5th Grade: At the Doorstep to Middle School
You came to this page looking for advice on how to help your 5th grader.
If you do nothing else but get familiar with what they are being asked to do, you will quickly see your connection around their learning deepen.
You can start with our free checklist of learning targets for the year. This is a great reference when checking homework or as a topic of conversation in the car.
Paying attention to their learning is the most critical thing you can do.
The 4 Habits
Our Approach for Parents to dive in.
These practices allow you to dive right into any of the math and language standards in your grade level with effortless, bite-sized practice that builds skill fluency and confidence.
Modeling
Our most powerful habit. Grab a blank page, use our prompts, and show your child how to approach a new skill. This direct, stress-free connection is the fastest way to ensure grade-level mastery.
CarTalk
Turn your daily drive into a classroom. Use quick practice games to solidify math facts and phonics, prompt socratic reasoning, or use our SEL cards to help your child navigate friendships and emotions.
Listen and Write
Use these cards to supercharge reading skills. You say the sounds, words, or sentences, and your child writes them down—building the exact phonetic foundation they need to read with ease.
StoryTime
Whether at bedtime or on the weekend, elevate your reading routine. Our cards give you the exact questions to ask to build deep comprehension, ensuring your student is ready to lead classroom discussions.
Using the Habits in 5th grade
We have put together a program to help you tackle all these many learning targets using just our 4 habits. Imagine using a car ride or two a week to develop higher level thinking with Socratic Dialogues.
Here is a look at the scope of the program in 5th grade.
Math Habits
M1Numerical Expressions
M2Multiplication with Bigger NumbersM3Powers of 10 and Place ValueM4Division with Bigger NumbersM5Working with DecimalsM6Finding the Common DenominatorM7Multiplication and Division with FractionsM8GraphingM9Geometric ClassificationLanguage Habits
L1Vocabulary
L2Notetaking
L3FluencyL4Figurative LanguageL5Citing Evidence & Drawing InferencesL6Determining A Central IdeaL7Text StructureL10Exploring Sentence VarietyL11Register, Word Choice & StyleProjects
P1Taking a PositionP3Weather StationP4Old Stories told from a New Lens
P5The Stock Market ChallengeSEL
SEL 1Managing Impulse & Group PressureSEL 2Navigating Exclusion & Group DynamicsSEL 3Integrity & Honest CommunicationSEL 4Self-Advocacy & Academic ResilienceSEL 5Managing Frustration & Emotional RegulationSEL 6Respecting Personal BoundariesA sample of what our activities look like.
We have included a mixed sampler of the different activities we have in 5th grade. Give one a try!
Mixed Sampler
A custom sampler pulling one card or skill from each subject — Math, Language, Projects, and SEL — each keeping its own subject color.
M3Math
Powers of 10 and Place Value — Rounding Decimals
I can round decimals to any place value.
5.NBT.A.1, 5.NBT.A.2, 5.NBT.A.3
Skill 3 — Rounding Decimals to Any Place
• Rounding should be a review, but now we want to explore decimal places.
• Round 8.476 to nearest tenth (8.5), hundredth (8.48), and whole number (8).
Math GeneratorClick to generate more problems like this.
M4Math
Division with Bigger Numbers — Traditional Method
I can find whole-number quotients using the traditional long division algorithm.
5.NBT.B.6
Skill 2 — Division the traditional way
• Let's walk through the traditional long division steps together.
Click to generate more problems like this.
L2Language
Notetaking — Listening for Information
I can use Cornell Notes to capture and organize information while listening.
SL.5.1 · SL.5.2
Skill — Listening for Information
• Cornell Notes is a best practice, most every teacher uses to teach note-taking.
• Review how in the image the page is divided into three sections.
The Cues section is for jotting things down while listening.
The Notes section comes after the presentation is over where you scan the cues and capture learning.
At the bottom, your can summarize the learning in their own words.
• Use Listen and Write Generator or a podcast and ask your student to listen and take notes.
• After they are done, review the notes with them and discuss any parts they missed.
• This works really well if you listen and take notes together and compare!
Use our Listen & Write Generator for grade-level dictation words, sentences, and paragraphs read aloud.
L6Language
Determining A Central Idea — Theme vs. Topic
I can determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text.
RL.5.2 · RI.5.2
Skill 1 — Theme vs. Topic
• One of the things to focus on in 5th grade is recognizing a theme.
A theme is more than just a topic, it is the author's deeper message they want to send to you.
• As you are reading together or checking in on their reading, use questions like:
What did (the character) learn from this challenge?
Why do you think the author had this happen to them?
Socratic Chat• Use the Socratic Chat method once they have an opinion.
Book QuizOur Book Quiz will allow your student to quiz after they have read their book. We have included over 150 of the most popular books at their grade level.
P4Projects
Old Stories told from a New Lens
Draft a short narrative told from one character’s point of view, then rewrite the same events from a second character’s perspective, analyzing how point of view shapes what a reader knows and feels.
W.5.3 · RL.5.6 · RL.5.1 · L.5.3
Card A — Brainstorming which story and character lens
• Use a drive to discuss their favorite stories or movies, and how different characters would have viewed the events unfolding.
What would the story of Cinderella sound like if it were told by the stepmother?
• Choose a story and character to be the narrator. Encourage their humor and insights as they brainstorm how the story may go.
They would have been excited by (plot point), but how would they have felt when this (other plot point) happened?
Notebook Follow up
• Outline the major plot points of the story as they remember and let them start jotting notes on how they would adjust.
Card B — Outlining
• Using the notebook, begin creating an outline of the story with major the events summarized on one side of the page and this new characters feelings on the other.
If you see that this character was surprised by this, how could we write that into your version?
• After they are done outlining. Have them try and write a summary of each scene in their new story. Here is an example:
Cinderella: A Mother’s Perspective
The Tragic Burden: Following the untimely passing of my second husband, I was left solely responsible for managing an entire household and securing a future for my two biological daughters, Anastasia and Drizella. To protect our family's social standing and finite resources, I made the practical decision to assign routine domestic chores—such as cleaning, cooking, and hearth-tending—to my stepdaughter, whose idealistic demeanor made her unsuited for administrative responsibilities.
The Royal Opportunity: The King issued a decree inviting all eligible maidens to a royal ball, presenting the ideal avenue to marry my daughters into the aristocracy. I permitted my stepdaughter to attend only on the reasonable condition that she complete her assigned domestic duties and present herself in suitable, proper attire.
The Dress Dispute: Prior to our departure, my daughters observed that my stepdaughter’s dress was constructed using repurposed beads and ribbons that they had previously discarded. Outraged by what they perceived as theft of their property, my daughters rightfully reclaimed their belongings, leaving my stepdaughter in an unpresentable state. As time was short, I enforced the agreed-upon standards and departed for the palace without her.
The Intruder at the Ball: At the event, a mysterious, heavily veiled woman captivated the Prince, disrupting our strategic attempts to introduce Anastasia and Drizella. The unknown guest fled at midnight, leaving behind a single glass slipper, which prompted the Grand Duke to launch a kingdom-wide search to identify the maiden.
The Fitting and Escape: When the Grand Duke arrived at our estate, I confined my stepdaughter to her room to ensure the proceedings remained orderly and focused on my daughters. Despite my efforts, she escaped her quarters with the aid of household vermin and presented herself to the Duke. She produced the matching glass slipper, revealing herself as the unknown guest, and subsequently married the Prince, abandoning our family and leaving the management of the estate entirely in my hands.
Card C — Drafting and Revision
• Using these scene summaries, allow your student to draft their new complete narrative.
Set the scene with sentences about how the character who is narrating is feeling. Choosing the right words makes all the difference.
• After they are done, look over their writing with them.
It is great if they can read it to you, as often they will see their mistakes more easily when it's read aloud.
Look for places that are confusing or where they could add more details and dialogue.
When they are ready, they can publish either by typing or rewriting. Add pictures and a cover to the book as it may end up being a funny keepsake.
If they have a younger sibling, having this read at story time is a great way to celebrate.
SEL 2SEL
Navigating Exclusion & Group Dynamics
I know how to notice and address exclusion within a group.
Look at the image. Maya notices that three of her classmates created a group chat for a class project, but left out Sam, who is also assigned to their group.
Why might group work or group chats lead to unintentional (or intentional) exclusion?
How might Sam feel discovering they were left out of the group communication?
What steps can Maya take to fix the situation and make sure everyone is included?
What is one rule you can follow to ensure group communication remains respectful and fair?
How the Learning Targets Connect Long Term
As you get more comfortable with where your student sits in their grade level’s learning targets, you may want to explore the grade above or below. It’s good to see what they have learned so far, and where they are going. Try our Learning Target Maps below:
Coherence map, kindergarten through 6th grade
Math: how skills connect
Pick a domain and a grade to see the year before, this year, and next year side by side. Tap one or more standards to light up how they connect.
Domain
Grade
Standards are the Common Core State Standards, K–6 (© 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers). Plain-language wording is a family-friendly summary; the code with each one points to the official text.
Coherence map, kindergarten through 6th grade
Reading & Language: how skills connect
Pick a domain and a grade to see the year before, this year, and next year side by side. Tap one or more standards to light up how they connect.
Domain
Grade
Standards are the Common Core State Standards, K–6 (© 2010 National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers). Plain-language wording is a family-friendly summary; the code with each one points to the official text.
Reading progresses at different levels for every kid. If you try our Literacy Screener using our Listen and Write Habit, you can place where they are along this journey and start having a real impact!