Nova Scotia · Grade 5
English Language Arts, Grade 5
Nova Scotia’s Grade 5 English course, from Language to Literacy in the Content Areas.
- Units
- 4
- Lessons
- 9
- Skills
- 33
- Provincial exam
- Yes
- Official curriculum
- Nova Scotia EECD
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 10 skills
Language
Oral and Non-Verbal Communication
Using listening strategies (Grade 5)
I can use listening strategies to understand and take part in oral communication (Grade 5).
Skill 1.1
Oral and non-verbal communication strategies (Grade 5)
I can use oral and non-verbal strategies to interpret and add to the meaning of a message (Grade 5).
Skill 1.2
Using taught vocabulary, syntax and grammar in talk (Grade 5)
I can use vocabulary, sentence patterns and grammar I have been taught to communicate ideas clearly (Grade 5).
Skill 1.3
Foundational Language: Phonics, Vocabulary and Fluency
Phonics: blending and segmenting to read and spell (Grade 5)
I can use phonics knowledge to read and spell words (Grade 5).
Skill 1.4
Letters and alphabetic knowledge / orthographic patterns (Grade 5)
I can name and form letters and use spelling patterns when I read and write (Grade 5).
Skill 1.5
Grapheme-phoneme correspondences / morphology and vocabulary (Grade 5)
I can use letter-sound knowledge and word parts to read, spell and understand words (Grade 5).
Skill 1.6
Reading fluently with accuracy, pacing and expression (Grade 5)
I can read texts fluently with accuracy, pacing and expression to support my comprehension (Grade 5).
Skill 1.7
Sentence Structure, Grammar and Conventions
Composing sentences (Grade 5)
I can compose sentences using correct structure (Grade 5).
Skill 1.8
Parts of speech to support reading and writing (Grade 5)
I can use knowledge of parts of speech to support reading comprehension and writing (Grade 5).
Skill 1.9
Capitalization and punctuation (Grade 5)
I can use capitalization and punctuation correctly when reading and writing (Grade 5).
Skill 1.10
The official wording · 10 outcomes
- 1.1
- Select and use listening strategies by asking questions to clarify understanding and respond to others in different contexts, including cultural contexts
- 1.2
- Identify and use oral and non-verbal communication strategies to understand or communicate ideas and meaning
- 1.3
- Use explicitly taught vocabulary, syntax, and grammar to expand on communicating ideas and information
- 1.4
- Use phonics and orthographic knowledge to fluently read, spell, and pronounce multisyllabic words
- 1.5
- Use developing morphological knowledge to understand, read and spell words with increasing independence
- 1.6
- Recognize and use vocabulary developed through implicit learning, explicit instruction, and word awareness
- 1.7
- Read texts fluently with accuracy, pacing, and expression to support comprehension
- 1.8
- Identify and create different sentence types, including compound-complex sentences
- 1.9
- Recognize how different parts of speech work in sentences to communicate clearly, support reading comprehension and writing
- 1.10
- Use capitalization and a variety of punctuation correctly, to communicate clearly
Unit 2 · 11 skills
Comprehension
Text Forms, Features and Style
Narrative and informational text forms (Grade 5)
I can identify text forms and their associated genres (Grade 5).
Skill 2.1
Organizational structures and text features (Grade 5)
I can identify organizational structures and text features and use them to comprehend (Grade 5).
Skill 2.2
Visual elements and design (Grade 5)
I can identify how visual elements and design communicate meaning with the text (Grade 5).
Skill 2.3
Elements of style (Grade 5)
I can identify elements of style and explain how they communicate meaning (Grade 5).
Skill 2.4
Reading, Listening and Viewing Strategies
Purpose for reading / background knowledge (Grade 5)
I can set a purpose for reading and use background knowledge to support comprehension (Grade 5).
Skill 2.5
Purpose for reading and reading goals (Grade 5)
I can identify and describe my purpose for reading a text and set reading goals to support it (Grade 5).
Skill 2.6
Monitoring comprehension (Grade 5)
I can use strategies to monitor comprehension and fix it when it breaks down (Grade 5).
Skill 2.7
Making inferences to support comprehension (Grade 5)
I can make inferences using my background knowledge and evidence from the text to support my comprehension (Grade 5).
Skill 2.8
Critical Thinking and Response
Literary devices and rhetorical techniques (Grade 5)
I can identify literary devices and rhetorical techniques and explain how they create meaning (Grade 5).
Skill 2.9
Identifying the point of view in texts (Grade 5)
I can identify the point of view in a text (Grade 5).
Skill 2.10
Analysing the author's use of literary elements (Grade 5)
I can analyse how an author's use of literary elements shapes my understanding and interpretation of a text (Grade 5).
Skill 2.11
The official wording · 11 outcomes
- 2.1
- Use knowledge of different text forms and organizational structures to support comprehension
- 2.2
- Identify organizational structures and text features and apply this knowledge to support reading comprehension
- 2.3
- Examine the relationship between visual elements, visual design and text, describe how they communicate meaning
- 2.4
- Describe various elements of style in texts and explain how they help communicate meaning
- 2.5
- Use both implicitly learned and explicitly taught background knowledge to support comprehension before and during reading
- 2.6
- Identify and describe the purpose for reading a text and develop reading goals to support this purpose
- 2.7
- Use strategies to support reading goals. Identify when comprehension has broken down and select strategies to clarify meaning
- 2.8
- Make inferences using implicit and explicitly taught background knowledge and evidence from the text to support comprehension
- 2.9
- Recognize literary devices and rhetorical techniques in texts and describe how they contribute to the meaning
- 2.10
- Identify the point of view in texts
- 2.11
- Analyse how the author’s use of literary elements in various texts influences a reader's understanding and interpretation of the text
Unit 3 · 8 skills
Composition
Pre-Writing and Planning
Writing strengths, growth areas and goals (Grade 5)
I can identify my writing strengths and areas for growth and develop relevant writing goals (Grade 5).
Skill 3.1
Describe topic, audience and purpose for writing (Grade 5)
I can describe the topic, audience and purpose for a piece of writing (Grade 5).
Skill 3.2
Generating and documenting ideas for writing (Grade 5)
I can use taught strategies to generate ideas or topics for writing and record them (Grade 5).
Skill 3.3
Organizing writing (Grade 5)
I can use strategies to organize my writing (Grade 5).
Skill 3.4
Drafting, Revising and Editing
Writing fluently by hand and building word-processing skills (Grade 5)
I can write fluently by hand and build word-processing skills to support my writing (Grade 5).
Skill 3.5
Drafting with audience, purpose, topic and conventions (Grade 5)
I can draft texts using what I know about audience, purpose, topic and conventions (Grade 5).
Skill 3.6
Reflecting on goals and revising writing (Grade 5)
I can reflect on my writing goals and use revision strategies to improve content, clarity and style (Grade 5).
Skill 3.7
Editing drafts and exploring a word processor (Grade 5)
I can make edits to my drafts to improve accuracy, check for errors, and explore using a word processor (Grade 5).
Skill 3.8
The official wording · 8 outcomes
- 3.1
- Identify strengths and areas for growth for and develop relevant writing goals
- 3.2
- Describe the topic, audience, and purpose for writing
- 3.3
- Use explicitly taught strategies to generate and document ideas or topics for writing
- 3.4
- Use explicitly taught strategies to organize writing
- 3.5
- Write fluently by hand and develop word processing skills to support writing
- 3.6
- Draft texts using knowledge of audience, purpose, topic, and conventions
- 3.7
- Reflect on personal writing goals and use revision strategies to improve content, clarity, and style
- 3.8
- Make edits to drafts to improve accuracy, check for errors, and explore the use of a word processor
Watch out for
- Beginning to write without deciding the topic, audience or purpose.
- Writing the same way no matter who will read it or why.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 4 · 4 skills
Literacy in the Content Areas
Literacy in the Content Areas
Subject vocabulary in the content areas (Grade 5)
I can use subject-specific vocabulary and background knowledge in a content area (Grade 5).
Skill 4.1
Gathering key information across sources (Grade 5)
I can gather and use key information from texts and multiple sources to build understanding (Grade 5).
Skill 4.2
Synthesizing sources for a content concept (Grade 5)
I can use information from multiple sources to communicate a cohesive understanding of a concept (Grade 5).
Skill 4.3
Writing to learn in the content areas (Grade 5)
I can use writing and other communication forms to organize, refine and express ideas for learning (Grade 5).
Skill 4.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- 4.1
- Use subject-specific vocabulary and background knowledge to support reading, writing, and communication in content area
- 4.2
- Gather and use key information from texts and multiple sources to build, organize and communicate understanding
- 4.3
- Use information from multiple sources to a cohesive communicate understanding of a content-area concept
- 4.4
- Use writing and other communication forms to organize, refine, and express ideas for learning in different content areas
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Nova Scotia’s own curriculum for English Language Arts, Grade 5.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches English Language Arts, Grade 5 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.


Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep English Language Arts, Grade 5 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 30
- Fillable fields
- 1,456
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about English Language Arts, Grade 5
What is English Language Arts, Grade 5?
Nova Scotia’s Grade 5 English course: 4 units and 33 skills, from Language to Literacy in the Content Areas.
What units are in English Language Arts, Grade 5?
1. Language, 2. Comprehension, 3. Composition and 4. Literacy in the Content Areas.
Is there a provincial exam for English Language Arts, Grade 5?
Yes. The Nova Scotia Assessment: Reading, Writing, and Mathematics/Mathématiques in Grade 6 is written in Nova Scotia.
What comes after English Language Arts, Grade 5?
English Language Arts, Grade 6.
Can MapleMind help with English Language Arts, Grade 5?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of English Language Arts, Grade 5, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.