Week of February 3rd-7th, 2025
Language Arts
What can we learn from reading literary classics? In this module, students consider the answer to this question through a case study of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie. In Unit 1, students begin reading Peter Pan. At the beginning of the unit, they also read an informational text about the author and historical context. As students read chapters of Peter Pan, they make connections between what they have read in Peter Pan and the issues presented in the informational test. Students also consider how each chapter of Peter Pan builds on the events in previous chapters. In the second half of the unit, students analyze character traits and actions and compare their point of view to the point of view of the characters. Once students have finish reading Peter Pan, in the second half of Unit 2, they write a book review explaining whether they would receommend the story to a friend. They finish the unit by particpating in a discussion about their opinions of the book. In unit 3, students revise a scene of Peter Pan using some of the reasons students would not recommend the story to a friend. After revising one part of the story, they create a presentation explaining why and how they have revised that scene. For the performance task, students read aloud their revised scenes to an audience before explaning how and why they revised the scene.
Important ELA Vocabulary Words to Know
affix, analyze, body paragraph, collaboration, concise, concluding, constructed, contract, conventions, conveyed, critique, details, effective, explicitly, focus statement, gist, infer, inform, moral, predicate, proficient, research, restate, structure, text features.
Math
Unit fractions are fractions with 1 in the numerator. These fractions can be found between 0 and 1 on the number line because they are all smaller than 1.
Labeling fractions on a number line is like counting. The numerator will continue to increase by 1, but the denominator will stay the same. Between whole numbers, the whole number on the left is paired with the fraction.
Whole numbers and fractions can be used together to represent amounts between whole numbers. They are called mixed numbers. These numbers can be shown on a number line.
Important Math Vocabulary Words to Know
Base Ten, standard form, expanded form, word form, multi-digit numbers, round to the nearest ten, round to the nearest hundred, compatible numbers, estimate, even numbers, odd numbers, partial sums, decompose, bar diagram, line plot, algorithm, numerator, denominator, fraction, equal parts, mixed numbers.
Science
The process of a once living organizsm becoming a fossil is called fossilization. Fossilization is a very rare process, and of all the organisms that have lived on Earth, only a tiny percentage of them ever become fossils because most will decay before the process of fossilization can occur. Fossils are formed in a number of different ways, but most are formed when a plant or animal in a moist environment and is buried in mud or silt. The soft tissues will decompose over time, as sediment covers the organism. As the encased bones decay, minerals seep in replacing the organic material. Alternatively the bones may complete decay leaving a "cast" of the organism. The void left behind may then fill with minerals making a stone replica of the orgabism. Students should undertsand the sequence of fossilization.
Important Science Vocabulary Words to Know
fossil, sediment, sedimentary rock, decay, minerals, fossilization, mold fossil, cast fossil, trace fossil, mud, sand, silt, clay.
Social Studies
In this unit, students learn about American Indians prior to their interactions with Europeans. Students learn about early American Indian cultures by studying how they used their physical environments. Students must be able to compare and contrast the impacts of georgaphy on American Indians from different regions.
Important S.S. Vocabulary Words to Know
cardinal direction, intermediate direction, igloo, chickee, plank house, thatch roofs, longhouses, wattle and dub, agriculture, buffalo, teepees, nomadic, pueblos, environment, clothing, shelter.