Scope and sequence · Practical
Grade 5 Gardening & Animals
A year of real plant science, soil science, animal care and natural history for ten- and eleven-year-olds, learned by observing, measuring, tending and growing.
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What to cover
32 of 32 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Harvest and the Seasons
- MUST COVER 1.1 Solstices, Equinoxes and Earth’s Tilt · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 Keeping a Phenology Journal · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 The Farmer’s Year and the Old Almanacs · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 Preserving the Harvest: Canning, Drying and Freezing · unit test
Unit 2: Wildlife
- MUST COVER 2.1 Classifying Local Mammals · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Birds by Song and Field Marks · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Living Alongside Raccoons, Skunks and Coyotes · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Moles, Voles and Mice · unit test
Unit 3: Soil Science
- MUST COVER 3.1 The Soil Texture Triangle · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 Organic Matter and Humus · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 The Science of Composting · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Erosion and Conservation: The Dust Bowl · unit test
Unit 4: Pets
- MUST COVER 4.1 Good Stewardship: The Basic Needs of Animals · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Reptile Heat, UVB and Habitat · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Dog Behavior and Training · unit test
Unit 5: Plant Science
- MUST COVER 5.1 Photosynthesis and Respiration · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Transpiration and Water Movement · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 Macronutrients and Micronutrients · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 Light Intensity and Day Length · unit test
Unit 6: Farm Animals and Bees
- MUST COVER 6.1 Raising Chicks and Showing Poultry · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Goats and Milk: Butter and Simple Cheese · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Horse Care: Hooves, Grooming and Tack · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 Beekeeping Tools and a Hive Inspection · unit test
Unit 7: Planting
- MUST COVER 7.1 Potting Mixes and Repotting · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 Propagation from Cuttings · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 Garden Design and Crop Rotation · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Field Planting Through History: The Plow and the Seed Drill · unit test
Unit 8: Plant Health
- MUST COVER 8.1 Plant Diseases: Fungi, Bacteria and Viruses · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 Insect Pests and Their Life Cycles · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Beneficial Insects and Integrated Pest Management · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 Weeds and Competition · unit test
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 32-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 Solstices, Equinoxes and Earth’s Tilt: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 Keeping a Phenology Journal: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 The Farmer’s Year and the Old Almanacs: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 Preserving the Harvest: Canning, Drying and Freezing: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 1 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 Classifying Local Mammals: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Birds by Song and Field Marks: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 Living Alongside Raccoons, Skunks and Coyotes: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 Moles, Voles and Mice: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 2 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 The Soil Texture Triangle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 Organic Matter and Humus: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 The Science of Composting: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Erosion and Conservation: The Dust Bowl: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 3 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 Good Stewardship: The Basic Needs of Animals: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 The Aquarium Nitrogen Cycle: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Reptile Heat, UVB and Habitat: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Dog Behavior and Training: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 4 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 17 | Catch-up and review week (no new lessons) | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 Photosynthesis and Respiration: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Transpiration and Water Movement: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 Macronutrients and Micronutrients: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 Light Intensity and Day Length: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 5 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Raising Chicks and Showing Poultry: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Goats and Milk: Butter and Simple Cheese: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Horse Care: Hooves, Grooming and Tack: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 Beekeeping Tools and a Hive Inspection: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 6 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 Potting Mixes and Repotting: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 Propagation from Cuttings: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 Garden Design and Crop Rotation: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Field Planting Through History: The Plow and the Seed Drill: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 7 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 Plant Diseases: Fungi, Bacteria and Viruses: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 Insect Pests and Their Life Cycles: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 Beneficial Insects and Integrated Pest Management: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 Weeds and Competition: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 8 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 34 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 35 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 36 | Year-end review, portfolio and records |
Grading: Hands-on projects 40%, Nature journal 20%, Unit reviews 15%, Portfolio projects 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69; below 60, redo the work with help.