and participate in group activities
48. Share and communicate appropriately with other students
49. Respect their teachers and peers

Read the Rest of the Series!

Have multiple children in multiple grades? Read the rest of the series!

• 21 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Kindergarten
• 45 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering First Grade
  
• 45 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Second Grade
• 43 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Third Grade
• 48 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Fourth Grade
• 49 Things Your Child Should Know Before Entering Fifth Grade

Research Sources:

• New Jersey State Government, "Model Curriculum Grade 5 ELA Units," http://www.state.nj.us/education/modelcurriculum/ela/5.pdf
• New Jersey State Government, "Model Curriculum Grade 5 Mathematics Units,"http://www.state.nj.us/education/modelcurriculum/math/5.pdf
• GreatSchools Staff. "Fourth Grade: What Your Child Should Know." Parenting. 24 Feb. 2016. Web. 02 Sept. 2017.
• GreatSchools Staff. "Your Fourth Grader and Social Studies." Parenting. 2 Apr. 2015. Web. 02 Sept. 2017.
• Morin, Amanda. "Academic Skills Your Child Needs for Fifth Grade." understood.org. Web. 02 Sept. 2017.
• Tornio, Stacy. "25 Things Every 4th Grader Needs to Know." WeAreTeachers. 25 Oct. 2016. Web. 02 Sept. 2017.