Why does 5th Grade homework so hard?

I am sitting here with my 10 year old working on homework, and why is it I don't understand the half of it? I so wouldn't survive on that show, Are you Smarter than a 5th Grader?....I would fail, fail, fail. The stuff they are teaching the kids nowadays is what I don't remember. I remember having to write book reports, long spelling lists and gym class being really long. Yes, I hated gym. I hated to run. And dodgeball always got me the first time. I was like this runt of the class, and everyone always picked on me. Well, nowadays....they better not mess with me..I will sit on them. LOL.