Are you staring at your plan book asking yourself, “Where do I even start with 5th Grade Math?”
Whether you’re new to teaching 5th Grade, or you’ve been part of the club for a while, it’s really helpful to start your year off with a game plan.
Have a Scope and Sequence/Curriculum Map
Your school or district should already have a curriculum map created for you, but if they don’t, your grade level should work together and create one.
Since I have only taught in Georgia, I’ve used the Georgia Department of Education’s Curriculum Map as my main guide for creating my 5th Grade Math units. And honestly, I really like how they have each skill grouped. You can find their units here.
I’ve Made it Even More Specific For You
To try and break this down even farther, I’ve created an easy-to-follow weekly curriculum map that you can implement into your plans no matter what school calendar you follow.
Get a Copy of my Customizable Curriculum Map.
Use Assessments to Help You Plan
How do you determine the length of a unit? I suggest administering pre-assessments before each unit to gauge what your students already know. You may be surprised to find out that last year’s 4th grade class was already heavily exposed to multi-digit multiplication or long division. Why waste weeks on those skills when you can use your data to intervene with only those students who struggle with it?
What do pre and post-assessments look like? Click here to see what I use to assess before, during, and after I teach each of my units.
What do I During the Unit?
Typical daily/weekly lessons include:
- mini-lesson (usually whole group)
- interactive activities (place value, games)
- centers
- quick checks or exit tickets
- independent student work
- pulling small groups (using my quick check or exit ticket data)
Make. It. Fun.
5th Grade is one of the most fun grade levels for teaching math. The skills are a bit more complex and you can get really creative with some of the units. If YOU love 5th grade math, your students will, too. Trust me.
Where Can I start Right Now?
See how I begin my first unit – Order of Operations and Whole Numbers.
Get excited. 5th Grade is a special grade level to teach. I’m here to help you through it.
Low on Time? Grab Resources to teach EVERY. SINGLE. 5th Grade Math Skill
5th Grade Math Year-Long Curriculum Bundle {Digital and Printable}
