How We Express Ourselves: An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs, values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
Central Idea: Creativity is a means of self-expression.
Key concepts: Form (What is it like?) What are the different types of creative expression? Reflection (How do we know? What do we think?) How does creativity impact people? Perspective (What are the different perspectives?) What is your perspective on different forms of self-expression? What does creativity mean to you? What are other people's perspectives?
Related concepts: inspiration, creation, motivation, identity, arts
Lines of inquiry: Need for creativity Different types of creative expression How creativity impacts people
Learner Profile Attributes: Risk-takers, Balanced Students will develop the ability to take risks through creative outlets, while exploring their ideas and feelings. Students will develop their understanding of intellectual, physical, and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being.
Attitudes: Confidence, Creativity Students will develop confidence in themselves as learners and creators. They will have the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned. They will further expand their imagination and creative side.
Assessment: During the middle of the unit, the students will begin to brainstorm ideas as a class for their summative assessment. Possible ideas may include: a class play, written stories, poetry, paintings, drawings, a song, etc. Perhaps we will decide to give everyone a choice of which form of expression they would like to use for their summative assessment. Perhaps students will create one form of expression collaboratively and one form of expression individually. Students will generate ideas for the criteria for the rubric or checklist. During the fourth week of the unit, the idea and rubric/checklist will be finalized. Students will have the last 2 weeks to work on the summative assessment. Students may also revisit their pre-assessment where they individually wrote answers to the teacher questions. They may add more details to these questions to show the development in their understanding of the central idea and lines of inquiry.
Language connections: Poetry, narratives
Math connections: How math is a means of expression; stand-alone - pattern and function, number (decimals), measurement (time)
Transdisciplinary Skills: Thinking: (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Students will develop and utilize their thinking skills when learning about a variety of ways that people express themselves. They will apply this knowledge to create various forms of expression and will analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their ideas.
Self-Management: (gross/fine motor skills, spatial awareness, organization, time-management, healthy lifestyle, codes of behavior, informed choices) Students will develop and utilize their self-management skills when creating various forms of expression, either individually or collaboratively.
Communication: (listening, speaking, reading, writing, non-verbal communication) Students will develop and utilize their communication skills when learning about and creating various forms of expression.
Social: (accepting responsibility, respecting others, cooperating, resolving conflict, group decision making, adopting a variety of roles) Students will develop and utilize their social skills when working with a partner or group to create various forms of expression.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library and the classroom that will be available to students. Students will view samples of various forms of expression ( -visual art - paintings, drawings, photography etc; -performing arts - dances, plays; -music - several genres; -literature - poetry, stories, speeches, etc.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about your thoughts on creativity and self-expression. Do you have a creative outlet? Or is there something you enjoyed doing as a child and wish to pick up again? Now may be a great time to do it! Do you have special pieces of art in your home? Talk with your child about it. Take a trip to an art museum or a dance or theater performance - the ideas are endless!
Possible actions to look for: Students may spontaneously create various forms of expression at home or on the playground. Please let us know if this or other actions related to our unit occur!
Who We Are: An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
Central Idea: The effective interaction of human body systems contributes to health and survival.
Key concepts:Function (How does it work?) How do different body systems work?Connection (How is it connected to other things?) How are body systems connected to each other?Responsibility (What is our responsibility?) How can you be responsible for and take care of your body?
Related concepts: systems, health, interdependence
Lines of inquiry:body systems and how they workhow body systems are interdependentimpact of lifestyle choices on the body
Learner Profile Attributes: Knowledgeable, BalancedStudents will become more knowledgeable about the body systems and how they work together. Then the goal is that students become more balanced by putting into action what they have learned about how their choices affect their body.
Attitudes:Commitment, CooperationThe students will show commitment and cooperation when working together to research different body systems and create the book on Book Creator together. Students will also need commitment during the research and writing process of collecting information, taking notes, writing a first draft, revising, editing, and publishing.
Assessment:Students will choose a body system to research, focusing on the key concepts of function, connection, and responsibility by answering the questions:-How does this body system work?-How is this body system connected to other systems?-How can people take care of this body system? Students may choose how to present their work. (Written report, book on Book Creator on the iPad, poster, slideshow, booklet, etc.) Students will create a checklist or rubric of expectations with the teacher before they begin.
Language connections:Reading non-fiction books and articles; note-taking, writing reports
Math connections:Stand-alone unit on fractions; connection to the Vitruvian man with fractions
Transdisciplinary Skills:Thinking, Research, and Communication Students will be researching different body systems throughout the unit, specifically using the skills of collecting, recording, organizing, and interpreting data, and then presenting their research. Students will be utilizing thinking skills, specifically acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, and synthesis of the different body systems, as well as evaluation of their own lifestyle choices and their effects on their body. Students will be utilizing the communication skills of listening and speaking when working together, and reading and writing while researching and writing their reports.
Resources:There is a selection of books from the library and classroom that will be available to students.
Websites:Kidhealth.orgBrainpop.com We will be taking a field trip to The Franklin Institute in April to explore the heart and brain exhibits.
Key vocabulary:Interdependent, skeletal system, muscular system, circulatory system, respiratory system, nervous system, digestive system, urinary system, immune system, (and various parts of systems)
Ways to extend learning at home:Talk with your child about healthy choices you make as a family in relation to food, exercise, sleep, and hygiene. Perhaps reflect as a family and think about your current habits. Is there anything you can improve upon? As we will not be studying the reproductive system at school, be prepared to answer questions at home that your child may ask you in relation to this. You may also want to take a trip on a weekend to The Franklin Institute, as we will not have time to see everything the museum has to offer on our field trip!
Possible actions to look for:Children may begin asking questions about the food your family eats, and perhaps even want to bring healthier snacks or lunches to school! Your child may also begin to, or ask more, questions about their body.
How the World Works: An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Central Idea: Through experimentation, new understandings are developed.
Key concepts: Function- (How does it work?) What do scientists do? How does the scientific method work? Connection- (How is it connected?) How are scientific discoveries related to one another? Causation- (Why does this happen?) How do scientific discoveries affect the world?
Related concepts: scientific method, inquiry, research, application, matter
Lines of inquiry: How scientists develop new understandings How investigating can lead to new discoveries and greater insight The application of new scientific understanding Case Study: Matter
Learner Profile Attributes: Thinkers and Inquirers-Students will naturally develop their thinking and inquiry skills during this unit by thinking about their prior knowledge of science and experiments. They will develop their own questions and inquire into the answers through research and hands-on experiments.
Attitudes: Enthusiasm and Independence-Students will further develop their enthusiasm for science by engaging with hands-on experiments and researching answers to their questions. They will develop their independence when designing and conducting their own experiments.
Assessment: Students may individually design and conduct their own experiment following the steps of the scientific method. Students may record all of the steps of their experiment through a product of their choice: written report, poster, Book Creator on the iPads, etc. Students may also write a written reflection related to the central idea and lines of inquiry, answering questions such as: -What new understandings have you developed throughout the unit?-How will you apply your new scientific understanding? (in your own life, sharing with others, etc.) Students may create an assessment rubric or checklist before beginning the summative assessment.
Language connections: Writing scientific reports using the steps of the scientific method, reading non-fiction books and articles; stand-alone units in reading and writing: building stamina - reading and writing longer and stronger
Math connections: Stand-alone - continuation of shape and space with rotations; division
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research (formulating questions, observing, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Through our initial class research about scientists, experiments, and the scientific method, students will develop the above skills by following standard experiments. Students will also begin to formulate their own questions of what they are wondering about/what experiments they can create and then conduct these experiments, utilizing all of the above skills.
Thinking (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation)Through research of scientists, experiments, and the scientific method,, students will acquire new knowledge. In order to successfully complete the summative assessment, students will need to think about this new knowledge and apply, analyze, and synthesize it to create something new (their own experiment).
Self-management (gross/fine motor skills, organization, time-management, safety, codes of behavior, informed choices) In order to complete the summative experiment, students will utilize all of the above self-management skills.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library about experiments, inventions, and also some cook-books. The MacMillan McGraw Hill Science text will be a main resource for our case study on matter. Various websites and apps will also be used.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about your experiences with science. What were you/are you enthusiastic about? Do you know of any interesting experiments? You can do them at home with your child, or send in a note for a suggestion of one we could do at school. Are you a great cook? Talk with your child about how you experiment in the kitchen. Visit a museum such as The Franklin Institute or the Liberty Science Center.
Possible actions to look for: Your child may ask you scientific questions or start asking more questions about the way things work. They may want to conduct their own experiments at home. Help them to be safe. Please let us know if these or other actions related to our unit occur!
Where We Are in Place and Time: An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationships between the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
Central Idea: The enduring legacies of ancient civilizations are present in modern societies.
Key Concepts: Form- (What is it like?) What are the characteristics of civilizations? What was it like to live in the different civilizations? Function- (How does it work?) How did the civilizations work? Change- (How is it changing?) How have the structures, ideas, and technologies changed or not changed in modern society?
Related Concepts: technology, progress, systems, history, geography, timelines
Lines of Inquiry: Characteristics of civilizations and societies Connections between past and present andimplications for the future The effect that artifacts and systems have on our lives today
Learner Profile Attributes: Reflective and Inquirers- Students will be inquiring into various ancient civilizations, developing their questioning. They will also be reflective, thinking about how the legacies of ancient civilizations are present today and how they have or have not changed.
Attitudes: Curiosity and Appreciation- Students will continue to develop their curiosity while inquiring into ancient civilizations. They will develop an appreciation of ancient civilizations and how they have impacted our modern societies.
Assessment: Students may choose an ancient civilization to inquire into more deeply, focusing on the key concepts (form, function, and change) and developing their own questions.
Language Connections: Research and report writing skills
Math Connections: Timelines, 2D and 3D shapes (connection to Egyptian pyramids)
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research- (formulating questions, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Students will be doing a mini-research project on a particular ancient civilization and will present their findings to the class. Thinking- (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Through research of ancient civilizations, students will acquire new knowledge. In order to successfully complete the summative assessment, students will need to think about this new knowledge and apply, analyze, and synthesize it to create something new. Self-management- (fine motor skills, organization, time-management, codes of behavior, informed choices) During their research, students will need to self-monitor to some extent to make sure they are completing their work in a timely manner, which includes behaving appropriately. They will use fine motor skills to write in cursive and type.
Resources: There is a wide selection of books from the classroom and library that will be used to support the unit of inquiry. There are also various websites, such as: brainpopjr.com; kids.nationalgeographic.com; historyforkids.net.
Ways to extend learning at home: Share with your child your knowledge or enthusiasm about ancient civilizations and their connections to modern society. Have you visited any ancient sites either on your own or with your child? Talk with you child about this. Perhaps they can bring in souvenirs or pictures from these places. If you are able to visit NYC, the Met has a wonderful exhibit of Greek and Roman art. Mr. A recommends visiting the Princeton Museum of Art. Please share if you know of other museums or exhibits related to our unit of inquiry.
Possible actions to look for: Perhaps your child will be asking you questions about ancient civilizations to further their knowledge! Do let me know if this happens or if you notice any other actions your child takes related to our unit.
How We Organize Ourselves: An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment .
Central Idea: Government can promote or deny equality and social justice.
Key concepts: Function (How does it work?) How do different forms of government work? Perspective (What are the different perspectives?) What are the different perspectives of the different forms of government? Reflection (How do we know? What do we think?) What do you think is the ideal type of government?
Related concepts: governance, citizenship, equality, justice, decision-making
Lines of inquiry: Types of governance and structures How citizens influence governmental systems and decisions Case Study: US Constitution and Bill of Rights
Learner Profile Attributes: Open-minded, Knowledgeable Students will exercise open-mindedness when learning about the different types of government around the world. They will become more knowledgeable about government, how citizens can or can not influence the government and decisions, and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Attitudes:Respect, Tolerance Students will further develop the attitudes of respect and tolerance, which are needed to be open-minded. These attitudes will help them openly learn about our central idea and lines of inquiry.
Assessment: Students may individually design their own system of government. They may construct their own constitution (a set of rules/principles that shows how the country is governed). They may include a description of the way in which the government is organized, as well as the powers that the government has.Students will have a choice of how to present their work. They may like to produce a poster, a model, booklet, advertisement, a written essay, etc.Students may help to establish the criteria of what to address in the task.
Possibilities could include: The type (system) of government Voting system (if there is one) Basic laws How decisions are made Whether everyone has a say The top-10 rights that a citizen of your country has Whose rights are being promoted Whose rights are being denied How a citizen of your country would feel How your country’s governmental system compares to that of another country (refer to US Constitution and Bill of Rights, or other countries)
Reflect on further questions about how governments can address issues of social justice, how citizens do or do not influence governmental systems and decisions.Perhaps students can address any 7 of the above. Assessment tool: Students develop success criteria and rubric or checklist.
Language connections: Writing in the persuasive form, reading non-fiction books and articles; stand-alone fiction study in reading and writing
Math connections: Stand-alone study of multiplication and division; graphs, maps, measurement
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research (formulating questions, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Through their research on a particular type of government, students will continue to develop the above skills. They will first formulate a function question and then think about perspective and their own reflection. Students will present their research to the class.
Thinking: (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Throughout our unit, students will be acquiring a lot of new knowledge about the different types of governments around the world, how citizens can influence governments, as well as the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students will need to comprehend, apply, and analyze and evaluate what they have learned in order to synthesize the information with their own thoughts and ideas to complete the summative assessment task.
Self-Management: (gross/fine motor skills, spatial awareness, organization, time-management, codes of behavior, informed choices) In order to complete the summative assessment, students will utilize all of the above self-management skills.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library and classroom that will be available to students. Many books about: US Constitution and Bill of rights, presidents of America, American history, a variety of key influential people.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about current events in government. Share your thought and opinions and your reasons to support these. Ask them what they think and why. You may want to take a trip on a weekend to the National Constitution Center as well, as we will not have time to see everything the museum has to offer!
Possible actions to look for: Your child may ask you questions about government and the US presidential elections. Please let us know if this or other actions related to our unit occur!
How We Express Ourselves: An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs, values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
Central Idea: Creativity is a means of self-expression.
Key concepts: Form (What is it like?) What are the different types of creative expression? Reflection (How do we know? What do we think?) How does creativity impact people? Perspective (What are the different perspectives?) What is your perspective on different forms of self-expression? What does creativity mean to you? What are other people's perspectives?
Related concepts: inspiration, creation, motivation, identity, arts
Lines of inquiry: Need for creativity Different types of creative expression How creativity impacts people
Learner Profile Attributes: Risk-takers, Balanced Students will develop the ability to take risks through creative outlets, while exploring their ideas and feelings. Students will develop their understanding of intellectual, physical, and emotional balance to achieve personal well-being.
Attitudes: Confidence, Creativity Students will develop confidence in themselves as learners and creators. They will have the courage to take risks, applying what they have learned. They will further expand their imagination and creative side.
Assessment: During the third week of the unit, the students will begin to brainstorm ideas as a class for their summative assessment. Possible ideas may include: a class play, written stories, poetry, paintings, drawings, a song, etc. Perhaps we will decide to give everyone a choice of which form of expression they would like to use for their summative assessment. Perhaps students will create one form of expression collaboratively and one form of expression individually. Students will generate ideas for the criteria for the rubric or checklist. During the fourth week of the unit, the idea and rubric/checklist will be finalized. Students will have weeks 5-7 to work on the summative assessment. Perhaps we can share/perform for other students, parents, etc.Students may also revisit their pre-assessment where they individually wrote answers to the teacher questions. They may add more details to these questions to show the development in their understanding of the central idea and lines of inquiry.
Language connections: Poetry, narratives
Math connections: How math is a means of expression; data handling- we may survey people about their favorite forms of expression; stand-alone - pattern and function, number (decimals), measurement (time)
Transdisciplinary Skills: Thinking: (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Students will develop and utilize their thinking skills when learning about a variety of ways that people express themselves. They will apply this knowledge to create various forms of expression and will analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their ideas.
Self-Management: (gross/fine motor skills, spatial awareness, organization, time-management, healthy lifestyle, codes of behavior, informed choices) Students will develop and utilize their self-management skills when creating various forms of expression, either individually or collaboratively.
Communication: (listening, speaking, reading, writing, non-verbal communication) Students will develop and utilize their communication skills when learning about and creating various forms of expression.
Social: (accepting responsibility, respecting others, cooperating, resolving conflict, group decision making, adopting a variety of roles) Students will develop and utilize their social skills when working with a partner or group to create various forms of expression.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library and the classroom that will be available to students. Students will view samples of various forms of expression ( -visual art - paintings, drawings, photography etc; -performing arts - dances, plays; -music - several genres; -literature - poetry, stories, speeches, etc.
We will be taking a field trip to the Patriot’s Theater to see the play of the book, The Lightning Thief.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about your thoughts on creativity and self-expression. Do you have a creative outlet? Or is there something you enjoyed doing as a child and wish to pick up again? Now may be a great time to do it! Do you have special pieces of art in your home? Talk with your child about it. Take a trip to an art museum or a dance or theater performance - the ideas are endless!
Possible actions to look for: Students may spontaneously create various forms of expression at home or on the playground. Please let us know if this or other actions related to our unit occur!
How We Organize Ourselves: An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment .
Central Idea: Government can promote or deny equality and social justice.
Key concepts: Function (How does it work?) How do different forms of government work? Perspective (What are the different perspectives?) What are the different perspectives of the different forms of government? Reflection (How do we know? What do we think?) What do you think is the ideal type of government?
Related concepts: governance, citizenship, equality, justice, decision-making
Lines of inquiry: Types of governance and structures How citizens influence governmental systems and decisions Case Study: US Constitution and Bill of Rights
Learner Profile Attributes: Open-minded, Knowledgeable Students will exercise open-mindedness when learning about the different types of government around the world. They will become more knowledgeable about government, how citizens can or can not influence the government and decisions, and the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Attitudes:Respect, Tolerance Students will further develop the attitudes of respect and tolerance, which are needed to be open-minded. These attitudes will help them openly learn about our central idea and lines of inquiry.
Assessment: Students may individually design their own system of government. They may construct their own constitution (a set of rules/principles that shows how the country is governed). They may include a description of the way in which the government is organized, as well as the powers that the government has.Students will have a choice of how to present their work. They may like to produce a poster, a model, booklet, advertisement, a written essay, etc.Students may help to establish the criteria of what to address in the task.
Possibilities could include: The type (system) of government Voting system (if there is one) Basic laws How decisions are made Whether everyone has a say The top-10 rights that a citizen of your country has Whose rights are being promoted Whose rights are being denied How a citizen of your country would feel How your country’s governmental system compares to that of another country (refer to US Constitution and Bill of Rights, or other countries)
Reflect on further questions about how governments can address issues of social justice, how citizens do or do not influence governmental systems and decisions.Perhaps students can address any 7 of the above. Assessment tool: Students develop success criteria and rubric or checklist.
Language connections: Writing in the persuasive form, reading non-fiction books and articles; stand-alone fiction study in reading and writing
Math connections: Data-handling (collecting information, organizing it through graphs, bar charts, etc.); stand-alone study of division
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research (formulating questions, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Through their research on a particular type of government, students will continue to develop the above skills. They will first formulate a function question and then think about perspective and their own reflection. Students will present their research to the class.
Thinking: (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Throughout our unit, students will be acquiring a lot of new knowledge about the different types of governments around the world, how citizens can influence governments, as well as the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. Students will need to comprehend, apply, and analyze and evaluate what they have learned in order to synthesize the information with their own thoughts and ideas to complete the summative assessment task.
Self-Management: (gross/fine motor skills, spatial awareness, organization, time-management, codes of behavior, informed choices) In order to complete the summative assessment, students will utilize all of the above self-management skills.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library and classroom that will be available to students. Many books about: US Constitution and Bill of rights, presidents of America, American history, a variety of key influential people.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about current events in government. Share your thought and opinions and your reasons to support these. Ask them what they think and why. You may want to take a trip on a weekend to the National Constitution Center as well, as we will not have time to see everything the museum has to offer!
Possible actions to look for: Your child may begin to ask you questions about government and the US presidential elections. Please let us know if this or other actions related to our unit occur!
How the World Works: An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
Central Idea: Through experimentation, new understandings are developed.
Key concepts: Function- (How does it work?) What do scientists do? How does the scientific method work? Connection- (How is it connected?) How are scientific discoveries related to one another? Causation- (Why does this happen?) How do scientific discoveries affect the world?
Related concepts: scientific method, inquiry, research, application, matter
Lines of inquiry: How scientists develop new understandings How investigating can lead to new discoveries and greater insight The application of new scientific understanding Case Study: Matter
Learner Profile Attributes: Thinkers and Inquirers-Students will naturally develop their thinking and inquiry skills during this unit by thinking about their prior knowledge of science and experiments. They will develop their own questions and inquire into the answers through research and hands-on experiments.
Attitudes: Enthusiasm and Independence-Students will further develop their enthusiasm for science by engaging with hands-on experiments and researching answers to their questions. They will develop their independence when designing and conducting their own experiments.
Assessment: Students may individually design and conduct their own experiment following the steps of the scientific method. Students may record all of the steps of their experiment through a product of their choice: written report, poster, Book Creator on the iPads, etc. Students may also write a written reflection related to the central idea and lines of inquiry, answering questions such as: -What new understandings have you developed throughout the unit?-How will you apply your new scientific understanding? (in your own life, sharing with others, etc.) Students may create an assessment rubric or checklist before beginning the summative assessment.
Language connections: Writing scientific reports using the steps of the scientific method, reading non-fiction books and articles; stand-alone fiction study in reading and writing
Math connections: Data-handling (collecting information, organizing it through graphs, bar charts, etc.); stand-alone study of multiplication and division with 2- and 3-digit numbers
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research (formulating questions, observing, planning, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Through our initial class research about scientists, experiments, and the scientific method, students will develop the above skills by following standard experiments. Students will also begin to formulate their own questions of what they are wondering about/what experiments they can create and then conduct these experiments, utilizing all of the above skills.
Thinking (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation)Through research of scientists, experiments, and the scientific method,, students will acquire new knowledge. In order to successfully complete the summative assessment, students will need to think about this new knowledge and apply, analyze, and synthesize it to create something new (their own experiment).
Self-management (gross/fine motor skills, organization, time-management, safety, codes of behavior, informed choices) In order to complete the summative experiment, students will utilize all of the above self-management skills.
Resources: There is a selection of books from the library about experiments, inventions, and also some cook-books. The MacMillan McGraw Hill Science text will be a main resource for our case study on matter. Various websites and apps will also be used.
Ways to extend learning at home: Talk with your child about your experiences with science. What were you/are you enthusiastic about? Do you know of any interesting experiments? You can do them at home with your child, or send in a note for a suggestion of one we could do at school. Are you a great cook? Talk with your child about how you experiment in the kitchen. Visit a museum such as The Franklin Institute or the Liberty Science Center.
Possible actions to look for: Your child may ask you scientific questions or start asking more questions about the way things work. They may want to conduct their own experiments at home. Help them to be safe. Please let us know if these or other actions related to our unit occur!
Where We Are in Place and Time: An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationships between the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
Central Idea: The enduring legacies of ancient civilizations are present in modern societies.
Key Concepts: Form- (What is it like?) What are the characteristics of civilizations? What was it like to live in the different civilizations? Function- (How does it work?) How did the civilizations work? Change- (How is it changing?) How have the structures, ideas, and technologies changed or not changed in modern society?
Related Concepts: technology, progress, systems, history, geography, timelines
Lines of Inquiry: Characteristics of civilizations and societies Connections between past and present andimplications for the future The effect that artifacts and systems have on our lives today
Learner Profile Attributes: Reflective and Inquirers- Students will be inquiring into various ancient civilizations, developing their questioning. They will also be reflective, thinking about how the legacies of ancient civilizations are present today and how they have or have not changed.
Attitudes: Curiosity and Appreciation- Students will continue to develop their curiosity while inquiring into ancient civilizations. They will develop an appreciation of ancient civilizations and how they have impacted our modern societies.
Assessment: Students may collaboratively create a civilization, using the elements of other civilizations as a guide. (government, beliefs/religion, industry, science/technology, communication, art, etc.)
Language Connections: Mythology study, continue research and report writing skills
Math Connections: Timelines, 2D and 3D shapes (connection to Egyptian pyramids)
Transdisciplinary Skills: Research- (formulating questions, collecting data, recording data, organizing data, interpreting data, presenting research) Students will be doing a mini-research project on a particular ancient civilization and will present their findings to the class. Thinking- (acquisition of knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) Through research of ancient civilizations, students will acquire new knowledge. In order to successfully complete the summative assessment, students will need to think about this new knowledge and apply, analyze, and synthesize it to create something new. Self-management- (fine motor skills, organization, time-management, codes of behavior, informed choices) During their research, students will need to self-monitor to some extent to make sure they are completing their work in a timely manner, which includes behaving appropriately. They will use fine motor skills to write in cursive and type.
Resources: There is a wide selection of books from the classroom and library that will be used to support the unit of inquiry. There are also various websites, such as: brainpopjr.com; kids.nationalgeographic.com; historyforkids.net.
Ways to extend learning at home: Share with your child your knowledge or enthusiasm about ancient civilizations and their connections to modern society. Have you visited any ancient sites either on your own or with your child? Talk with you child about this. Perhaps they can bring in souvenirs or pictures from these places. If you are able to visit NYC, the Met has a wonderful exhibit of Greek and Roman art. Mr. A recommends visiting the Princeton Museum of Art. As it has been a long time since I have lived in the area, please share if you know of other museums or exhibits related to our unit of inquiry.
Possible actions to look for: Perhaps your child will be asking you questions about ancient civilizations to further their knowledge! Do let me know if this happens or if you notice any other actions your child takes related to our unit.
************************************************************************************************* Grade 4 Program of Inquiry Overview: Sharing the Planet Central Idea: Different strategies can be used to resolve conflict and maintain peace. Key Concepts: function, causation, responsibility Related Concepts: peace, conflict, compromise, resolution, empathy Lines of Inquiry: Causes of conflict Strategies to maintain peace Strategies to resolve conflict How peace and conflict affect us Conflict and peace in the classroom and school community
Who We Are Central Idea: The effective interaction of human body systems contributes to health and survival. Key Concepts: function, connection, responsibility Related concepts: systems, health, interdependence Lines of Inquiry: Body systems and how they work How body systems are interdependent Impact of lifestyle choices on the body
Where We Are in Place and Time Central Idea: The enduring legacies of ancient civilizations are present in modern societies. Key Concepts: form, change, function Related Concepts: technology, progress, systems Lines of Inquiry: Characteristics of civilizations and societies Connections between past and present andimplications for the future The effect that artifacts and systems have on our lives today
How We Organize Ourselves Central Idea: Government can promote or deny equality and social justice. Key Concepts: function, perspective, reflection Related Concepts: governance, citizenship, equality, justice, decision making Lines of Inquiry: Types of governance and structures How citizens influence governmental systems and decisions Case Study: US Constitution and Bill of Rights
How the World Works Central Idea: Through experimentation, new understandings are developed. Key Concepts: function, connection, causation Related Concepts: scientific method, inquiry, research, application, matter Lines of Inquiry: How scientists develop new understandings How investigating can lead to discoveries and greater insight The application of new scientific understanding Case Study:Matter
How We Express Ourselves Central Idea: Creativity is a means of self-expression. Key Concepts: form, reflection, perspective Related Concepts: inspiration, creation, motivation, identity, arts Lines of Inquiry: Need for creativity Different types of creative expression How creativity impacts people