In this module, students build their literacy and citizenship skills as they engage in a study of schools.
Unit 1 Students begin the module by participating in a series of focused read-alouds to explore the module guiding question, “What is school, and why are schools important?”
In Unit 2, students build on this understanding by engaging in close read-alouds of the text Off to Class: Incredible and Unusual Schools around the World by Susan Hughes. Through this text, students learn about schools around the world and the challenges some communities face in sending their students to school and how they solve these challenges. To support their understanding of this text, students take notes on and write in response to their reading.
In Unit 3, students revisit sections from Off to Class as they engage in whole class research to learn about the similarities and differences between their own school and three schools from the text. Students extend their research in small groups by focusing on one school in particular and producing an informational book about it tilted “The Most Important Thing about Schools.” Throughout the unit, students participate in collaborative conversations with their peers to process and extend their understandings of the similarities and differences between their own school and the school they have researched.
In this module, students build their literacy and science skills as they engage in a study of fossils.
Unit 1 Students begin the module by participating in a close read-aloud of Stone Girl, Bone Girl by Laurence Anholt to explore the Unit 1 guiding questions: “What do paleontologists do?” and “How do characters respond to major events?” Students learn about Mary Anning and her role as a fossil hunter as they engage with key literature standards. Students focus on how Mary Anning responds to major events and challenges, and the overall structure of narratives through structured retells. In Unit 1, students are also introduced to the skill of answering selected response questions. Students also begin to learn about what fossils are and the work that paleontologists do.
In Unit 2, students make a pivot to informational texts and engage more deeply in the study of fossils. Students’ learning is centered around the Unit 2 guiding questions: “What can we learn from studying fossils?” and “How do readers learn more about a topic from informational texts?” Students begin the unit by engaging in a close read-aloud of various excerpts from the text Fossils by Ann O. Squire. Students then make the important transition of closely reading complex texts independently. Students are gradually introduced to close reading strategies as they read a few different nonfiction articles on fossils, such as how fossils can teach us about changes that have happened on Earth.
In Unit 3, students take on the role of being authors as they work toward completing the performance task: adding detailed illustrations to a narrative produced during unit 3 about discovering a fossil. The unit begins with a focused read-aloud of The Maiasaura Dig: The Story of Dr. Holly Woodward Ballard. Through their analysis of the text, students begin to answer and unpack the Unit 3 guiding question: “How do authors write compelling narratives?” Students then imagine they are a character from this story and practice writing a narrative. The unit culminates as students write, revise, and illustrate their own narratives from the perspective of a paleontologist who has just discovered a fossil.
In this module, students build their research skills and science knowledge through a study of the secret world of plants and pollinators.
Unit 1 Students navigate informational text features, co-create Plant, Seed, Fruit, and Flower Frayer Model anchor charts, create scientific drawings, and participate in a Science Talk, all focused on learning about how plants grow and survive.
In Unit 2, students home in on a study of the role of insect pollinators in helping plants grow and survive. Using the text What Is Pollination? by Bobbie Kalman, students continue to strengthen their research skills as they conduct whole group and small group research on insect pollinators. Students then use their research notes to write an informative piece about a specific insect pollinator and its role in the pollination process.
In Unit 3, students extend and apply their understanding of pollination and pollinators through the creation of their performance task. Using the informative writing piece from Unit 2, as well as supplemental texts about specific plants and pollinators, students prepare an oral presentation and create a poster to share their knowledge about a specific insect pollinator and plant.
In this module, students continue to build on their knowledge of pollinators from Module 3 as they deepen their literacy skills and build citizenship. Specifically, students explore the module guiding questions: “Why should people help pollinators to survive? How can I take action to help pollinators?”
Unit 1 Students explore folktales and fables in which pollinators are the central characters. They engage in a close read-aloud, focused read-alouds, and independent reading and learn to determine the central message of the folktales and fables they read. They then learn to compare and contrast two versions of the same fable. As they analyze each text, students also consider habits of character that help the fictional characters contribute to a better world by responding to challenges. Students are supported in their comprehension with the Role-Play protocol, text-dependent questions, and note-taking.
In Unit 2, students continue their study of pollinators by reading and writing opinion pieces. Specifically, students learn about the challenges facing bats and butterflies. In the first part of the unit, students read two opinion texts, A Place for Bats and “Bats’ Roosts in Danger!” Building on the research skills students learned in Module 3, the class records class notes about these dangers. In the second part of the unit, students read about the dangers facing butterflies and continue to hone their research skills by recording class notes. Students draft an opinion piece about why butterflies are important to plants and animals, using reasons collected on the class notes to support their opinion.
In Unit 3, students apply their knowledge about plants and pollinators to help one important pollinator: butterflies. Building on knowledge from Modules 3–4, students read about how planting wildflowers helps butterflies. For their performance task, students are invited to take action by creating a wildflower seed packet to then give a visitor at the Celebration of Learning. This performance task includes a high-quality colored pencil drawing of a butterfly and a short opinion piece about why it is important to help butterflies (W.2.1, W.2.2, W.2.5, W.2.6, W.2.7, W.2.8). In this unit, students engage in a routine of oral and written reflection and share a formal reflection on their work and learning throughout Module 4 in small groups at the end of the unit. As a culmination of the work of Module 4, students write letters inviting community and family members to a Celebration of Learning, where they share their reflections and give their seed packets to a guest.