Mrs. Sutherland's Curriculum Outline

2011-1012

 

Please visit http://www.washoe.k12.nv.us./district/wcsd-core-curriculum-standards to access Washoe County School District standards.

 

Houghton Mifflin (HM) is the district supplied reading program

Everdyday Math (ED) is the district supplied math program

Scott Foresman Our Nation is the district supplied social studies text

 

 

September

Reading

HM-The Pumpkin Box

Novel Unit--There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Story Elements

·         Characterization

·         Summarizing

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Personal Narrative Writing

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Writing process & writing traits

·         Organization

·         Sentence structure

·         Strong verbs

·         Editing

 

Math

ED Math Unit 1: Number Theory

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Place value

·         Area/perimeter

·         Square Numbers

·         Factors & Prime Numbers

·         Divisibility    

                        

Science

Science Text & teacher supplied materials

Instructional Focus: Matter

·         Atoms, Elements, & Periodic Chart

·         Review matter                              

·         Physical properties--minerals                              

 

Social Studies

Social Studies text & Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus: US Geography

·         Map skills

·         Locating major US physical features

 

 

October

Reading

HM Theme 1: Nature's Fury

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Expository Text Organization

·         Summarizing

·         Recalling/locating facts in text

·         Identifying main idea and detail

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Personal Narrative Writing /Research skills

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Writing Process & writing traits
  • Editing
  • Similes, Metaphors, & personification

·         Showing vs. telling

 

Math

ED Math Unit 2: Estimation & Computation

ED Math Unit 3: Geometry Explorations

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Adding & subtracting whole numbers & decimals
  • Multiplying whole numbers & decimals
  • Line relationships
  • Angles
  • Polygons
  • Circles
  • Congruency & similarity

Science

·         GEMS (Great Explorations in Math & Science)
--Life Through Time (life sciences)

 

Social Studies

Social Studies text, teacher supplied materials,  library resources

Instructional Focus:

·         Native Americans

·         Research project

·         Virginia City/Comstock

 

November

Reading

HM-Tall Tales

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading--Theme: Fantasy

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Imagery

·         Comparing texts

·         Cause & Effect

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Examining historical events influencing literature

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Personal Narrative Writing/Tall tales

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Showing vs. telling
  • Story writing--tall tale
  • Voice

 

Math

ED Math Unit 4: Division

ED Math Unit 5: Fractions, Decimals, Percents

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Division of whole numbers & decimals
  • Fractions concepts
  • Addition & subtraction of fractions w/like denominators
  • Comparing fractions
  • Mixed number & improper fraction equivalencies

 

Science

·         GEMS--Life Through Time (life sciences)

 

Social Studies

Social Studies text, teacher supplied materials, & videos

 

Instructional Focus: European Exploration of the Americas

·         Motivation for exploration

·         Trade

·         Colonization of the Americas

·         Impact of exploration on Europe & Americas

·         Beginning of slavery in Americas

 

December

Reading

Novel Unit: The Sign of the Beaver

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading--Theme: Colonial America historical fiction

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Story Elements

·         Characterization

·         Summarizing

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Author's craft--slang & dialect

·         Examination of historical events in literature

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Personal Narrative Writing

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Writing process & writing traits

·         Editing

·         Dialogue

 

Math

ED Math Unit 5: Fractions, Decimals, Percents

ED Math Unit 6: Organizing Data

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Fractions to decimals to percents

·         Circle graphs

·         Bar graphs & histograms

·         Stem-and-leaf plots

 

Science

·         GEMS--Life Through Time (life sciences)

Social Studies

Social Studies text book & Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus: English Colonization of North America

·         Identify individuals & groups that colonized

·         Compare & contrast New England, Middle, & Southern colonies

 

 

January

Note: Analytic Trait Writing Test Jan. 30-Feb.10

Reading

HM Theme 3: Voices from the Past

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Characterization

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Examination of historical events in literature

·         Distinguishing between fact & opinion

·         Cause & effect

·         Identifying main idea and detail

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Analytical Trait Writing Test 

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Science Fair Project research report

·         Writing process

·         Editing

 

Math

ED Math Unit 6: Organizing Data & Adding Fractions

ED Math Unit 7: Exponents, Order of Operation, & Negative Numbers

Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Examining sample size
  • Adding fractions with unlike denominators
  • Measurement review
  • Exponential notation & order of operation

 

Science

FOSS Kit--Mixtures and Solutions

 

Social Studies

Social Studies text book & Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus: American Colonies & War for Independence

·         Life in the 13 English Colonies

·         Events leading to the Declaration of Independence

 

 

 

February

Reading

Criterion Reference Test preparation

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Test taking strategies

·         Reading to locate information

·         Theme

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Identifying main idea & details

Language Arts

Instructional Focus:

·         Summarizing

·         Writing instructions

·         Colons

 

Math

ED Math Unit 12: Factor Trees & Combinations

ED Math Unit 8: Fractions

ED Math Unit 9: Coordinate Graphing & Area

 

Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Comparing fractions
  • Coordinate Graphing
  • Area Review
  • Criterion Reference Test review-I Can Statements

 

Science

FOSS Kit--Mixtures and Solutions

 

Social Studies

Social Studies text

We the People text book

 

Instructional Focus: Revolutionary War & Constitution

·         Creation of US Constitution

·         Ideas contained in US Constitution

 

March

Reading

HM Theme 6: Animal Encounters

We the People text

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading--Theme: Books with animals

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Expository text organization

·         Summarizing

·         Recalling facts & locating information

·         Identifying main idea & details

Language Arts

Instructional Focus:

·         Supporting an opinion

·         Editing

·         Semi-colons

 

Math

ED Math Unit 9: Volume

ED Math Unit 8: Fractions

Teacher supplied materials

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Volume of prisms
  • Multiplication & division of fractions

 

Science

GEMS--Earth, Moon, Stars (space science)

 

Social Studies

We the People text book

Junior Achievement

 

Instructional Focus: Constitution & Economics

·         Branches of government

·         Bill of Rights

·         Amendments

 

April

Reading

Novel Unit:  The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963

We the People text

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading--Theme: Science Fiction

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Story Elements

·         Characterization

·         Summarizing

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Author's craft--slang & back flashes

·         Examination of historical events in literature

·         Vocabulary development

Language Arts

Instructional Focus:

  • Editing
  • Persuasive writing

 

Math

ED Math Unit 10: Algebraic Concepts & Circles

Math 4 Today

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Balancing equations
  • Rules, tables, & graphs
  • Circumference & area of circles

 

Science

CRT Science Review

Social Studies

We the People text book

California, Oregon, & Utah Trails Association Teacher Resource book

 

Instructional Focus: Constitution & Westward Expansion

·         Responsibilities of citizens

·         US in world

·         motivations for westward expansion

 

May

Reading

HM Theme 5:  One Land, Many Trails

Fluency & Comprehension weekly assignments

Independent Reading

 

Instructional Focus:

·         Summarizing

·         Making inferences & drawing conclusions

·         Examination of historical events in literature

·         Vocabulary development

 

Language Arts

Instructional Focus:

  • Editing
  • Public speaking
  • Descriptive writing

 

Math

ED Math Unit 11: Volume

ED Math Unit 12: Ratios

 

 

Instructional Focus:

  • Volume of cylinders & cones
  • Ratios

 

Science

GEMS--Living with a Star

Social Studies

Social studies text

California, Oregon, & Utah Trails Association Teacher Resource book

 

Instructional Focus: Westward Expansion

·         Push-pull factors of human migration

·         Life on the trail

·         Impact of westward expansion