Grade 5 Writing Curriculum

Family-facing version of the grade 5 Writing curriculum

Quarterly Overview of Grade 5 Writing

The objectives and outcomes for each unit are common across FCPS and based on the Virginia Standards of Learning. The pacing by quarter and by week provides an example of how the curriculum can be organized throughout the year. Teacher teams may adjust the pacing or order of units to best meet the needs of students.

Units and Details

Unit 1: Building a Community of Writers

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contribution.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use commas to indicate interrupters, items in a series, and to indicate direct address. 
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message. 
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
    • Use description, details, and examples.
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
    • Develop persuasive writing skills.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 2: Memoir

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
    • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
    • Maintain eye contact with listeners. 
    • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
    • Organize information to convey a central idea.
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
    • Write multi paragraph compositions. 
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use quotation marks with dialogue. 
    • Edit for fragments and run-on sentences.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
    • Use description, details, and examples.
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
    • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
    • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
    • Use descriptive details and examples.
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 3: Persuasive Essay

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
    • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
    • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience.
    • Write multi paragraph compositions.
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use prepositional phrases.
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
  • Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
    • Construct questions about a topic. 
    • Collect and organize information from multiple resources. 
    • Give credit to sources used in research.
    • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
    • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
    • Use description, details, and examples.
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
    • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
    • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
    • Use descriptive details and examples.
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 4: Narrative Nonfiction

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas.
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process.
    • Select audience and purpose.
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
    • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
    • Write multi paragraph compositions.
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice.
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English: 
    • Use commas to indicate interrupters, items in a series, and to indicate direct address.
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
    • Use coordinating conjunctions.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
  • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
    • Use description, details, and examples.
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
    • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
    • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
    • Use descriptive details and examples.
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 5: Fantasy Short Stories

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions. 
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work.
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading:
    • Use context to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
    • Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words. 
    • Identify an author’s use of figurative language.
  • Read and demonstrate comprehension of fictional texts, literary nonfiction, and poetry: 
    • Summarize plot events using details from text.
    • Discuss the impact of setting on plot development. 
    • Describe character development. 
    • Identify theme(s). 
    • Explain the resolution of conflict(s). 
    • Identify genres.
    • Differentiate between first and third person point-of-view. 
    • Explain how an author’s choice of vocabulary contributes to the author’s style.
    • Draw conclusions and make inferences with support from the text. 
    • Identify cause and effect relationships. 
    • Compare/contrast details in literary and informational nonfiction texts. 
    • Use reading strategies throughout the reading process to monitor comprehension.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
  • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
  • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
  • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
  • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
  • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
  • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
  • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
  • Support opinions with examples and details.
  • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
    • Use description, details, and examples
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
    • Develop persuasive writing skills
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
    •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing   
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 6: Poetry

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use adjective and adverb comparisons. 
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals.
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.  
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 7: Content Area Research

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues. 
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities.
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
    • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
    • Maintain eye contact with listeners.
    • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details. 
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing.
    • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea.
    • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience. 
    • Write multi paragraph compositions.
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases.
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use a hyphen to divide words at the end of a line.
    • Edit for fragments and run-on sentences.
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.
  • Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
    • Construct questions about a topic. 
    • Collect and organize information from multiple resources. 
    • Evaluate the relevance, reliability, and credibility of information. 
    • Give credit to sources used in research. 
    • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
    • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet. 

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
    • Use description, details, and examples
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
    • Develop persuasive writing skills
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
    •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing  

Unit 8: Independent Writing Projects

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas.
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings.
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Create multimodal presentations that effectively communicate ideas:
    • Effectively use verbal and nonverbal communication skills to plan and deliver collaborative and individual, formal and informal interactive presentations.
    • Maintain eye contact with listeners. 
    • Organize content sequentially around major ideas. 
    • Use language and style appropriate to the audience, topic, and purpose. 
    • Ask and answer questions to gather or clarify information presented orally. 
  • Expand vocabulary when reading: 
    • Use context to clarify the meaning of unfamiliar words and phrases.
    • Use context and sentence structure to determine meanings and differentiate among multiple meanings of words.
    • Use knowledge of roots, affixes, synonyms, antonyms, and homophones to determine the meaning of new words.
    • Identify an author’s use of figurative language. 
    • Use word-reference materials. 
    • Develop and use general and specialized content area vocabulary through speaking, listening, reading, and writing.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive:
    • Engage in writing as a process. 
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies. 
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Recognize different forms of writing have different patterns of organization including story structure for narrative writing. 
    • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
    • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience.
    • Write multi paragraph compositions.
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information.
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Use interjections. 
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and speaker in seminars. 
    • Lead and contribute to discussions and viewpoints with others across content areas and in seminars.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others. 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences. 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message.
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing.
    • Use description, details, and examples.
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style.
    • Develop persuasive writing skills. 
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing.
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence. 
    • Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message.
    • Use descriptive details and examples.
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context.
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Unit 9: Journalism

Students will be able to: 

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Listen actively and speak using appropriate discussion rules with awareness of verbal and nonverbal cues.
    • Participate in and contribute to discussions across content areas. 
    • Summarize information gathered in group activities. 
    • Orally express ideas clearly in pairs, diverse groups, and whole class settings. 
    • Use evidence to support opinions and conclusions.
    • Summarize the main points a speaker makes, and connect comments to the remarks of others.
    • Demonstrate the ability to collaborate with diverse teams, while sharing responsibility for the work. 
    • Work respectfully with others and show value for individual contributions.
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive: 
    • Engage in writing as a process.
    • Select audience and purpose. 
    • Use a variety of prewriting strategies.
    • Introduce and develop a topic, incorporating evidence and supporting details.
    • Organize information to convey a central idea. 
    • Write a clear topic sentence focusing on the main idea. 
    • Clearly state a position including supporting reasons and evidence to persuade the intended audience. 
    • Write multi paragraph compositions.
    • Use precise and descriptive vocabulary to create tone and voice. 
    • Vary sentence structure by using transition words and prepositional phrases. 
    • Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. 
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Eliminate double negatives. 
    • Use correct spelling of commonly used words. 
  • Find, evaluate, and select appropriate resources to create a research product:
    • Construct questions about a topic.
    • Collect and organize information from multiple resources.
    • Evaluate the relevance, reliability, and credibility of information.
    • Give credit to sources used in research. 
    • Avoid plagiarism and use own words.
    • Demonstrate ethical use of the Internet.

Extended Standards: In addition to the Virginia Standards of Learning named above, students who receive full-time Advanced Academic (AAP Level IV) Services engage with these extensions.

  • Use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings:
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars. 
    • Articulate understanding of a reading to a partner.
    • State the main ideas or themes of the story.
    • Engage in a dialogue about the meaning of a selection.
    • Develop listening/oral communication skills.
    • Make informative and persuasive oral presentations using purposeful structure and visuals. 
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker. 
    • Develop skills of argument formulation in persuasive communication. 
    • Support opinions with examples and details.
    • Engage in discussions with others by exchanging ideas, asking questions, actively listening, and responding thoughtfully to the comments of others.
  • Create and deliver multimodal, interactive presentations:
    • Know the type of information found in various reference materials including atlases, dictionaries, and websites
    • Participate in group discussions as a listener and a speaker in seminars 
    • Use specific vocabulary to communicate ideas
    • Ask clarifying questions and take notes when listening to a speaker 
  • Write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, and expository:
    • Select a topic and develop a plan for writing for a variety of purposes and audiences 
    • Focus, organize, and elaborate to create an effective message 
    • Synthesize author techniques to improve or create a new piece of writing
    • Use description, details, and examples
    • Reflect individuality through word choice and style
    • Develop persuasive writing skills
    • Evaluate the effective use of words, sentences, and paragraphs in context
    • Use the elements of reasoning to develop strong, convincing arguments in persuasive writing 
    • Provide evidence and data to support a claim, issue, or thesis sentence
    •  Vary sentence type, length and order to maximize the written message
    • Revise based on peer review, teacher feedback and self-evaluation by adding, deleting, and changing information to improve writing   
  • Self- and peer-edit writing for capitalization, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, paragraphing, and Standard English:
    • Develop linguistic competency

Virginia Department of Education Resources

Assessments

Student assessments are part of the teaching and learning process.

  • Teachers give assessments to students on an ongoing basis to
    • Check for understanding 
    • Gather information about students' knowledge or skills.
  • Assessments provide information about a child's development of knowledge and skills that can help families and teachers better plan for next steps in instruction.

For testing questions or additional information about how schools and teachers use test results to support student success, families can contact their children's schools.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), fifth grade tests focus on measuring content knowledge and skill development. Required tests for fifth graders are:

  • Developmental Spelling Analysis (DSA): To measure the development of spelling skills.
    • Fall
    • Spring
  • iReady (Reading and Mathematics): To identify gaps in foundational academic skills and measure the progress of skill development.
    • Fall 
    • Spring
  • Writing Local Alternative Assessments (LAA): To measure knowledge of grade-level content standards in place of the SOL test.
    • Various Dates throughout the Year (communicated by classroom teacher)
  • Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Screener: To measure the development of social-emotional learning, relationships, and well-being.
    • Fall
    • Spring
  • Virginia Growth Assessment (VGA) Reading and Mathematics: To measure progress in grade-level content standards throughout the year.
    • Fall
    • Winter
  • Integrated Reading/Writing Field Test: To collect information for state test developers about potential new test item types for future SOL testing
    • Spring
  • Standards of Learning (SOL) Reading, Mathematics, and Science Tests: To measure knowledge of grade-level content standards for state and federal accountability.
    • Spring
Looking for other grade 5 information?