Our Curriculum › Reading › 5th Grade
Reading 5
Fifth grade reading goes deeper into how stories and nonfiction are built: theme, point of view, conflict, figurative language, text structure, and comparing and combining several texts. A research strand teaches note-taking and judging sources.
180 lessons
One a day for a school year
8 units
Each opens to its lessons
5 nonfiction text sets
Ocean, space, weather, inventions, migration
Standards
Common Core Grade 5 reading
What's taught, unit by unit
Figurative language, point of view & comparingDays 1–40
Metaphors, similes, idioms and adages; how chapters build a story; how point of view shapes description; mystery and adventure stories; multiple accounts of an event; how authors use evidence; and comparing themes and text structures across texts.
- 1 · Welcome to Reading 5!
- 2 · Interpreting Metaphors
- 3 · Interpreting Similes
- 4 · Reading a Story: The Science Fair Disaster
- 6 · How Chapters Build a Story's Structure
- 7 · How Point of View Shapes Description
- 8 · Reading a Nonfiction Passage: The Great Migration of Monarch Butterflies
- 9 · Comparing Text Structure Across Two Texts
- 11 · Idioms and Adages Continue
- 12 · Reading a Mystery Story
- 13 · Reading an Adventure Story
- 14 · Comparing Themes in the Same Genre
- 16 · Analyzing Multiple Accounts of the Same Event
- 17 · Reading a Nonfiction Passage: The Amazon Rainforest
- 18 · How Authors Use Evidence to Support Points
- 19 · Integrating Information from Several Texts
- 21 · Reading a Story: The Chess Champion
- 22 · Comparing Two Sports Stories in the Same Genre
- 23 · Reading a Nonfiction Passage: How Bridges Are Engineered
- 24 · Comparing Structure of Two Nonfiction Texts
- 26 · Reading a Story: The Rained-Out Game
- 27 · Determining Meaning of Multiple-Meaning Words in Context
- 28 · Reading a Nonfiction Passage: The Human Skeleton
- 29 · Comparing Firsthand and Secondhand Accounts
- 31 · How Authors Use Reasons and Evidence
- 32 · Which Reasons Support Which Points?
- 33 · Point of View in Narrative Text
- 34 · How Narrators' Points of View Differ
- 36 · Comparing Themes Across Stories
- 37 · Comparing Topics Across Informational Texts
- 38 · Determining Word Meaning from Context
- 39 · Figurative Language Review: Metaphors and Similes
Plus 8 review days, not listed.
Research skills & nonfiction text setsDays 41–60
Choosing a topic, taking notes from two sources and summarizing them; poetry and drama basics; a first text set on ocean animals; cause and effect, problem and solution, setting's effect on plot and a historical fiction story.
- 41 · Choosing a Research Topic
- 42 · Reading Source 1: Taking Notes
- 43 · Reading Source 2: Comparing Information
- 44 · Recognizing an Author's Purpose
- 46 · Summarizing Multiple Sources
- 47 · Analyzing Poetry: Structure and Meaning
- 48 · Drama: Structure and Stage Directions
- 49 · Comparing Two Stories on the Same Theme
- 51 · Nonfiction Text Set: Ocean Animals (Part 1)
- 52 · Nonfiction Text Set: Ocean Animals (Part 2)
- 53 · Synthesizing a Text Set
- 54 · Analyzing Cause and Effect in Nonfiction
- 56 · Analyzing Problem and Solution Structure
- 57 · A Historical Fiction Story
- 58 · Analyzing Setting's Effect on Plot
- 59 · Determining Central Message Across a Full Text
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Poetry, plays, biography & character craftDays 61–80
A narrative poem, rhyme scheme and rhythm, a short play, a biography excerpt, historical fiction, and idioms and metaphors in context. Character motivation, flashback, author's craft, theme from details and who is narrating.
- 61 · Reading a Narrative Poem
- 62 · Rhyme Scheme and Rhythm
- 63 · Reading a Short Play
- 64 · Comparing Two Poems on the Same Theme
- 66 · Interpreting an Idiom in Context
- 67 · Reading a Biography Excerpt
- 68 · Comparing Two Historical Fiction Stories
- 69 · Interpreting a Metaphor in a Passage
- 71 · Analyzing a Character's Motivation
- 72 · Comparing How Two Characters Respond to a Challenge
- 73 · Analyzing Flashback
- 74 · Comparing Author's Craft Across Two Stories
- 76 · Determining Theme from Story Details
- 77 · Whose Eyes Are We Seeing This Through?
- 78 · Interpreting Figurative Language in Context
- 79 · Comparing Two Characters' Traits
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Space exploration & judging sourcesDays 81–90
A space exploration text set (Apollo 11 and more), text features, diagrams and charts, how to judge a source's credibility, fact vs. opinion, spotting bias, and combining the texts into one understanding.
- 81 · Nonfiction Text Set: Space Exploration (Part 1)
- 82 · Nonfiction Text Set: Space Exploration (Part 2)
- 83 · Analyzing Text Features
- 84 · Evaluating a Diagram or Chart
- 86 · Determining Credibility of a Source
- 87 · Fact vs. Opinion in Nonfiction
- 88 · Identifying Bias in a Text
- 89 · Synthesizing the Space Exploration Text Set
Plus 2 review days, not listed.
Mystery, growth & weather storiesDays 91–115
Three whole short stories: a mystery (clues, predicting, resolution), a science fair story (character growth, theme) and a fear-of-performing story (supporting characters, pacing, endings), plus a weather text set on hurricanes and tornadoes.
- 91 · A New Story: The Lost Backpack
- 92 · Analyzing Clues in a Mystery
- 93 · Predicting the Solution
- 94 · The Lost Backpack: The Resolution
- 96 · A New Story: The Science Fair Surprise
- 97 · Analyzing the Character's Growth
- 98 · Identifying the Theme
- 99 · Comparing Two Stories’ Themes
- 101 · A New Story: The Talent Show
- 102 · Analyzing How a Character Overcomes a Fear
- 103 · Identifying Supporting Characters' Roles
- 104 · The Talent Show: Theme and Reflection
- 106 · Text-to-Text Connections
- 107 · Interpreting a Simile in the Story
- 108 · Analyzing Pacing in a Story
- 109 · Analyzing an Effective Story Ending
- 111 · A New Nonfiction Text Set: Weather Wonders (Part 1)
- 112 · A New Nonfiction Text Set: Weather Wonders (Part 2)
- 113 · Analyzing Cause and Effect in Weather Events
- 114 · Synthesizing the Weather Wonders Text Set
Plus 5 review days, not listed.
Original stories & inventionsDays 116–140
Whole stories read over several days (The New Kid, The Robotics Team, The Time Capsule) with internal vs. external conflict, compromise and setting over time. An inventions text set (light bulb, telephone), then cumulative review and recommending a book.
- 116 · A New Story: The New Kid
- 117 · Analyzing Internal vs. External Conflict
- 118 · Analyzing How Conflict Drives Plot
- 119 · The New Kid: Theme and Resolution
- 121 · A New Story: The Robotics Team (Part 1)
- 122 · The Robotics Team: Analyzing Conflict (Part 2)
- 123 · The Robotics Team: Reaching a Compromise (Part 3)
- 124 · The Robotics Team: Theme of Teamwork (Part 4)
- 126 · Inventions That Changed Life: The Light Bulb (Part 1)
- 127 · Inventions That Changed Life: The Telephone (Part 2)
- 128 · Evaluating an Invention's Impact
- 129 · Synthesizing the Inventions Text Set
- 131 · A New Story: The Time Capsule
- 132 · Analyzing How Setting Changes Over Time
- 133 · Analyzing Character Curiosity
- 134 · The Time Capsule: Theme About Connecting Generations
- 136 · Cumulative Fiction Review: Character Analysis
- 137 · Cumulative Nonfiction Review: Text Structures
- 138 · Cumulative Review: Figurative Language
- 139 · Choosing a Favorite Book to Recommend
Plus 5 review days, not listed.
Garden story, migration & reviewDays 141–160
A four-part story about gradual character change and time passing, a bird and sea turtle migration text set, and a cumulative review of narrative elements, point of view and text structures that uses the novel Charlotte's Web as its example.
- 141 · A New Story: The Garden Project (Part 1)
- 142 · The Garden Project (Part 2): How Authors Show Time Passing
- 143 · The Garden Project (Part 3): Tracing Gradual Character Change
- 144 · The Garden Project (Part 4): Determining the Theme
- 146 · A New Nonfiction Text Set: Amazing Journeys — Bird Migration
- 147 · Amazing Journeys, Part 2: Sea Turtle Migration
- 148 · Analyzing How Authors Organize Migration Texts: Sequence Structure
- 149 · Synthesizing the Amazing Journeys Text Set
- 151 · Cumulative Review: Narrative Elements
- 152 · Cumulative Review: Point of View
- 153 · Cumulative Review: Nonfiction Text Structures
- 154 · Cumulative Review: Comparing Multiple Texts
- 156 · Cumulative Review: Figurative Language with Adages and Proverbs
- 157 · Choosing a Favorite Story to Reread
- 158 · Analyzing Your Own Reading Growth
- 159 · Recommending a Reading List for Next Year
Plus 4 review days, not listed.
Final story, portfolio & year-endDays 161–180
The Final Chapter, a story about reflecting on mistakes and theme, then a summer reading list, a letter to next year's class, a reading portfolio and presentation, two cumulative reviews, a certificate project and year-end reflection.
- 161 · A New Story: The Final Chapter
- 162 · Analyzing How Maya Reflects on Her Mistakes
- 163 · The Final Chapter: Determining the Theme
- 164 · Connecting The Final Chapter to Your Own Year
- 166 · Choosing Books for a Summer Reading List
- 167 · Writing a Letter to Next Year's Reading Class
- 168 · Creating a Reading Portfolio
- 169 · Practicing Your Reading Portfolio Presentation
- 171 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 1
- 172 · Final Cumulative Review: Part 2
- 173 · Preparing for Grade 6 Reading
- 174 · Reading Skills Certificate Project
- 176 · Reading Year in Review: My Favorite Stories
- 177 · Final Reading Challenge: Skills Marathon
- 178 · Reading 5 Final Assessment Practice
- 179 · Reflecting on a Full Year of Reading 5
- 180 · Congratulations! You Completed Reading 5!
Plus 3 review days, not listed.
By the end of the year, your child can
- Find a theme and support it with details from the whole story
- Compare the point of view of narrators, characters and authors
- Interpret metaphors, similes, idioms and adages in context
- Combine information from several texts on one topic into a short summary
- Judge whether a source is trustworthy and spot bias and opinion
- Explain how conflict and character change drive a story's plot
Other 5th Grade subjects: Math 5 · Writing 5 · Science 5 · History 5