Math

Throughout this unit, students are building their knowledge of place value in order to use those ideas to compute efficiently, flexibly and accurately. The specific standards students will be learning are:

1) Read, write, and identify the place and value of each digit in a nine-digit whole number.

2) Compare and order whole numbers expressed through millions.

3) Round whole numbers expressed through millions to the nearest thousand, ten thousand, and hundred thousand.

4) Estimate and determine sums and differences of whole numbers (numbers each 999,999 or less).

5) Create and solve single-step and multistep practical problems involving addition and subtraction with whole numbers.

6) Identify, describe, create, and extend patterns found in objects, pictures, numbers, and tables (numerical).

7) Recognize and demonstrate the meaning of equality in an equation.

• Students will begin using weekly menus in class to practice various math activities.

AAP Math: Unit 1 Characteristics of Numbers

In this unit, students investigate various attributes of numbers (i.e., prime, composite, even, and odd). An emphasis is placed on teaching these ideas conceptually, allowing students to develop their own understandings through the manipulation of concrete tools and by creating visual representations.

1) Identify and describe the characteristics of prime and composite numbers

2) Identify and describe the characteristics of even and odd numbers

Reading

This unit students will understand that:

Readers reflect on their habits and needs as a reader and plan ways to increase their productivity and engagement.

Readers explore a variety of texts, genres, authors, and forms to determine the types of books they love.

Readers engage in conversations to understand other perspectives and shape their ideas

Readers monitor themselves to make sure they understand and think about what they read.

The next unit focusing on Characters.

Writing

This unit students will understand that:

Writers match their choice of genre and form with the purpose of their writing.

Writers reflect on their own habits and needs as a writer and plan ways to increase their productivity and engagement.

Writers reflect on and explore the topics, ideas, and stories that matter most to them.

Writers engage in conversations and use feedback to reflect upon and improve their work.

The next unit focuses on writing a personal narrative.

Social Studies

During this month students will learn about primary sources and Virginia's geography. Students will understand where Virginia is, its bordering states, and bodies of water are in the context of our world. In addition, students will locate and evaluate Virginia’s water features (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River, York River, Rappahannock River, Potomac River) to explain their impact on early Virginia and beyond. Lastly, students will describe, and compare Virginia’s five regions: Coastal Plain, Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, Appalachian Plateau.

Science

This unit of study focuses on Virginia Ecosystems. Throughout the unit students develop their understanding of the natural world around them. By taking students outside, teachers can lead students in exploration of the local plants and animals as well as identifying problems and issues that affect the natural resources in the area. Using hands-on investigations, students learn to inquire, observe, relate cause-and-effect relationships, collect and record information, and investigate problems that concern Virginia ecosystems, the plants and animals, the weather that affects it in it as well as the natural resources present in the state. The unit begins looking at the various natural resources Virginia has to offer, and then specifically looks closer at the plants and animals in Virginia and how the weather and climate impact both.

Interdisciplinary

The Level IV class will be following interdisciplinary units again this year. The interdisciplinary units integrate language arts, science, and social studies with concept based instruction. Our first unit was Building a Community of Learners; An introduction to the Concept of Cyclic Patterns of Change. We focused on building our routines for independent reading and writing, learning about student rights and responsibilities, and discussing the concepts of relationships and change.

In September, we will begin Unit 2: Cyclic Patterns of Change through the Lens of Ecology and Survival. In this unit, students will examine how geography and ecology impact not only how we live, but how our relationship to the environment can affect us both positively and negatively. Students will look at these areas through the lens of relationships and change, understanding that relationships with others and our environment are interdependent. During this unit, teachers will launch book clubs giving students an opportunity to build conversations around texts. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in their first Socratic Seminar of the year.