Class 205: Ms. French’s, Mr. Juan’s, Ms. A’s, Ms., Karina’s, and Mr. J’s Class

Reading

3^rd grade- Essential Question: What behaviors help animals survive? Our 3^rd graders will focus Module 6 “Animal Behaviors”.  They will build their knowledge about animal behavior, with a focus on the nonfiction genre. We will read texts about the behaviors and characteristics that animals use to survive. Scholars will also write an expository essay that compares the behaviors of two animals from the texts in this module.  Skills: Text and Graphic Features, Summarize, Author’s Purpose, Author’s Craft, Answer & Ask Questions, Central Idea, Figurative Language and Text Structure

Vocabulary: Learning “Big Idea” words like environment, function, nuzzled, and bared to use in writing and conversation.

2^nd grade – Essential Question: What are the qualities of a good leader?   Our 2^nd graders will focus on Module 5, “Lead the Way”.   The unit focuses on leadership, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles through biographical texts and stories, encouraging students to recognize leadership traits in themselves.  Skills: Ideas & Support, Figurative Language, Ask/Answer Questions, Characters, Summarize, Text Organizations, Chronological Order

Vocabulary: Key terms include creaking, straining, glinted, affection, and tangle.

Math

Our 3^rd graders will focus on Unit 6: Fractions as Numbers:” teaches scholars that fractions are numbers representing quantities formed by equal parts of a whole, moving beyond just shape partitioning. Scholars represent fractions on area diagrams and number lines, understand unit fractions, generate equivalent fractions, and compare fractions with the same numerator or denominator. [1, 2, 3, 4].  This unit is designed to build a foundational understanding of fractions as numbers with specific positions on a number line rather than just shaded shapes. 

Our 2^nd graders will focus on Unit 4: Addition & Subtraction on a Number Line: Scholars learn about the structure of a number line and use it to represent numbers within 100. They also relate addition and subtraction to length and represent the operations on the number line.  In this unit, scholars are introduced to the number line, an essential representation that will be used throughout students’ K–12 mathematical experience. They learn to use the number line to represent whole numbers, sums, and differences.  In a previous unit, students learned to measure length with rulers. Here, they see that the tick marks and numbers on the number line are like those on a ruler: both show equally spaced numbers that represent lengths from 0.  Scholars use this understanding of structure to locate and compare numbers on the number line, as well as to estimate numbers represented by points on the number line.  Scholars then learn conventions for representing addition and subtraction on the number line: using arrows pointing to the right for adding and arrows pointing to the left for subtracting. Scholars also use the number line to represent addition and subtraction methods discussed in Number Talks, such as counting on, counting back by place, and decomposing a number to get to a ten. The reasoning here deepens students’ understanding of the relationship between addition and subtraction.  The number lines in this unit show a tick mark for every whole number in the given range, though not all may be labeled with the numeral. As scholars become more comfortable with this representation, they may draw number lines that show only the numbers needed to solve the problems, which is acceptable.

Writing

Poetry: The Teachers College (TC) Reading and Writing Project Poetry Unit, often titled “Poetry: Big Thoughts in Small Packages” (Unit 4), is a 3-4 week writing workshop unit designed to help scholars look at the world through a “poet’s eye” and express big feelings in a compact format.  The unit focuses on crafting free verse and simple poetic forms by focusing on sensory details, emotions, and specific craft moves.

• “Poet Glasses”: scholars learn to look at familiar objects (like a pencil or a tree) with a new perspective, focusing on what they see, feel, smell, hear, and taste.
• Big Feelings in Small Packages: The core philosophy is that short poems can hold significant meaning, memories, or emotions.
• Drafting Free Verse: scholars are encouraged to write free verse poems, which do not need to rhyme, allowing them to focus on imagery and word choice.

Social Studies

Our Project-Based activities will focus on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  It is celebrated in May and honors the histories, achievements, and cultures of Americans from across the Asian continent and Pacific islands. Scholars will learn about diverse cultures, contributions to American history—including building the transcontinental railroad—and promotes inclusion through activities like literature, arts, and cultural festivals.