Unit One: Light
Essential Questions:
How does light travel?
What happens when light strikes an object?
How can I make a table to record my data?
Students will understand that:
There are many forms of energy.
Students will know:
Light maintains directions of motion until it interacts with an object.
Light can be reflected or absorbed.
Students will be able to:
Investigate with flashlights and other light sources.
Describe how light rays reflect off of objects.
Explain what occurs when light rays are blocked.
Investigate to identify a variable that can be changed. For example: What will happen if? I wonder if I can change
Generate new questions related to discoveries.
Develop a reasonable explanation based upon observations. For example: I found out . . .
Generate new questions related to discoveries made during an investigation.
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Apply results by relating the current investigation to a similar investigation.
Use science writing frames as a means to communicating learning.
unit two: sound
Essential Questions:
How are sounds produced?
How can sounds be changed or altered?
Students will understand that:
There are many forms of energy.
Energy can be transferred and transformed, but not destroyed.
Students will know:
Vibrations produce sound.
Sound travels through things.
Solids are better conductors of sound than air.
Sounds may be loud, soft, high, low, pleasant, or harsh.
Students will be able to:
Investigate different objects, observing and describing the vibrations of those objects and the sounds that are made.
Pose observational questions that compare in terms of number, shape, texture, size, weight, color, motion, etc.
Investigate to identify a variable that can be changed. For example: What will happen if? I wonder if I can change.
Generate new questions that could be explored at the end of an investigation.
Develop a reasonable explanation based upon observations. For example: I found out …
Generate new questions related to discoveries made during and investigation.
Apply results by relating the current investigation to a similar investigation.
Use the scientific writing frames as a means to communicate their learning.
Unit Three: social Studies: the history of thanksgiving
We will read from different resources illustrating the first Thanksgiving. The children will learn to listen for and record key words relating to each of the following stages in the lives of Pilgrims. Each of these stages will be researched sequentially:
Why the Pilgrims chose to leave England
The conditions of their voyage on the Mayflower
The living conditions of their first winter in Plymouth
The survival skills the Pilgrims learned from the Native Americans
After the children have recorded and shared key words from their white boards on the chosen stage in the life of the Pilgrims, we will collaboratively generate a class list of key words.
Using the class list, we will then create a paragraph detailing a specific stage of the Pilgrims' lives after leaving England.
Why the Pilgrims chose to leave England
The conditions of their voyage on the Mayflower
The living conditions of their first winter in Plymouth
The survival skills the Pilgrims learned from the Native Americans
After the children have recorded and shared key words from their white boards on the chosen stage in the life of the Pilgrims, we will collaboratively generate a class list of key words.
Using the class list, we will then create a paragraph detailing a specific stage of the Pilgrims' lives after leaving England.
Unit Four: Celebrations in December
We are introducing to our classes the traditions of children in other countries at this time of the year, the history of Hannukah and why Kwanzaa is celebrated.
At the end of our unit, the children will be able to share the information learned through the stories read aloud and the activities they engaged in. Their finished projects will be sent home prior to vacation.
At the end of our unit, the children will be able to share the information learned through the stories read aloud and the activities they engaged in. Their finished projects will be sent home prior to vacation.
Unit Five: VErmont Mammals
The children will learn the characteristics of a mammal:
Born Live
Nurse
Warm Blooded
Breathe Through Lungs
Fur
Backbone
The children will be able to describe each mammal focused on by identifying the following:
Their physical characteristics
Their habitat
Their diet
If they are active during the winter or not
Their enemies
How they protect themselves from their predators
All of the above information will be recorded in a book that your child will share with you upon completion of this unit.
Born Live
Nurse
Warm Blooded
Breathe Through Lungs
Fur
Backbone
The children will be able to describe each mammal focused on by identifying the following:
Their physical characteristics
Their habitat
Their diet
If they are active during the winter or not
Their enemies
How they protect themselves from their predators
All of the above information will be recorded in a book that your child will share with you upon completion of this unit.
Unit six: Phases of the moon
Essential Questions:
How does the moon look different throughout the month?
Why can’t we always see the moon?
What is the cycle of the moon?
Students will understand that:
Our solar system has observable cycles.
Scale and distance affect our perception of the solar system.
Our earth is a system changing over time.
Students will know:
The sun can be seen only at daytime.
The sun and the moon are in the sky.
Then moon looks slightly different each night.
The sun provides the light and heat necessary to maintain the temperature of the earth.
There are cyclical changes that we see throughout the seasons that can be observed and recorded.
Students will be able to:
Observe and record the day and night sky.
Observe and describe how the sky looks at different times.
Keep a journal to record the shape of the moon each night for a lunar cycle.
Use science writing frames as a means to communicate learning.
