This lesson integrates computer science through discovering graphing on a coordinate plane for 6th graders all the way to a review for 8th graders with extensions that include slope.

This assignment is a review fo the Greece unit.  It allows students to use their notes for an in depth review of the materials taugh in the unit of Ancient Greece.  It could also be used as an alternative assessment.

An online German grammar reference, featuring zany post-modern Grimm's fairy tale characters, authoritative grammar explanations, self-correcting exercises, online audio and cartoon images.

In this unit second graders explore different habitats (forest, desert, water, rainforest, and wetland) and investigate how different plants and animals survive in each the habitat. Rather than just learning facts about the habitats, students examine come to understand the connection between parts of each habitat and how those connections are crucial for survival. Using the Next Generation Science Standards as a guide, students are challenged to use the information they learn about different habitats to compare how different plants and animals depend on their surroundings and other living things to meet their needs. Students will also be challenged to compare the differences in the kinds of living things that are found in different areas and why those differences exist. This unit builds on the first grade Animals unit, in which students learned about different types of animals and their characteristics, and prepares students for a third grade unit in which they will analyze animal adaptations with regard to animal habitats.

This unit uses the Bobbie Kalman Introducing Habitats series as mentor texts. These texts were chosen because of their clear representations of the different habitats and their accessibility. The texts in this unit support student understanding of key genre features while also allowing multiple opportunities to develop fluency. Over the course of the unit the majority of heavy thinking and analysis should be on students. By the end of the unit, students should have a deeper understanding of key components of informational texts, and students should be able to transfer those understandings to other complex informational texts.

Students will also write daily in response to the text, with a focus on making a correct claim to answer the question. Students will also begin writing longer informational texts in which they synthesize and teach back the content they are learning about the different habitats.

In this unit, students learn about United States history by reading the core text, Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African-Americans, and excerpts from Let It Shine: Stories of Black Freedom Fighters and Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men Who Changed America. Throughout the unit, students grapple with the discrimination and broken promises African Americans faced, paired with the endless determination and perseverance that fueled countless triumphs to overcome unfair and unjust treatment. Through a study of slavery up through the civil rights movement, students will be challenged to think critically about different events, influential people, and how they have had a lasting impact on the America we know today. This is incredibly important for helping students not only understand America's past, but also to understand the realities of America's present. It is our goal that this unit, combined with others in the curriculum, will inspire a passion within students to stand up for what is right and to fight for civil rights in order to attain equality and justice for all human beings, regardless of race. The goal of this unit is not depth; rather, the focus is more on exposure and building student understanding of the history behind the civil rights movement while simultaneously building a sense of empowerment and empathy. In fifth grade, students will study the civil rights movement in depth, learning about a wider variety of influential leaders, groups, and events, especially those in which youth advocacy and fight inspired and drove change. It is our hope that the combination of both units will equip students with the tools necessary to begin to challenge injustice in their own lives.

The unit requires students to deeply analyze a text to see how an author develops different ideas and points using vivid evidence in both the text and illustrations. Students will analyze author's word choice, the different details an author includes, and the way in which an author presents information in order to build a deeper understanding of the time period and the text. Students will also be challenged to carry information across multiple texts in order to build a deeper understanding of content and themes.

To fulfill the requirements for local alternative assesments, students will create a performance-based assesment that shows their understanding of physical adaptations.  VESOL Standard 3S-LPS 5b

This is is a summative assessment that prompts students to think of the most important information that others need to know about Hinduism. The assignment requires students to evaluate the most salient information and share in a creative and witty way.

This unit connects with the third grade Social Studies Unit 1, Ancient Rome. In the Social Studies unit, students study and learn about the values and beliefs of the ancient Roman Empire. In this literature unit, students begin to see the role that myths, gods, and storytelling had in ancient Rome by reading a collection on Roman myths. While reading the myths, students will be challenged to think about how the myths illustrate and show the beliefs and customs of the Roman Empire. Students will also be challenged to think what the myths teach about retaliation and generosity.

In reading and writing, this unit focuses on helping readers solidify their understanding of the connection between recounting stories, determining a central message, and using details to explain how the central message is conveyed. Through multiple readings of the same myths, students will be able to analyze and discover the way in which messages are developed. Students will then be pushed to articulate this understanding both orally and in writing. Rereading the same myth multiple times also supports students fluency and vocabulary development.

In this science/history-based unit, students learn about the history of the earth by studying fossils and dinosaurs. In the first part of the unit, students learn about how fossils are formed and how paleontologists study fossils in order to learn about ancient history. In the second part of the unit, students study what makes dinosaurs unique and fascinating creatures by learning about various species of dinosaurs and how they adapted in order to meet their basic needs for survival. Students will also be challenged to think about what earth was like at the time of the dinosaurs and how learning about dinosaurs helps them better understand the earth's history. In the last part of the unit, students read a collection of fiction texts, each with a unique perspective on what happened to the dinosaurs and if dinosaurs really are extinct. In this part of the unit, students should be pushed to use what they have learned from the informational texts in order to confirm or deny the statements the author makes in the fiction texts.

In reading, this unit exposes students to both informational and fiction texts. When reading informational texts, students will focus on explaining the connection between two or more pieces of information in a text, particularly in regard to retelling how fossils are formed or how scientists uncover fossils. Students will also be pushed to describe the relationship between the illustrations and the text in which they appear, specifically describing what new or additional information they learn from reading the illustrations. Additionally, students will continue to practice determining the main topic of a text and asking and answering questions about unknown words. When reading fiction texts, students will focus on retelling the story and making connections between the story and the facts they've learned from the informational texts.

In writing, students will continue to write daily in response to the text. Written responses should focus on including an inference or critical thinking that shows understanding of the text and/or question and on using more words than pictures to communicate the answer to a question. This unit also includes two longer writing assignments: one research writing assignment and one narrative writing assignment.

 This local alternative assessment is designed to cover the history ASOL HS-H 1b. It fulfills the requirements for local alternative assessments. 

A simple assessment or question bank focused on helping students differentiate between the subtleties and functions of various cell types. These questions can be used in a variety of ways for a life science or biology classroom, e.g. as an assessment, a pre-test, or incorporated into a group activity or game.

This is a list of common use "IR" verbs. There is an activity, a Quizlet Card set , and a list both have answers. You can use them after you teach IR verbs and/or Stem change verbs.

This is a data collection, prediction, and graphing activity using three flavors of ice cream as the subject. It is a ready-made lesson with a Google Slideshow that has all of the activities built into it.

There are several common minerals that tend to be referenced and used in texts, NY Regent Tests and released Virginia SOL tests.

I call these the Super 8.
Sulfur | Magnetite | Mica | Halite | Pyrite | Calcite | Quartz | Diamond

This resource requires samples of each mineral be sorted and available for manipulation. Students should perform this lab in small groups 3 or 4 and use the spreadsheet provided write the features observed according to categories the teacher wants students to master.

The lab should take about 20-30 minutes.

The Earth Science textbook by Glenco or the attached reference sheet may be used by students.

There are several common minerals that tend to be referenced and used in texts, NY Regent Tests and released Virginia SOL tests.

I call these the Super 8.
Sulfur | Magnetite | Mica | Halite | Pyrite | Calcite | Quartz | Diamond

This resource requires samples of each mineral be sorted and available for manipulation. Students should perform this lab in small groups 3 or 4 and use the spradsheet provided write the features observed according to categories the teacher wants students to master.

The lab should take about 20-30 minutes.

The NY Regents Earth Science Reference Table or a textbook reference may be used as a group reference for look up.

A self-directed project aimed at getting students engaged with poetry on a variety of levels

Students use their singing voices to take turns improvising and creating melodic phrases on a given theme.