READING
Readers will engage in our Nonfiction Unit. In this unit:
• Readers adjust their thinking based on how the author presents and organizes information in order to understand the information and messages the author is communicating. • Readers evaluate their theories against other texts and media to create new understandings about the world and take action. • Readers consider the perspectives of others to broaden their own thinking through discussion.
Readers will then engage in the second part of the unit "Narrative Nonfiction" Unit. In this unit:
Readers consider the significance and impact of the information presented in the text in order to understand the message the author is communicating. • Readers engage with the narrative arc while learning information about the topic. • Readers evaluate how the literary techniques impact their interpretations of the text.
WRITING
At the beginning of the month we will wrap up our third writing unit, "Persuasive Essay Writing." This unit includes:
Writers consider multiple perspectives to develop their position on an issue. • Writers craft a more persuasive piece when voice is informed by their audience. • Writers decide how to organize and order the parts of their essay to build the most convincing argument. • Writers rely on feedback from the community to help refine their argument.
After that unit, we will begin our "Narrative Nonfiction" writing. This unit includes:
• Writers study narrative nonfiction mentor texts through an aesthetic lens, noticing how information is communicated using literary techniques. • Nonfiction writers focus their writing on a small part of a larger topic to communicate their personal interests and passion. • Writers revise their pieces to include more literary and narrative techniques to enhance the readers’ understandings of the information. • Writers seek out community members who can provide support on specific aspects of their piece or process
Math We have finished whole number computation and now will move into decimal and fraction computation. Here are the standards that we will work with this quarter.
Unit 3 Estimate and determine the product and quotient of two numbers involving decimals. Create and solve single-step and multistep practical problems involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication of decimals, and create and solve single-step practical problems involving division of decimals.
Unit 4 Solve single-step and multistep practical problems involving addition and subtraction with fractions and mixed numbers. Solve single-step practical problems involving multiplication of a whole number, limited to 12 or less, and a proper fraction, with models.
Unit 3: Rational Numbers and Exponents
In this unit, students will:
use context to explore integer and rational number values on the number line.
use the number line to order fractions, decimals, and percents as well as interpret absolute value.
This unit also includes representing patterns with exponents and perfect squares.
Content Emphasis
To develop an understanding of the connections among ratios, fractions, decimals, and percents
Quarter 2:
This unit of study focuses on Oceans. Throughout the unit students develop their understanding of the nature of science, particularly the concept that the natural world is understandable and that science is based on evidence, both observational and experimental. Through hands-on science, students learn to inquire, observe, experiment, solve problems, collect and record information, and come to conclusions concerning matters about the ocean environment.
The Oceans unit provides students with a basic understanding of the ocean environment and the relationships between geological, physical, and ecological characteristics. Students learn the layout of the ocean floor by making a model, measuring, and graphing it. Students learn how salinity and temperature affects density and, ultimately, currents in the ocean. Students begin to form an understanding of the ocean’s ecosystem by studying ocean depth layers and creating a food web of ocean organisms. Then students investigate human impact on the ocean ecosystem and suggest actions students can take in their daily lives to lessen the negative impact we may have.
Students will know…
• ocean vocabulary
• ocean geographical features and their impact on ocean depth
• atoms and molecules make up all matter
• the ocean’s salinity increases with depth
• the location of the Gulf Stream on a map
• wind creates surface currents
• deep ocean currents are created when cold water from the poles sinks and travels along the bottom of the ocean to the equator where it warms and rises to the surface.
• the cause of waves and tides
• the depth of the ocean varies. As the depth of ocean water increases, the amount of light and the temperature decrease, and the amount of pressure and salinity increases.
• ocean organisms are producers, consumers, and decomposers
• arrows in a food web point the direction of the energy flow
• all food webs begin with producers
Quarter 2:
Ancient Cultures: Students will study either Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome.
Where people live affects how they live.
Geographical features impact daily life for people around the world (food, clothing, shelter).
The contributions of ancient cultures and civilizations continue to impact our world today.