Special Collections
District List: BCPS Core Text Lists – Grade 5
Description: Baltimore City Public Schools Core Text List for students in 5th Grade. Contains books from Modules: Cultures in Conflict, Word Play, A War Between Us, and Breaking Barriers. #bcps
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Wheels of Change
by Sue MacyWheels of Change transports young readers to bygone eras to see how women used the bicycle to improve their lives. Witty in tone and scrapbook-like in presentation, the book deftly covers early (and comical) objections, influence on fashion, and impact on social change inspired by the bicycle, which, according to Susan B. Anthony, "has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world.
We Are the Ship
by Kadir Nelson"We are the ship; all else the sea"
--Rube Foster, founder of the Negro National League.
The story of Negro League baseball is the story of gifted athletes and determined owners; of racial discrimination and international sportsmanship; of fortunes won and lost; of triumphs and defeats on and off the field. Most of all, the story of the Negro Leagues is about the unsung heroes who overcame segregation, hatred, terrible conditions, and low pay to do the one thing they loved more than anything else in the world: play ball.
Using an "Everyman" player as his narrator, Kadir Nelson tells the story of Negro League baseball from its beginnings in the 1920s through its decline after Jackie Robinson crossed over to the majors in 1947. The voice is so authentic, you will feel as if you are sitting on dusty bleachers listening intently to the memories of a man who has known the great ballplayers of that time and shared their experiences. But what makes this book so outstanding are the dozens of oil paintings--breathtaking in their perspectives, rich in emotion, and created with understanding and affection for these lost heroes of our national game.
We Are the Ship is a tour de force for baseball lovers of all ages.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts in grades 4-5 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Winner of the Sibert Medal and the Coretta Scott King Medal
Thunder Rolling in the Mountains
by Scott O'DellThis powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph's strong and brave daughter.
The Phantom Tollbooth
by Norton Juster and Jules FeifferNIMAC-sourced textbook
Lexile Measure: 1000LL
The Gristmill
by Bobbie KalmanEarly pioneers would travel from far and wide to visit the gristmill for the essential service of having their grain ground. Communities often developed in areas where gristmills had been built. In the Gristmill young readers will find out
The Boys' War
by Jim MurphyAn ALA Best Book for Young Adults: Firsthand accounts of the experiences of boys sixteen and younger who fought in the Civil War, with photos included. Winner of the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction &“Making extensive use of the actual words—culled from diaries, journals, memoirs, and letters—of boys who served in the Union and Confederate armies as fighting soldiers as well as drummers, buglers, and telegraphers, Murphy describes the beginnings of the Civil War and goes on to delineate the military role of the underage soldiers and their life in the camps and field bivouacs. Also included is a description of the boys' return home and the effects upon them of their wartime experiences…An excellent selection of more than 45 sepia-toned contemporary photographs augment the text of this informative, moving work.&” —School Library Journal (starred review) &“This wrenching look at our nation&’s bloodiest conflict through the eyes of its youthful participants serves up history both heartbreaking and enlightening.&” —Publishers Weekly &“This well-researched and readable account provides fresh insight into the human cost of a pivotal event in United States history.&” —The Horn Book (starred review)