10 Best 5th Grade Curriculum: A Complete Guide for Home & School

With abundant curriculums and resources for home and school use, teachers and parents may feel overwhelmed. But if you want to polish your student’s skills and expand their knowledge beyond the traditional expectations, here’s a lineup of the best 5th-grade curriculums.

Top 10 Fifth Grade Curriculums

1. Positive Action 5th Grade Kit

Positive Action is an excellent fifth-grade curriculum that’s tailored for school environments. Even better, it can be adapted for homeschooling too. The curriculum takes after its name in that it prioritizes positivity in children.

For one, unit 1 highlights the uniqueness of one’s inner soul. In unit 2, students become appreciative of their bodies. They’re encouraged to do daily exercise.

By unit 3, fifth graders learn about overcoming fear and self-esteem issues, while unit 4 teaches them how to treat people right. Moving on, unit 5 shows students how to take responsibility for their actions and learn from their mistakes. The final unit emphasizes on believing in one’s abilities and doing their best to improve themselves.

All in all, the Positive Action curriculum provides a detailed instruction manual, 30 activity booklets, 3 instructor’s activity sheets, 30 journals, and other products only for $400.

2. Timberdoodle 2021 Fifth Grade Curriculum Complete Kit

Brought to you by the Timberdoodle, the 2021 Fifth Grade Curriculum Complete Kit allows you to customize a homeschool curriculum for your child. We’ve selected the complete kit because, as its name suggests, you won’t need any other homeschooling resources.

Moreover, the kit includes an easy-to-use handbook. It also has resources for teaching history and social studies, language arts, geography, science, math, art, STEM, and learning tools.

For example, the literature bundle teaches important themes and includes literary texts to open up a student’s mind.

The kit also allows you to assess your student’s math needs through free kit customization before getting the kit. And the Math-U-See Epsilon helps your student fully absorb each mathematical concept before advancing to the next. Plus, there are two books to help your child hone their thinking skills in the most fun way.

3. The Critical Thinking Co Full Curriculum Solution

Critical Thinking Co. stands out on the list because it doesn’t offer a complete curriculum in the basic sense. Instead, it provides award-winning books that tackle a branch of the subject in detail and leave more freedom for the instructor or parent to decide how to deliver the information.

For the fifth grade program, the curriculum offers books on reasoning and problem-solving, language arts, math, and science.

The critical thinking books help fifth graders improve their figural-spatial, verbal, and thinking skills. Moreover, the curriculum offers books for English language arts, where students master all critical language concepts in an innovative way that puts the traditional drill-and-practice method to shame.

Moreover, the math books guide students to widen and enrich their math skills and understand concepts through mathematical reasoning. Finally, the innovative science books help students think critically to solidify their knowledge and understanding of physical, life, and earth sciences.

4. Abeka Grade 5 Complete Parent Kit

Many parents want Bible studies in their children’s curriculum, in which case, you’ll love what Abeka has to offer fifth graders. As a leader in providing homeschooling material based on biblical values since the 70s, you know your child will be in good hands.

We’ve chosen the complete parent kit because it’s comprehensive and inclusive of 36 items with books, flashcards, and CDs for core subjects, such as language, math, science, and history and geography from a biblical worldview. In addition, the guides will equip you with everything you need to know to walk your child through all of this goodness.

Thanks to this spiral curriculum, your child won’t forget the old when they learn the new. They’ll know how to tie everything together, thanks to the purposeful repetition and reinforcement of concepts from one subject to another. So, their education will be more effective, and nothing will go to waste.

5. Oak Meadow Grade 5 Package

Oak Meadow provides parents with everything they need in their online learning school, and it’s an independent-use curriculum.

While the online school assists you with the explanation of a teacher and a certificate of completion that allows your child to celebrate their accomplishments, the independent-use curriculum puts you in complete charge while providing you with all the necessary material.

Additionally, the homeschooling package combines English and social studies, geography, literature, and early American history to create a coherent information delivery.

In science, students learn how to form a hypothesis, conduct an observation, and take field notes. More importantly, the curriculum lays the groundwork for anatomy, astronomy, meteorology, conservation ecology, and the scientific method.

The package also includes material that assesses and strengthens math skills, such as rounding, working with bar and line graphs, calculating perimeter and area, and so much more.

6. Time4Learning 5th Grade Online Curriculum

Many parents and instructors believe in the efficiency of online resources more than their old-school counterparts in the digital age, which is why we recommend the Time4Learning curriculum for online homeschooling. It’s a relaxed self-paced curriculum that removes the stress of the usual homeschooling curriculum.

To start with, the math curriculum helps students have a solid grasp of complex mathematical concepts that they’ll build middle school knowledge on, including decimals and fractions, probability, and so much more.

The language arts curriculum hones the student’s reading, writing, and grammar skills to enable them to express themselves more eloquently and process information mindfully. And the science curriculum turns your little student into a curious scientist that has a better understanding of the human body, earth, matter, and energy conservation.

As for the social studies curriculum, it covers everything about American history. The students get a hands-on understanding of world geography as well.

7. BJU Grade 5 Complete Kit<

In the world of homeschooling, BJU Press doesn’t need an introduction. It offers both online and offline resources that each grade can learn from. The online material is perfect if you need a teacher for your child. If not, the offline material is for you to teach them yourself.

And we recommend their complete kit because it teaches English, reading, spelling, handwriting, history, math, and science, all in light of biblical truth, which is excellent for Christian parents and instructors. In addition, the 29-product kit covers everything so that you don’t have to collect textbooks from here and there.

With this kit, the fifth-grader learns how to improve their comprehension, reading, and writing skills. They also know about their country’s history and how the whole world functions. Fractions and decimals become simple and easy to understand.

8. Sonlight 5th Grade Curriculum<

Do you want a huge curriculum that includes Bible studies so that you don’t have to buy it or any other subjects separately? Then, check out Sonlight, a premium provider of Christian homeschool curriculums that created some of the best material for fifth grade.

Sonlight offers a massive package that’s customizable, meaning that you can add or remove items according to what your child needs. The package also includes endless material for history and geography, Bible studies, read-alouds, readers, language arts, spelling and vocabulary, science, math, and additional resources.

Also, the biggest advantage of these books is that they’re entirely different from the usual textbooks you get in similar packages. While textbooks focus on mindless memorization, Sonlight offers real books that educate with valuable information.

Even better, the package comes with manuals, chalk and a chalkboard, an integer block kit, a markable world map, and more surprises.

9. Winter Promise<

Unlike other providers of homeschooling materials that cater to specific grades and their precise list of subjects, Winter Promise provides numerous themed programs for ranges of grades and all kinds of learners: hands-on, interpersonal, naturalistic, visual learner, linguistic, intrapersonal, and logical learners.

The themed programs include American history, worldwide cultures, all kinds of travel, the ancient world, the Middle Ages, and more. These programs help raise an informed child that isn’t restricted to the traditional division of school subjects. In addition, your little one can study language arts, science, math, chess, note booking, and more.

Even better, it provides additional resources for instructors that keep them on track with their students. Finally, Winter Promise emphasizes the outdoor experience for practical homeschooling because children should always balance their indoor and outdoor education to learn effectively.

10. Easy Peasy All-in-one Homeschool Curriculum<

If you’re looking for free solutions that still provide the basics of homeschooling for your fifth grader, the Easy Peasy All-in-one Homeschool has what you need.

This online homeschooling haven uses the Charlotte Mason method to provide your kid with resources for arts and music, Bible, history, language arts, languages, math, phonics, science, and social studies. This method helps connect all subjects in a way that the student won’t forget.

The free online material takes the burden of teaching off your back. Even better, it includes testing and test prep in its comprehensive yet 100% free program.

That being said, if you don’t want the free online resources that depend on internet access and prefer offline books for full ownership of the material, you’ll find that in Easy Peasy as well. And the offline material allows you to be the main teacher of your fifth grader.

What Is Taught in 5th Grade-A Complete Guide<

Language Arts

Fifth graders get much deeper into English than their younger counterparts. Teachers help them hone their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills. So, they read more complex texts, extend their vocabulary beyond the basic level to include academic and technical words, interpret a writer’s perspective, and compare it to others.

Fifth graders should also engage in class conversations that help them communicate by listening and speaking. With the proper guidance, they can become noticeably better at listening and more eloquent.

In terms of writing, teachers should encourage self-expression and recounting personal experiences. Also, fifth graders should know the correct use of punctuation, interjections, prepositions, verb tenses, and conjunctions.

Moreover, fifth graders are expected to compose a narrative, use reference material, recognize multiple forms of writing, organize their text, and answer comprehension questions in detail.

Social Studies

Fifth graders learn about history, geography, and civics and government in social studies. For instance, they should know about the Native Americans, the New England colonies, and the most significant explorers.

Moreover, students study the conflict that brought about American independence, the United States Bill of Rights, and the constitution. This way, they understand the difference between the government’s executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Students should also learn about the Civil War, WWI, the Great Depression, WII, political and social leaders of the 20th century, world history, and different cultures and landmarks.

Additionally, they learn to identify each state on the map, its capital, and its region. Also, a well-educated fifth grader can use geographical tools, such as maps, compass roses, symbols, and legends.

Science

Fifth graders learn about the natural world, including the different layers of the earth and landforms, the water cycle, photosynthesis, eclipses, and natural disasters. They also learn about the law of gravity, the speed of sound, magnets, atoms, and the periodic table.

Moreover, they learn about the human body, plants, animals, fungi, and more. Not to mention, the observation of habitats, such as terrariums and aquariums, enriches the student’s understanding of living organisms.

Additionally, lab activities help solidify fifth graders’ introduction to basic chemistry and physics as well. Studying biodiversity and climate change also helps these young learners become more in touch with the world around them.

Math

Math takes a severe turn in the fifth grade to prepare students for middle school. For instance, mental multiplication enhances students’ mathematical literacy. And they learn how to subtract, add, multiply, and divide fractions. They also learn about exponents, decimals, and prime numbers. The order of operations is introduced as well.

Moreover, unit conversion plays a vital role in fifth-grade math, as students use them in solving problems. Fifth graders also learn basic probability concepts and become familiar with median, range, mean, and so on.

In geometry, fifth graders should know the types of triangles and how to calculate the perimeter and area of different geometric shapes. Volumes and three-dimensional shapes are also introduced. Finally, students learn how to identify and graph points in the first quadrant on the coordinate plane.

Physical Education

Physical education helps students improve their motor skills and become the physically literate individuals they’re meant to be.

This class helps students form and improve their social skills, sportsmanship, commitment, teamwork, cooperative play, and healthy competitiveness. And it does so by incorporating a selection of team sports, including volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball, and field hockey. Also, students learn how to warm up their muscles and joints before playing.

Furthermore, PE enriches the student’s knowledge and application of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics. More importantly, it encourages them to maintain a healthy lifestyle and weight and develop healthy habits to keep their bodies in top shape.

Final Words<

In conclusion, it’s vital to choose a 5th-grade curriculum that has everything you need in one place, and there’s no better curriculum for the job than the Positive Action program.

That’s because it works for both school and home use simultaneously. Even better, the Positive Action program encourages positive behavior, both towards oneself and other people, in an enriching atmosphere.