This week's unifying question: What criteria can we use to make a good group decision?
Social Studies
Our focus this week will continue to be all about decision-making. Students will work together to brainstorm class ground rules and develop a list of jobs/responsibilities of all stakeholders (parents, teachers, and students).
We will also look at geographic characteristics of Maryland to help us determine Native American settlement patterns. By analyzing the natural resources of Maryland, we will justify why various Native people chose to settle in the places they did and examine the pros and cons.
Math
Our focus in math will continue to be to read and write numbers to the millions period. We will study three place value periods (ones, thousands, and millions) and analyze the value of each digit. We will be flexible in our thinking about place value and flexible in the ways we write numbers. Our knowledge of place value will help us in week 3 when we will round numbers to various values.
Our goal is week is to have a quiz on Fridays. Our first quiz will take place this Friday, September 6. Students will be expected to read and write numbers to the millions period.
Reading/Writing/Inquiry Project
We will begin the marking period by examining the elements of the genre historical fiction. We will read the story Pop's Bridge to examine the actions of characters and how they impact the story. We will also compare this book's theme to the theme of Freedom Summer to examine the different ways that theme is presented in a story. As the week comes to a close, students should be able to determine the main characters, the point of view their text is told, and be able to identify ways the character's actions impact the development of the plot.
Each day students will practice what is taught in the mini-lesson in their guided reading group. Students were given a novel the first day of school which we hope to finish by this Friday. During these first two weeks, students will be given novels to read based on their guided reading levels from third grade. Teachers will be completing reading assessments with students to gain an accurate reading level to form groups.
In writing/media students will begin to explore the impact a character has on the telling of a story. By week 5, students will be working to draft their own historical fiction stories. Through our flexible media center time, students will have many options for final products. More information will come soon.
Science
During this marking period we will study ecosystems, particularly the Chesapeake Bay. We are asking for 2 Liter bottles so that we can make eco-columns to house our animals and plants for observation. If you are able to donate, please rinse the bottle (warm water, no soap), peel the labels, and send in the bottles with your child. Students will learn the criteria for a good habitat. They will also learn the distinct characteristics of plants and animals. This week we will use that criteria to determine if a Venus Fly Trap is a plant or an animal.
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