Fundamentals of a Good Fifth-Grade Education (Core Knowledge Series)

I used this book to help study for the MSAT (Calif. teacher's test). This book, along with "What Your 6th Grader Needs To Know" taught me, in bare-bones terms, the necessary points of each subject. The Literature/Language Arts section is worth the price of the book in itself, because it gave a synopsis of some of the greats of literature (most of which I was never required to read as a youngster). That said, I passed the MSAT and am now going on to be an elementary teacher. I would recommend this book, not only for parents, but for teachers as well.

I love this series of books and recommend them to all parents. I use them to review concepts with my own children to ensure that they have the basic understand of concepts needed for their grade level. I often review with them over the summer. In addition, it has many things that are overlooked during the school day as a teacher only has so much time. I particularly appreciate the fine arts, cultural literacy, and geography sections of these books. This book is not a complete curriculum but rather an overview of the minimum amount of knowledge your child should have at each grade level.

I never took the CSET test, but I plan to take it next January. This book contains everything you can imagine. It first off with a very good display of stories such as King Author. The history part was the best. It contain great information about the mayas and the incas. Also Europeon history is the best since it going into Henry II and his idea of Trial and Jury, and also King John (the only english king with the name John)with his famous document Magna carta. The math and science is good, but could be better. I just wish they go deeper into detail. It would be better if you can purchasse a textbook over these topics. Overall a vbery good book.

I'm a big fan of the "What Your __th Grader Needs to Know" series and have been gradually collecting the volumes to assist me with homeschool planning. So when I saw the 5th grade book at the "Friends of the Library" book shop, I jumped at it.

My 9 year old was reading the poetry section on the way home from the library when she exclaimed that one of the poems had a "bad word". At first, I imagined that the word in question was some mild vulgarity. I was shocked to discover that it was an ugly racial slur. On page 59 the poem is "Incident" by Countee Cullen. The third stanza reads:

"Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me 'N----r'"

I can't see ANY good reason for this poem to be included in a book intended for 10 and 11 year olds. Maybe that word is okay for high school students to read in Mark Twain's classic "Huckleberry Finn" but I think it's a real lapse of editorial judgment for it to be in this book.

This was a very good book. My parents think I don't learn enough in a public school even though I am in a Gifted and Talented class. So during the summer I am given assigned readings to finish every day. This way I am either caught up or ahead of my class by the begining of the year. These books have Literature, Geography, World Civilization, and more. They are written at different levels for different grades and are very interesting. I recommend these books for concerned parents and interested kids, like me.

I am a grandparent and have used this series of books starting from "What your second grader needs to know". We are now using "What my fifth grader needs to know" It is surprising to see how my grandchildren are enjoying the "extra knowledge" over and above what they are exposed to in the classroom. If I could have a wish, I would like to see more color photographs or images rather than the black and white pictures as shown . This would be a great improvement especially in the "Visual arts section" of this book. The description of Michelangelo's David is outstanding.

...practically nothing presented in this book "needs" to be known by a fifth grader...Moorish architecture?...formula for the volume of a rectangular prism??...John Phillip Sousa???...it totally glosses over what should be essentials -- using basic logic, understanding analogies, problem solving tactics, etc...skip it.

This book has everything you can possibly imagine for the 3rd Grade student. It is especially a must for the home school parent. I no longer wonder if my children are learning what they should, I know as long as I use this and the other series of Core Knowledge books, they are getting the education they should. Also, read the "What your ________Needs To Know: Fundamentals of a Good _____ Grade Education" for grades Kindergarten through 6th grade, all E.J. Hirsch, Jr. books.

I learned about this book from the reference list in Beestar Social Studies program ([...] Due to the vast differences among schools and teachers in teaching Social Studies, students often received a rather unbalanced treatment of the subject. This book comes as a rescue of the situation. It tells you clearly what your child should know as a fifth grader. My child picked up several important chapters from this book that somehow were never taught by his teacher. And yes the knowledge has been very useful in state tests. I'm very glad that we had this book.

This is a wonderful book, not only for your children, but for adults as well. I am currently going for my early childhood education degree and I will be taking the GACE exam and this book was recommended to me to help me study. I also have the 1st grade and 2nd grade version of this book...they are also wonderful!!

I found this book to be very informative not only for young students, but also as a refresher for adults. As a future instructor, I find this book helpful not only for information, but also for "short and interesting" presentational information. It is short and to the point. I recommend the series (all grades) to everyone involved with students regardless of age. I have obtained four of the series for the age groups that I am working with currently.

Love all these books to supplement at home or to teach from! However, I recommend, in this particular book, there is one page that parents need to read first on the "human body and sexual reproduction" to see if it is appropriate for your child's level.

I would agree that this book (and the others like it by Hirsch) offer a basis for valuable information. However, I would warn you to supplement a literacy curriculum with other stories and authors that include cultures other than European American. Look closely at the contents and you will notice that his view of "American literate culture" is overwhelmingly European-American based. I agree that students need to learn "American literate culture," however, curriculum needs to represent the many people that make up our diverse nation.

5th Grade Teacher

The index includes five citations for the Bible, but not a single citation for evolution. Not surprisingly, the chapter on science is the smallest chapter in the book. The literature section is the largest chapter with a wide selection of poems. For the Christian home schooler, this is the book for you!

The index includes five citations for the Bible, but not a single citation for evolution. Not surprisingly, the chapter on science is the smallest chapter in the book. The literature section is the largest chapter with a wide selection of poems. For the Christian home schooler, this is the book for you!