Preparing for any back to school school year is tough but the fourth and fifth grades are particularly so. These grades are tough for a number of reasons. One reason why they can be difficult is because they are kind of tweener grades. The first, second and third grades are exciting because they are new. The sixth begins middle school and the ninth begins high school. The fourth and fifth are kind of....well they are kind of just there. Another challenge is the curriculum. Tough stuff is coming during these key years and getting them ready has never been more vital.
Fourth Grade
I like to call this the "growing up" grade. The bloom is off the rose and the student is beginning to see that school is not all parties and playgrounds. This is where the student truly becomes a student so you need to make sure they are prepared.
Review everything you can think of
The teacher in fourth grade will likely be holding your child responsible for knowing what has come before fourth grade and move on to newer and grander things. For this reason, any lingering problems your kid might have had in previous years should be addressed. Talk with your kid and if you need to, give them a grade specific quiz to see where they stand. Try to fix any problems ahead of time.
Work hard on comprehension reading
Have your child read...then read...then read some more during the summer. This should be a very busy summer for your child reading simply because it will play such a key role in everything they learn during fourth grade. More specifically, your kid needs to learn to understand everything they are reading. Sit regularly with your child and have them read out loud. Then have them summarize what they read in small bunches. This will help a great deal with reading comprehension.
Socialize whenever possible
Fourth grade is kind of like high school on a miniature level. Kids will begin to group off and find those that share their interests. This may exclude or include your kids and they should know how to react in both of these situations. Teach them about how to treat others and what to do when they are excluded. Talk about bullying in particular from both ends of the spectrum.
Neatness counts
While this is true in all grades, fourth grade is the first year they are likely to start taking away points for sloppiness. Have your child practice their handwriting until it is pleasant and neat. If they struggle with it, that simply means they need more practice. Address the mechanics and then let them learn through practice.
Fifth grade
As for fifth grade, you can pretty much copy and paste what is said up above. All the things mentioned above are doubly true when they hit fifth grade. There are some grade specific things that you might want to address though:
Talk about boys/girls
Although this is happening at varying ages now, boys and girls in fifth grade are certainly starting to talk about boyfriends and girlfriends. Innocent as it may be, you need to start having the talk with them. You would be shocked at how many "kids" are becoming active these days in ways you don't want to think about. Talk to your kids about sex, drugs and rock and roll. You can't afford not to anymore.
Start to focus on science and social studies too
Fifth grade is a key year in science and the social studies areas and students will begin to learn a great deal about other cultures. Prepping them ahead of time will help to smooth that process and keep them moving in the right direction. Spend some time exploring the world around them and figuring out how things work.
Do you have any other tips to help prepare your children for 4th or 5th grade?