Our main focus in reading is to explore different genres and interact with our texts. We will be focusing on the reading strategies derived from Lucy Calkins' Units of Study for Reader's Workshop: Background Knowledge (Schema), Monitoring Meaning (Metacognition), Making Connections, Visualizing, Questioning, Predicting, Inferring, Determining Importance, and Synthesizing. We also have literature that integrates concepts into other curriculum areas such as social studies, science, and math. Our units include:
Interpreting Characters: The Heart of the Story
Tackling Complexity: Moving up Levels of Nonfiction
Reading History: The American Revolution + Gold Rush Historical Fiction Clubs
Fantasy Book Clubs: The Magic of Themes and Symbols
Our main focus in writing this year is to increase stamina in writing. We will be implementing the district-wide writing program called Units of Study for Writer's Workshop by Lucy Calkins. We also use strategies from “Step Up to Writing”. We teach spelling strategies, grammar, and word usage during our daily language and grammar review routine each day, as well as within the writing workshop itself. Students will have targeted instruction based on individual needs. Our units include:
The Arc of Story: Writing Realistic Fiction
Boxes and Bullets: Personal and Persuasive Essays
Narrative Craft
The Literary Essay: Writing About Fiction
Bringing History to Life/The Lens of History: Research Reports
We use the district adopted Houghton Mifflin Mathematics program Go Math! and will be supplementing it with principles and ideas from the Engage NY program. The mathematics program stresses skill practice, problem solving, proving the answer in multiple ways, and using written language to explain one's thinking. The units of study are:
Place Value and Operations with Whole Numbers
Fractions and Decimals
Geometry, Measurement, Data
The units of study are:
Geography
Explorers
Government
Native Americans
The American Revolution
13 Colonies
Westward Expansion (Missions, Gold Rush)
The Elevate science units include the following topics for study:
Energy
Matter
Human Body
Earth Systems
Sun, Moon, Stars
Motion and Stability
We will also be incorporating lessons from Mystery Science which is a student-friendly, engaging platform for science experimentation. We focus on the scientific process of predicting, observing, proposing, and testing theories.
Students will attend P.E. two times per week for 45 minutes.
All students will regularly and frequently utilize their student Google account as well as refer to our Google Classroom. Students will learn how to manage their Google Drive and work to create Google Documents and Slides. Students will use the SHARE feature to collaborate with others. Students will also post to Seesaw, as well as practice positive peer feedback through the use of commenting on other students' work. We will work on various technology skills using a variety of applications.
Our art teacher, Ms. Sanchez, will be doing weekly art lessons for the students to participate in. There will also be monthly art activities included within the class curriculum.
August: Nametags, Self-Portraits, Pennants
September: Van Gogh Masks
October: Pumpkin Reflections
November: Geometric Turkeys
December: Winter Trees, Winter Reflection
January: Melting Snowmen
February: Warm/Cool Hearts, Heart Animals
March: The Cat in the Hat, Shamrock Art
April: Ansel Adams Photography
May: The Best Part of Me
Every week students will have one-45 minute music lesson.
TBD...