mfa5 > Articles by: emily.popek

Author: emily.popek

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Kindergarten Social Studies Unit 3

Maps and globes are representations of Earth’s surface that are used to locate and better understand places and regions. In this unit, students will gain an understanding of this and learn to locate places and regions on a map. Students will also learn to locate physical features and man-made structures on a map (e.g., school, grocery store, train station, hospital), using geographic vocabulary. In addition, students will learn about climate and seasonal weather changes and how people and communities are affected by these changes.

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Grade 5 Social Studies Unit 3

Various European powers explored and eventually colonized the Western Hemisphere. This had a profound effect on Native Americans and led to the transatlantic slave trade. In this unit students will study how Europeans traveled to the Americas in search of new trade routes, including a northwest passage. Students will also investigate the interaction between European explorers and Native Americans and how cultural diffusion eventually led to the Colombian Exchange reshaping the lives and beliefs of many people. In addition, students will study the slavery of Africans brought to the Americas during the Middle Passage.

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Grade 4 Science Unit 3

Students will spend time observing plants and animals to gather evidence that organisms are living systems. They will develop an understanding that plants and animals have external and internal structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior and reproduction.  Students use the concept of systems to understand that every animal has internal and external structures that allow it to take in information from the environment in which it lives, process that information, and respond in ways that increase its chances to grow, reproduce, and survive.

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Grade 8 Social Studies Unit 3

Beginning in the second half of the 19th century, economic, political, and cultural factors contributed to a push for westward expansion and more aggressive United States foreign policy. In this unit, students will explore continued conflicts with Native Americans and the effect the Spanish-American war had on the rise of the United States as an imperial power. In addition, students will study Pacific trade and increased United States foreign interactions.

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Grade 5 Life Science Unit 3

Students explore how energy from the sun is captured and used by plants to survive and to provide food for other living things.  They learn how energy from food is used to help animals grow and survive. Students investigate food chains and food webs to learn of the interdependent relationships in ecosystems, how matter cycles, and how energy transfer occurs in an ecosystem.

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Grade 3 ELA Unit 3

Students will analyze literary texts to identify and describe literary elements and text features and how they are used to develop the plot of a story. Students will craft their own narrative piece applying their understanding of literary elements and text features to develop their story.

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Grade 5 ELA Unit 3

Students will locate and analyze how multiple  points of view are developed over the course of a text, and how points of view impact plot or text events. Students will use this knowledge to draft an argument of their own, and will provide key, relevant details to support their claim in writing and discussion. 

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Grade 5 Social Studies Unit 4

The diverse geography of the Western Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement in distinct ways. Human communities in the Western Hemisphere have modified the physical environment. In this unit, students will identify regions in the Western Hemisphere and explore their common identifiable characteristics. In addition, students will investigate how the physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity in these areas. 

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Grade 2 ELA Unit 4

Students will be reading various texts by a variety of authors. Students will explore similarities between books in a series.  They will also determine differences that may exist between books that are written by the same author. Students will use their knowledge and understanding from this author study to write an opinion piece. This will include stating a clear opinion and then supporting it with examples/ details.

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Grade 1 ELA Unit 4

Students will develop an understanding of the difference between fiction and nonfiction pieces. They will begin to express their opinions through discussion and writing.