Age 10 Takeaways

Incoming 5th graders are typically ten years old, each progressing through a range of characteristics that should be considered. When thinking about 5th grade lessons, keep in mind the typical abilities and characteristics of not only ten year olds, but how those needs change as they transition to eleven.
Favorite Themes for children this age:
  • Geography
  • Immigration
  • History
  • How things work 
  • Geology, land formations, and weather
  • Industry (for example research on the source of a particular product)
Yardsticks is a fantastic resource that offers age-by-age characteristics of typical child development. These general indicators are helpful to be aware of as you develop curriculum and help children grow. I have included characteristics that I find helpful when thinking specifically about art curriculum, but there is much more included for each age. I highly recommend reading the entire book.​

Drawing on decades of educational experience and a wealth of research, Yardsticks invites every adult who teaches or cares for children to celebrate the incredible developmental journey that occurs from ages four through fourteen. Combining easy-to-access information about the cognitive, social-emotional, and physical characteristics unique to each age with practical advice for how to apply this knowledge, Yardsticks offers parents and educators a foundation for helping children grow and thrive.
Cognitive Growth:
Ten Year-Olds Growth Patterns -
  • Vary good at memorizing facts
  • Increasingly able to think abstractly; enjoy rules and logic; good at solving problems
  • Enjoy collecting, classifying, and organizing
  • Can concentrate for long periods
  • Take pride in schoolwork
In the Classroom - 
  • Highly productive with schoolwork; usually conscientious with homework; pay close attention to form, structure, directions, and organization
  • Receptive learners; very good at memorization; love geography, world records, facts about sports and TV programs, and activities requiring memory skills
  • Enjoy choral reading singing, poetry, and plays
  • With concrete organizational skills at their peak, enjoy classification, seriation, and exactness; enjoy  and learn much from working on collections and science and math projects
Fine Motor Ability:
In the Classroom - 
  • Particularly enjoy tracing and copying as fine motor skills strengthen; making maps and drawing cartoons provide excellent fine motor practice
  • Ready to start using tools such as compasses, protractors, rulers, and templates; need plenty of practice time