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Week 27 — full print packet

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Quarter 3 · Weeks 19–27

Week 27 Lesson Packet

Reasoning: Fractions, Opinion Essays, Weather & Government

Day 1 · Monday

Social Studies

Objective: I can review local government and the three branches at each level.

Standards: D2.Civ.1.3-5, D2.Civ.5.3-5

Builds on: Needs Week 23 Day 1 (the government grid) and Weeks 19 and 20. One-minute check: "Name the three levels of government from smallest to largest." (Local, state, federal.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 19. Ask: "Who leads many towns and cities? Which group votes on local laws?" (A mayor. The council.) Then ask: "Which leader works closest to our home: the mayor, the governor or the President?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review four skills." Lay out the grid. Its rows are Federal, State and Local. Its columns are Makes laws, Carries out laws and Decides cases. Skill 1. Say: "Government has three levels. Local runs a town or county. State runs the state. Federal runs the whole country." "Native nations have their own governments too." Skill 2. Point down each column. Say: "The legislative branch makes laws. The executive branch carries out laws. The judicial branch decides what laws mean." "The branches repeat at each level. A state has a legislature, a governor and state courts." Skill 3. Say: "Local government provides services, such as parks, libraries and fire trucks. Taxes pay for them." Skill 4. Say: "A local decision has four steps: proposal, discussion, vote and action." Ask: "Which branch does a governor lead, and at which level?" (Executive, state.) "Who chooses Supreme Court justices?" (The President chooses, and the Senate must approve.) "A neighbor asks the council for a bike rack at the park. Which step is that?" (A proposal.) If stuck, say: "Ask two questions. Which level? Then: make, carry out or decide?"
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Job sort. 1) Write ten job cards: mayor, city council, governor, state legislature, President, Congress, Supreme Court, firefighter, librarian, state court judge. 2) Your child places each card on the grid by level and branch. Firefighters and public librarians carry out local services, so they go with the mayor. 3) Check with this chart. Federal: Congress | President | Supreme Court. State: state legislature | governor | state court judge. Local: city council | mayor, firefighter, librarian | no card. A local or county court would fill the last box. 4) Play "Who decides?" Read three problems. A streetlight is out on our block. (Local, carries out laws.) Should the state change its driving age? (State, makes laws.) Should there be a new law about national parks? (Federal, makes laws.) 5) Your child fills in: "Our mayor or local leader is ___. Our governor is ___. Our U.S. senators are ___ and ___." Leave a blank if you are unsure, and find out together later. Look for at least 8 of 10 cards placed correctly. Move any others and say why.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes one sentence for each branch, then lists the four steps. Sample: "The legislative branch makes laws. The executive branch carries out laws. The judicial branch decides what laws mean. The steps are proposal, discussion, vote and action."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each exit question aloud. Your child answers in the notebook. Praise answers that name both the level and the branch.

Watch for: Saying that the President makes the laws.

Try: Your child repeats, "Congress makes, the President carries out, courts decide," and points to each box on the grid.

Exit ticket:

A state court judge listens to both sides of a case. Which branch and which level is that?
Neighbors speak for and against a new dog park at a public meeting. Which of the four steps of a local decision is this?
Who leads the executive branch of a state?

Answers: 1) The judicial branch, at the state level. 2) Discussion. 3) The governor.

Mathematics

Objective: I can review fractions as equal parts and place fractions on a number line.

Standards: 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2.A, 3.NF.A.2.B, 3.G.A.2

Builds on: Review of Week 19 Days 1 to 4, Week 20 Days 1 to 3 and Week 24 Day 1. One-minute check: draw a square cut into 4 equal parts and shade 1. Your child names it (1/4).

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 26 Day 4. Ask: "9 jars hold 3 liters each. How many liters is that in all?" (9 × 3 = 27 liters) Then practice ×6 facts with no timer. Ask 6 × 4, 6 × 7 and 6 × 9 (24, 42, 54).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "This week we review Quarter 3. Today is fractions as equal parts and on a number line." Draw a rectangle. Split it into 8 equal parts and shade 6. Say: "From Week 19 Day 1: the denominator tells how many equal parts make the whole. The numerator tells how many parts we count." Ask: "What fraction is shaded?" (6/8) Say: "From Week 19 Day 3: 6/8 is six parts of size 1/8." Now use a number line, from Week 20 Day 2. Say: "I place 4/6. The whole is the distance from 0 to 1." Draw a 0 to 1 line 12 cm long. Make a mark every 2 cm for 6 equal spaces. Jump 4 spaces from 0. Say: "So 4/6 is at 8 cm." Next, from Week 20 Day 3, draw a 0 to 2 line 16 cm long. Write 1 at 8 cm. Make a mark every 2 cm for fourths. Count 5 jumps from 0. Say: "So 5/4 is at 10 cm, one jump past 1." Now your child does more. Your child places 5/8 on a 0 to 1 line 16 cm long. (at 10 cm; 5 jumps of 2 cm)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Your child draws each one. Each answer names the lesson where the skill was first taught. 1) Split a square into 8 equal parts. Name one part. (1/8; Week 24 Day 1) 2) How many pieces of size 1/4 make 3/4? (3; Week 19 Day 3) 3) Place 2/3 on a 0 to 1 line 12 cm long. (at 8 cm; Week 20 Day 1) 4) Ask: "Is 6/6 less than, equal to or more than 1? What about 7/6?" (Equal to 1; more than 1; Week 19 Day 4) If stuck, say: "The denominator tells how many equal parts or spaces. The numerator tells how many to count."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child draws on paper and uses the ruler for every number line. 1) You draw a rectangle with 3 equal parts and shade 1. Your child names it. (1/3) 2) You draw a rectangle with 8 equal parts and shade 7. Your child names it. (7/8) 3) Split a square into fourths in two different ways. (Sample: 4 strips; a 2-by-2 grid.) 4) How many pieces of size 1/6 make 5/6? (5) 5) Place 2/6 on a 0 to 1 line 12 cm long. (at 4 cm) 6) Place 6/4 on a 0 to 2 line 16 cm long. (at 12 cm; 2 jumps past 1) 7) A pan of cornbread is cut into 8 equal pieces. The family eats 5 pieces. What fraction is eaten? What fraction is left? (5/8; 3/8) 8) A trail is 1 mile long, with a sign at every fourth. Nia stops at the third sign. How far has she walked? (3/4 mile)
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and may draw.

Watch for: Drawing unequal spaces on a number line, or counting marks instead of spaces.

Try: Your child measures each space with the ruler before labeling, and counts jumps from 0.

Exit ticket:

What does the denominator of a fraction tell you?
On a 0 to 2 line in halves, how many jumps from 0 is 3/2? Is it past 1?
A square is split into 6 equal parts. 2 parts are shaded. What fraction is shaded?

Answers: 1) How many equal parts the whole is split into. 2) 3 jumps; yes, one jump past 1 3) 2/6

English Language Arts

Objective: I can review opinion writing by planning and writing a short opinion piece with reasons, evidence and linking words.

Standards: W.3.1, W.3.1.A, W.3.1.B, W.3.1.C, W.3.1.D

Builds on: Needs the opinion essay parts from Weeks 19 to 21. One-minute check: ask, "What does evidence do for a reason?" (It proves the reason with a fact or an example.)

New words:

homophones – words that sound the same but have different spellings and meanings

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study: homophones. Say: "Homophones sound the same. Their spellings and meanings are different." Write there, their, they're, to, too, two. Your child reads them and matches each to a meaning you say. (There: a place. Their: belongs to them. They're: they are. To: toward. Too: also, or more than enough. Two: the number.) Say: "There has the word here inside. Both name places." Spaced review from Week 11. Write: Mom said Come and eat. Your child adds the marks. (Mom said, "Come and eat.")
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "This week we review Quarter 3. Today is opinion writing." Read this model aloud. "A Tree for Every Schoolyard": Have you ever stood in line on a blazing hot playground? I think every school should plant shade trees. First, trees keep kids cool. For example, the bench under our one oak is always the first seat taken. In addition, trees bring nature close. Last spring our class watched robins build a nest outside the window. Shade trees make a schoolyard better. So grab a shovel and ask your principal for a planting day! Think aloud: "The first sentence is the hook. It is a question. The second sentence states the opinion." Point to the opinion. Say: "The body gives two reasons. Each reason has evidence. I ask, 'How do I know?' The crowded bench answers that." Point to First, For example, In addition and So. Say: "These linking words connect the ideas." Say: "The ending restates the opinion and tells readers what to do."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Plan a new piece together: "Should kids write thank-you notes by hand?" Draw four boxes in the notebook: Opinion, Reason 1, Reason 2, Reason 3. 1) Your child says and writes the opinion. (Sample: "Kids should write thank-you notes by hand.") 2) Your child lists three reasons. (Samples: a note shows you care; people keep notes; it is good writing practice.) 3) For each reason ask: "How do you know?" Your child jots one piece of evidence. (Sample: "Grandma keeps my note on her fridge.") 4) Your child says a hook aloud and stars the two strongest reasons. If stuck, say: "Tell me why. Now tell me something that happened that proves it."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child writes the piece in four short paragraphs of 2 or 3 sentences each. Plan on about 20 minutes. It is a guide, not a race. Paragraph 1: hook, topic and opinion. Paragraphs 2 and 3: one starred reason each, with evidence and a linking word. Paragraph 4: restate the opinion and end with a call to action. Then your child highlights the opinion and circles the linking words. Checklist: 1) A hook and one opinion sentence. 2) Evidence for both reasons. 3) At least three linking words. 4) An ending that tells readers what to do.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Your child keeps the finished piece open and answers each question from it.

Watch for: Writing reasons with no evidence when writing quickly.

Try: Before writing, your child says "How do I know?" for each starred reason and jots the answer in its box.

Exit ticket:

Read the sentence in your piece that states your opinion.
Read one piece of evidence. Which reason does it support?
What does your conclusion ask the reader to do?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one clear sentence, often starting with "I think." 2) Answers vary. Look for: a fact, example or experience that matches the reason before it. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a call to action, such as "Write one thank-you note this week."

Science

Objective: I can review weather tools, weather versus climate and climate regions.

Standards: 3-ESS2-1, 3-ESS2-2

Builds on: Needs the notebook pages from Weeks 19 to 22. One-minute check: ask "Why must an outdoor thermometer stay in the shade?" (Sunshine on it makes it read too high.)

Day 131 — Q3 Review: Weather and Climate — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 26. Ask: "How does a waxy coating help a desert plant?" (It slows water from escaping.) If you kept the review question cards from Week 23, your child answers two of them. Then ask: "Say what weather is and what climate is, one sentence each." (Weather is what the air is like at one place and time. Climate is the usual weather of a place over many years.)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we check five skills." 1) Tools. Ask: "What does a wind vane show?" (The direction the wind comes from.) Ask: "A streamer blows toward the south. Name the wind." (A north wind.) 2) Reading a thermometer. Say: "Each small mark is 2 degrees. The liquid is 3 marks above 70." Ask: "What is the reading?" (76°F.) 3) Weather or climate. Ask: "Hail fell during soccer practice?" (Weather.) Ask: "July is usually our driest month?" (Climate. The clue word is usually.) 4) Climate types. Ask: "Are all deserts hot? Give an example." (No. The Gobi is a cold desert. Arid means dry.) Ask: "Why is it colder high on a mountain?" (The air gets colder as you climb.) 5) Data. In the notebook, draw a pictograph: 3 suns for April and 5 suns for June. Say: "Each sun stands for 5 sunny days in a made-up town." Ask: "How many sunny days does June usually have? How many more than April?" (25 days. 25 − 15 = 10 more.) If stuck, say: "Find the page for that week. Read me one line."
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Weather and Climate Stations. Set four stations around the table. Station 1: your child takes a full reading with the thermometer, rain gauge and streamer. They write one report sentence with the time, the temperature in °F, the rain in inches and the wind. Station 2: write these six statements on the slips. "Snow is falling right now." "Our autumns are usually windy." "Tonight will be clear and cold." "The high plains get little rain most years." "The wind knocked over our trash can today." "Summers by this lake are mild every year." Your child sorts them and underlines each clue word. (Weather: 1, 3 and 5. Climate: 2, 4 and 6.) Station 3: on the map, they point to one place for each of the five climate types. (Sample: tropical, the Amazon; arid, the Sahara; temperate, the eastern United States; polar, Antarctica; mountain, the Andes.) Station 4: on the climate graph, they name the warmest and coldest months. Record the stations in a table with three columns: Station, Done, One thing to fix. Readings differ by day and place. Say: "Real results vary. Look for the pattern."
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes a one-page summary of Weeks 19 to 22 with three headings. The headings are Weather Tools, Weather and Climate, and Climate Regions. They write two facts under each. Sample: "A rain gauge needs straight sides. Wind is named for where it comes from."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud; your child may use the map for the last one. Circle any station that needed a fix, and start there tomorrow.

Watch for: Mixing up climate types, most often temperate and tropical.

Try: Tie each type to the map. Tropical lies near the equator. Temperate lies between the tropics and the poles and has four seasons.

Exit ticket:

The marks on a thermometer count by 2s. The liquid rests one mark past 44. What do you write in the log?
Weather or climate: "Most Octobers here bring the first frost." Which clue word tells you?
Name two climate types and one place on the map for each.

Answers: 1) 46°F 2) Climate. The clue word is most. 3) Answers vary. Look for: correct pairs, such as polar and Antarctica, or arid and the Sahara.

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Day 2 · Tuesday

Social Studies

Objective: I can review rights, responsibilities and voting.

Standards: D2.Civ.2.3-5, D2.Civ.3.3-5

Builds on: Needs Week 21 (rights and responsibilities) and Week 22 (voting). One-minute check: "What is a responsibility?" (Something you should do for your community.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 21. Ask: "How many amendments are in the Bill of Rights? What do they protect?" (Ten. They protect people's rights.) Then say the five First Amendment freedoms together with RAPPS: religion, assembly, press, petition, speech. Ask: "Which matters more to a community, rights or responsibilities?" (Both. Listen for a reason.)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review three skills." Skill 1. Say: "A citizen is a member of a country. Most U.S. citizens are citizens by birth. Others become citizens through naturalization." Skill 2. Say: "A right is a freedom the law protects. A responsibility is something you should do for the community." "Rights have limits. Freedom of speech does not allow threats." Skill 3. Say: "U.S. citizens who are 18 or older may vote. Almost every state asks them to register first. Each voter gets one vote." Fold the ballot in half. Say: "A ballot is secret. Folding hides my choice, so no one can pressure me." "People vote at three levels: local, state and national." "A democracy works only when people take part and respect the result." Ask: "What is a jury?" (Citizens who listen to a trial and decide.) "Name a state office people vote for." (Governor or state legislator.) "Does freedom of speech let someone threaten a neighbor?" (No. Rights have limits.) If stuck, say: "Does the law protect it for you? It is a right. Should you do it for others? It is a responsibility."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Sort and judge. 1) Write eight scene cards. A reporter writes about a crowded bus route. Neighbors sign a request for a stop sign. A family prays at the place of worship it chooses. A girl gives a speech about recycling. A teen picks up litter at the park. A shop owner pays taxes. A family obeys the leash law. A woman votes for mayor. 2) On the paper, draw a T-chart: Rights | Responsibilities. Your child sorts the cards. Voting goes on the middle line, because it is both. Expect four rights, three responsibilities and one on the line. 3) Your child names the freedom for each right. (Press, petition, religion, speech.) 4) Fair or not fair? A club lets its oldest members vote twice. (Not fair. Each person gets one vote.) Only people who agree with the mayor may vote. (Not fair. Every adult citizen may vote.) The side that lost thanks the voters and accepts the count. (Fair.) 5) Ask: "Ben is 16. Can he vote for governor?" (Not yet.) Look for all eight cards sorted. Fix any with the two questions from the lesson.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child completes: "Voting matters because ___. One way I can take part now is ___." Sample: "Voting matters because voters choose leaders and laws. One way I can take part now is learning about my town and speaking up kindly."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each exit question aloud. Your child answers in the notebook. Praise answers that give a reason.

Watch for: Forgetting that rights have limits.

Try: Give one limit. Say: "You may speak your mind. You may not threaten someone or tell harmful lies about them."

Exit ticket:

A newspaper prints a story that criticizes the mayor. Which First Amendment freedom protects the newspaper?
A citizen gets a letter calling her to jury duty. Should she go? Tell why.
A town holds a vote, but people must raise their hands in front of the mayor. What is the problem?

Answers: 1) Freedom of the press. 2) Yes. Serving on a jury is a responsibility, and fair trials need regular citizens. 3) The vote is not secret, so people may feel pressure to vote a certain way.

Mathematics

Objective: I can review equivalent fractions and comparing fractions.

Standards: 3.NF.A.3.A, 3.NF.A.3.B, 3.NF.A.3.C, 3.NF.A.3.D

Builds on: Review of Week 20 Day 4, Week 21 Days 1 to 4 and Week 22 Days 1 and 2. One-minute check: your child shows 1/2 and 2/4 on the fraction wall. Ask: "Are they the same length?" (Yes.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 25 Day 2. Ask: "How many minutes is it from 3:10 to 3:42?" (30 + 2 = 32 minutes) Then practice ÷6 facts with no timer. Ask 24 ÷ 6, 42 ÷ 6 and 54 ÷ 6 (4, 7, 9).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Equivalent fractions name the same amount. We first saw this in Week 20 Day 4 and Week 21 Day 1." Set out the fraction wall. Ask: "1/2 equals how many eighths?" Slide a finger down from the end of 1/2. It lines up with the end of 4 eighths. Say: "So 1/2 = 4/8. One amount has two names." On grid paper, outline 2 rows of 4 squares and shade one whole row. Say: "From Week 21 Day 2: an area model shows it too. 4 of the 8 squares are shaded, and that is 1 of the 2 rows." Say: "Now we compare. Both fractions must be parts of the same-size whole." Point to 5/8 and 7/8 on the eighths strip. Say: "From Week 22 Day 1: the same denominator means same-size pieces. More pieces is greater. So 7/8 > 5/8." Point to 3/4 and 3/8. Say: "From Week 22 Day 2: the same numerator means the same number of pieces. Fourths are bigger than eighths. So 3/4 > 3/8." Say: "From Week 21 Day 4: 8/4 is 2 wholes, and 4 wholes is 4/1." Now your child does more. Your child finds 2/3 = ?/6 on the wall (4). Then your child compares 1/2 and 1/8. (1/2 > 1/8)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Your child uses the wall or grid paper and tells which idea fits. 1) Find a fraction on the wall equal to 1/3. (2/6) 2) On grid paper, outline 2 rows of 4 squares. Shade one column. Name the shaded part two ways. (2/8 = 1/4) 3) Compare 3/6 and 5/6. (3/6 < 5/6; same denominator) 4) Compare 5/6 and 5/8. (5/6 > 5/8; same numerator, and sixths are bigger.) If stuck, say: "Is the top number the same, or the bottom number? Same bottom: count pieces. Same top: which pieces are bigger?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child checks each answer on the fraction wall. 1) 1/2 = ?/4 (2) 2) 4/6 = ?/3 (2) 3) 6 = ?/1 (6) 4) 4/2 = ? (2; four halves make 2 wholes) 5) Compare 1/4 and 3/4. (1/4 < 3/4) 6) Compare 3/6 and 3/8. (3/6 > 3/8) 7) Ana eats 2/6 of a granola bar. Ben eats 4/6 of a bar the same size. Who eats more? (Ben; 4/6 > 2/6) 8) Two strings are the same length. The red one is cut into thirds and the blue one into eighths. Which is longer, one red piece or one blue piece? (One red piece; 1/3 > 1/8)
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and may use the fraction wall.

Watch for: Thinking a bigger denominator means a bigger fraction, such as saying 1/8 is more than 1/2.

Try: Your child lays the 1/8 piece beside the 1/2 piece on the wall and tells which is longer.

Exit ticket:

Name a fraction equal to 2/4.
Compare 2/3 and 2/6. Write <, > or =.
Why must the wholes be the same size when we compare fractions?

Answers: 1) 1/2 (or 3/6 or 4/8) 2) 2/3 > 2/6 3) Answers vary. Look for: a part of a bigger whole can be more, so we compare parts of the same whole.

English Language Arts

Objective: I can review inference, point of view and how illustrations help tell a story.

Standards: RL.3.1, RL.3.6, RL.3.3, RL.3.7

Builds on: Needs inference (Week 22) and point of view (Week 24). One-minute check: read, "Ellie slammed the door and threw her backpack down." Ask: "How does Ellie feel? How do you know?" (angry or upset; slamming and throwing)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study: tricky parts. Write hear, here, write, right, know, no. Say: "You hear with your ear. Here is a place, like there and where. Write and know each start with a silent letter." Your child underlines ear in hear, the w in write and the k in know. Ask: "Which letter is silent in write? In know?" (w; k) Spaced review from Week 7. Ask: "What do we call the sentences that tell more about a main idea?" (supporting details, also called key details)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review inference and point of view. An inference is a text clue plus what I already know." Use the ruler to draw three columns: Text clue | What I know | My inference. Read the story aloud. "The Best Hiding Spot": I counted to twenty and opened my eyes. Right away I saw two green sneakers under the living room curtain. The curtain shook with giggles. Nico is only four, and this was his first game of hide-and-seek. "Hmm, where could he be?" I said loudly. I looked under the table. I checked behind the couch twice. At last Nico jumped out. "You never found me!" he shouted. I threw up my hands and gasped. "You are too good at this," I said. Think aloud: "Clue: sneakers under the curtain and giggles. I know feet stick out when little kids hide. My inference: the narrator knew where Nico was right away." Fill in one row.
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Ask: "Who is telling this story? How do you know?" (the older child who is the seeker; the words I and my) 2) Ask: "Why does the narrator look under the table?" (to pretend, so Nico can enjoy the game) Add this row to the chart. 3) Ask: "How does Nico feel when he jumps out? Which clue shows it?" (proud and excited; he shouted) 4) Ask: "If you drew the sneakers under the shaking curtain, what would the picture add?" (It shows the joke: the reader sees what Nico thinks is hidden.) If stuck, say: "Point to the words that are your clue. What do you already know about that?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — The Quarter 3 Review for Reading & Writing is on the Assessments page. Today is the suggested day, but any day this week is fine. It takes about 30 minutes, so it replaces this block and may run a little over. If you save it for another day, your child answers these in the notebook. 1) What kind of person is the narrator? Give evidence. 2) Would you have pretended too? Tell how your view is like or unlike the narrator's. 3) Retell the game as Nico in 4 or 5 sentences. Use only what Nico could see and know. 4) Draw one picture for Nico's version. Look for: a trait such as kind or patient with proof, and a retelling that starts with "I hid."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child may look back at the story and the retelling.

Watch for: Putting things only the narrator knew into Nico's retelling.

Try: After each sentence ask, "Could Nico see or know this?" Your child crosses out anything he could not.

Exit ticket:

Does Nico know the narrator saw him? What in the story shows it?
Why does the narrator gasp and say, "You are too good at this"?
Name one thing the narrator knows that Nico could not put in his version.

Answers: 1) No. He shouts, "You never found me!" 2) To let Nico feel like the winner. The narrator is being kind. 3) That the sneakers showed under the curtain, or that the narrator was only pretending.

Science

Objective: I can review severe weather safety and the engineering steps I used.

Standards: 3-ESS3-1, 3-5-ETS1-1, 3-5-ETS1-2, 3-5-ETS1-3

Builds on: Needs the safety poster from Week 21 and the instrument from Week 24. One-minute check: ask "Name three kinds of severe weather." (Sample: thunderstorm, tornado and blizzard.)

Day 132 — Q3 Review: Severe Weather and Engineering — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 22. Ask: "Name one hot desert and one cold desert." (The Sahara is hot. The Gobi is cold.) Then the wonder. Say: "You are at the park, and you hear thunder." Ask: "What do you do, and how long do you wait?" (Go indoors at once. Stay in until 30 minutes after the last thunder.)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we check four skills." 1) Watch or warning. Ask: "A winter storm watch comes on the radio. Later a flood warning comes. Which one means act now?" (The flood warning. A watch means be ready.) 2) Safety steps. Ask: "Floodwater covers the street ahead. What is the rule?" (Turn around, don't drown.) Ask: "Why do hurricanes weaken over land?" (They get their energy from warm ocean water.) 3) Engineering. Open the Week 24 design pages. Ask: "What is the difference between a criterion and a constraint?" (A criterion is what the design must do. A constraint is a limit.) Ask: "In which step did you write your criteria and constraints?" (The first step, defining the problem.) 4) Designs that lower harm. Say: "In wildfire country, people clear a wide strip of bare ground around homes." Ask: "Make a claim. How does the strip help?" (Fire has nothing to burn there, so it slows or stops.) If stuck, say: "Look at your safety poster. Find that hazard. Read the step aloud."
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Hazard Card Sort and Instrument Demo. 1) Write one hazard on each index card: thunderstorm, tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, wildfire. 2) Your child draws a card, then names one safety step and one design that lowers harm. Record the answers in a table with three columns: Hazard, Safety step, Design. Samples follow. Thunderstorm: go indoors; lightning rod. Tornado: lowest inside room; storm shelter. Hurricane: leave if officials say so; storm shutters. Flood: move to higher ground; sandbag walls. Blizzard: stay indoors; insulated homes. Wildfire: leave when told; a cleared strip around homes. 3) Your child takes one reading with the Week 24 instrument. They explain one improvement they made and why they changed only one thing. 4) They choose one design from the table and make a claim with a reason. Sample: "Storm shutters are a good design because they stop flying objects from breaking windows." Accept other correct answers. Look for a safety step that truly fits the hazard.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes review notes for Weeks 21 and 24. First comes a hazard chart for the three hazards most likely where you live: Hazard, Warning signs, Safety step. Then come four lines about the instrument. "The problem was ___. One criterion was ___. One constraint was ___. I improved ___." Sample: "The problem was measuring wind direction. One criterion was that it turns easily."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud; the safety poster may stay in view. Praise safety steps that fit the hazard.

Watch for: Mixing up the safe places for different hazards.

Try: Lay the tornado and flood cards side by side. Say: "For a tornado, go low and inside. For a flood, go up to higher ground." Your child repeats it.

Exit ticket:

What is the most likely severe weather where you live? Name one safety step for it.
The radio announces a blizzard warning for tonight. What should your family do, and why now?
Which came first for your weather instrument: planning it or defining the problem? Why?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a hazard that fits your region and a correct step for it. 2) Act now: get home, stay indoors and keep warm. A warning means the storm is here or very close. 3) Defining the problem. You must know what a design has to do before you plan it.

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Day 3 · Wednesday

Social Studies

Objective: I can review economics: needs and wants, producers and consumers, goods and services, and money.

Standards: D2.Eco.1.3-5, D2.Eco.3.3-5, D2.Eco.5.3-5

Builds on: Needs Weeks 24 to 26. One-minute check: "What do we call the next-best thing you give up when you choose?" (Opportunity cost.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 24. Ask: "Is a winter coat a need or a want? Does it depend?" (A need in a cold place. An extra coat is a want.) Then ask: "Which economics word is hardest for you to explain? We will work on it today."
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review five ideas." Hold up one finger for each. "One. Needs are things we must have. Wants are nice to have. Needs come first." "Two. Producers make goods or provide services. Consumers buy or use them. Producers use natural, human and capital resources." "Three. A good is a thing you can keep. A service is work done for you." "Four. Scarcity means money, time and things are limited. So every choice has an opportunity cost." "Five. Money makes trading easier than barter. A money plan can save, spend and share." After each idea, your child gives one example. Ask: "Name a capital resource a painter uses." (A ladder or a brush.) "Is a teacher a producer? Tell why." (Yes. A teacher provides a service.) "A potter wants bread, but the baker does not want pots. What is the problem with barter here?" (Each person must want what the other has.) "What does scarcity force people to do?" (Choose.) If stuck, say: "Find the word in your notebook. Read its meaning, then say it your own way."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Double sort. 1) Write twelve cards: water, bread, apples, sweater, doctor visit, roof repair, toy, video game, candy, puzzle, piano lesson, pony ride. 2) Label two mats Needs and Wants. Your child sorts the cards. Ask: "Must I have it to live and be safe?" Expect 6 needs: water, bread, apples, sweater, doctor visit, roof repair. 3) Label the other two mats Goods and Services. Your child sorts the same cards again. Ask: "Can I carry it home and keep it?" Expect 4 services: doctor visit, roof repair, piano lesson, pony ride. The other 8 are goods. 4) Your child records both sorts in a chart: Sort | Group 1 | Group 2, with a count in each box. 5) Money task. Your child splits the 10 play dollars among the three jars and explains each amount. Check that the amounts add to $10. Look for at least 10 of 12 correct in each sort. Accept a different answer with a sensible reason.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes these eight words with a short meaning for each: need, want, producer, consumer, good, service, scarcity, opportunity cost. Sample: "Scarcity: not enough for everyone to have all they want. Service: work someone does for others."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each exit question aloud. Your child answers in the notebook. Praise answers that use this unit's words.

Watch for: Mixing up needs and wants with goods and services, because both sorts use the same cards.

Try: Use different colored mats for each sort. Your child says the sorting question aloud each time.

Exit ticket:

A warm blanket in winter: is it a need or a want? Is it a good or a service?
A bus driver drives a route all morning, then buys lunch. When is the driver a producer? When is the driver a consumer?
Six children want the last four cupcakes. Which economics word names this problem?

Answers: 1) A need, and a good. 2) A producer while driving the bus, which is a service. A consumer when buying lunch. 3) Scarcity.

Mathematics

Objective: I can review time, measuring to the nearest quarter inch, mass and liquid volume.

Standards: 3.MD.A.1, 3.MD.A.2, 3.MD.B.4

Builds on: Review of Week 24 Days 3 and 4, Week 25 Days 1 to 4 and Week 26 Days 1 to 4. One-minute check: set the clock to 12:09. Your child reads it (12:09).

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 22 Day 1. Ask: "Which is greater, 1/6 or 5/6? Why?" (5/6; the pieces are the same size, and 5 is more than 1.) Then practice ×7 facts with no timer. Ask 7 × 3, 7 × 7 and 7 × 9 (21, 49, 63).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review time and measurement. I show one of each kind." First, time to the minute, from Week 25 Day 1. Set the clock to 5:43. Say: "The minute hand is 3 marks past the 8, so it shows 43 minutes. The hour hand has passed 5. So it is 5:43." Next, elapsed time, from Week 25 Day 3. Ask: "How long is it from 7:50 to 8:22?" Draw a line and mark 8:00. Jump 10, then 22. Write 10 + 22 = 32. Say: "So it is 32 minutes." Next, measuring, from Week 24 Day 4. Lay the crayon at the 0 mark of the ruler. Say: "I find the closest quarter-inch mark. If it ends 1 mark past 5, it is 5 1/4 inches." Last, units, from Week 26. Say: "Grams for light things and kilograms for heavy things. Liters for liquid, like the water in a bucket." Now your child does more. Read aloud: A class starts at 1:20 and lasts 45 minutes. When does it end? (2:05; jump 40, then 5 more)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Each answer names the lesson where the skill was first taught. 1) How long is it from 9:40 to 10:05? (20 + 5 = 25 minutes; Week 25 Day 3) 2) Your child measures the fork to the nearest quarter inch, points to the mark and names it. (Answers vary; Week 24 Day 4) 3) Ask the unit for each: a bag of potatoes, a paper clip, a wading pool, a watering can. (kilograms, grams, liters, liters; Week 26 Days 2 and 3) 4) 30 kilograms of rice are shared equally into 5 bags. How many kilograms are in each bag? (30 ÷ 5 = 6 kilograms; Week 26 Day 4) If stuck, say: "Which week is this like? Which tool helps: the clock, a number line, the ruler or a bar model?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child uses the clock, the ruler and number lines. 1) You set the minute hand 1 mark past the 5 and the hour hand between 11 and 12. (11:26) 2) How long is it from 6:35 to 7:10? (25 + 10 = 35 minutes) 3) A game starts at 11:50 and ends at 12:30. How long is it? (10 + 30 = 40 minutes) 4) A lesson starts at 2:45 and lasts 30 minutes. When does it end? (3:15) 5) A straw ends 2 quarter-inch marks past 1. How long is it? (1 2/4 inches, which is 1 1/2 inches) 6) Your child measures the crayon and the key to the nearest quarter inch. (Answers vary; check each mark.) 7) A farmer fills 4 cans with 8 liters of milk each. How many liters is that? (4 × 8 = 32 liters) 8) A bag of oranges is 650 grams. A bag of plums is 275 grams. How many more grams are the oranges? (650 − 275 = 375 grams)
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and may draw a number line.

Watch for: Forgetting to stop at the hour when the time passes an hour.

Try: Your child marks the hour on every number line before making any jump.

Exit ticket:

What time is 25 minutes after 3:50?
Which unit would you use for the mass of a refrigerator, grams or kilograms?
A leaf ends 1 quarter-inch mark past 4. How long is it?

Answers: 1) 4:15 2) Kilograms 3) 4 1/4 inches

English Language Arts

Objective: I can review comparing two texts and discuss which text taught me more.

Standards: RI.3.9, RI.3.3, SL.3.1, SL.3.2

Builds on: Needs Week 25: the focus of each text, matching details, time order, and cause and effect. One-minute check: ask, "What did each bee text focus on?" (hive jobs; pollination)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study: dictation. Say this sentence twice: "They're going to write two notes here." Your child writes it. Check each homophone together. (They're means they are. To comes before an action. Write means put words on paper. Two is the number. Here is a place.) Spaced review from Week 13. Ask: "Which verb fits? The frogs (hop, hops) into the pond." (hop, because frogs is plural)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review how to compare two texts that share a topic." Your child reads both aloud. Text A, "From Field to Bowl": Popcorn is a special kind of corn. Farmers plant the seeds in spring. All summer the stalks grow tall, and ears of corn form. In fall, farmers wait until the kernels are hard and dry. Next, machines pick the ears and strip off the kernels. Finally, the kernels are cleaned, packed in bags and sent to stores. Text B, "Why Popcorn Pops": Every popcorn kernel has a hard shell with a tiny drop of water inside. When the kernel gets hot, the water turns into steam. Because the shell is so tight, the steam cannot escape, and pressure builds. At last the shell bursts with a pop. The soft inside puffs up and turns white. A kernel that is too dry will not pop. Think aloud: "The shared topic is popcorn. Text A keeps telling steps in order. Its focus is how popcorn gets from a farm to a store." Use the ruler to draw three columns: Text A only | Both | Text B only.
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Ask: "What is the focus of Text B?" (what makes a kernel pop) 2) Your child fills in the chart with two facts in each column. (A only: seeds are planted in spring; machines pick the ears. Both: popcorn comes in kernels; kernels are hard. B only: water turns into steam; the shell bursts.) 3) Ask: "Which words in Text A show time order?" (in spring, all summer, in fall, next, finally) Your child lists them in the notebook. 4) Ask: "In Text B, what causes pressure to build?" (The tight shell traps the steam.) "Which word signals it?" (because) If stuck, say: "Can you find this fact in both texts? If not, it goes on one side."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child writes a comparison paragraph of 5 or 6 sentences. Frames: "Both texts are about ___. Text A explains ___. For example, ___. Text B explains ___, because ___. Both texts say ___, but only Text ___ tells ___." Checklist: 1) Two details from each text. 2) The words both, but and because. 3) Your child's own words. Your child highlights both, but and because. Then talk for about three minutes: "Which text taught you more, and why?" Your child answers with a reason and retells one key point from the other text. Look for: an answer backed by a detail, not only "I liked it."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child may look back at both texts.

Watch for: Putting every fact in the Both column.

Try: For each fact ask, "Can you point to it in both texts?" If not, it moves to one side.

Exit ticket:

In Text A, what must happen in fall before the corn is picked?
Use Text B. Why will a kernel that is too dry not pop?
Which text explains the popping sound? How do you know?

Answers: 1) The kernels must become hard and dry. 2) It has too little water inside to make steam, so no pressure builds. 3) Text B, because its focus is what happens inside a hot kernel.

Science

Objective: I can review clouds, air pressure, weather maps, forecasts and climate adaptations.

Standards: 3-ESS2-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-ESS2-2

Builds on: Needs the cloud chart, map key and season graph from Week 25 and the adaptation charts from Week 26. One-minute check: ask "Name the four cloud types." (Cirrus, cumulus, stratus and cumulonimbus.)

Day 133 — Q3 Review: Forecasting and Adaptation — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 21. Ask: "Thunder comes 35 seconds after the flash. About how far away is the lightning?" (About 7 miles, because 35 ÷ 5 = 7.) Then your child points to each cloud on the cotton chart and describes it in a few words. Now the wonder. Ask: "Which Quarter 3 skill could you teach to a younger child today?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we check five skills." 1) Clouds. Ask: "A cloud is growing tall like a tower, with a dark base. What might come?" (A thunderstorm.) 2) Air pressure. Ask: "The pressure has been rising since morning. What does that often mean?" (Clearing skies.) 3) Weather maps. Open the map key. Ask: "A red line with half circles is moving toward your town. What kind of air is coming?" (Warmer air. It is a warm front.) 4) Typical weather. Say: "Here are the usual windy days in a made-up town. Spring 20, summer 9, fall 12, winter 15." Ask: "Which season is typically windiest? How many more windy days than summer?" (Spring. 20 − 9 = 11 more.) 5) Adaptations. Ask: "How do a jackrabbit's long ears help in the desert?" (Body heat escapes through them.) Ask: "An aloe is planted in a wet, shady rainforest. How well would it survive? Give evidence." (Less well or not at all. Too much water can rot it, and it needs sun.) If stuck, say: "Open the chart for that week. Read me one row."
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Forecast and Adaptation Practice. 1) Your child looks at today's sky and at their own weather map from Week 25. They forecast tomorrow's weather with two clues. 2) Make six adaptation cards together. Write the adaptation on the front and the living thing and climate on the back. Use these. Long thin ears: jackrabbit, desert. Thick layer of fat: whale, cold seas. Thick leaves that store water: aloe, desert. Thin waxy needles: pine, cold winters. Leaves wider than a plate: rainforest floor plant, tropical. Wide hooves: caribou, polar. 3) Your child answers each card. Right answers go in a Got It pile, and misses go in a Practice pile. 4) Reteach each Practice card from the Week 26 charts, then try it again. 5) Your child explains one animal and one plant with this frame. "The ___ has ___, which helps it ___ in a ___ climate." Record the piles in a table with three columns: Skill, Got It, Practice. Expect most cards in Got It by the end.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes review notes for Weeks 25 and 26. They draw the four cloud types with the usual weather under each. Then they list two animal adaptations, two plant adaptations and two human designs. Sample: "Whale: blubber insulates. Pine: waxy needles save water. People: thick walls keep heat out."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud; the season graph may stay open. Note one topic to reread tonight. Tomorrow your child takes the Quarter 3 Review, so print it from the Assessments page.

Watch for: Mixing up which front brings cooler air.

Try: Use the line "Blue and pointy like icicles is cold. Red and round like the sun is warm." Your child draws both fronts again.

Exit ticket:

Puffy clouds are growing into tall towers, and the pressure is falling. What is your forecast?
Use your season graph. What weather is typical for this season where you live?
Pick one plant from your chart. Tell how one of its parts fits its climate.

Answers: 1) Thunderstorms or heavy showers are likely soon. 2) Answers vary. Look for: the tallest bar on the graph and its number of days. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a part and its job, such as waxy needles that lose little water in cold winters.

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Day 4 · Thursday

Social Studies

Objective: I can complete a Quarter 3 study guide covering government, citizenship, voting and economics.

Standards: D2.Civ.1.3-5, D2.Civ.2.3-5, D2.Eco.1.3-5, D2.Eco.4.3-5, D2.Eco.7.3-5

Builds on: Needs Weeks 19 to 26. One-minute check: your child names any three Quarter 3 topics. (Local government, the three branches, rights and responsibilities, voting, needs and wants, producers and consumers, markets and trade.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 26. Ask: "What does profit mean?" (The money a seller has left after paying costs.) Then ask: "Which Quarter 3 topic feels strongest to you? Which feels hardest?" Your child writes both at the top of the study guide.
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today has two jobs: a short study guide, then the Quarter Review." Model one item from four topics. Say each question, think aloud and answer. "What does a mayor do?" (A mayor leads the local government and its workers.) "What is a candidate?" (A person who runs for office.) "What is a budget?" (A plan for how to use money.) "What is barter?" (Trading without money.) Say: "Answer every item. If you are not sure, guess, then highlight it." Now your child does the 6-item study guide on the Day 4 practice page. It has one item for each Quarter 3 topic. Allow about 8 minutes. Check it together. For each highlighted or missed item, your child finds the notebook page where it was taught. Ask: "Can you explain the right answer in your own words?" (Look for a reason, not a copied answer.) "Which topic had the most highlights?" (Answers vary.) If stuck, say: "Which week taught this? Open to that page."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Quarter Review. 1) Open the Quarter 3 Review for social studies on the Assessments page. 2) Put the notebook and the study guide away. Scrap paper is fine for the vote counts and the money problem. Do not use a calculator, so you can see your child's work. 3) Allow 20 to 30 minutes. It is not timed. 4) You may read every item aloud. Your child may answer out loud while you write. 5) Do not teach, hint or correct during the review. 6) Your child may look back at the review's vote chart at any time. 7) Afterward, score it with the scoring notes, add the points and find the level. Ask your child to point to the chart numbers used as evidence. If a section earns less than half its points, revisit the weeks and days listed for it. The review may run into notebook time. That is fine. This is a snapshot of the quarter, not a grade.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child makes three flash cards for the hardest topics on the index cards. Write a question on the front and the answer on the back. Then your child lists two facts to reread tonight: "I will reread ___ on my Week ___ page." Sample: "I will reread the three branches on my Week 20 page." If the review ran long, do this entry tonight.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each exit question aloud. Your child answers in the notebook. Praise honest highlighting and steady effort.

Watch for: Guessing on a study guide item and moving on without checking it.

Try: For each missed item, your child finds the notebook page and points to the answer before fixing it.

Exit ticket:

Which study guide topic was strongest for you? Why?
Which topic will you review tonight, and which week's notebook pages cover it?
Write one fact you relearned today.

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one named topic with a reason. 2) Answers vary. Look for: one named topic and a matching week, such as voting and Week 22. 3) Answers vary. Look for: an accurate Quarter 3 fact.

Mathematics

Objective: I can complete a Quarter 3 practice set and find the skills I need to review.

Standards: 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2, 3.NF.A.3, 3.G.A.2, 3.MD.A.1, 3.MD.A.2, 3.MD.B.4

Builds on: Needs every Quarter 3 skill from Weeks 19 to 26. One-minute check: ask "How many minutes is it from 2:55 to 3:05?" (10 minutes)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 21 Day 4. Ask: "How many fourths are in 2 wholes? Write it as a fraction." (8 fourths; 8/4) Then practice ×8 facts with no timer. Ask 8 × 4, 8 × 7 and 8 × 9 (32, 56, 72).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Tomorrow brings the Quarter 3 check. Today we practice one of every kind." Write the kinds as a list with their weeks. Naming fractions and equal parts, Weeks 19 and 24. Number lines, Week 20. Equivalent fractions, Week 21. Comparing, Week 22. Measuring and line plots, Week 24. Time, Week 25. Mass and liquid volume, Week 26. Work three kinds aloud. Comparing: write 2/4 and 2/6. Say: "Same numerator. Fourths are bigger than sixths. So 2/4 > 2/6." Time: ask "How long is it from 10:46 to 11:20?" Jump 14, then 20. Write 14 + 20 = 34. Say: "So it is 34 minutes." Line plot, from Week 24 Day 4. Write these pod lengths in inches: 3, 3 1/4, 3 1/4, 3 3/4, 3 3/4, 3 3/4, 4. Draw a line marked in quarter inches from 3 to 4. Draw an X above the line for each pod. Ask: "Which length has the most Xs?" (3 3/4 inches, with 3 Xs.) Now your child does more. Your child finds the fourths that match 6/8 on the wall (3/4). Then ask: "How many pods are on the plot in all?" (7)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Your child highlights the two kinds on the list that feel least sure. Then work these together. 1) Naming: a square has 4 equal parts, and all 4 are shaded. What fraction is shaded? What whole number is that? (4/4 = 1) 2) Number line: on a 0 to 2 line in thirds, how many jumps past 1 is 5/3? (2) 3) Mass: 7 boxes are 8 kilograms each. What is the total mass? (7 × 8 = 56 kilograms) 4) Units: which unit fits the milk in a large carton, liters or kilograms? (liters) If stuck, say: "Which kind is it? Which week taught it? What did we draw or use that week?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — This is the Quarter 3 practice set. Your child works alone and checks with the wall, the ruler or the clock. 1) Draw a rectangle with 6 equal parts. Shade 3. What fraction is shaded? (3/6) 2) On a 0 to 2 line in sixths, how many jumps past 1 is 7/6? (1) 3) 4/8 = ?/2 (1) and 2/3 = ?/6 (4). 4) Compare 1/6 and 5/6. Then compare 1/2 and 1/4. (1/6 < 5/6; 1/2 > 1/4) 5) How long is it from 8:35 to 9:12? (25 + 12 = 37 minutes) 6) A lesson starts at 1:45 and lasts 35 minutes. When does it end? (2:20) 7) 54 kilograms of potatoes are packed equally into 9 boxes. How many kilograms are in each box? (54 ÷ 9 = 6 kilograms) 8) A nail ends 3 quarter-inch marks past 2. How long is it? (2 3/4 inches) Mark the page together. Your child fixes each miss. Circle any kind with a miss for tonight.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper with no help.

Watch for: Rushing through the kinds that feel easy and making small slips.

Try: Your child checks each answer with a tool before moving on: the wall, the ruler or the clock.

Exit ticket:

2/4 = ?/8
Compare 1/8 and 6/8. Write <, > or =.
How many minutes is it from 4:40 to 5:15?

Answers: 1) 4 2) 1/8 < 6/8 3) 35 minutes (20 + 15)

English Language Arts

Objective: I can review literal and nonliteral meanings and explain what nonliteral phrases really mean.

Standards: L.3.5.A, RL.3.4, L.3.6

Builds on: Needs Week 26: literal and nonliteral language and the question "Could this really happen?" One-minute check: say, "My little sister is a parrot today." Ask: "Literal or nonliteral? What is really going on?" (Nonliteral. She keeps repeating what people say.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study: choose the right homophone. Write each sentence with both choices. Your child circles one and tells why. "Turn (right, write) at the corner." (right) "Please (right, write) your name." (write) "(Know, No), I do not (know, no) his name." (No; know) "It is (to, too) cold (to, too) swim." (too; to) Spaced review from Week 9. Ask: "What is the plural of lunch? Of tooth?" (lunches; teeth)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today we review literal and nonliteral language. Two questions help. Could it really happen just the way the words say? If not, what does it really mean?" Write: "The lake water was cold." and "My sister gave me a cold look." Think aloud: "Water can really be cold. That is literal. A look has no temperature. It really means an unfriendly look. The same word works both ways." Then read this story aloud. "Night at the Campsite": The campfire crackled, and sparks danced up into the dark. My marshmallow turned golden brown. Then the wind sneaked under my jacket, and I was a block of ice. "Time for bed," said Aunt Jo. Inside the tent, my sleeping bag was a warm cocoon. An owl hooted twice. I was out like a light before she finished saying good night. Think aloud: "Sparks danced. Sparks have no feet. It really means they jumped and floated upward."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Your child works in the notebook with the story in view. 1) Your child writes four more nonliteral phrases in one color. (the wind sneaked; I was a block of ice; a warm cocoon; out like a light) 2) Your child tells what each really means. (Cold air got inside the jacket. I was very cold. The bag wrapped me snugly. I fell asleep very fast.) 3) Your child writes three literal sense details in the other color and names each sense. (crackled: hearing; golden brown: sight; hooted: hearing) 4) Ask: "Which clue helps with 'out like a light'?" (before she finished saying good night) If stuck, say: "Could a real wind sneak? What happened to the narrator?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child chooses one topic, such as a rainy day or a birthday party. 1) Write four literal sentences about it. 2) Write four nonliteral sentences about it. 3) Mark each sentence L or N. 4) Beside each N, write "It really means ___." Sample pair: "Rain fell all morning." (L) "The gutters sang." (N. Water rushed through them loudly.) Look for: literal sentences that could really happen, one comparison per nonliteral sentence, and meanings that fit the topic. Your child explains any sentence you are unsure about.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each sentence aloud. Your child answers in two parts: literal or nonliteral, then the real meaning.

Watch for: Marking a sentence literal because it sounds ordinary, such as "The weekend flew by."

Try: Ask, "Can a weekend really fly with wings? So what does it really mean?" (It passed quickly.)

Exit ticket:

"The fog swallowed the bridge." Literal or nonliteral? What does it really mean?
"The dog swallowed the treat." Literal or nonliteral?
"After the long hike, my legs were noodles." What does it really mean?

Answers: 1) Nonliteral. The fog covered the bridge so it could not be seen. 2) Literal. A dog can really swallow a treat. 3) My legs were tired, weak and wobbly.

Science

Objective: I can show what I know about weather, climate, severe weather, forecasting and adaptations.

Standards: 3-ESS2-1, 3-ESS2-2, 3-ESS3-1, 3-LS4-3, 3-5-ETS1-1

Builds on: Needs the three review days this week. One-minute check: ask "Name one weather tool, one climate type and one safety rule." (Sample: rain gauge; arid; when thunder roars, go indoors.)

Day 134 — Q3 Science Assessment: Knowledge — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 24. Ask: "What is a prototype?" (The first working model of a design, built so it can be tested.) Then a calm start. Your child takes three slow breaths. On the scrap paper, they write three science words they feel sure about. Now the wonder. Say: "You have studied weather and climate since Week 19. Today you get to see how much you know."
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today you take the Quarter 3 Review for science. It is a snapshot, not a grade." Find it on the Assessments page. It has three sections and 15 questions, and it samples Weeks 19 to 26. Allow 20 to 30 minutes. You may read every question, table and choice aloud as often as asked. Please do not explain science words or give hints. Your child needs a pencil and a ruler for one small bar graph. The site suggests Day 3 for this review. This plan uses Day 4, after all three review days. Any day this week works. Teach four tips. Listen to each question twice. Put a finger on the table row before you answer. Use numbers when a question asks for evidence. Skip a hard question and come back to it. Practice on one item in the notebook. Say: "Usual snowfall in a made-up town: November 3 inches, December 9 inches." Ask: "Which month is usually snowier, and by how much?" (December, by 6 inches.) Ask: "A question asks for evidence. What do you write?" (A number or fact from the table.) If your child gets stuck during the review, say only: "Take a breath. Listen again. Write what you know."
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Take the Quarter 3 Review. 1) Set a quiet table with the printout, pencil, eraser, ruler and scrap paper. 2) Your child works alone. Read aloud whenever asked. Short breaks between sections are fine. 3) When finished, your child rereads every answer once. 4) Score it together with the notes under each section. Give partial credit where the notes say so. The total is out of 30 points. 5) Record the result in a table with three columns: Section, Points earned, Topic to revisit. Circle any section with missed questions. The notes under each section name the weeks to revisit. If your child needs more time, use the notebook time too, and do the reflection aloud. Expect some sections to be stronger than others. That is normal and useful to know.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes a reflection in the notebook with three frames. "The easiest part was ___. The hardest part was ___. I will practice ___ by ___." Sample: "The easiest part was weather tools. The hardest part was the claim question. I will practice claims by writing one about our porch."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud. Praise steady effort, careful table reading and every use of evidence, not the score.

Watch for: Answering table questions from memory or opinion, not from the numbers in the table.

Try: Before starting, practice once on scrap paper. Your child puts a finger on a row, reads the number aloud, then answers.

Exit ticket:

Which section of the review felt strongest? Name one answer you are proud of.
Which question was hardest for you? Say or write its correct answer in full.
Which notebook page will you reread before tomorrow's task?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a named section matched to a correct answer on the review. 2) Answers vary. Look for: the correct answer to a missed question, given in a full sentence. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a page that matches a circled section, such as the weather tools page.

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Day 5 · Friday

Social Studies

Objective: I can show what I learned in Quarter 3 on the social studies assessment.

Standards: D2.Civ.1.3-5, D2.Civ.2.3-5, D2.Civ.5.3-5, D2.Eco.1.3-5, D2.Eco.3.3-5, D2.Eco.4.3-5

Builds on: Needs the Day 4 study guide and flash cards. One-minute check: "Name one topic you highlighted yesterday and one fact about it." (Answers vary. Look for an accurate fact.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Your child rereads the highlighted study guide items and the flash cards for two quiet minutes. Spaced review from Week 22. Ask: "Name one local office people vote for." (Mayor, council member or school board member.) Then ask: "Which topic do you feel most ready for today?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today's check covers the whole quarter: government, citizenship and voting, and economics. It has 8 items. The last one asks for a short written answer." Teach a frame for written answers. Write it in the notebook: "I think ___ because ___. For example, ___." Model it with this practice question: "Explain why a town cannot pay for everything people want." Say: "I think a town must choose because money is scarce. For example, it may fix a road this year and wait to build a playground." Now your child tries the frame aloud. Ask: "Explain why trade helps two countries." (Sample: "I think trade helps because no country can make everything. For example, one country sells bananas and buys wheat.") Say: "Read every question twice. Answer every item. If one is hard, make your best try and come back to it." Ask: "What three parts does a strong written answer have?" (An idea, a reason and an example.) "What do you do when an item is hard?" (Try it, move on and come back.) If stuck, say: "Start with I think. Then add because."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — The check. 1) Find a quiet spot. Put away the study guide, flash cards and notebook. 2) Give the stored Week 27 check. It has 8 items. Allow about 20 minutes. It is not timed. 3) You may read items aloud. Do not hint or correct. 4) Score it with the answer key. For the written item, use the key's look-for notes. 5) Your child tallies the results in a chart: Topic | Right | Missed. Items 1 and 2 are government. Items 3 and 4 are citizenship. Items 5 to 8 are economics and money. 6) Go over each missed item together. Your child finds it in the study guide or notebook and says the right answer in their own words. 7) Name one thing your child did well, such as a full sentence or a clear example. Scores vary. Look for the row with the most misses. That row shows where to review first.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child completes: "This quarter I learned best about ___. I also learned ___. In Quarter 4, I want to find out ___." Sample: "This quarter I learned best about the three branches. I also learned how supply and demand change prices. In Quarter 4, I want to find out how banks work."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud. Then use the stored cut scores for the 8 items. 7 or more right: start Quarter 4, and your child may write a five-question quiz for a family member. 5 or 6 right: redo the Day 4 study guide page and use the flash cards twice. 4 or fewer right: reteach Day 1 and Day 3 with the grid and the double card sort. Praise careful reading and full sentences.

Watch for: Rushing the written item and giving a one-word answer.

Try: Before the check, practice the frame once more: "I think ___ because ___. For example, ___."

Exit ticket:

Which part of the check felt strongest: government, citizenship and voting, or economics? Why?
Name one item you missed or were unsure about. What is the right answer?
What do you want to explore in Quarter 4? Write one question.

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one named part with a reason. 2) Answers vary. Look for: the item named and a correct answer in your child's own words. 3) Answers vary. Look for: one specific question, such as "How do banks keep money safe?"

Mathematics

Objective: I can show what I learned in Quarter 3 on the cumulative check.

Standards: 3.NF.A.1, 3.NF.A.2, 3.NF.A.3, 3.G.A.2, 3.MD.A.1, 3.MD.A.2, 3.MD.B.4

Builds on: Needs everything from Weeks 19 to 26, reviewed on Days 1 to 4 this week. One-minute check: ask "How many minutes are in one hour?" (60)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Today your child takes the Week 27 check, which is the Quarter 3 cumulative check. Plan about 20 minutes for it. Start with a calm spaced review. Your child redoes one problem circled yesterday and explains it. If nothing was circled, ask this one from Week 21: 4/6 = ?/3 (2). No fact practice today.
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Spend 10 minutes on a calm routine called One of Each. Say: "The check has eight kinds of problems. We try one of each first." Model the first kind. Ask: "How long is it from 2:50 to 3:15?" Draw a line and mark 3:00. Jump 10, then 15. Write 10 + 15 = 25. Say: "So it is 25 minutes." Now your child does one of each. Naming: a rectangle has 6 equal parts, and 4 are shaded (4/6). Number line: on a 0 to 2 line in fourths, how many jumps past 1 is 6/4? (2) Equivalent: 1/2 = ?/4 (2). Comparing: 1/4 and 1/2 (1/4 < 1/2). Measuring: a key ends 1 quarter-inch mark past 2 (2 1/4 inches). Liquid volume: a barrel has 30 liters, and 14 liters are used. How many liters are left? (30 − 14 = 16 liters) Units: the mass of a bicycle (kilograms). Say: "On the check, draw when it helps. Write the unit on every measurement answer."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Do three more problems together, with no hurry. 1) Compare 4/8 and 7/8. (4/8 < 7/8; same denominator) 2) A class goes from 11:35 to 12:10. How long is it? (25 + 10 = 35 minutes) 3) 8 jars hold 5 liters each. How many liters is that in all? (8 × 5 = 40 liters) If stuck, say: "Skip it for now. Come back, name the kind and draw it."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Give the stored Week 27 check now. It is the Quarter 3 cumulative check. Find it with the Week 27 lessons, like every weekly check. It has 8 items. Allow about 20 minutes, and more if your child needs it. Score it with the answer key. 6 or more right: start Quarter 4. Some items missed: match each one to its lesson. Item 1, naming: Week 27 Day 1, first taught in Week 19 Day 1. Item 2, number line: Week 27 Day 1, first taught in Week 20 Day 3. Item 3, equivalent fractions: Week 27 Day 2, first taught in Week 20 Day 4 and Week 21 Day 1. Item 4, comparing: Week 27 Day 2, first taught in Week 22 Day 2. Item 5, elapsed time: Week 25 Day 3. Item 6, quarter inches: Week 24 Day 4. Item 7, liters: Week 26 Day 4. Item 8, units: Week 26 Day 2. 3 or fewer right: reteach Week 27 Days 1 to 3, then give the check again. Note any weak skill for Quarter 4 warm-ups. The Quarter 3 Review is a separate paper on the Assessments page and takes 20 to 30 minutes. It is suggested for Day 1, but any day this week works, apart from this check.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — After the check, your child answers these three questions; then go over any missed check items together.

Watch for: Rushing the word problems and leaving the unit off the answer.

Try: Your child rereads each word problem and circles the unit before answering.

Exit ticket:

2/8 = ?/4
Which part of the check felt strongest?
Name one thing you are proud of learning this quarter.

Answers: 1) 1 2) Answers vary. Look for: a named part, such as comparing fractions or elapsed time. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a specific skill, such as finding elapsed time.

English Language Arts

Objective: I can show what I learned in Quarter 3 on the Quarter Review and reflect on my growth.

Standards: W.3.1, RL.3.1, RL.3.6, RI.3.6, RI.3.9, L.3.4.A, L.3.5.A

Builds on: Needs the Quarter 3 skills reviewed on Days 1 to 4. One-minute check: your child names one thing learned about opinion writing and one about comparing texts.

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study: spelling check, not timed. Say each sentence. Your child writes only the homophone. "The twins lost their hats." "Put the box over there." "I am too tired to run." "Did you hear the bell?" "Please write your name." "I know that song." Challenge: "Whose shoe is this?" Say: "Who's with an apostrophe means who is." Correct together. Spaced review from Week 10. Ask: "How do you spell hop with -ed added?" (hopped; the p doubles)
Review (10 min) — Your child looks through the notebook for two minutes. Then ask one new question for each Quarter 3 skill. Opinion: "Which comes first in a body paragraph, the reason or the evidence?" (the reason; the evidence backs it up) Inference: "Ravi checked the clock, grabbed his toast and ran to the bus stop. What can you tell about Ravi?" (He is late or in a hurry.) Context clue: "The room was so dim that we could not read the sign. What does dim mean?" (not bright) Purpose: "A sign says, 'Adopt a shelter pet today!' Why did the author write it?" (to persuade) Point of view: "A narrator says spinach is the best snack. Do you agree? Why?" (any view with a reason) Comparing: "Two texts share a topic. What can still be different?" (the focus and the details) Nonliteral: "The engine purred. What does it really mean?" (It ran smoothly and quietly.)
Quarter Assessment (about 40 min) — First give the stored Week 27 weekly check. It has 8 items and takes about 10 minutes. Then give the Quarter 3 Review for Reading & Writing from the Assessments page. It takes about 30 minutes and is not timed. Skip it if your child took it on Day 2. Your child works alone on both. You may read directions aloud, but do not teach, hint or spell words. Score each with its own answer key. Choose a route by the weekly check result. 6 or more right: your child is ready for Quarter 4. For a stretch, your child writes a short opinion piece with a nonliteral phrase in the hook. 4 or 5 right: redo the Day 2 practice page. Then your child writes three sentences with there, their and they're. 3 or fewer right: reteach Day 4 and the homophone list with picture clues, such as an ear for hear. The Quarter Review lists its own weeks to revisit.
Reflection (10 min) — Your child writes 3 or 4 sentences about Quarter 3 in the notebook. Offer these frames: "The skill that grew most for me is ___. I can see it in ___. I am proudest of ___ because ___. In Quarter 4, I want to ___." Your child finds a piece in the writing folder that proves the first frame. Then your child chooses one piece to share with the family.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions aloud. Your child answers from the reflection and the writing folder.

Watch for: Rushing the reading parts and answering without looking back at the text.

Try: Before starting, say, "Put your finger on the words that prove each answer." Your child may reread as often as needed.

Exit ticket:

Which Quarter 3 skill grew most for you? Show one example from your folder.
Which piece will you share with the family? What makes it strong?
What is one goal for Quarter 4?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a named skill and a real piece that shows it. 2) Answers vary. Look for: one chosen piece and a reason tied to the writing. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a small, clear goal your child can act on.

Science

Objective: I can use weather data to make a forecast, write a safety plan and connect it to climate.

Standards: 3-ESS2-1, 3-ESS2-2, 3-ESS3-1

Builds on: Needs Week 25 Day 4, forecasts from clues, and the Week 21 safety steps. One-minute check: ask "Which way does weather usually move across much of the United States?" (From west to east.)

Day 135 — Q3 Performance Task: Storm Forecast and Safety Plan — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 26. Ask: "How do thick walls help a home in a hot climate?" (They slow outdoor heat from getting in.) Then the wonder. Ask: "What clues would tell you a storm is coming?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Copy this scenario onto paper, then read it aloud. "It is a warm May afternoon in a made-up Kansas town. At 2 p.m. it is 84°F. Tall, dark clouds are building in the west. The wind is rising from the south. The barometer shows the pressure falling. The weather map shows a cold front just west of town." Under it, copy this made-up table of usual thunderstorm days there: March 3, April 6, May 9, June 8. Say: "This is a performance task with four parts." Part 1: forecast the next few hours, using at least 3 clues. Part 2: write a safety plan with 4 steps. Part 3: use the table to tell whether storms are typical in May. Part 4: reflect on Quarter 3. Say: "In spring, warm, damp air from the south often meets cooler, drier air over the plains. That builds storms." Ask: "How many clues must your forecast use?" (At least 3.) Ask: "Where is the evidence for Part 3?" (In the table.) If stuck, say: "Underline one clue. What does that clue usually mean?"
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Complete the Task. Your child works alone on the second sheet; help with reading and spelling only. 1) They underline every clue in the scenario with a colored pencil. 2) They write the forecast with evidence. (Sample: thunderstorms are likely this evening, then cooler air. Clues: tall dark clouds, falling pressure, a cold front to the west.) 3) They write the 4-step safety plan. (Sample: go indoors at the first thunder. Stay away from windows. If a tornado warning comes, go to the lowest inside room. Wait 30 minutes after the last thunder.) 4) They answer Part 3 with a number. (Yes. May usually has 9 storm days, the most in the table.) 5) Score together in a table with two columns: Part, Points. Give 2 points for complete, 1 for partly there and 0 for missing. The total is 8 points. Expect Part 3 to lack a number most often.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child keeps the task report in the notebook. Part 4 is a Quarter 3 reflection with two frames. "My best Quarter 3 lesson was ___ because ___. My goal for Quarter 4 science is ___." Sample: "My best lesson was the fat glove because I felt the difference."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud and celebrate finishing Quarter 3 science. Then give the Week 27 Science Check, which has 8 items, now or after a break. Allow about 10 minutes. With 6 or more right, your child writes and illustrates a short Weather Survival Guide for a younger child. With 4 or 5 right, redo the Day 3 review page and make five new flash cards for missed topics. With 3 or fewer right, reteach Day 1 and Day 2. Repeat the weather stations and the hazard card sort, one topic per day.

Watch for: Writing a safety plan that does not match the forecast.

Try: Ask: "What did your forecast say? Which safety steps fit that weather?"

Exit ticket:

Which clue in the scenario did you trust most? What does that clue usually mean?
Look at the table. Which month usually has the fewest thunderstorm days, and how far below May is it?
Your forecast was storms. Which step of your safety plan comes first, and why?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a clue and its meaning, such as falling pressure, which often comes before stormy weather. 2) March, with 3 days. That is 6 fewer than May (9 − 3 = 6). 3) Go indoors at the first thunder. Lightning is close enough to strike when you can hear thunder.

Print Day 5 practice pages →

Worksheets

math — Day 131 — Q3 Review — Fractions
math — Day 132 — Q3 Review — Equivalence & Comparison
math — Day 133 — Q3 Review — Time, Mass, Volume
math — Day 134 — Q3 Computation Practice
math — Day 135 — Q3 Word Problem Practice

Assessments

math — Unit Assessment 12 — Time, Mass & Volume