π This week we will begin our first performance task for this unit. In this performance task students will write a 5-paragraph informational essay that answers the question: What can people learn from animals?
π In this lesson students will:
Work through all stages of the writing process: planning, prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
Review the structure of an informational essay.
Write an opening paragraph that includes a central idea/thesis statement and 3 examples of what people can learn from animals.
Write 3 body paragraphs that include research-based evidence that supports the central idea/thesis, including specific facts, details, and examples.
Use precise word choices and explanations of unfamiliar terms.
Use transitions that link ideas and sections of text.
Use standard English conventions, including correct subject-verb agreement, spelling, and punctuation.
Gather information from multiple sources.
π Homework:
15-20 minutes of reading from a book of their choice.
Work that students are unable to complete during class.
Work that students miss when they are out of school for sickness, travel, etc.
Test Retake Assignments
π Last week in Science class we finished up the week with Moon phases, Solar & Lunar Eclipses, the causes, and the different kinds of Tides. Our quiz last week only focused on Moon phases because that is what we spent the majority of our time on. We never made it to the study on Craters because there were so many interesting things we found out about the Moon. I was so impressed at some of the higher-level questions that students were asking that I made another lesson just for the inquiries. That is a wonderful problem to have when your students are so engaged that they generate more and more questions!
π This week, we will start our study on Moon craters. We will be looking at what might have made them, how many there are, and what sizes they are. We will be experimenting with what might have made the craters on the Moon and graphing our results. We will also be looking at the differences between meteoroids, asteroids, and comets. Will one of these hit our Earth? Has one ever hit our Earth? Your students will know the answers to these questions and more by the end of this week!
π― Just a reminder that every Friday is a quiz. This week's quiz will be on Solar & Lunar Eclipses, Tides, Craters, and astronomical objects in outer space. This card marking is almost over so please check your child's grade. If your child still needs to retake the last test it's not too late. Please have them pick up a retake paper and study! They can take it when they are ready.
π― Students will take their "Geography Basics" test on Wednesday of this week. At the end of last week they were encouraged to begin taking their notes packets home with them each night to study. I will also share some additional studying resources with them on Monday, including a practice quiz (also linked below).
π At the end of this week, we will begin a mini regional studies unit on North America. Students will explore the significant physical and human features of the continent and use spatial information (maps, charts, data) to answer geographic questions about our home continent. We will complete mini units on various regions of the world between each larger unit this year.
