Scroll Top

Class 5: The Golden Age of Childhood

Having lived in the world of the fairytale and myth in the first four years, the students of Class 5 are now ready for the borderland between mythology and history proper. Fifth Graders have a dynamic interest in the world and they need to be inspired in an ennobled way; they thrive on goodness and beauty, seeking truth and striving to imbue their entire world with these virtues.

Through vast pictures of human evolution, the children move from the dawn of pre-history in the ancient culture of India through story and biography through Persia, Babylon, Egypt and Ancient Greece, the great cultures of the ancient world. This helps the children to understand progress and change through time and helps them begin to take responsibility for their own learning and development.

Fifth graders have new capacities for thought and reflection, and begin an exploration of human history and world geography. They are creative, confident, and eager to work cooperatively. They have an emerging sense of personal responsibility and community.

Students explore the physical characteristics of the earth and the plant life that grows on its surface. In botany, the class studies monocotyledon and dicotyledon plants, algae, and mosses, and investigate how climate and geography affect plant growth. In math, students practice fractions and decimals, ratios and proportions.

A crowning moment of Class 5 is participating in the Pentathlon where the children demonstrate their flow of movement in five athletic events of the original Olympic Games. The study of Greece follows the children from the world of mythology to history, a transition that reflects a growing interest and awareness of the world around them.

Main lessons
  • English; Mathematics; Botany; Geography
English
  • Stories from ancient civilizations
  • Grammar work: complete sentences, edit simple mistakes, active & passive voices
  • Understanding genres
Mathematics
  • Fractions
  • Decimals
  • Times tables used in many permutations
  • Free hand increasingly complex geometry
Chinese languages
  • Learning in Cantonese using traditional Chinese characters
  • Mandarin is taught as a foreign language
Science – Botany & Geography
  • Recognize differences between minerals and animals
  • Know and recognize the parts of the flowering plant
  • Understand the importance of plants in an ecosystem
Geography / History
  • Demonstrate an appreciation for cultural differences and similarities
  • Know the geographical features of Asia
  • Understand how climate, altitude, soil and vegetation influence exploration and settlement
Other subjects
  • Form Drawing – More advanced geometric forms
  • Craft: Make simple articles of clothing, woodwork
  • Painting
  • Drawing
  • Games
  • Eurythmy
Music
  • Singing/ recorder; songs with harmony and balance; Asian folk songs
Drama
  • Class Play