Monthly Updates

Reading

Fortunes and Feats:

Fairy Tales and Tall Tales

In this domain, students will explore classic fairy tales and tall tales and the well-known lessons they teach. 

What’s the story? 

Students will listen to classic stories such as "Beauty and the Beast" and "Paul Bunyan," which will lay the foundation for understanding stories in future grades. 

What will my student learn? 

Students will review the elements of fiction they learned about in previous grades. They will take the lessons that are learned from the stories and use them to relate to the problems the characters face. Students will also be introduced to the American frontier as they listen to various tall tales and explore the elements of that genre. 

Students will use their knowledge of the elements and characteristics of fairy tales and tall tales to write about a scene from a story and rewrite a fairy tale of their own. 

Conversation starters

 Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued learning: 

1. What are some of the characteristics you have learned about fairy tales? Follow up: How did you know that "The Emperor’s New Clothes" or "Beauty and the Beast" was a fairy tale? 

2. In the story "Beauty and the Beast," the Beast is described as fearsome. What does fearsome mean? Follow up: What made him seem fearsome? Can you think of other words that are synonyms (that is, have the same meaning) of fearsome? 

3. Is "Paul Bunyan" a fairy tale or a tall tale? Follow up: How did you know? What is one of the exaggerations you talked about when you read the story?

4. What were your two favorite tall tales you read? ("Paul Bunyan," "Pecos Bill," "John Henry," "Casey Jones") Follow up: What was the same about the two main characters? What was different? What made each of them seem larger than life? What parts of each of the tall tales could really happen? What parts could not really happen?

Math

Unit 1: Working With Data and Solving Comparison Problems

Sub-Unit 1: Adding and Subtracting

Sub-Unit 2: Ways to Represent Data

Sub-Unit 3: Solving Problems About Comparing

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science

Unit: Plant and Animal Defenses

Chapter 1: How does Spruce the Sea Turtle do what she needs to do to survive?

Chapter 2: How can Spruce the Sea Turtle survive where there are sharks?

Social Studies

Unit: 1. Living and Working Together

Lesson 1: Getting Along with Others

Lesson 2: Citizenship and Respect

Lesson 3: Rules and Laws

Lesson 4: Voting in the United States

Reading

Legends and Heroes: Greek Myths

In this unit, students will be introduced to several well-known Greek myths that will help

give them insight into ancient Greek culture.

What's the story?

Students will be introduced to many well-known mythical characters, including the gods and goddesses that were worshipped in ancient Greece.

What will my student learn?

This domain provides an opportunity for students to understand literary allusions and

the meaning of common words and expressions. It will also help them understand

modern retellings of these ancient stories.

Students will write in a journal, recording important information about the myths they will

read. They will use this information to write a summary of one of the myths, which will

prepare them to write a narrative retelling of a Greek myth.

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the unit to promote discussion and continued learning:

1. You have been learning that Greek myths are fiction. How do you know they are

Fiction?

2. What was Zeus known for?

Follow up: What were his special powers? Why was he important to ancient Greeks?

3. Who were some of the supernatural characters you have been reading about?

Follow up: Who has been your favorite? Why? What special powers do the

supernatural characters have? How would you describe them?

4. How would you describe Mount Olympus?

Follow up: Can you draw a picture of what you imagine it to look like? Who did greeks believe lived there?

Math

Unit 2 Adding and Subtracting Within 100

Unit 3 Measuring Length

 

Use this resource to help at home!

Science

Unit: Plant and Animal Defenses

Chapter 3: How can Spruce the Sea Turtle’s offspring survive where there are sharks?

Chapter 4: How can aquarium scientists explain animal defenses to the visitors?

Social Studies

Unit 1: Living and Working Together

Lesson 5: Rights and Responsibilities

Unit 2: Where We Live

Lesson 1: Using Maps

Lesson 2: Kinds of Maps

November

Reading

Our Planet: Cycles in Nature

In this domain, students will be introduced to the many natural cycles that make life on

Earth possible.

What’s the Story?

Students will learn about seasonal cycles, plant and tree cycles, animal life cycles, and

the water cycle.

What will my student learn?

Students will explore the developmental stages of the life cycle in organisms. They will also learn about how these organisms depend on the earth’s water supply and how their growth and development relate to Earth’s seasonal cycles.

In this domain, students will use note-taking tools to collect and synthesize information

they have learned. They will work on a shared research project with their class and will

compose an informative paragraph about the life of a frog.

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued

learning:

1. How are plants and animals affected by seasons?

Follow up: Why do some animals migrate south in the fall? Why do plants grow

more quickly in the summertime?

2. How are seasons different for the parts of the earth that are near the equator? And

for those that are far from the equator?

Follow up: What are the seasons like where we live? How do we adapt to the

different seasons?

3. Tell me about pollination.

Follow up: How do flowering plants attract honey bees? What would happen if

honey bees didn’t pollinate flowers?

4. How are the life cycles of a chicken, a frog, and a butterfly similar to one another?

Follow up: How are they different? How does the seasonal cycle affect the life cycles

of living things?

5. Can you draw a picture of the water cycle? (or act out)

Follow up: What is precipitation? What are some examples of different types of precipitation?

Math:

Unit 3: Measuring Length

Use this  resource to support learning at home.

Social Studies:

Unit 2 Lesson 4: Using a Globe

Unit 2 Lesson 5: Community Connections

Unit 3: The United States of America

Unit 3 Lesson 1: Founding of the United States

Science:

Chapter 3: How can Spruce the Sea Turtle’s offspring survive where there are sharks?

Chapter 4: How can aquarium scientists explain animal defenses to the visitors?

December

Reading

Butterflies, Bees, and Beetles: Insects

In this domain, students will be introduced to the largest group of animals on Earth:

insects. The Read-Alouds in this domain are narrated by different insect characters and

even by an entomologist, making the reading even more engaging and fun.

What’s the story?

Students will learn about the characteristics and life cycles of insects. They will also

explore how important this group of animals is and how we view them.

What will my student learn?

Students will learn about the different characteristics, life cycles, and classification of

insects. They will also learn how they are viewed as harmful or helpful and how important they are to pollination and the production of honey, cosmetics, and medicines.

Students will classify and categorize insects based on their defining characteristics. They

will also identify ways in which insects can be harmful or helpful. Students will use the

writing process to plan, draft, and edit an opinion piece about which insect they would

most like to have in their neighborhood.

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued learning:

1. Name an insect you have learned about and the habitat it lives in.

Follow up: How does that insect survive in its habitat?

2. Draw a picture of an ant for me.

Follow up: Can you label the body parts of an ant? What do each of these parts do

for the ant? Do all insects have similar parts? What are some things they all have

that make them an insect?

3. What is the life cycle of a praying mantis? (Describe it or draw it.)

Follow up: Why is it called an incomplete metamorphosis?

4. Why are honeybees considered social insects?

Follow up: Tell me about their waggle dance. What other insects are considered

social insects? Why?

5. What is your favorite insect you learned about?

Follow up: Why? How does that insect communicate? Is it considered a social insect

or a solitary insect? Why?

Math

Unit 4: Addition and Subtraction on the Number Line

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science:

We are starting our new unit of Science: Spinning Earth.

Chapter 1: Why did the sky look different to Sai than to his grandma?

Chapter 2: Why was it daytime for Sai when it was nighttime for his grandma?

Social Studies

Unit 3: The United States of America

Unit 3 Lesson 2: U.S. Constitution

Unit 3 Lesson 3: National and State Symbols

January

Reading

A House Divided: The American Civil War: In this domain, students will be introduced to an important time period in the history of the United States: the Civil War.

What’s the story?

Students will learn about the controversy over slavery between the North and the

South, which eventually led to the American Civil War.

What will my student learn?

Students will learn about the American Civil War and how the end of the war also meant

the end of slavery. They will also study about men and women who were significant

during this time, including Harriet Tubman, Abraham Lincoln, Clara Barton, Robert E.

Lee, Joseph De Castro, and Ulysses S. Grant.

In this domain, students will write entries into a Civil War record book. They will have the

opportunity to write an informative paragraph about the various events and people

they have been learning about who were associated with the Civil War.

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued learning: 

1. What did it mean to be enslaved?

Follow up: What was life like for enslaved people? What types of work did enslaved people do? 

2. Tell me what you have learned about Harriet Tubman. 

Follow up: Why did she decide to fight against slavery? How did she gain her freedom? What did she do for other enslaved people?

3. What differences were there between the North and the South before the Civil War? Follow up: What were some of the similarities? 
4. What important things did Abraham Lincoln do as an adult? 

Follow up: How did he feel about slavery? Tell me about the Lincoln-Douglas debate. If you could have been at the debate, what things would you have said to Lincoln or asked him? 

5. Who was Clara Barton?

Follow up: What were her accomplishments? What was the nickname she earned during the Civil War? How did she earn that nickname? What organization did she found? 

6. What did the Emancipation Proclamation do?

Follow up: Who wrote it? What does the word abolished mean? Can you use it in a sentence related to what you have been studying?

Math

Unit 4: Addition and Subtraction on the Number Line

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Unit 5: Numbers to 1,000

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science:

We are starting our new unit of Science: Spinning Earth.

Chapter 1: Why did the sky look different to Sai than to his grandma?

Chapter 2: Why was it daytime for Sai when it was nighttime for his grandma?

Social Studies

Unit 3: The United States of America

Unit 3 Lesson 4: Monuments

Unit 3 Lesson 5: Important People and Events

February

Reading

Sounds and Stanzas: Poetry: This domain introduces students to the world of poetry, helping them build a foundation of knowledge and curiosity they will use in future grades.

What’s the story?

Students will explore poems written by a diverse group of poets on a variety of topics.

They will learn strategies for reading, understanding, and appreciating poetry.

What will my student learn?

Students will learn about poetry elements such as lines, stanzas, rhyme, alliteration,

personification, anaphora, and more. They will recognize how these elements create

meaning and enhance the reader’s enjoyment of the poem and will practice incorporating some of these elements into their own writing.

Students will write a memory poem based on a happy memory in their life. They will

present their work to the class and will give some context for their memory to help the

audience understand the poem.

Conversation starters

 Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued learning: 

1. What have you learned about coquí frogs and the sounds they make? Why do you think the poet included those sounds (onomatopoeia) in the poem? 

Follow up: Did you hear onomatopoeia in “Openin’ Night”?

2. In the poems “Cat” and “April Is a Dog’s Dream,” what did you learn about the differences between cats and dogs? How was the dog’s dream day different from the cat’s?

 Follow up: How are dogs and cats alike? Do you think the dog would ever like to stay inside curled up in a chair? 

3. Tell me about “Openin’ Night.” Did you hear rhyming and repeated words in the poem? How did those words create a rhythm in the poem? What happens in this poem? 

Follow up: What is an interview? Why didn’t the girl in the poem want to give one after her performance? 

4. You heard two poems that were set in fall: “Autumn” and “The Fieldmouse.” How are those poems alike? How are they different? 

Follow up: What could the field mouse do that might get him in trouble? 

5. What memory does the poet describe in “Knoxville, Tennessee”? What type of food is described in the poem? Did you learn about any new foods in the poem? Follow up: How does “To Catch a Fish” describe a memory? Can you name the important things to remember when trying to catch a fish?

Follow up: How does “One Boy Told Me” describe a memory? What are some of the questions the child asks? Do you remember asking questions like his when you were younger? 

6. What topic have you chosen for your memory poem? How can I help you recall details of that memory? Follow up: What poetry element are you going to use?

Math

Unit 5: Numbers to 1,000

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Unit 6: Geometry and Time

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science

Spinning Earth

Chapter 3: Why did daytime change to nighttime while Sai talked on the phone?

Chapter 4: What will Sai see in the sky when he calls his grandma tomorrow? 

Social Studies

Black History Month

Students will be learning about important people in Black History.

March

Reading

In this domain, students will learn about several ordinary people who made a difference

and made the world a better place, even when faced with immeasurable odds. 

What's the story?

Students will learn about some key historical figures who worked effectively for various

causes, such as the abolition of slavery, the right for women to vote, and the welfare of

migrant workers. They helped change many laws, and they all practiced nonviolence.

Students will also learn about some contemporary figures that are making a difference for causes they believe to be important.

What will my student learn?

Students will learn how historical figures, including Cesar Chavez, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jackie Robinson, impacted the ability of others in the United States to exercise their

individual rights. They will also learn the terms civil rights and human rights and what

they mean. Students will explore the connection between ideas and actions, and how

ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

In this domain, students will have the chance to read a narrative about a person who is

making a difference today for a cause they believe in. They will also revise, edit, and

publish their narrative writing.

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued

learning:

1. What are some of the civil rights we are guaranteed by the United States?

Follow up: Why were certain groups of people excluded from some of these rights

throughout American history? What do you think it means to stand up for what you

believe in?

2. Who was Susan B. Anthony? (also Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Jackie

Robinson, Mary McLeod Bethune, Rosa Parks, and Cesar Chavez)

Follow up: How did he/she help people? What causes did he/she work for? What did

he/she accomplish? What do you admire about him/her?

3. In what ways was Jackie Robinson similar to Susan B. Anthony, Eleanor Roosevelt,

and Mary McLeod Bethune?

Follow up: How was the way Jackie Robinson worked for civil rights different from

the way the others did?

4. What similarities do Faith Florez and Cesar Chavez share? What are the differences

between them?

Follow up: How were the ways in which Cesar Chavez and Faith Florez made a

difference for migrant workers similar? How were they different?

5. How are Mikaila Ulmer’s, Sydney Etzel’s, and Lauren Anderson’s causes different

from the other individuals you learned about in this domain?

Follow up: If they do not fight for human or civil rights, what type of causes do they

work for, and why do you think these causes are important?

6. Can you think of or share a time you had to work hard for something that you

believed in?

Follow up: Tell me about it. How did it feel? What did you accomplish?

7. Kelvin Doe continues to inspire young people to make a difference in their

communities and in the world today. Do you think you can make a difference in

your community or even the world, as a kid?

Follow up: Why or why not?

Math

Unit 6: Geometry and Time

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Unit 7: Adding and Subtracting Within 1,000

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science

Spinning Earth

Chapter 3: Why did daytime change to nighttime while Sai talked on the phone?

Chapter 4: What will Sai see in the sky when he calls his grandma tomorrow? 

Social Studies

Women’s History Month

Students will be learning about important people in Women’s History. 

April

Reading

Early Asian Civilizations: India and China:In this domain, students will be introduced to the continent of Asia with particular focus on its two most populous countries.

What’s the story?

Students will learn about the early civilizations in India and China and how they were both able to form because of mighty rivers.

What will my student learn?

Students will explore the impact that farming, the establishment of cities and

government, religion, and writing had on the development of civilizations in India and

China.

Throughout this domain, students will explore informative writing. They will identify

important information from their daily Read-Alouds to improve writing skills. They will

also focus on using the writing process in their independent writing as well as in small group work with their classmates. 

Conversation starters

Ask your student questions about the domain to promote discussion and continued learning:

1. What are some of the different components of civilizations you have learned about?
2. How did rivers help with the formation of civilizations in these regions?

Follow up: If you have access to a map of Asia, ask your student to show you where

India, Tibet, and China are. Ask them to show you the rivers they have been learning

about.

3. You learned about the word unjust. What does unjust mean? (not right or unfair)

Follow up: Can you use that word in a sentence? What does the prefix un- mean?

(not) So, what does unhappy (or unharmed or unbelievable) mean?

4. Tell me what you learned about the Chinese writing system and how the people of

ancient China contributed to writing.

5. What do people celebrate and hope for during Lunar Calendar New Year’s

celebrations?

Follow up: What are some of the symbols of good luck that are displayed? 

Math

Unit 7: Adding and Subtracting Within 1,000

Use this resource to support learning at home.

Science

Light and Sound

Chapter 1: How do we make brighter or darker areas?

Chapter 2: How do we make a dark area in a bright puppet show scene?

Social Studies

Unit: 4. Past, Present, and Future

In this unit, children will explore their connection to the past. They will build skills to investigate history and answer questions about the past. They will consider the parts of daily life that have changed, how the community around them has changed, and what caused some of those changes. They will recognize the valuable contributions many different cultures have made to the community over time and the way that the traditions and customs of our cultures connect us to the past and to others in the present. Children will use this information to think about the future and their own power to shape what that future will be.