Fifth grade is one of the most beloved years at our school. Aside from the basic core curriculum, fifth grade traditions feature a course of study designed to interest everyone. Everything that happens in the fifth grade is experienced first-hand and in the extreme; when the class is learning about Salem, they will re-enact the Salem Witch Trials complete with a magistrate who will deliver a verdict of guilty or innocent to each of the alleged "witches." When learning about the history of space exploration, students will study "galaxies" made of salt swirls, and design his or her own NASA logo shirt and wear it to a special "Space Camp" day. Even book reports come to life in the fifth grade; your child may be writing about what would be found in the protagonist's trashcan, rather than rehashing the book.

The social studies curriculum features American History, from the Pilgrims and early patriots through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Your child will be dipping candles and making tin can lamps on Colonial Crafts Day, sampling George Washington's favorite dessert (gingerbread!), creating corn husk masks, and showing off newly learned knowledge of the names and bios of all the presidents of the United States - or the capitals of the fifty states! Whether spending the night on the Pilgrim Schooner in Dana Point, or embracing a weeklong trip to Boston and Philadelphia, fifth graders at Carlthorp School bring American History to life - and love every minute of it!

Our public speaking program continues to evolve with Video Current Events, where students learn to take notes on presented material and articulate understanding of current issues. The "Word Wizards" program helps deepen vocabulary skills that will be necessary when testing for secondary schools, and continued small-group English, math, and reading groups strengthen fundamental academic skills. Art, Science Lab, and wonderful writing opportunities such as writing for the Carlthorp school newspaper, the Clarion, or participating in the Writing Partners Program, are now available to the busy fifth grader!