Are you teaching 5th grade for the first time this year (or the upcoming school year)? If you are anything like me when I was moved to 5th grade (from 3rd after teaching for only one year), I was a bit overwhelmed by the idea of teaching 5th grade.
I remember spending the summer before that year googling all things related to 5th grade in between taking long walks with my dog and bemoaning the move (which turned out to be the best move ever!). If you are new to teaching 5th grade (like I was all those years ago), then you have come to the right place! I have compiled my best posts in this post to give you ideas, resources, and lots of free activities to help guide you through your year.
Before diving into the curriculum ideas and posts, you may want to check out my post about what to expect when teaching 5th graders by clicking here.
Pacing Guides
Your school may assign you a pacing guide to use, but if not, here are my common core aligned math and literacy pacing guides that I have used for years.
- Math Pacing Guide for 5th Grade – This post shares my math pacing guide with rationale – aligned to the common core state standards.
- Literacy Pacing Guide for 5th Grade – This post provides a literacy (language, reading, and writing) pacing guide aligned to the common core standards.
5th Grade Reading Ideas
Here are some helpful links if you are new to teaching 5th grade and will be teaching reading, specifically using a reader’s workshop model.
- How I Teach Reading – If you will be teaching reading, you will definitely want to check out this blog post that breaks down how I teach reading to my 5th graders.
- Reading Centers for Upper Elementary – This post shares different reading center ideas for upper elementary students, including FREE centers!
- Reading Centers Management – Reading centers only work if the management is in place from the beginning. Read my best tips on this post.
- Guided Reading Form – I use this ONE form to streamline my guided reading and reading small group anecdotal notes.
- Guided Reading Binder (FREE) – Grab the forms I use in my guided reading binder on this post.
- Tips for Guided Reading Management – Read how I manage my guided reading groups on this post.
- Holding Readers Accountable – On this post, I share five ways that you can hold your readers accountable for their reading, without killing their love of reading.
- Helping Struggling Readers – Struggling readers in 5th grade is tough! Read my best strategies and advice on this post.
- Getting Started with Independent Reading Conferences – I love holding independent reading conferences and getting to know my students more and their reading interests. This post will help you get started with them in your own classroom.
- Getting Students Excited to Read – Check out this post for tips and ideas for getting your students excited to read.
- FREE Reading Exit Slips for 4th and 5th Grade – Get started using reading exit slips with these free ones.
- FREE Reading Vocabulary Posters – Grab free reading posters to use for word walls, interactive reading notebooks, and more!
- FREE Reading Center Starter Pack – On this post, get free reading centers to launch reading centers at the beginning of the year.
- Paired Passages – Paired passages are a huge part of reading instruction (and testing) in 5th grade. Check out all of my posts about paired passages and several freebies.
5th Grade Read Alouds
- Using Wonder to Teach All the Literature Standards – Read more about how I use Wonder to teach all of my literature standards.
- Back to School Picture Books with Free Printables
- Halloween Picture Books with Free Printables
- Christmas Picture Books with Free Printables
- Mentor Texts for Inferences
- Mentor Texts for Story Elements
- Mentor Texts for Point of View
- Mentor Texts for Theme
- Mentor Texts for Figurative Language
- Mentor Texts for Main Idea
- Mentor Texts for Text Structure
5th Grade Writing Ideas
Here are some helpful links if you are new to teaching 5th grade and will be teaching writing, specifically using a writing workshop model.
- How I Teach Writing – This post breaks down in detail how I teach writing using a workshop model.
- Types of Writing Lessons – If you have ever been unsure of exactly what lessons to teach in writing or you just want some new ideas for writing lessons, check out this post for lesson ideas and ideas for generating lessons based on your students’ needs.
- Writer’s Workshop Procedures to Teach – This post shares the procedures I teach to get my writing workshop started off on the right foot.
- FREE Writing Toolkit Printables – Grab some free printables and strategy cards to help your students work independently and thrive during writing workshop.
- How to Get Students Excited About Writing – Let’s be honest, the best writing plans in the world won’t produce successful writers if your students are not excited about writing. Read this post for lots of ideas to get your students excited about writing.
- Free Persuasive Writing Prompts – Grab a list and set of task cards of my favorite persuasive writing prompts for 4th/5th graders.
5th Grade Math Ideas
I teach math through a mixture of whole group instruction and math centers. Below you will find lots of links about how to use guided math centers in an upper elementary classroom.
- How I Teach Math in 5th Grade – This post gives a detailed breakdown of how I teach math to my fifth graders.
- Getting Started with Math Centers – Math centers are a huge part of my math instruction. This post will guide you through some questions and things to consider when you are starting math centers.
- Launching Guided Math Centers – This post breaks down the guidelines and steps to successfully launching guided math centers.
- Guided Math Procedures to Teach – On this post, I share all the procedures to teach for guided math, including what I do in my own classroom.
- Scheduling Your Math Block – For this post, I share several different ways you can schedule your math block.
- Organizing Math Centers – On this post, I share tips for organizing math centers and show the containers I use to organize mine.
- Managing Math Centers – In order for math centers to be effective, they have to be managed appropriately. Read this post for several tips and ideas for managing math centers.
- Guided Math in the Upper Grades – This post shares a visual look and description of each of my math centers.
- FREE Guided Math Binder – Get and stay organized with these free guided math forms and printables.
- Math Manipulatives for 5th Grade – On this post, I share my favorite manipulatives with lots of free printables and activities.
- My Top Tip for Making Math Centers Work for Me – This post shares my top tip for making math centers work for me with a few freebies.
- 7 Ways to Support Students with Math Centers – All students can be successful with math centers. Read tips and strategies to support students on this post.
- Teaching Math with Small Groups – In addition to math centers, I also teach whole group instruction with small groups. Read more on this post.
- FREE Take Home Multiplication and Division Math Facts Toolkits – grab lots of free printables and resources to make your own math facts take home toolkits on this post.
- Math Bulletin Board Ideas – Want some ideas for math bulletin boards? Definitely check out this post!
5th Grade Math Skill-Specific Posts and Freebies
Click on the links below to see my archive of posts and resources for each 5th grade math skill.
Science and Social Studies
- How to Implement Close Reading in Science – This post shows you how to use close reading with science texts and passages. This strategy also works with social studies texts.
- Quick and Easy Social Studies Ideas – On this post, I describe two of my favorite (and super simple) social studies ideas.
- Making Textbook Reading Engaging and Comprehensible for All Learners – You will definitely want to check out this post if you plan on using a social studies or science textbook. This post shares a few strategies for engaging students when reading a textbook.
Classroom Management
Here are a few blog posts about classroom management that are particularly helpful to 5th grade teachers.
- Classroom Management Tips: This post shares my best classroom management tips when working with 5th graders.
- How to Deal with Talking Back – This post shares a strategy for dealing with students who argue or talk back.
- A Strategy for Excessive Talking – On this post, I share one way that I manage excessive talking with my 5th graders.
- How to Keep Procedures in Place All Year – We all know how important teaching procedures are. This post shares how to maintain those procedures all year.
Assessments and Grading
- Data Tracking Forms for Benchmark or Quarterly Assessments – If you give quarterly assessments, grab the free forms on this post to help you track your data.
- The ONE Data Tracking Form to Use with Any Assessment – This FREE data tracking form works with any assessment and is my go-to tracking form.
- Practical Tips for Standards Based Grading – If you are required to use standards based grading, check out this post for some practical tips.
Top Products for Teaching 5th Grade
In addition to the above linked blog posts, I have some favorite products that are a must have if you are teaching 5th grade for the first time
5th Grade Reading Resources
5th Grade Math Resources
Shop This Post
5th Grade Language and Grammar Resources
Shop This Post
Heaven Sent! Thank you!
Thanks, Latasha! I hope you find the links and posts helpful!
What a great collection of blog posts and resources for fifth grade teachers!
Wow! This is so helpful! Thank you! 🙂
So many of these posts were excellent for me and I am teaching 4th grade for the first time! Thank you!
Wow! You are amazing! Thank you so much for all of this information. I am starting my 7th year of teaching but I have always taught 2nd and 3rd grade. I am excited for my new adventure teaching 5th grade!
Great information!
I have taught 16 yrs in k.
I just moved to 5th Science. I am definitely following you. Thank you!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you so much!
I’ve been a 10th/12th grade ELA teacher for 3 years. I’ve been pretty nervous and excited about moving to 5th grade. I look forward to reading through your blog!
Hello, will your school be departmentalized? I transitioned from a middle school science and math to a 5th Grade teacher of all subjects. It was a tough year but Jennifer’s products and resources definitely helped me!
Wow! That sounds challenging.
I’ll just be teaching literacy.
These tips are god sent! I am literally going through what you did (first year in 3rd, now going into my second year of teaching and moving to 5th). The language arts aspect of teaching 5th grade has been giving me a lot of anxiety and now I have all of these ideas and resources. Thank you so much!!
Hey Jennifer!!
Our stories are so similar! Crazy! I just finished my first year teaching 3rd grade, have moved to Oregon, and will be teaching 5th grade this year. I’m extremely intimidated and find myself stressing constantly with only two weeks until the first day! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your resources! They will help greatly as I dive into this year! Best wishes!
Thanks for this post! Great resources for teaching 5th grade.
This collection of blog posts and resources would be a life saver for any fifth-grade teacher. I love that there are resources for literacy, math, art, social studies, science, classroom management, units, centers, and lots more to get you on your way as a fifth grade teacher.
Wow! LOADED!! I am Blessed to be here. Thanks so much, God bless you.
Have you heard about the postcard exchange? It’s great resource for both writing and geography.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/10OhwliPg14FLpRZynF_uGZ8lwea1YFcfcTwfeHarvBQ/edit
Thank you for this post, I will be moving from 3rd to 5th next school year and this seems to be a resource I will be using!
Thank you for this post, I will be moving from 3rd to 5th next school year and this seems to be a resource I will be using!