February Units of Study

SEL Topics:

This month, our class will focus will be on Diversity and Inclusion

The SEL talking circles will focus on

• Diversity
• Inclusion

 

Amplify Desmos Math: 

Unit 5: Fractions as Numbers

In this unit, students will understand that unit fractions are formed by partitioning shapes into equal parts. Understand a fraction as a number and represent fractions on the number line. Explain equivalence of fractions in special cases and express whole numbers as fractions and fractions as whole numbers. Compare 2 fractions with the same numerator or denominator, recording the results with the symbol `>`, `<`, or `=`.

Sub-Unit 1: Introduction to Fractions (Lessons 1–5)

Sub-Unit 2: Fractions on the Number Line (Lessons 6–9)

Sub-Unit 3: Equivalent Fractions (Lessons 10–14) 

Below is the link to the caregiver resource that includes explanations of key math concepts and problems to try with your student Link 

Amplify CKLA:

Unit 6: Regions and Cultures: Native Americans

What will my student learn? In this unit, students read two theories about how people first arrived on the continent of North America. They discover how people lived when they first arrived, how they adjusted to different environments, and how—over time—they began to form tribes. In particular, students learn about groups of Native Americans who settled in the Greater Mississippi River areas as well as in the Southwest, Northeast, Southeast, and Arctic/Subarctic regions.

Students review words with /ə/ and /sh/ + /ə/ + /n/, spelled ‘tion.’ They study possessive nouns and pronouns, plural possessive nouns not ending in ‘s’ or ‘es,’ and singular and plural possessive nouns. Students also learn the difference between the possessive pronoun its and the contraction it’s. Finally, they study word parts, including the suffixes –ish, –ness, –able, and –ible.

Overall Learning Outcomes

• Identify cause and effect relationships in a text
• Use technology to conduct research and build background knowledge about local Native American tribes
• Demonstrate understanding of key vocabulary
• Review various spelling patterns for mastery
• Identify possessive nouns and pronouns
• Determine the meaning of adjectives and abstract nouns when suffixes are added to a known root word
• Strengthen dictionary skills by determining the meaning of key words, the function of entry words, and the meaning of different homographs
• Use linking words and phrases to connect facts, definitions, and details within a paragraph
• Maintain a notebook containing definitions, sentences, and writing exercises that use Core Vocabulary words

 

Vocabulary:

Prehistoric, generation, ceremonial, teeming, intricately, adopted, cloaked, extended family, scuttle, inhospitable, weary

Below is the link to the caregiver resource that includes at home Conversation starters Link, Care giver resources link

Foundational Skills:

What will my student learn? In Unit 3, students will expand their understanding of spelling patterns with a focus on r-controlled vowels, words with the schwa sound /ə/, and alternative sound/spellings. Building on their knowledge of long and short vowel sounds, students will delve into how ‘r’ modifies vowels like ‘a,’ ‘e,’ ‘i,’ ‘o,’ and ‘u,’ as well as certain vowel teams. The unit also reviews consonant sounds, addressing tricky spellings and digraphs, such as ‘s’ producing /sh/ (as in sugar) and silent letters such as ‘w’ in 'wh' (as in who).Students will explore how the schwa sound can be made by any vowel and occurs in combinations such as /ə/ + /l/.

This unit introduces the last two major syllable types: r-controlled and final stable syllables. R-controlled syllables feature a vowel followed by the consonant ‘r,’ modifying its sound, as seen in stair and barnyard. Final stable syllables include the /ə/ + /l/ sound combination, as in puzzle and national.

Students will advance their decoding and vocabulary skills by learning prefixes such as under–, over–, tele–, super–, uni–, trans–, micro–, fore–, pro–, intra–, and inter–, and suffixes such as –hood, –ment, –en, and –ist. They will practice the spelling and usage of these affixes in sentences, noting spelling changes required when adding them.

Students will develop their spelling and writing skills through exercises focused on target sound/spellings and morphemes. Dictation exercises will encompass multisyllabic words and various spelling patterns, enhancing students' ability to spell abbreviations and comprehend reading passages. Writing prompts are provided for each passage, along with a sharing routine, during which students discuss their writing and get feedback from peers.

Social Studies:

Unit 4: 

In this unit, students will  continue to explore who we are by investigating the intentional systems people put in place to organize communities and help them work together. They will explore how rules and laws are meant to work and how people can advocate for change when rules or laws are unfair. Children will begin to explore how government is structured and investigate the roles of authority figures at the local, state, and federal level and the responsibilities each level of government has, including tribal government. They will come to understand their own role and power as change-makers and civic agents and how they can work with others in the community to solve problems locally, nationally, and even globally.

Science:

Unit 2: Properties of Materials- The class will be finishing up with chapter 1 and will start chapter 2 by the end of January.

In this unit, students will become “glue engineers.” They will explore different ingredients, test how they work, and try out different glue recipes. Each time, they make the glue a little better. At the end, students can explain which glue they made works best and why. students will answer the question - How do you make a material for a specific purpose?