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


Showing 1 through 7 of 7 results

The River Between Us

by Richard Peck

NIMAC-sourced textbook

Lexile Measure: 740LL

Date Added: 03/14/2019


Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

by Scott O'Dell

This 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.

Date Added: 03/14/2019


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

Date Added: 03/14/2019


The Boys' War

by Jim Murphy

First-hand accounts that include diary entries and personal letters describe the experiences of boys, sixteen years old or younger, who fought in the Civil War.

Date Added: 03/14/2019


Wheels of Change

by Sue Macy

Wheels 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.

Date Added: 06/20/2019


The Gristmill

by Bobbie Kalman

Early 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

Date Added: 09/18/2019


The Phantom Tollbooth

by Norton Juster and Jules Feiffer

NIMAC-sourced textbook

Lexile Measure: 1000LL

Date Added: 03/14/2019



Showing 1 through 7 of 7 results