Things I Can Do to Help My Fifth Grade Child

• Show your child that learning is important. Provide a quiet place in your home for reading, writing and studying. Make sure that place is always available to your child. Your child should read and/or do some homework five nights per week.
• Help your child continue to develop as a reader and a writer. Provide a variety of books, magazines and writing materials, for your child to use.
• Continue to read to your child and have him/her read to you. This remains important as our children get older. Ask questions about what was read. Discuss the material. In the intermediate grades, critical thinking is a focus throughout the curriculum. You can help your child strengthen these skills by asking questions which include who, what, why, where, how, why not, etc. 
• Read and discuss non-fiction materials as well as fiction. Reading non-fiction teaches children that books are a source of information and will help them become skilled technical readers.
• Develop vocabulary by playing word games with your child. "Scrabble", and "Boggle", and "Wheel of Fortune" are three good choices.
• Have your child read to locate information. Have him follow the directions in the TV or VCR operating manual, read you the recipe while you cook, etc. This is technical reading.
• Let your child catch YOU reading regularly! Research tells us that children read more and read a variety of materials when they see their parents and older siblings reading. Make sure you read for information and pleasure!
• Continue to use family outings as learning opportunities. Trips to the grocery store, mall, parks vacations, excursions on buses, planes, trains, all provide material for discussion. Fifth graders are old enough to enjoy and recall significant details from trips to museums, The Pacific Science Center, aquariums, etc. Continue to ask your child questions about their experiences. Listen to their responses and let them know their opinions are important. Knowing you value their thoughts keeps them thinking and wondering about the world around them. Discussing their thoughts with you lets your child practice oral communication skills.
• Encourage hobbies such as crafts and model-building. These require following directions - another technical reading skill.
• Help with math skills by: playing games which involve adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, fractions, etc. Uno and Yahtzee are always popular. Cooking is a great way to teach measurement, proportions, fractions, more/less, and many other math concepts we all use in our daily lives.
• Continue to give your child choices of activities, chores, foods, etc. "Would you rather make the salad or empty the dishwasher?" "Would you like to read or practice piano right now?" Would you rather mow the lawn or weed the garden? "Remember, you have homework. You can choose to play with Carrie now and study after dinner, or reverse it. Just let me know your plans." Fifth graders need to make decisions which give them a feeling of having some control over their lives. Alternatives such as those above teach independence and responsibility while you ultimately remain in charge.
• As you child becomes more social and independent, remind him/her of respect, rights, and responsibility. Always stress the importance of treating others with kindness, respect and acceptance of diversity. 
• Volunteer at school!
• Limit and monitor TV watching!
• Remember that YOU are your child’s first teacher. The impact of your words and actions are the most important!