Unit Materials for 5th Grade English Language Arts
Explore the texts and supporting materials used in each unit of 5th Grade English Language Arts.
Need to purchase texts for this course?
Download the text list for the 2026–27 school year, which includes ISBNs and guidance on ordering quantities.
Fishtank Learning partners with two text vendors who offer convenient ordering options for a school or district adoption: The Reading Warehouse and Mackin. You can request an introduction to the appropriate representative by emailing [email protected].
Note: Some of the links below are Bookshop affiliate links. This means that if you click and make a purchase, we receive a small portion of the proceeds, which supports our non-profit mission.
Seedfolks
Core Texts
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Book: Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman (Harper Trophy, 2004) — 710L
Supporting Texts
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Article: “7 Effective Steps to Start a Community Garden” by University of Minnesota
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Article: “4 Examples of Urban and Community Garden / Farm Projects to Inspire the Next Generation” by Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation
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Article: “How to Organize a Community Garden” by NC State Extension
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Video: “Successful Community Gardening Webinar Series” by University of Illinois Extension
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Article: “Growing Successful Community Gardens” by University of Kentucky
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Article: “Community Garden Checklist” by Let's Move
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Article: “4 Benefits of Community Gardens” by Pennsylvania Horticulture Society
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Video: “Community Gardens Can Change Cities: Cultivate More than Food” by Tyler Lloyd
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
The Breadwinner
Core Texts
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Book: The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2015) — 710L
Supporting Texts
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Article: “The Taliban in Afghanistan (1996–2001)” by Fishtank Staff
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Book: Kids of Kabul: Living Bravely through a Never-Ending War by Deborah Ellis (Groundwood Books, 2012)
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Book: I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
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Video: “Geography Made Easy: Afghanistan” by Akash Vukoti
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Website: Country Profile: Afghanistan by National Geographic Kids
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Website: Afghanistan Facts for Kids by Twinkl
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Website: Afghanistan Facts by Kiddle
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Plastic Pollution
Core Texts
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Book: Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans by Danielle Smith-Llera (Compass Point Books, 2018) — 1120L
Supporting Texts
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Article: “Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability” (United Nations Environment Programme, 2018)
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Article: “Ten 'stealth microplastics' to avoid if you want to save the oceans” by Sharon George and Deirdre McKay
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Article: “Queensland passes laws banning 'killer' single-use plastics” by Graham Readfearn (The Guardian)
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Article: “'People need them': The trouble with the movement to ban plastic straws” by Vivian Ho (The Guardian)
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Article: “Mythbusting: 5 common misperceptions surrounding the environmental impacts of single-use plastics” (University of Michigan News)
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Article: “Little girl, big difference: 4th grader's idea helps reduce trash at Pikes Peak region-area elementary school” by Lindsey Grewe (KKTV)
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Article: “A Girl Scout's letters spurred companies to cut down on using plastic straws” (The Washington Post)
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Children of the Civil Rights Movement
Core Texts
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Book: Witnesses to Freedom: Young People Who Fought for Civil Rights by Belinda Rochelle (Puffin Books, 1993) — 1040L
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Book: Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March by Lynda Blackmon Lowery, as told to Elspeth Leacock and Susan Buckley and illustrated by PJ Loughran (Speak)
Supporting Texts
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Excerpt: “Gwendolyn Patton, Pat Shuttlesworth, and Fred Taylor” from Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen S. Levine
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Excerpt: “Ernest Green” from Freedom’s Children: Young Civil Rights Activists Tell Their Own Stories by Ellen S. Levine
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Excerpt: “Chapter 1” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
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Excerpt: “Chapter 4” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
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Excerpt: “Chapter 7–8” from Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
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Poem: “Day 1: March 5, 1770: Crispus Attacks” from 28 Days: Moments in Black History that Changed the World by Charles R. Smith Jr.
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Poem: “Ruby Bridges' Brave Step” by Latorial Faison
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Return to Sender
Core Texts
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Book: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez (Yearling, 2010) — 890L
Supporting Texts
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Poem: “Where I'm From” by Melanie Poonai
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Article: “A Day-in-the-Life on an Organic Dairy Farm in Cornwall, Vermont” by Bill Cavanaugh (Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont)
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Video: “Russo Family Farm, Vermont” (Organic Valley Farmers)
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Article: “The Golden Cage” (Vermont Folklife)
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Article: “When Is Three Kings' Day and How Is It Celebrated?” by Cristina Maza (Newsweek, 2018)
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Article: “El Día de Los Tres Reyes: Epiphany in Mexico” (Na'atik Language and Culture Institute, 2023)
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Article: “Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead” (National Geographic, 2022)
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Article: “A Day to Remember Family” (CommonLit, 2016)
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Article: “Mexico's Independence Day marks the beginning of a decade-long revolution” (National Geographic, 2018)
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Article: “What is El Grito and Why is it Celebrated in México?” (Pima County Public Library)
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Video: “What is Day of the Dead?” (National Geographic, 2019)
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Video: “Massive Mexico Independence Day Celebrations” (AP, 2022)
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
A Single Shard
Core Texts
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Book: A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park (HMH Books for Young Readers; Reprint edition, 2011) — 920L
Supporting Texts
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Article: “Apprenticeship” (Britannica Kids)
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Article: “What is an Apprenticeship & How Does it Work?” (Get Schooled)
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Article: “How High School Students Can Benefit from Apprenticeships” by Joy Biscornét (Bright Horizons)
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Article: “Fair Play: Sam Rapoport works to make the NFL more inclusive” by Rachel MacPherson (TIME for Kids)
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Article: “Teen Finds New Planet” by Karena Phan (TIME for Kids)
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Article: “Growing Up Long Ago” (ReadWorks)
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Article: “Becoming a Doctor” (ReadWorks)
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Article: “How An Apprenticeship Model Engaged Students and Turned a School Around” by Sarah Gonser (Edutopia)
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Article: “Apprenticeships on the Rise” by Patrick O’Donnell (Education Next)
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Article: “The Future of Work Needs More Apprentices” by Maria Flynn (Forbes)
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Article: “Conquer the Cold” by Angela Haupt (TIME for Kids)
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Article: “Deep-Sea Danger” by Lillian Stone (TIME for Kids)
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Article: “A Juneteenth Celebration” by Brian S. McGrath and Constance Gibbs (TIME for Kids)
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Article: “A Place to Play” by Jaime Joyce (TIME for Kids)
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Solimar
Core Texts
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Book: Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Disney Hyperion) — 670L
Supporting Texts
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Video: “Watch a Breathtaking Monarch Butterfly Swarm” by Nature on PBS
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Article: “Monarch Butterfly Migration and Overwintering” by U.S. Forest Service
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Article: “Monarch Migration” by Monarch Watch
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Article: “Monarch Butterflies” by World Wildlife Fund
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Article: “Mari Copeny Takes Action to Save Her City” by Caitlyn Meagher (ReadWorks)
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Article: “New York Teen Leads Global Movement to Protect Monarch Butterflies” by Alicia Lee
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Article: “For a Family in Mexico, a Mission to Protect Monarchs” by Nicole Greenfield
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
Exploring Mars
Core Texts
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Book: The Mighty Mars Rovers: The Incredible Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity by Elizabeth Rusch (Clarion Books, 2017) — 950L
Supporting Texts
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Excerpt: “Comet Hunter” from The Poetry of Science: The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science for Kids by Holly Thompson
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Excerpt: “Uh Oh, Pluto” from The Poetry of Science: The Poetry Friday Anthology for Science for Kids by Jeannine Atkins
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Poem: “Go There” by Jay R. Thompson (NASA)
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Article: “Mars Rover Spirit Unearths Surprise Evidence of Wetter Past” by NASA
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Article: “Mars Rovers Advance Understanding of the Red Planet” by NASA
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Article: “NASA's Opportunity Rover Rolls Free on Mars” by NASA
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Article: “Now a Stationary Research Platform, NASA's Mars Rover Spirit Starts a New Chapter in Red Planet Scientific Studies” by NASA (PR Newswire)
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Article: “Rover Team Tests Mars Moves on Earth” by NASA
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Website: Solar System Exploration
- Resource: Recommended Texts for Independent Reading
