ELA & SS
READING
UnitS of Study
In addition to homelessness, this novel addresses difficult challenges that the main characters experience including the loss of loved ones, discrimination, and strangers with ulterior motives. Through hardships, the four children find comfort and solace in each other as they share stories of hope and redefine the concepts of home and family as they find those things in each other.
Big Ideas:
- Children who are homeless may navigate survival with creativity, tenacity, humor, caution, and a maturity beyond their years. Children with disabilities may not be recognized for their potential and strengths.
- Second person narrative and flashback can serve to tell an intimate story that captures the narrator’s personal emotions and thoughts specifically directed toward a person
- There are different ways to define home and family. “Home” is not always a place – sometimes it is a person (or people) or a feeling. Family can be defined as a group of people going through life together; you may be blood-related or connected by shared experiences and beliefs.
- A person’s beliefs and dreams shape the way they navigate life and find purpose
- Telling stories both orally and in writing is a powerful way to cope with difficult experiences and preserve hope
- Moving on from a painful loss or experience can be a complicated yet necessary part of life
WRITING
Narrative:
This year we begin with narratives. This gives students an opportunity to creativity use language to tell a story through different genres and lets their unique perspective and style shine. It enhances motivation in writing and allows writers to express themselves. Narrative writings develop a strong understanding of literary elements, text organization, and language use and techniques.
Forms of Narratives we will be writing:
Memoirs
Poetry (metaphorical)
Realistic fiction
Fables
Myths
Personal Essays
Reflections
SOCIAL STUDIES
EASTERN HEMISPHERE
Our Social Studies Subpage has the whole curriculum listed, as well as many resources. Our units are highly integrated within ELA
Within every unit, connections must be made by:
Era to Era
Themes
Historical connections
Relevant literary readings
Writing for the real world
Performance tasks
Shared experiences/ connections to self
Development of information, agricultural, technological, and communication systems
Respectful questioning and debate
Study Units:
5 Fields of Learning of Geography (History, geography, culture, economics, and human& environment interactions)
5 Themes of Geography
CODE (culture, organization, daily life, routines: This is also how we study each piece of geography)
Types of Maps
Historical Analysis and Sourcing
Mesopotamia/ Middle East
Ancient Africa/ Modern Africa
Ancient India/ Modern India
Ancient China/ Modern China
Ancient Japan/ Modern Japan