By the time your child is in the fifth grade, you’ll want to get her on a good reading schedule, both for school assignments and for pleasure. Set aside a time during your school day for her to read required books: biographies, autobiographies, and other history books, science books, classic literature — whatever fits in well with the curriculum you’re using. Then set aside another time during the day, perhaps at night before bed, when she can choose a book to read for fun, such as a book from one of the mystery or animal series.

What should your child be learning as she reads? As a general guideline, a fifth grade reading program will help your child:

• Determine the meanings of words within context
• Decode unknown words using learned strategies, including roots and affixes, reference sources, and context
• Understand the sequence of events in the text
• Identify the characters, setting, plot, and theme of a story
• Determine the main idea and find the supporting details in a text
• Identify cultural and historical eras represented in the text
• Identify the intended audience for the text
• Recognize and understand figurative language in context, such as metaphors, personification, similes, and hyperbole
• Understand the differences among the literary genres, such as drama, biographies, autobiographies, and poetry
• Understand a variety of informational texts, including primary sources such as letters, diaries, and Internet sites
• Understand the difference between first person and third person point of view

Some homeschooling families like to incorporate reading and literature as a part of the other subjects they are studying, while other families follow an established program. If you are looking for a reading curriculum for your fifth grader, here are a few to consider

• A Beka Home School Language Arts 5 Curriculum: This program is designed specifically for homeschoolers and features detailed daily lesson plans divided into four sections: language, penmanship, reading, and spelling.

• Bob Jones University Press Reading 5 kit for fifth graders includes a student workbook, reading books, a teacher’s worktext, and a teaching visuals flip chart.

• Comprehensive Curriculum of Basic Skills, Grade 5: This book is a good supplement for review or extra practice. With lessons in reading, writing, English, reading comprehension, and math, Comprehensive Curriculum is organized so the student masters the basic skills in the order of importance. Included are teaching suggestions and an answer key.

• Learning Language Arts Through Literature Purple Book by Common Sense Press focuses on fifth grade skills. The 36 weekly lessons are pre-designed and require little or no preparation to begin. Skills addressed include grammar, creative writing, composition, spelling, higher-order reasoning, and study skills. This curriculum also includes four book studies: Farmer Boy by Laura Ingles Wilder, Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White, Meet Addy by Connie Porter, and Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink. A student workbook is also available for more independent study.

• Making Connections Starter Set Grade 5: This set by Educators Publishing Service features six books, each of which contains a purpose-setting question, comprehension questions, and writing activities. The books and their skill focuses include: Rock Climbing (main idea), Tarella (drawing conclusions), The Astonishing Book (cause and effect), Rainbows (fact and opinion), A Virtual Visit: Mexico City and Boston (compare and contrast), and A Way with Words (figurative language).

• Keystones for Reading Grade 5 Level E activity book by Modern Curriculum Press focuses on reading comprehension. Skills are grouped into three categories, including vocabulary, comprehension, and study skills. The reading selections have been chosen because of their high interest, making this a good program for reluctant readers as well.

• McGuffey 2nd Reader is recommended for grades 4 and 5. This book begins with one- and two-syllable words and moves on to more difficult words. Story topics include American history, manners, courage, and more.

• Pathway Readers Curriculum Grade 5 curriculum includes the reading textbook, teacher lesson plans, and student workbook. This program focuses on reading comprehension and is designed to make teaching reading easy and enjoyable.

Even if you don’t use a set reading curriculum, you can include time for practicing reading skills as part of your school day. Have your child study the different genres of literature, read out loud to you, and practice using the dictionary to find particular spellings or meanings of words. You may even want to have her write and present original plays. Remember, too, that although your child is now in the fifth grade, she probably still enjoys it when you read to her. Choose one of your favorite childhood novels and share a chapter together each day. Not only do you want your fifth grader to be reading well, but even more importantly, you want her to love reading.

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Photo by by KOMUnews

Homeschooling Reading Curriculum by SmartTutor.com

Story Time – Stories for Kids

One of the biggest concerns expressed by both parents and teachers concerning home education can be summed up in the question that’s often asked about homeschooled children: What about socialization?

You can find several definitions for socialization in the dictionary, including “to make fit for the companionship with others” (The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition). For some, if a child isn’t in a traditional classroom relating to other children his age on a daily basis, he won’t be able to function well in social settings as an adult. Yet if you ask a homeschooling parent, they will most likely tell you that learning to deal with others is as much a part of a child’s home education as studying the academic subjects.

While a classroom teacher has to work hard to ensure her 20 to 30 students understand the lessons, the one-on-one instruction in a homeschool setting allows the teaching parent to spend time on other things as well, including the student’s character development. Homeschooling parents have more time to notice and correct unacceptable behavior, whether at home or out in public. For many homeschoolers, character training is just as important, if not more, as completing math or spelling assignments. Through real life experiences, they have the opportunity to teach honesty, loyalty, personal responsibility, self-discipline, and dedication — qualities that make one fitting for “the companionship of others.”

A homeschooling family with multiple children or extended family living close by has another advantage: the children must learn to get along with people not only with different personalities than their own, but also with people of various ages. By relating to people both older and younger than themselves, they learn important life skills as well. Only in a traditional classroom do people of the same age learn or work together; in life, we all have to deal with people of all ages.

Another definition of socialization involves “learning the customs, attitudes, and values of a social group, community, or culture” (The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition). By this definition, parents can consider what kind of society their child will become a part of if they attend school. Does the school in their area present a positive learning environment, or have discipline problems become the norm? Do the students generally respect the administration, the teachers, and each other, or is there general disregard for rules and authority among the students? Do the students engage in safe social activities, or do many of them smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs? If a child is “socialized” into a less-than-favorable environment, chances are he will become part of that culture.

A better goal for all students than socialization would be teaching them how to interact with others – and homeschooling allows plenty of time for that. When the schoolwork is completed, students can participate in group activities that interest them, giving them opportunities to learn how to relate well with people from various economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds.

• For the musically-inclined student, have him join a local chorus, band, or orchestra. These organizations are often multi-grade level, allowing students to work with those both younger and older than themselves.
• For children interested in sports, sign them up to play team sports such as soccer, football, baseball, or basketball. They don’t have to be in a formal league; if your family doesn’t have the time to attend all the practices and games, week-long sports camps might serve as a good alternative.
• Organizations such as 4-H clubs offer students opportunities to meet new people and form new friendships while pursuing their interests. You can find clubs that focus on sewing, photography, science, art, drama, forestry, raising livestock, and so much more. If there’s not already a club in your area, consider starting one by contacting your local 4-H county agent.
• Boy and girl scouts are groups that encourage the development of strong character while experiencing new things. Scouts learn how to relate respectfully to their leaders and each other as they learn to take on leadership roles themselves.
• Community service activities, such as passing out meals to shut-ins or visiting residents in a nursing home on a regular basis, encourage understanding and compassion for the elderly.
• Recreational activities, such as roller skating, ice skating, bowling, or even hanging out with friends gives the student time to be with others in a less formal setting. Because of the nature of homeschooling, students often have friends both a little older and a little younger than themselves. They usually know the friends’ siblings as well and of necessity learn how to relate with babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and others.

Are homeschooled students failing to become socialized? As a homeschooling parent, I hope so. Instead of being “socialized,” children need to become well-functioning individuals who know how to interact with a person of any age or background. As their parents and teachers, we want them to become contributing members of society who don’t follow their peers, but rather lead them instead.

Guest Blogger: Samantha Bell

Photo by prayingmother

Homeschooling Curriculum by SmartTutor.com