Quarter 3
Find sample lessons for each grade under the dropdown menus. For general help with collaboration ideas, view the chart of 3rd quarter curriculum topics below.
Kindergarten
Culture/Weather Research Project - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: multiple days
Objective: Students will use technology tools to conduct research and share what they learn.
Summary: Students work in teams to research a country's flag and weather, and then produce a news segment with the information they've gathered.
Kindergarten Weather Research - contributed by Sharon Hart, Forestville Road ES
Duration: 2-3 sessions
Objective: Students will listen and interact with a weather text to understand various aspects of the weather.
Summary: Students will view a wordless picture book to discuss different types of weather.
On the Same Day in March - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 sessions
Objective: Students will listen to a read aloud, make connections to a world map/globe, and develop understanding about different types of weather around the world.
Summary: Weather is different in different places on the globe even on the same day! It is important for us to choose our clothing based on what we know about the local weather.
Introducing the eWISE Process with Group Research - contributed by Marli Boyd (Barton Pond), Brianna Estes (Alston Ridge), Rebecca Haithcock (Hortons Creek), and Lindsay Santiago (Parkside)
Duration: 5+ lessons
Objective: Participate in a group research project.
Summary: Students will participate in whole group brainstorming to choose a general topic that is of interest to the class. Students will then brainstorm questions they have about the topic. Students will be introduced to a variety of sources (print and digital) which will be used to answer those questions, while practicing note-taking skills. Students will express their learning on a group poster.
Kindergarten Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
1st
Construction with Earth Materials; Primary Sources eWISE - contributed by Stacy Darwin, Abbotts Creek ES
Duration: 1-2 days
Objective: Students will identify Earth materials - rocks, minerals, soils and water - and ways they are useful to people, animals, and/or plants.
Summary: Students will make connections that people around the world make their homes from earth materials as they use primary resources to NOTICE and WONDER.
Birds Wonderful Birds - contributed by Sharon Hart, Forestville Road ES
Duration: 2-3 sessions
Objective: We will do shared research to introduce the PebbleGo database and reading for information.
Summary: Students will use the PebbleGo database to find information about various birds.
Introducing the eWISE Process with Group Research - contributed by Marli Boyd (Barton Pond), Brianna Estes (Alston Ridge), Rebecca Haithcock (Hortons Creek), and Lindsay Santiago (Parkside)
Duration: 5+ lessons
Objective: Participate in a group research project.
Summary: Students will participate in whole group brainstorming to choose a general topic that is of interest to the class. Students will then brainstorm questions they have about the topic. Students will be introduced to a variety of sources (print and digital) which will be used to answer those questions, while practicing note-taking skills. Students will express their learning on a group poster.
1st grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
Making Across the Curriculum Lessons
2nd
Stop Motion with Pollinators - contributed by Laura Nowak in collaboration with WCPSS DLCs, Apex Friendship ES (Helpful Stop Motion information for those that are unfamiliar)
Duration: 2-3 classes
Objective: Students will use technology to show their understanding of pollination.
Summary: Students use paper or clay to create stop motion videos that demostrate the process of pollination.
Top 10 Facts About...(eWISE unit) - contributed by Lindsay Santiago, Parkside ES
Duration: 10+ lessons
Objective: Complete an individual research project.
Summary: Students will choose a topic they are interested in, research using multiple sources, and then create a slideshow with their Top 10 Facts.
2nd grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
Making Across the Curriculum Lessons
3rd
Solar System - Mars! Earthlings Welcome. (Canvas page can be imported into your own Canvas course. Log in to Canvas first and open Commons, then click on the link to this lesson) - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services
Duration: 2-3 class periods
Objective: Students will investigate one of the North Carolina Children's Book Award nominees for 2023 and relate it to their learning about the solar system.
Summary: Students can watch an author read aloud of the book Mars! Earthlings Welcome. Then, they can use websites to research other planets and write their own story in the style of the Our Universe series.
Exploration of Literary Classics Performance Task - contributed by Stephanie Powell, Turner Creek ES
Duration: 2-3 lessons
Objective/Summary: Create a comic strip to illustrate a revised scene from a classic.
Top 10 Facts About...(eWISE unit) - contributed by Lindsay Santiago, Parkside ES
Duration: 10+ lessons
Objective: Complete an individual research project.
Summary: Students will choose a topic they are interested in, research using multiple sources, and then create a slideshow with their Top 10 Facts.
What? My Name is...Who? My Name is... (biography research) - contributed by Cori Minton (Morrisville), Tricia O'Hanlon (Ballentine), Kaitlin Page (Willow Spring), Allison Pyles (Oak Grove), Emma Fox (Salem), Kandi Lucas (West Lake)
Duration: 3-4 lessons
Objective: Identify and locate a biography on a person of choice; evaluate sources to determine facts about a person's life; write a short summary about a person's life; create a digital representation of a person's life (Chatterpix, Flip, etc.)
Summary: Students will use the eWISE model to research and report on a person of importance.
eWISE and the North Carolina Children's Book Award - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services *will be updated for 2024 soon
Duration: 6-9 class sessions
Objective: Students will use a research process to become informed voters.
Summary: Students will use the eWISE process to investigate the nominees for the North Carolina Children’s Book Award, determine which book meets their criteria for an award-winning book, and vote for their selection. Students work with partners or in small groups to read the nominated books and complete related inquiry-based extension activities. Students also create a persuasive product (essay, poster, video) to encourage their peers to vote for their preferred book. Finally, students can analyze the results of voting to practice data literacy skills.
3rd grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
Making Across the Curriculum Lessons
4th
North Carolina State Symbols Unit - contributed by Jane Miller, Fuquay Varina ES and Courtney Parrish, Briarcliff ES
Duration: multiple class sessions
Objective: Use inquiry to research state symbols and/or flag, investigate other symbols that could represent NC, and justify selections.
Summary: Students will gather information about NC and NC state symbols. They will inquire about which aspects of our state will determine new symbols.
Revolutionary War Webpage Creation - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek ES
Duration: 3 classes
Objective: Students will create a website about the Revolutionary War
Summary: Studnets will use research from the Revolutionary War EL Module to create a class-wide Google Site. They site pages will contain photos and information about the following topics:
1-home page - timeline and photos
2- Continential Congress
3- Loyalists
4- Patriots
5- The Boston Tea Party
6- Battles of the Revolutionary War
7- Winning the War
Erosion Webquest - contributed by Laura Nowak, Apex Friendship ES
Duration: multiple class sessions
Objective: Understand coastal erosion and its impact on North Carolina beaches.
Summary: Students follow a webquest, taking on the role of mayor of a fictitious coastal town in NC. Students use digital resources to learn about methods for preventing coastal erosion and the impacts of those methods on the environment. Students create a plan, as mayor, to deal with erosion in the town.
What? My Name is...Who? My Name is... (biography research) - contributed by Cori Minton (Morrisville), Tricia O'Hanlon (Ballentine), Kaitlin Page (Willow Spring), Allison Pyles (Oak Grove), Emma Fox (Salem), Kandi Lucas (West Lake)
Duration: 3-4 lessons
Objective: Identify and locate a biography on a person of choice; evaluate sources to determine facts about a person's life; write a short summary about a person's life; create a digital representation of a person's life (Chatterpix, Flip, etc.)
Summary: Students will use the eWISE model to research and report on a person of importance.
eWISE and the North Carolina Children's Book Award - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services *will be updated for 2024 soon
Duration: 6-9 class sessions
Objective: Students will use a research process to become informed voters.
Summary: Students will use the eWISE process to investigate the nominees for the North Carolina Children’s Book Award, determine which book meets their criteria for an award-winning book, and vote for their selection. Students work with partners or in small groups to read the nominated books and complete related inquiry-based extension activities. Students also create a persuasive product (essay, poster, video) to encourage their peers to vote for their preferred book. Finally, students can analyze the results of voting to practice data literacy skills.
4th grade Digital Citizenship Lessons from Common Sense Media
Making Across the Curriculum Lessons
5th
Athlete Leaders of Social Change and Black History - contributed by Felecia Washington, Sanford Creek Elementary
Duration: 3 lessons
Objective: Students create a digital presentation about an African American Athlete telling how they contributed to society.
Summary: Students read an article about 20 most influential African American athletes. Then, they select an athlete to research further. Each student creates a slide in a collaborative slide show to share information about the athlete they researched.
What? My Name is...Who? My Name is... (biography research) - contributed by Cori Minton (Morrisville), Tricia O'Hanlon (Ballentine), Kaitlin Page (Willow Spring), Allison Pyles (Oak Grove), Emma Fox (Salem), Kandi Lucas (West Lake)
Duration: 3-4 lessons
Objective: Identify and locate a biography on a person of choice; evaluate sources to determine facts about a person's life; write a short summary about a person's life; create a digital representation of a person's life (Chatterpix, Flip, etc.)
Summary: Students will use the eWISE model to research and report on a person of importance.
eWISE and the North Carolina Children's Book Award - contributed by Susan Bock, Library Media Services *will be updated for 2024 soon
Duration: 6-9 class sessions
Objective: Students will use a research process to become informed voters.
Summary: Students will use the eWISE process to investigate the nominees for the North Carolina Children’s Book Award, determine which book meets their criteria for an award-winning book, and vote for their selection. Students work with partners or in small groups to read the nominated books and complete related inquiry-based extension activities. Students also create a persuasive product (essay, poster, video) to encourage their peers to vote for their preferred book. Finally, students can analyze the results of voting to practice data literacy skills.
5th grade Digital Citizenships Lessons from Common Sense Media
Making Across the Curriculum Lessons
ECS I and II
ECS Curriculum Map - contributed by Ashley Clark, Scotts Ridge ES