Unit 1

The purpose of Grade 3 Unit 1 is to help students gain an enduring understanding of how the environment can affect their daily lives. In this unit, students will learn a range of environmental science concepts from weather events to germ theory.

Designed with Common Core State Priority Standards mapping, students will explore culturally responsive text through enriched reading, writing, speaking and listening learning experiences. High-effect English Language Arts instructional practices are integrated and appropriate for all students in order to reliably increase academic success.

Students will engage with literary and informational complex texts, supported by background knowledge building and explicit vocabulary development. In order to access the information in this unit, the appropriate grade-level supports, such as, small group instruction and graphic organizers are embedded.

In Grade 3 Unit 1, students need to understand the connection between the environment and human beings. Prior knowledge of this relationship should be activated in order to ensure acquisition of new ideas aligned with the instructional goals. By doing so, students will actively participate in the intellectual preparation required for comprehension of grade level text. In addition, students will acquire lifelong college and career competencies by making cross-curricular text connections, and developing their abilities to reason, cite evidence and problem solve.

Students will be provided with opportunities to write in response to reading. In Grade 3 Unit 1, students will respond to and create narrative writing and short answer written responses. They will routinely apply their phonics skills to reading and writing about diverse themes and topics, focusing particularly on the components of literary and informational text and. The unit offers text-centered collaborative and intellectual engagement.

Students will engage in classroom discourse about environmental factors that affect their lives. Throughout the unit activities students will interact with a variety of texts and be given opportunities for meaningful discussion and inquiry. Based upon current reading research, the unit includes interactive language engagement that can foster community building across school settings. With a focus on social emotional learning, this curriculum will enable all students to make informed choices and develop their passions and unique talents. Grade 3 Unit 1 suggests that critical space be made for students to develop cultural connections and celebrate diversity.

As designed, the unit is paced for approximately 35 number of days. Teachers use additional time in the quarter for reteaching, reviewing or enrichment activities aligned to the unit’s goals. Additional time may also be used to develop performance tasks and allow for administration of district based assessments.

Standards and Learning Progressions