Dan Meyer has created many mathematics lessons centered around storytelling, along with a methodology for using these with students. Before you do any of his lessons, please see the explanation at his blog: https://blog.mrmeyer.com/2011/the-three-acts-of-a-mathematical-story/ To see all the lessons in a Google Docs spreadsheet, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jXSt_CoDzyDFeJimZxnhgwOVsWkTQEsfqouLWNN
C6Z4/edit#gid=0

The lessons are all CC BY, and you may edit these to fit your own students’ needs. The links from #GoOpenVA go to his own website because the structure of the lessons (including pertinent videos) is integral to the delivery of the lessons. Some lessons are stored as downloadable zip files, and these are noted as part of the link.

Students review the characterstics of invertebrate groups in this fun activity where they get to choose one group for a team name.

Dan Meyer has created many mathematics lessons centered around storytelling, along with a methodology for using these with students. Before you do any of his lessons, please see the explanation at his blog: https://blog.mrmeyer.com/2011/the-three-acts-of-a-mathematical-story/ To see all the lessons in a Google Docs spreadsheet, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jXSt_CoDzyDFeJimZxnhgwOVsWkTQEsfqouLWNN
C6Z4/edit#gid=0

The lessons are all CC BY, and you may edit these to fit your own students’ needs. The links from #GoOpenVA go to his own website because the structure of the lessons (including pertinent videos) is integral to the delivery of the lessons. Some lessons are stored as downloadable zip files, and these are noted as part of the link.

Dan Meyer has created many mathematics lessons centered around storytelling, along with a methodology for using these with students. Before you do any of his lessons, please see the explanation at his blog: https://blog.mrmeyer.com/2011/the-three-acts-of-a-mathematical-story/ To see all the lessons in a Google Docs spreadsheet, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jXSt_CoDzyDFeJimZxnhgwOVsWkTQEsfqouLWNN
C6Z4/edit#gid=0

The lessons are all CC BY, and you may edit these to fit your own students’ needs. The links from #GoOpenVA go to his own website because the structure of the lessons (including pertinent videos) is integral to the delivery of the lessons. Some lessons are stored as downloadable zip files, and these are noted as part of the link.

Dan Meyer has created many mathematics lessons centered around storytelling, along with a methodology for using these with students. Before you do any of his lessons, please see the explanation at his blog: https://blog.mrmeyer.com/2011/the-three-acts-of-a-mathematical-story/ To see all the lessons in a Google Docs spreadsheet, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jXSt_CoDzyDFeJimZxnhgwOVsWkTQEsfqouLWNN
C6Z4/edit#gid=0

The lessons are all CC BY, and you may edit these to fit your own students’ needs. The links from #GoOpenVA go to his own website because the structure of the lessons (including pertinent videos) is integral to the delivery of the lessons. Some lessons are stored as downloadable zip files, and these are noted as part of the link.

Dan Meyer has created many mathematics lessons centered around storytelling, along with a methodology for using these with students. Before you do any of his lessons, please see the explanation at his blog: https://blog.mrmeyer.com/2011/the-three-acts-of-a-mathematical-story/ To see all the lessons in a Google Docs spreadsheet, go to https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jXSt_CoDzyDFeJimZxnhgwOVsWkTQEsfqouLWNN
C6Z4/edit#gid=0

The lessons are all CC BY, and you may edit these to fit your own students’ needs. The links from #GoOpenVA go to his own website because the structure of the lessons (including pertinent videos) is integral to the delivery of the lessons. Some lessons are stored as downloadable zip files, and these are noted as part of the link.

Students will be given ordinal number cards and will have to put the numbers in the correct order. Next the students will discuss algorithms and tasks that have steps to complete in their daily lives. Students will have to work with a partner to plan an algorithm for how to get through a maze, then the students will have to use that algorithm to get through the maze.

The student will be able to list the steps in the water cycle as well as the main energy source that drives the water cycle: the sun. Students will also be able to understand that the water cycle is similar to an algorithm in computer science because it lists the steps needed in order for the water cycle to work. The students will be able to identify the sun as the event that causes the water cycle to work.

Computers use numeric values to store information and perform operations. Information inputted into the computer from various components must be converted into numeric values in order for the computer to use the information and perform functions. Once the function is completed, the numeric values must be converted to a form of output that the user can understand. This output may be in the form of words, images, videos, or sounds.

In this unit, students begin to explore African-American history and the civil rights movement by studying Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. and their influence on the nation. Students will begin the unit by thinking about the ways in which people are similar and different, including skin color, and how those differences should not define who we are or how we are treated. In the second part of the unit, students will learn about the discrimination and injustices faced by African-Americans during the civil rights movement and why it was necessary to fight for change. Finally, students will explore Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. and study how their influential leadership drove the civil rights movement and influenced and inspired others to fight for change. It is our hope that this unit will help instill the values of diversity and fairness, and that it will serve as a launch for further discussions around discrimination, fairness, and valuing individuals. This unit also falls during the month of February. Therefore, it will give students a chance to explore and deepen their understanding of Black History Month and why studying and celebrating black history is an important part of our nation's history.

In reading, this unit exposes students to the genre of biography. For each influential leader, students will read multiple biographies, noticing the ways in which authors use specific details to support points in a text. Students will also be pushed to think about which details are key details, how details are connected, how illustrations connect to particular points and ideas in a text, and the meaning of unfamiliar words. After reading multiple biographies, students will then compare and contrast the ways in which the authors present points in both texts. Students will also be challenged to think about the themes that develop across the biographies, particularly in regards to what makes the person an influential leader and the lessons that can be learned from studying each person.

In writing, this unit pushes students to begin answering questions using words and sentences, and, therefore, rely less on picture support. Students will also continue to work on answering the question and including an inference or critical thinking that shows a deeper understanding of the text. At this point, all structure focus correction areas should be taught; therefore, the focus of this unit should be on providing individualized feedback to students who are not at a 3 or 4 on the rubric.

In this biography unit, students read and learn about a diverse assortment of artists, musicians, and dancers. By reading a wide variety of biographies, students will be challenged to think about where people get their inspiration, how a person's decisions and actions can change his or her life, and how hard work and determination can change a person's life, especially when facing instances of prejudice and discrimination. Students will also be challenged to think about the ways in which a person can be influential and how reading about other people's lives can help them in their own lives. It is our hope that this unit will help students realize they can be whatever they want to be if they are determined and work hard, and that no obstacle, no matter how big it may feel, can stop someone from achieving something they are determined to achieve. It is also our hope that this unit will open students' eyes to different life paths and passions, particularly those in the arts.

In reading, this unit builds onto the work done in previously informational units. It is assumed that students are inquisitive consumers of an informational text, asking and answering questions about key details. It is also assumed that students are able to find the main topic of a text and retell key details that fit with the main idea. In this unit, students will focus deeply on cause and effect and describing the connection between individuals, events, and information from the text. Another main focus is on identifying the reasons an author gives to support points in a text. Students will be challenged to think about the big ideas of a text and what details the author includes in both the text and illustrations to support the key ideas.

In writing, students will continue to write daily in response to the text. At this point, students should be fluid in writing about the text in a structured way. Therefore, the focus of this unit is on pushing students to include the best and most accurate evidence and then to explain the evidence with inferences or critical thinking.

In this biography-based unit, second graders explore biographies of famous leaders and change agents. The unit has three main sections. In the first section students research and learn about people who have changed the world by inventing things. In this section students will explore the ways in which inventions can change the world and what it takes to turn an idea into action. In the second section students research and learn about people who have changed the world by standing up for what they believe in and fighting for what others think is impossible. In this section second graders explore the ways some leaders have persevered in the face of obstacles and stood up for themselves or ideas when many had stopped believing in them. In the third section students research and learn about people who have changed the world by making the world and environment a better place for everyone. In each of the sections, students read biographies that expose them to a wide variety of themes, content, and history. It is incredibly important that the necessary framing is done prior to reading a text so that students can deeply engage with the biographies and fully understand the challenges and successes of the different people being studied. Without framing or context, students may miss why each person's actions are inspirational. It is our hope that this unit will open students' eyes to the multitude of ways in which a person, regardless of race or gender, can influence and inspire change.

For readers, this unit is a combination of read-aloud and shared reading. At this point in the year second graders have been exposed to almost all of the high-frequency informational reading standards; therefore, this unit is a chance to review some standards and skills students need to practice. Two new standards that are a focus in this unit, however, are describing how reasons support particular points the author makes in a text and also comparing and contrasting the most important points presented by two texts on the same topic. Compare and contrast in this unit should go deeper than text features and structures. Although students can note differences in text features, the main focus should be on comparing and contrasting the different points and the reasons the authors use to support the points in two texts about the same person.

Students will use key features (such as cell type, DNA, and structural similarities) to classify organisms into modern domains . They will also create and read model representations of classification to organize and demonstrate their understanding of evolutionary history. This module was developed by Liz Ashby as part of a Virginia Commonwealth University STEM initiative sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education.

Biotechnology is a large scientific field that uses research tools from chemistry and biology to study or solve problems, including human disease. Biotechnologies may be used to study the genetic material of viruses and bacteria to determine whether a disease is caused by particular disease-producing agents. Its techniques are also used to understand how genetic factors contribute to human disease. The information gathered in research can be used to develop diagnostic tests that enable speedy detection and identification of a disease so that an appropriate treatment can be developed. It can also help doctors screen their patients' genomes (all of an organism's genes) for existing diseases or a predisposition for diseases such as cancer.The standards for the Biotechnology Research and Development Pathway and related courses apply to occupations and functions in biotechnology research and development that apply primarily to human health. The standards specify the knowledge and skills common to occupations in this pathway. Students participating in a strong, industy-driven Biotechnology program can expect to conduct research using bioinformatics theory and methods in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. Additionally, students may use extended technologies to design databases and develop algorithms for processing and analyzing genomic information, or other biological information pertinent to this field.

In this lesson students learn how Birth of a Nation reflected and influenced racial attitudes, and they analyze and evaluate the efforts of the NAACP to prohibit showing of the film.

This is a remixed version to include the lesson activities within the Table of Contents.

Original: https://edsitement.neh.gov/lesson-plans/birth-nation-naacp-and-balancing-rights

Binary is both the language of computers and the manner by which computers input, process, sort, and output information. For that reason, understanding this process and how it works opens up a world of information about how computers function. Through this lesson, students will learn about this language and how it resembles many other things in the world around us. Because this topic was at first unfamiliar to them, students will then challenge themselves to share this information in a way that could be understood by a younger child. All of this is focused on ensuring that this foundational understanding is engrained in multiple ways as other concepts taught during this year and in other years are built off of this topic.

 Recognize that a word can be segmented into individual speech sound units.Match voice with print in syllables, words, and phrasesIsolate initial consonants in single-syllable words.Segment onsets and rimes and begin to blend to form the words

Students will demonstrate an understanding of number lines and patterns while solving coding challenges using block code. The class will work together to solve on a physical number line, while also determining the correct code for the Microworld Challenge.

Orthographic mapping is a great strategy for teaching students to decode and encode words. In this lesson Students will become human robots to orthographically map a word by following a block coding algorithm.