The Excellent Reader Jr: 5th (Fifth) Grade Language Arts Course (Semester One)
In this Full Curriculum Fifth Grade English Language Arts (Semester One) course, Mrs. VZ uses award-winning literature and excellent Language Arts Instruction as she teaches Reading, Grammar, and Creative Writing.
Evelyn VanZant: 4th and 5th Grade Language Arts
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What's included
24 live meetings
20 in-class hoursHomework
2-4 hours per week. Homework is not required for this course, however, completing the homework assignments will result in more academic growth. Homework assignments will be uploaded before a unit begins and should take anywhere from 2-4 hours per week outside of class to complete depending on how fast your learner reads. (Readings may also be completed using an audiobook or read aloud by a parent). Below is a sample of homework assignments for the first 2 weeks of class, each homework packet will be accompanied by an assignment sheet with explanations for all assignments. No Pre-Class homework is needed. Week 1: Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan Class 1 homework assignment: Complete before class 2. o Using the Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, find one-word definitions for your vocabulary words on page 2. o Complete the importance of punctuation assignment on page 3. o Read chapters 1 - 5 of Sarah, Plain and Tall. o Answer any 4 questions from the question sheet found on page 4 and the writing question found on page 5 (1 simple paragraph). Class 2 homework assignments: Complete before class 3 o Using the practice sheets on pages 2 and 3, review the types of sentences discussed in class. o Read chapters 6-9 of Sarah, Plain and Tall o Answer 4 questions and the writer question from the question sheet on page 4. Week 2: Red Sails to Capri by Anne Weil Class 3 homework assignments: Complete before class 4 o Review subjects and predicates on pages 2 and 3 o Read Chapters 1-3 of Red Sails to Capri o Answer 4 questions and the writing question from the question sheet on page 4. Class 4 homework assignments: Complete before class 5 o Have you ever dreamed of the perfect vacation? Where would you go, what would you do? These are the perfect questions to answer in your travel brochure assignment. (see the instructions below) o Complete your vocabulary assignment on page 2. o Read Chapters 4-6 and answer 4 questions and the writing question from the question sheet on pages 4 and 5. etc...Assessment
Grading: A numerical is available upon request. Homework assignments must be uploaded if a grade is requested. Reading and Grammar assignments will be given a completion grade. Writing assignments may be uploaded to Outschool and graded for accuracy. Special projects will be graded for accuracy and completion. Comprehension will be graded through class discussion and homework checks. 5th Grade grading rubric 1/5 Homework Completion 1/5 Class Participation 1/5 Travel Brochure Project (class 7 and following) 1/5 Commercial Presentation (class 12) 1/5 Imagine If Story (class 23) At the completion of the class, each student will be given a teacher evaluation in which I use class time and written examples to communicate how much the student has advanced in their skills.Grading
includedClass Experience
US Grade 5
The Excellent Reader Jr: 5th Grade Language Arts Class (Semester One) runs only in the fall of the year. Classes will begin the week of September 9, 2024, and run through the week of December 11, 2024. Included in this schedule is a two-week break beginning on November 15, 2024, and ending on November 29, 2024.
Completion of this 12-week intensive 5th Grade Language Arts course will have your student showing marked improvement in not only their reading comprehension but also in their verbal and written communication skills.
The course meets twice weekly for 12 weeks (24 classes).
Used in the course are the following excellent children’s literature books, the teacher provided homework assignments, weekly in-class activities, and book discussions.
• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan (1.5 weeks)
• Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil (1.5 weeks)
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (3 weeks)
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien (3 weeks)
• Poetry Unit: Humor in Poetry as we study Hilaire Belloc and Shel Silverstein (1 week) (teacher-provided material)
• The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis (2 weeks)
Embedded within the course will be a review of grammar basics (teacher-provided materials) and skill-building writing lessons. Through grammar and writing lessons, the students will learn to write more creative and interesting sentences by mimicking excellent writers and reflecting those styles in their sentences. (teacher-provided materials).
Student Supplies include:
The excellent children’s literature includes five grade-level books with weekly in-class activities and book discussions.
• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
• Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien
• The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
• The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms,
Newest Edition, Mass-Market Paperback
All of these may be purchased on Amazon or another book retailer.
• A Class 3 ring binder with loose-leaf paper (There will be weekly printable papers associated with this class)
Grading: A numerical or letter grade is available upon request. (Homework must be uploaded to the teacher tab if a grade is requested)
Reading and Grammar assignments will be given a completion grade.
Writing assignments will be uploaded to Outschool and graded for accuracy.
Special projects will be graded for accuracy and completion.
Comprehension will be graded through class discussion and participation.
After the class, each student will be given a teacher evaluation in which I use class time and written examples to communicate how much the student has advanced in their skills.
Updated June 2024Learning Goals
In this 5th grade Language Arts, course students will improve their independent reading, comprehension, and writing skills by means of the five literature books, the poetry unit, weekly vocabulary, grammar, and writing lessons.
Specifically, by the end of this course, students will have improved both their oral and written communication skills.
Syllabus
Curriculum
Follows Teacher-Created CurriculumStandards
Aligned with Common Core State Standards (CCSS)24 Lessons
over 12 WeeksLesson 1:
Sarah Plain and Tall: Lesson One
1. Ice Breaker: Favorite Book Share
2. Class Expectations lesson.
3. Class art project as I introduce the book Sarah Plain and Tall by Sarah McClachlan and the other four books of the course.
4. Grammar Focus: Punctuation
5. Writing Focus: Writing using full sentences
6. Homework Review 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 2:
Sarah Plain and Tall: Lesson Two
1. Writer Question: Oral reading share
2. Understanding the times: comprehension activity.
3. Sarah Plain and Tall: Book discussion
4. Vocabulary review activity
5. Grammar Focus: Four types of sentences
6. Homework Review 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 3:
Sarah Plain and Tall: Lesson Three
1. Writer Question: Oral reading share
2. Sarah Plain and Tall: Book Discussion
3. True or false book discussion
4. Grammar Focus: Simple and compound sentences
5. Homework Review 50 mins online live lesson
Lesson 4:
Red Sails to Capri: Lesson One
1. Writer Question: Oral reading share
2. Red Sails to Capri: Book Discussion
3. Project One Introduction: Travel Brochure may be presented during classes six, seven, or eight.
4. Writing Lesson: Paragraphs
5. Homework Review 50 mins online live lesson
Other Details
Parental Guidance
We are reading five age-appropriate novels in this course and comprehension and book discussion are a large part of the in-class activities, so I wanted to summarize the plot and the discussion focus of each book.
• Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan is an award-winning fictional story of 1800s life in the American mid-west. In this story, a family deals with the loss of the mother and the friendship that grows between Sarah, an invited guest from Maine, and the family. From tragedy grows friendship, companionship, and finally love! This is a short, but heart-warming story of loss and love.
• Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil is a hidden gem of a book. This Newberry Honor book is set on the island of Capri off the coast of Italy and surrounds the arrival of a boat with red sails. Arriving during winter, an off-season for guests, the three travelers cause quite a stir as they become interested in a mysterious cove. No one speaks of the cove, and definitely, no one GOES to the cove, but these travelers are determined to change all of that. Follow along with Michele as he discovers adventure, beauty, and knowledge through the eyes of these three travelers.
• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster is another hidden gem. In this fantasy book, students will travel with Milo into the imaginary Kingdom of Wisdom where the princesses, Rhyme and Reason, have been banished, and their brothers, King Azaz and the Mathemagician are ruling without them. Imagine a world without Rhyme and Reason, and you can see how adventurous and exciting this trip will be. In this fantastical story, we will be focusing on wonderful vocabulary, exciting characters, and the world of idioms.
• Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien is the story of a widowed mouse, her sick son, and a rosebush full of incredibly smart rats. Following a diagnosis of pneumonia for Timothy Frisby, his mother must find a way to protect him during the planting season. To this end, she willingly places herself in one dangerous situation after another as she seeks to protect her family. Along the way, she discovers how her husband died, why the farm cat is suddenly so lazy, and what in the world the rats need with an electrical wire. This story of love, loss, and friendship will have your reader thinking deeply about animal rights and protection.
• The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis is the first book written in the famous Chronicles of Narnia series. In this story, we travel with the Pevensie children as they stumble into the amazing world of Narnia, a world of talking animals, spying trees, and an evil witch masquerading as the Queen of Narnia. This amazing story of sacrifice and redemption focuses mainly on Edmund, the brother/traitor who is willing to trade his siblings for a room full of Turkish delight, and realizes, almost too late, what his betrayal could mean to his siblings. This series has six more books and, when we finish this course, your learner will be chomping at the bit to read them all.
Updated March 17, 2022
Supply List
Student Supplies include: The excellent children’s literature includes five grade-level books with weekly in-class activities and book discussions. • Sarah Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan • Red Sails to Capri by Ann Weil • The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster • Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh by Robert C. O'Brien • The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis • The Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms, Newest Edition, Mass-Market Paperback All of these may be purchased on Amazon or another book retailer. • A Class 3 ring binder with loose-leaf paper (There will be weekly printable papers associated with this class)
1 file available upon enrollment
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined July, 2020
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Teacher expertise and credentials
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Mississippi State University
Saving my profile will allow you to receive 4th and 5th Grade Language Arts class listing updates. I teach year-round with classes beginning mid-September, mid-January, and mid-May.
Having taught for many years, I have learned the key to being a great educator is to, "Never Stop Learning!" To that end, I am always making exciting discoveries that allow me to improve my knowledge and skills in a variety of areas. Specifically, I am passionate about Literature, Public Speaking, and Life Skills and truly believe that knowledge in these areas is particularly important to achieve a full and happy life.
Through Outschool, My passion is to provide excellent Language Arts classes for 4th and 5th-grade students. This is the time in a student's education when they move from learning to read to reading to learn.
I have now listed three age-appropriate classes per grade level. These classes are specifically designed to provide your student with a fun, educational, and exciting way to grasp all of the 4th and 5th-grade ELA Common Core expectations.
In the fall, your student may take either 4th or 5th-grade ELA (Semester One) courses. In the spring (January), your student may take either 4th or 5th grade ELA (Semester Two). In the summer, I'll be teaching my grade-specific eight-week Summer Reading and Writing Fun Courses.
Graduating with a degree in K-8 education and completing an emphasis in Reading and Math for all levels, I have had the privilege to teach public, private, and homeschooled students in grades k-12. Not only have I taught my three loves as listed above, but have enjoyed expanding my knowledge by teaching math, science, and history.
I believe learning should be an adventure worth taking and must include both teacher and learner engaging together. As a teacher, I am also a learner, and as a learner, your students are also teachers, by engaging together as a classroom of teachers and learners, my classes will work for a variety of learning styles including but not limited to the visual, auditory and tactile learning styles.
When I'm not teaching, I'm walking, reading, sewing, cooking, watching baseball, and loving on my family.Reviews
Live Group Course
$30
weekly or $360 for 24 classes2x per week, 12 weeks
50 min
Completed by 222 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 9-12
6-10 learners per class
