Grade Five
Grade five is often the final year of elementary school for students before they transition to middle
school in grade six. Like grade four, it is a critically important year during which students need to
consolidate their literacy skills and apply them across content areas and in different settings. Students
advance in all strands of the language arts, deepening their comprehension of increasingly complex
texts, expanding their command of academic English, and advancing their writing and presenting
skills. Students make great strides in literacy development due to excellent ELA/literacy (and for ELs,
ELD) instruction, meaningful collaborations with others, deep engagement with texts and content, and
wide and voluminous independent reading.
This grade-level section provides an overview of the key themes of ELA/literacy and ELD
instruction in grade five. It offers guidance for ensuring ELs have full access to rich ELA and content
instruction, including integrated and designated ELD instruction. Brief snapshots and longer vignettes
bring many of the interrelated concepts to life. The section concludes with listings of the CA CCSS for
ELA/Literacy and CA ELD Standards for the grade level.Key Themes of ELA/Literacy and ELD Instruction in Grade Five
In this section, the key themes of ELA/literacy and ELD instruction are discussed as they apply
to grade five. These include Meaning Making, Language Development, Effective Expression,
Content Knowledge, and Foundational Skills. Instruction occurs in an integrated, motivating,
engaging, respectful, and intellectually challenging context. Teachers recognize the importance of this
grade-level for students on the pathway toward the ultimate goals of transitional kindergarten through
grade-twelve schooling: Students develop the readiness for college, careers, and civic life; attain the
capacities of literate individuals; become broadly literate; and develop acquire the skills for living and
learning in the 21st century. See figure 5.19.
Figure 5.19. Circles of Implementation of ELA/Literacy and ELD Instruction464 | Chapter 5 Grade 5