Reading: Mystery: Children will identify the crime solver, client, and mystery in their books. They will assign character traits and make a list of suspects. Children will track motives and clues in hopes of solving the mystery before the crime solver. Children will evalute clues to avoid the red herrings in their books.
Writing: The Art of Information Writing: Children will be writing texts to teach others about topics on which they are experts at. They will use a mentor text to guide them to structure an expository piece. Children will be taught the power of rehearsing various structures with a partner before drafting. They will learn the importance of structure in the early drafting process. Children will be required to include text features in their writing pieces.
Social Studies: Introduction to World Geography and World Communities: Children examine a variety of geographic tools to develop an understanding of the meaning of geography and its purposes. They identify and explain how people use natural resources to meet their needs. Children identify and discuss the elements of culture in a world community, then compare a culture to personal experience.