Customer Reviews

What Your Fifth Grader Needs to Know: Fundamentals of a Good Fifth-Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Not intended for use by itself, this book is a valuable addition to any 5th grade curriculum. It is best when used with the other books in the series, as certain portions of it - especially history - are intended to follow the earlier books in the series, and be followed by the 6th grade book.

Language arts include stories and speeches (including exceprts from "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey", Lincoln's Gettysburg Acddress and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer"), poetry (including "Battle Hymn of the Republic", "Ballad of John Henry"), some basic grammar, discussion of literature (such as alliteration, use of imagery and symbols) and the meanings of various common sayings.

Geography and World Civilization cover latitude and longitude, and the formation of lakes, with emphasis on the Great Lakes. World Civilization covers the Incas, Aztecs and Mayas, the European exploration of the Americas, the colonies, the Renaissance in Europe, Feudal Japan, Russia from Ivan the Great through Catherine the Great, The Enlightenment and the French Revolution. There is a good look at the philosophical influence of Descartes and other Enlightenment thinkers on the founding of the United States.

American Civilization covers the period of time from the Missouri Compromise through the Civil War and Reconstruction, the Impeachment of President Johnson (with a discussion of the government's form that permits this sort of thing), the "Wild West" and Transcontinental Railroad, Treatment of Native Americans, the Cuban War and Yellow Journalism, culminating in how the U.S. became a world power.

This section is full of pictures, and I really like the scope of topics discussed here.

Fine arts mostly discusses art of the Renaissance, including paintings, sculpture and music.

Math is comprehensive, from reviewing such basics as simple addition to decimals, division, fractions, measurement, ratios and graphs, finding volume, rates and speed, and functions and equations. The math is definitely not intended to be a student's only textbook, but rather an overview and explanation of what should be covered by the end of 5th grade.

Life sciences covers classification, cells, the "other three kingdoms" (fungi, protists and monerans), reproduction in plants and animals, and the human growth cycle. Reproduction in humans is briefly explained, in a very matter-of-fact manner without a bunch of "psychology" added in.

Physical sciences covers mechanical concepts, electricity, transferring heat energy, and engines, as well as some little biographies of scientists.

Although all these subjects are crammed into this one little book, it seems that no space is really wasted. There is a lot of info in here, and it is broad enough that a child can find something that interests him, for further research.

Highly recommended!

I used this book to help study for the MSAT (Calif. teacher's test). This book, along with "What Your 6th Grader Needs To Know" taught me, in bare-bones terms, the necessary points of each subject. The Literature/Language Arts section is worth the price of the book in itself, because it gave a synopsis of some of the greats of literature (most of which I was never required to read as a youngster). That said, I passed the MSAT and am now going on to be an elementary teacher. I would recommend this book, not only for parents, but for teachers as well.

As a homeschooling mom, I am looking for guidelines to help my daughter advance from the typical public school curriculum. This book covered all areas and then some. I love the extra attention on literature and poetry that usually isn't covered in schools. It is a great addition to any school work, and helps guide parents very well.

This was a very good book. My parents think I don't learn enough in a public school even though I am in a Gifted and Talented class. So during the summer I am given assigned readings to finish every day. This way I am either caught up or ahead of my class by the begining of the year. These books have Literature, Geography, World Civilization, and more. They are written at different levels for different grades and are very interesting. I recommend these books for concerned parents and interested kids, like me.

My son will be in fifth grade next year. I am a teacher who will be teaching fifth grade next year, after being a primary teacher for the past 6 years. I felt I needed an enjoyable book to read with my own future fifth grader. We both enjoy reading from the book together. Parents and teachers alike will find themselves more in tune with what children are to be learning in fifth grade.

I never took the CSET test, but I plan to take it next January. This book contains everything you can imagine. It first off with a very good display of stories such as King Author. The history part was the best. It contain great information about the mayas and the incas. Also Europeon history is the best since it going into Henry II and his idea of Trial and Jury, and also King John (the only english king with the name John)with his famous document Magna carta. The math and science is good, but could be better. I just wish they go deeper into detail. It would be better if you can purchasse a textbook over these topics. Overall a vbery good book.

Love all these books to supplement at home or to teach from! However, I recommend, in this particular book, there is one page that parents need to read first on the "human body and sexual reproduction" to see if it is appropriate for your child's level.

This book has everything you can possibly imagine for the 3rd Grade student. It is especially a must for the home school parent. I no longer wonder if my children are learning what they should, I know as long as I use this and the other series of Core Knowledge books, they are getting the education they should. Also, read the "What your ________Needs To Know: Fundamentals of a Good _____ Grade Education" for grades Kindergarten through 6th grade, all E.J. Hirsch, Jr. books.

I'm a big fan of the "What Your __th Grader Needs to Know" series and have been gradually collecting the volumes to assist me with homeschool planning. So when I saw the 5th grade book at the "Friends of the Library" book shop, I jumped at it.

My 9 year old was reading the poetry section on the way home from the library when she exclaimed that one of the poems had a "bad word". At first, I imagined that the word in question was some mild vulgarity. I was shocked to discover that it was an ugly racial slur. On page 59 the poem is "Incident" by Countee Cullen. The third stanza reads:

"Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me 'N----r'"

I can't see ANY good reason for this poem to be included in a book intended for 10 and 11 year olds. Maybe that word is okay for high school students to read in Mark Twain's classic "Huckleberry Finn" but I think it's a real lapse of editorial judgment for it to be in this book.

This book if full of interesting information that is broken down in simple terms for any teacher to create into lesson plans. I was pleased with the reader-friendly pictures and format of the book! By consuming the knowledge from this book, the power to teacher others is endless!