1. Reading Literature
Welcome to this presentation about the top 5 big ideas your child will learn in the first quarter of fifth grade.
Top 5 Big Ideas Your Child Will Learn in the First Quarter of Fifth Grade

2. Use direct quotes from the text to support answering questions.
Literature
Big idea 1 is being able to craft a response that quotes accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences using a literary piece of text. 1

3. How you can help your child:
When working with your child encourage your child to read a variety of literary text. After reading text together, have your child answer questions from the text using direct quotes. For example, how did the Giver feel about having to give up his memories? When your child responds, have him or her cite the text evidence starting with one of the phrases shown in the slide to craft his or her response to the question. 1

4. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text including how characters respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic.
Big idea 2 is being able to determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem using key details from the text to identify how a character might respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic. 2

5. How you can help your child:
Discuss the theme of the text with your child, using information from the text to support your thinking. 2 2
When reading literary text, help your child determine the theme the author is trying to convey by using key details that explain how the characters respond to challenges that shape the meaning of the text. Using the evidence, create a concise sentence that would portray an overall meaning of the narrative. To assist your child, some guided questions you can ask are “How did the character grow or change?”, What evidence from the text do you have to support your answer? “ Based upon your child’s responses have him or her question, “How does this connect with the message the author is trying to send?”.

6. Compare and Contrast Two or More Characters, Settings, or Events in a Story or Drama
Big Idea 3 is being able to notice similarities and differences between characters, settings, or events in stories and dramas. 3

7. How you can help your child:
After reading a text, encourage your child to talk about similarities and differences and record his or her responses. Use the anchor chart provided to support your discussions as you talk about the text. 3

8. Determine the Meaning of Words and Phrases as They are Used in a Text
Big Idea 4 is being able to determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text. Students will encounter several different kinds of vocabulary, including words that are frequently found in written text but not often heard in conversations. 4

9. How you can help your child:
Use context clues - illustrations, graphics, surrounding text – to determine a word’s meaning.
Use new words in daily conversations - pick a word and see who can use it correctly the most times.
Have your child look at illustrations and other graphics in the text and read the rest of the text to find clues about the unfamiliar words or phrases. Challenge each other to learn a new word each day and use it in a sentence. You may also help your child build his or her vocabulary by using new words in daily conversation.  The more he or she uses the new words, the better your child will be able to understand and use them in a powerful way. 4

10. Informative Writing in Response to Literature
Big idea 5 is being able to read and understand a topic, and write informatively, in order to convey ideas and information clearly in response to the text. In addition to reading, student writing should be practiced as often as possible. 5

11. How you can help your child:
After reading, encourage your child to write about what was read.
What made the story appealing?
Which characters were most memorable and why?
What could the author have done to make the story better?
Students will usually either like or dislike a story they’ve read. Ask your child to write about positives and negatives will allow him or her to be more connected to the text. It would also be a great way for your student to see your more highly developed writing skills. Another suggestion is to encourage your child to write about his/her favorite character’s personality and how those character traits may have led to some of the character’s actions in the story. 5

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