How We Express Ourselves This unit will focus on the central idea that: Cultures express history through the use of symbols.
We will focus on the key concepts of perspective, connection, and function during this unit. This means students will look at the reasons certain symbols are significant to North Carolina and the world, and how they are related. Students will compare the different meaning of symbols and structures to gain perspective on how cultures view various symbols. Finally, students will complete a mini research project on a symbol of their choice highlighting the function of that symbol in their community. To wrap up this unit, students will create their own symbol using all they have learned to represent our classroom.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on how symbols unite and strengthen groups of people around the world. Students will spend time studying how various cultures use and view symbols in daily life from past to present. They are:
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to help students narrow their focus throughout the unit. They are:
We will focus on the key concepts of causation, connection, and function during this unit. This means students will look at the factors that cause businesses to make certain decisions, get started, or fail. Students will study their own connection to the economy through their own personal financial decisions, attempting to trace their dollar as far as they can. Students will also begin to understand how an economy functions on the most basic level, and will be able to apply that knowledge in their own lives both now and in the future.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on how a market economy functions within itself and within the world as a whole. Students will reflect on the impacts local and global economies, the availability of resources, and competition have on business decisions. They are:
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to drive instruction and ensure students truly grasp the big ideas of this unit. They are:
Where We Are in Place and Time This unit will focus on the central idea that: Individuals impact their local and global community.
We will focus on the key concepts of change, reflection, responsibility, and connection during this unit. This means we will look at the changes over time that resulted from the impacts of historical figures, and reflect on how the world would be if not for these figures. We will ask ourselves, what is our responsibility to ensure our world continues to be made a better place? Finally, we will trace the connections of the historical impacts made around the world to our own lives, and to the lives of other historical figures to understand their inspiration to impact the world.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on the impact made by historical figures, both good and bad, and what inspired them to make the choices/decisions/discoveries that they did. They are:
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to drive instruction and ensure students truly grasp the big ideas of this unit. They are:
wax_museum_2013-2014_with_rubrics.docx
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How the World Works This unit will focus on the central idea that: electricity and magnetism impact society.
We will focus on the key concepts of perspective, function, and connection during this unit. This means we will explore how electricity and magnetism are connected both to each other and our own lives. We will explore our perspective on electricity and how we need it, compared to how electricity is needed throughout other parts of the world. And finally, we will explore the function of electricity as a means to aid our survival, while asking ourselves, are we dependent on it in a debate style discussion.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on energy creation, sources and impact throughout the world. They are:
Who We Are This unit will focus on the central idea that: our health and lifestyle are impacted by the choices we make.
We will focus on the key concepts of reflection, responsibility, and causation. In context, this means we will analyze our food and exercise choices as we reflect on what we can do to improve our health overall. We will recognize and take on the responsibility for our choices, when we can. Finally we will look in depth at the causes of calories, food choices, location, and more on our body and lifestyles.
Lines of inquiry for this unit center around foods and resources on a global scale and the various choices different people have around the globe. They are:
· The positive and negative impact of food choices on the body
· How technology, science, and media influences our decisions
· Food choices related to location
To focus and drive instruction, teacher questions have been generated to ensure content is being covered and students are exposed to various information related to nutrition and choice. They are:
· How might your location impact your food choices?
· How does media influence consumers?
· What can I do to create a healthier lifestyle for myself?
Sharing the Planet
This unit will focus on the central idea that: living things adapt to survive in an environment and co-exist with one another.
We will focus on the key concepts of connection, responsibility, and change during this unit. This means we will explore our connections to the planet, and what we are currently doing to either improve, or hinder our environment. We will also take a look into the responsibility every person has on this planet to leave it a better place than it was prior to our existence. Finally, we will develop ideas for change, pondering how we might make a small difference in the world with a slight change we can make every day.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit center around three main ideas or observations. Exploring and understanding these ideas helps us to better focus our understanding of just what Sharing the Planet, surviving, and co-existing mean.
· The ways that living things adapt.
· Change and its impact on living things, both human and animal.
· Environmental factors will affect changes with living things.
The fourth grade team of teachers has put together some teacher questions to drive our instruction and truly encourage students to think about how far reaching this topic is. These include:
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We will focus on the key concepts of perspective, connection, and function during this unit. This means students will look at the reasons certain symbols are significant to North Carolina and the world, and how they are related. Students will compare the different meaning of symbols and structures to gain perspective on how cultures view various symbols. Finally, students will complete a mini research project on a symbol of their choice highlighting the function of that symbol in their community. To wrap up this unit, students will create their own symbol using all they have learned to represent our classroom.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on how symbols unite and strengthen groups of people around the world. Students will spend time studying how various cultures use and view symbols in daily life from past to present. They are:
- A symbol represents an idea, belief, or action of importance
- Landmarks convey meaning
- Exploring global symbols/themes
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to help students narrow their focus throughout the unit. They are:
- Why are certain structures significant to a community?
- How do certain structures convey meaning?
- What influences do symbols have on a region?
We will focus on the key concepts of causation, connection, and function during this unit. This means students will look at the factors that cause businesses to make certain decisions, get started, or fail. Students will study their own connection to the economy through their own personal financial decisions, attempting to trace their dollar as far as they can. Students will also begin to understand how an economy functions on the most basic level, and will be able to apply that knowledge in their own lives both now and in the future.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on how a market economy functions within itself and within the world as a whole. Students will reflect on the impacts local and global economies, the availability of resources, and competition have on business decisions. They are:
- Basic concepts of a market economy
- Scarcity and choice
- Entrepreneurship
- Personal financial decisions
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to drive instruction and ensure students truly grasp the big ideas of this unit. They are:
- How do scarcity and choice impact business decisions?
- How do North Carolina's resources impact the local and global economy?
- How are the local and global economies dependent on each other?
Where We Are in Place and Time This unit will focus on the central idea that: Individuals impact their local and global community.
We will focus on the key concepts of change, reflection, responsibility, and connection during this unit. This means we will look at the changes over time that resulted from the impacts of historical figures, and reflect on how the world would be if not for these figures. We will ask ourselves, what is our responsibility to ensure our world continues to be made a better place? Finally, we will trace the connections of the historical impacts made around the world to our own lives, and to the lives of other historical figures to understand their inspiration to impact the world.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on the impact made by historical figures, both good and bad, and what inspired them to make the choices/decisions/discoveries that they did. They are:
- Study of historical events and the individuals involved
- Relationship between historical events and personal achievements
- The global impact of individuals
- The impact of historical events on our lives
As always, we have generated a set of teacher questions to drive instruction and ensure students truly grasp the big ideas of this unit. They are:
- How do historical events change the individuals involved?
- What lasting impact have individuals made on our local and global communities?
- What individual has made the greatest impact on you personally?
- What is my personal responsibility to positively impact my local and global community?
wax_museum_2013-2014_with_rubrics.docx
Download File
How the World Works This unit will focus on the central idea that: electricity and magnetism impact society.
We will focus on the key concepts of perspective, function, and connection during this unit. This means we will explore how electricity and magnetism are connected both to each other and our own lives. We will explore our perspective on electricity and how we need it, compared to how electricity is needed throughout other parts of the world. And finally, we will explore the function of electricity as a means to aid our survival, while asking ourselves, are we dependent on it in a debate style discussion.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit focus on energy creation, sources and impact throughout the world. They are:
- Creating energy
- Energy sources used worldwide
- Impacts of electricity and magnetism
- How is electricity created?
- How are electricity and magnetism related?
- What are various energy sources available on our planet?
- How did the invention of electricity change the lives of living things?
Who We Are This unit will focus on the central idea that: our health and lifestyle are impacted by the choices we make.
We will focus on the key concepts of reflection, responsibility, and causation. In context, this means we will analyze our food and exercise choices as we reflect on what we can do to improve our health overall. We will recognize and take on the responsibility for our choices, when we can. Finally we will look in depth at the causes of calories, food choices, location, and more on our body and lifestyles.
Lines of inquiry for this unit center around foods and resources on a global scale and the various choices different people have around the globe. They are:
· The positive and negative impact of food choices on the body
· How technology, science, and media influences our decisions
· Food choices related to location
To focus and drive instruction, teacher questions have been generated to ensure content is being covered and students are exposed to various information related to nutrition and choice. They are:
· How might your location impact your food choices?
· How does media influence consumers?
· What can I do to create a healthier lifestyle for myself?
Sharing the Planet
This unit will focus on the central idea that: living things adapt to survive in an environment and co-exist with one another.
We will focus on the key concepts of connection, responsibility, and change during this unit. This means we will explore our connections to the planet, and what we are currently doing to either improve, or hinder our environment. We will also take a look into the responsibility every person has on this planet to leave it a better place than it was prior to our existence. Finally, we will develop ideas for change, pondering how we might make a small difference in the world with a slight change we can make every day.
Specific lines of inquiry for this unit center around three main ideas or observations. Exploring and understanding these ideas helps us to better focus our understanding of just what Sharing the Planet, surviving, and co-existing mean.
· The ways that living things adapt.
· Change and its impact on living things, both human and animal.
· Environmental factors will affect changes with living things.
The fourth grade team of teachers has put together some teacher questions to drive our instruction and truly encourage students to think about how far reaching this topic is. These include:
- If the rainforest were depleted from the Earth, what would the effect be on our daily lives?
- Identify and explain purposes of adaptations in all living things.
- Which adaptations are necessary in each region of North Carolina?
- How can our behavior impact the local and global environment?
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