Fifth grade Social Studies is the students first exposure to American history.  Our study begins with Native American habitation of North America.  We move on through Spanish exploration, and then follow the French, Dutch, and English as they colonize our country.  We examine the similarities and differences of the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies.

We will study the Revolutionary War and the reasons behind it.  Before our field trip to Lincoln's Home in Springfield we will spend some time studying Abraham Lincoln and the effects he had on Illinois and the country.

During second semester we make a book about all forty-three presidents.  During this time we will touch on history from 1789 to the present by discovering important events during each administration, as well as the interesting "lighter" side of each man.  This gives us a glimpse of the personalities of the presidents and their families that we can relate to.

Throughout the year we complete weekly Geography assignments which give us more knowledge about our country and the world.  It also gives us practice using globes, maps, the atlas, and encyclopedias.

Fifth grade Science begins with a study of the human body, its systems, and their functions.  During this unit students construct a three-foot tall skeleton and learn the names of major bones.  Then we make a life-size body model poster, adding internal organs as the functions of each are discussed.  In this unit we also talk about the result of drug abuse on the body.

Fifth graders enjoy completing a unit on space and planets, during which time we learn about Newton's laws of motion, friction, and gravity.  During this unit students do research and write reports on one of the planets.

In our Changing Earth unit we will learn the layers of the Earth, how rocks are formed, and what changes the Earth's surface.  By using a video, we will get a close-up look at earthquakes and volcanoes.

The focus of 6th grade World Geography is the countries of North America, Europe, and Asia.  Students learn about the land, economy, and the people of the countries.