Whitehead Learning Group
Empowering students to thrive.

Academic Milestones

Curious on ways to help support your elementary school student academically and socially at home? We've curated a list of educational and social benchmarks by grade-level, including strategies to partner with your student during each year's transition.

5th-Grade: Educational and Social Benchmarks

5th Grade:

Math:

  • Multi-digit whole numbers - Quickly and accurately, multiply multi-digit whole numbers. Divide whole numbers (up to four digits) by two-digit numbers.

  • Understanding place value - Extend understanding of place value: in a multi-digit number, a digit in one place represents 1⁄10 of what it represents in the place to its left, and 10 times as much as it represents in the place to its right.

  • Comparing decimals - Read, write, and compare decimals to the thousandths place, using the symbols > (greater than), and < (less than). 

  • Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals, to the hundredths.

  • Understand what an exponent is. 

  • Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions.

  • Solve multi-step word problems using conversions of different-sized standard measurement units.

  • Solve problems using information (in fraction units) presented in a line plot.

  • Understand volume as the measurement of the space inside a three-dimensional or solid figure. Use the formulas length x width x height or base x height to measure the volume of a three-dimensional or solid object with rectangular sides, like a cube. Measure volume to solve real-world problems.

English:

  • Read rich and challenging fifth grade-level texts closely, proficiently and independently.

  • Explain what a story, play, poem, or informational text says and make inferences (“read between the lines”) using details and quotes from the text.

  • Summarize a text and identify the theme or main ideas of a story, play, poem or informational text based on details in the text.

  • Read and understand new vocabulary, including general academic vocabulary and vocabulary in specific subject areas like science or social studies.

  • Use different strategies to understand new words and phrases: for example, use context as a clue; use common Greek and Latin roots as a clue; consult a dictionary online or in print.

  • Conduct short research projects to gather information from print and digital sources.

Social:

  • Talk about peer pressure

  • Be an active listener

  • Work on how to have a critical conversation

Rebekka Whitehead