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Week 35 — full print packet

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Quarter 4 · Weeks 28–36

Week 35 Lesson Packet

Synthesis: Area, Shapes, Research, Traits & Civic Action

Day 1 · Monday

Social Studies

Objective: I can choose a focus for my year-end community project that uses what I learned this year.

Standards: D4.6.3-5, D2.Civ.6.3-5, D2.Eco.8.3-5

Builds on: Needs the civic action project from Weeks 33 and 34 and the Week 32 noticing walk. One-minute check: ask, "Name one need you noticed in our community." (Answers vary. Sample: a playground with no shade.)

New words:

showcase – a time to show finished work to other people
external benefit – something good that reaches people who did not pay for it or plan it
external cost – a problem that lands on people who did not cause it

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 28. Ask: "Which workers help bring bread to our table?" (Sample: a farmer, a baker, a truck driver and a store worker.) Then ask the big question: "If you could improve one small thing in our community, what would it be?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Your year-end project is a Community Showcase. A showcase is a time to show finished work to others." Say: "You will propose one improvement, using all four parts of social studies." Draw four boxes in the notebook and label them. Geography: a map of where the need is. History: a then-and-now fact about the place. Economics: a cost plan, a list of prices with a total. Civics: who decides and how to ask. Say: "A good focus names a real need, one doable idea and who it helps." Model: "A book-sharing box near the playground." Say: "Some ideas help people who never paid for them. That is an external benefit. Neighbors enjoy the book box even if they did not build it." Say: "Some problems land on people who did not cause them. That is an external cost. A few people litter, and everyone at the park lives with the mess." Ask: "A neighbor plants flowers by the sidewalk and walkers enjoy them. Benefit or cost?" (An external benefit.) "Loud music at night keeps the neighbors awake. Benefit or cost?" (An external cost.) "Which part of social studies is the cost plan?" (Economics.) If stuck, say: "Who gets the good or bad effect? Did they choose it?"
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Choose a focus. 1) Your child flips through the year's notebook pages and the noticing list. 2) Your child writes six community needs, one on each sticky note. The civic action issue may be one of them. 3) Draw a chart in the notebook: Need | Real? | Four parts? | Kind and safe? 4) Test each note with three questions. Is it real? Can I explain it with a map, a history fact, a cost and a decision? Is it kind and safe? Your child marks a check or an X in each box. 5) Keep the note with three checks. If two tie, your child picks one and says why. 6) Your child writes a project statement: "I propose ___ at ___ to help ___." 7) Ask for evidence: "What did you see that shows the need is real?" Choices vary. Look for a place, a small idea and who it helps.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child copies the project statement and draws a quick sketch of the idea. Then finish these frames: "It matters because ___. One external benefit is ___." Sample: "I propose a book-sharing box at Oak Park to help kids who want new books. It matters because the library is far away. One external benefit is that neighbors can share books too."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read the exit questions aloud. Your child answers in the notebook. Praise a small, real idea.

Watch for: Choosing an idea that is far too big, such as building a new school.

Try: Ask: "What is one small piece of that we could map and price?" Shrink the idea together.

Exit ticket:

What is your project focus? Say it in one sentence.
A new streetlight makes a dark path safer for everyone who walks there. Is that an external benefit or an external cost? Why?
Name the four parts of social studies your project will use. What will you make for one of them?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a real, local idea that names a place and who it helps. 2) An external benefit. People who did not pay for the light are safer too. 3) Geography, history, economics and civics. Sample: a map for geography.

Mathematics

Objective: I can read and make a picture graph where one picture stands for more than one.

Standards: 3.MD.B.3

Builds on: Needs the ×2 and ×5 facts from Week 6 Days 1 and 3, and half of a number. One-minute check: ask 2 × 8 and 5 × 6 (16, 30). Ask: "What is half of 10?" (5)

New words:

picture graph – a graph that shows amounts with pictures
key – the note that tells how many each picture stands for

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 34 Day 1. Ask: "Is a rectangle 5 cm by 2 cm a square? Why?" (No. Its sides are not all equal.) Then practice ×2 and ×5 facts with no clock. Ask 2 × 7, 2 × 9, 5 × 4 and 5 × 8 (14, 18, 20, 40).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A picture graph shows amounts with pictures. Today each picture stands for more than 1." Draw this graph on grid paper. Write the title How We Get to School. Write the key: each face = 2 children. Rule four rows with the ruler and draw small round faces in crayon. Bus: 4 faces. Car: 3 faces. Walk: 5 faces. Bike: 1 face and half a face. Say: "The key tells how many each picture stands for." Point to the Bus row. Touch each face and count by 2s: 2, 4, 6, 8. Say: "4 faces is 4 × 2 = 8. So 8 children ride the bus." Ask: "How many children come by car?" (3 × 2 = 6) Point to the Bike row. Say: "Half a face is half of 2, which is 1. One face is 2, and 1 more makes 3." Say: "So 3 children ride a bike." Now your child does more. Ask: "How many children walk?" (5 × 2 = 10) Ask: "How many more children walk than ride a bike?" (10 − 3 = 7)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Make a graph together. Title: Birds at the Feeder. Key: each colored square = 2 birds. The counts are Monday 10, Tuesday 6, Wednesday 5 and Thursday 12. Your child rules four rows, then tells how many squares before coloring each row. 1) Monday (5 squares, because 5 × 2 = 10). 2) Tuesday (3 squares). 3) Wednesday (2 squares and half a square; 2 squares show 4 and the half shows 1). 4) Thursday (6 squares). Ask: "Which day had the most birds?" (Thursday) If stuck, say: "Count by 2s and color one square for each count. Stop when you reach the number."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — You draw this graph for your child to read. Title: Shells We Found. Key: each shell picture = 5 shells. Ana: 3 pictures. Ben: 2 pictures. Cora: 4 pictures. Dev: 1 picture. 1) How many shells did Ana find? (3 × 5 = 15) 2) How many did Ben find? (2 × 5 = 10) 3) How many did Cora find? (4 × 5 = 20) 4) How many shells did all four find? (15 + 10 + 20 + 5 = 50) 5) How many more shells did Cora find than Dev? (20 − 5 = 15) 6) A key says each picture = 2. How many pictures show 16? (8) 7) A key says each sun = 5 sunny days. April has 7 suns. How many sunny days is that? (7 × 5 = 35) 8) Lena uses a key of 2. She must show 15 goals. How many pictures does she draw? (7 and a half; 7 pictures show 14)
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and may draw the pictures.

Watch for: Counting the pictures and ignoring the key, so 4 suns is read as 4 days.

Try: Your child points to the key first. Then your child counts by that number, touching each picture.

Exit ticket:

A key says each picture = 5. A row has 9 pictures. How many does the row show?
A key says each picture = 2. A row has 5 pictures and half a picture. How many does it show?
With a key of 2, how many pictures show 18?

Answers: 1) 45 2) 11 (5 pictures show 10, and half a picture shows 1) 3) 9 pictures

English Language Arts

Objective: I can look through my year of writing, talk about how it changed, and choose my best pieces.

Standards: W.3.10, W.3.5, SL.3.1, SL.3.1.A, SL.3.1.B, SL.3.1.C, RF.3.3.C, L.3.2.F

Builds on: Needs revising from Week 13 and the writing your child saved all year. One-minute check: ask, "What do writers do when they revise?" (They add, cut or change ideas and words to make the writing better.)

New words:

portfolio – a collection of your work that shows how you grew
schwa – the quick, weak "uh" sound in a syllable

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study, about 3 minutes. Say: "In these words the last syllable has a weak vowel. It sounds like a quick 'uh.' That sound is called schwa. You cannot hear which vowel to write, so you must remember the ending." Write garden, dozen, button, metal, pedal and travel. Your child claps each word and sorts it by ending. (-en: garden, dozen. -on: button. -al: metal, pedal. -el: travel.) Spaced review from Week 15. Ask: "What is imagery?" (words that paint a picture using the senses)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A portfolio is a collection of work that shows how you grew as a reader and writer." Tell the plan: today choose, tomorrow reflect, Day 3 set goals, Day 4 build, Day 5 share. Write the three choosing tests on paper. Skill: it shows a skill you learned. Effort: it shows hard work and revising. Proud: it is a piece you are proud of. Next, model how to notice growth. Read these two samples from one writer, "Two Dog Pieces": September: "I like my dog. He is fun. We play." May: "My dog, Pickle, waits by the door every afternoon. When I get home, he spins in circles because he is so excited." Think aloud. Say: "I noticed the May piece has longer sentences. I noticed a linking word, because. I noticed a detail that shows how the dog feels." Ask: "Which test does the May piece pass?" (Skill. It uses a linking word and a strong detail.) Say: "Each time, I gave a reason I could point to."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Sort the year's work into four piles by quarter. Use dates, or go by the kind of writing. Quarter 1 (Weeks 1 to 9) has fables and opinion paragraphs. Quarter 2 (Weeks 10 to 18) has narratives, poems and a short report. Quarter 3 (Weeks 19 to 27) has the opinion essay. Quarter 4 (Weeks 28 to 36) has the research report. Mark each pile with one color. 2) Talk about each pile with these stems: "I noticed ___." "I agree, and ___." "I see it differently because ___." Start with: "In Quarter 2, I noticed you began using dialogue." Your child answers with a stem and a reason. 3) Ask: "Which pile shows the biggest change from the one before? What changed?" (Answers vary. Look for a named skill.) 4) Hold up one piece. Ask: "Which test does this pass? Why?" If stuck, say: "Point to one thing here that you could not do in September."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — 1) Your child chooses six pieces. They need at least one from each quarter, and the research report must be one of them. 2) On a sticky note for each piece, your child writes the test it passes and one skill word. Sample: "Effort. I revised my ending twice. Skill word: dialogue." 3) Your child checks that the six pieces show different kinds of writing: narrative, opinion, informative and a poem if possible. 4) Your child lists the six titles in the notebook. Look for: one piece from early fall, a reason on every note, and at least three kinds of writing.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions aloud. For the third, your child holds up the piece and points to the part they mean.

Watch for: Choosing only the newest pieces, so the portfolio does not show growth.

Try: Ask for one piece from September or October. Lay it beside a recent piece and compare them together.

Exit ticket:

How is a portfolio different from a pile of all your work?
Why must one of your six pieces come from early in the year?
Hold up the piece you are proudest of. What part of it makes you proud?

Answers: 1) A portfolio holds chosen pieces that show how you grew. 2) So a reader can compare it with a later piece and see the growth. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a named piece and a reason tied to one part of it.

Science

Objective: I can choose a testable question for my science fair investigation.

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

Builds on: Needs the Week 8 investigation (testable questions) and the Week 31 bean test (a fair test). One-minute check: ask, "In a fair test, how many things do we change?" (One.)

New words:

science fair – a time to show an investigation you planned, tested and explained

Day 171 — Choose a Science Fair Question — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 31. Ask: "In our bean test, what one thing did we change? What stayed the same?" (The light changed. The seeds, soil and water stayed the same.) Then the wonder. Ask: "What have you wondered about this year that you could test at home?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "This week you run your own science fair investigation. It starts with a testable question. You change one thing and measure or count a result." Compare two questions. "Why are magnets cool?" has nothing to measure. "Does a bigger magnet lift more paper clips?" can be tested. Now show the sample kit. An adult cuts a doorway in the cup's rim, about 3 centimeters wide and tall. Prop the ruler's 30 end on the 3 books. Set the cup upside down at the low end, doorway facing the ramp. Hold the marble at the 10 mark and let go. Ask: "What could we change?" (Where the marble starts.) "What could we measure?" (How far the cup slides, in centimeters.) Say: "Our sample question is: Does a higher start make a marble push a cup farther?" Give two more samples. "Which paper soaks up the most water?" "Does a sugar cube dissolve faster in warm or cold water?" Say: "You may solve a design problem instead. Name the need, the criteria and the constraints." Sample: "Park the cup in a taped zone. Criteria: it stops there in 2 of 3 trials. Constraints: one ruler, up to 4 books, 20 minutes." Ask: "Is 'Why is the sky pretty?' testable?" (No. There is nothing to measure.) If stuck, say: "What will you change? What will you measure or count?"
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Question Brainstorm. 1) Your child flips through the science notebook and writes 5 questions, one on each sticky note. 2) For each note, they answer three things. What will I change? What will I measure or count? Can I do it this week with things at home? 3) Record the answers in a table with four columns: Question, Change, Measure, Doable. 4) They cross out any question with nothing to measure, or one that needs more than 2 days. 5) They circle the strongest question. 6) An adult checks that it is safe: no flames, no strong cleaners and no harm to animals. Expect at least one question to pass all three checks. If none passes, use the sample question.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child writes four frames in pencil. "My question is ___. I will change ___. I will measure ___ in ___. I chose it because ___." Sample: "My question is: Does a higher start make a marble push a cup farther? I will change the start mark. I will measure the slide in centimeters. I chose it because I like ramps."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise any question that names what to change and what to measure.

Watch for: Choosing a question with nothing to measure, such as "Which animal is the best?"

Try: Ask, "What would you measure or count to answer it?" If there is nothing, rewrite the question together.

Exit ticket:

Turn this into a testable question: "Is ice interesting?"
A question asks, "Does the amount of water change how tall a bean plant grows?" What is changed, and what is measured?
What is your science fair question, and what one thing will you change?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one thing to change and one thing to measure. Sample: "Does an ice cube melt faster in water or in air?" 2) The amount of water is changed. The height of the plant is measured. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a question that can be tested this week, with exactly one thing changed.

Print Day 1 practice pages →

Day 2 · Tuesday

Social Studies

Objective: I can research my project idea and outline it in clear steps.

Standards: D3.1.3-5, D4.2.3-5, D2.Civ.14.3-5

Builds on: Needs yesterday's project statement and the Week 33 research rule: every fact gets a source. One-minute check: ask, "Name two kinds of sources." (Any two: counting, interviewing or reading.)

New words:

outline – a short list of the main parts of a plan, in order
decision-maker – the person or group in charge who can say yes to an idea

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 7. Ask: "Name one peaceful way Cherokee people tried to stop removal." (Any one: a petition, the courts, a newspaper or sending leaders to Washington.) Your child reads the project statement aloud. Then ask: "What do you already know about this place? What must you find out?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Research turns a wish into a plan people can trust." Say: "People have long used peaceful tools to change things. In 1838 more than 15,000 Cherokee people signed a petition. The government still forced them from their homes. For many years, women marched and gave speeches to win the vote. In 1920 the 19th Amendment protected women's right to vote. Unfair rules still kept many Black and Native women from voting for years." Say: "These tools do not always work, and change can take a long time. People still use them today. They write letters, sign petitions, speak at public meetings and form volunteer groups." Ask: "Which tool could you use for your idea?" (Sample: a polite letter.) Say: "You need four facts today. Each one needs a source." Write them on the research sheet. Now: how many people use the place. Past: what the place was like long ago. Cost: one price. Who decides: the department or group in charge. Say: "The one who can say yes is the decision-maker." Ask: "Which fact could an older neighbor give you?" (The past fact.) "Why do we write each source?" (So others can check the fact.) If stuck, say: "Who would know this? That person or paper is your source."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Research and outline. 1) Now fact: with an adult, count people using the place for 5 minutes. If the place is far, ask someone who goes there often. 2) Past fact: your child asks an older relative or family friend, "What was this place like when you were young?" 3) Cost fact: your child finds one price in the flyer for something the idea needs. 4) Who decides: with an adult, check the town website or newspaper, or phone the town office. 5) Your child records each one on the research sheet: Kind of fact | Fact | Source. 6) Your child writes a four-step outline in the notebook. An outline is a short list of the main parts, in order. Step 1: the need. Step 2: my idea. Step 3: what it costs and who could help pay. Step 4: who decides and how I will ask. Ask for evidence: "Which fact shows the need is real?" Look for a source beside every fact. Facts vary. If one cannot be found today, write the question and who to ask.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child copies the four facts with their sources and adds one question they still have. Frame: "Fact: ___. Source: ___." Sample: "Fact: 14 kids used the playground in 5 minutes. Source: my tally on Saturday. I still wonder who cuts the grass."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Your child answers the exit questions in writing. Praise every fact that has a source beside it.

Watch for: Skipping the past fact because it is harder to find.

Try: Count an interview as a source. Your child asks an older neighbor about the place, then writes the name and the date.

Exit ticket:

Name one fact you found today and its source.
Lena wants to know what her street looked like 50 years ago. Name one good source she could use.
Name two peaceful ways people today can ask leaders for a change.

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a fact plus a named source. 2) Answers vary. Look for: an older neighbor, an old photo or the library. 3) Any two: a polite letter, a petition, speaking at a public meeting or joining a volunteer group.

Mathematics

Objective: I can read and make a bar graph with a scale that counts by 2s, 5s or 10s.

Standards: 3.MD.B.3

Builds on: Needs the key from Day 1 and the halfway idea from rounding in Week 1 Day 4. One-minute check: ask, "What number is halfway between 80 and 90?" (85) "Halfway between 16 and 18?" (17)

New words:

bar graph – a graph that shows amounts with bars
scale – the numbers up the side of a graph; they count by the same jump each time

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Day 1. Ask: "A key says each picture = 5. How many do 3 pictures show?" (15) Then practice ×10 and ×5 facts with no clock. Ask 10 × 6, 10 × 9, 5 × 7 and 5 × 9 (60, 90, 35, 45).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A bar graph shows amounts with bars. The scale is the numbers up the side." On grid paper, rule a line up the left side and a line along the bottom. Write 0 where they meet. Going up, label the grid lines 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50. Say: "This scale counts by 10s." Under the bottom line write Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu and Fri. Monday is 20 minutes. Count up the scale: 10, 20. Color a bar up to the second line. Tuesday is 35 minutes. Ask: "Is 35 on a line?" (No.) Say: "35 is halfway between 30 and 40. The bar ends halfway between those lines." Color it. Wednesday is 15 minutes. Ask: "Where does 15 end?" (Halfway between 10 and 20.) Now your child does more. Your child colors Thursday at 40 and Friday at 25. (On the 40 line; halfway between 20 and 30) Add the title Minutes Read and the labels Day and Minutes. Say: "So a bar ends on a line or halfway between two lines." Keep this graph for tomorrow.
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Make a second graph together. 20 children named a favorite sport. Soccer 8, basketball 5, swimming 4 and baseball 3. Use a scale that counts by 2s. 1) Your child labels the scale. (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) 2) Soccer is 8. Where does the bar end? (On the 8 line.) 3) Basketball is 5. Where does it end? (Halfway between 4 and 6.) 4) Your child draws swimming and baseball. (On the 4 line; halfway between 2 and 4) Your child adds a title and both labels. Check the total: 8 + 5 + 4 + 3 = 20. If stuck, say: "Count up the scale by 2s. Is your number on a line or between two lines?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child makes a bar graph of laps run. Ava 25, Ben 45, Cal 20 and Dee 35. 1) Draw a scale that counts by 5s from 0 to 50. (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50) 2) Draw the four bars, a title and two labels. (Each bar ends on a line.) 3) Who ran the most laps? Who ran the fewest? (Ben; Cal) 4) How many laps in all? (25 + 45 + 20 + 35 = 125) 5) A scale counts by 10s. A bar ends halfway between 70 and 80. What does it show? (75) 6) A scale counts by 2s. Where does a bar for 9 end? (Halfway between 8 and 10.) 7) Mia graphs pages read on a scale that counts by 10s. Her bar ends halfway between 40 and 50. How many pages? (45) 8) A scale counts by 5s. Leo's bar ends on the sixth line above 0. How many points? (6 × 5 = 30) Check each bar end with the ruler.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and may sketch a scale.

Watch for: Reading each line as 1, so a bar at the third line is read as 3.

Try: Your child slides a finger up the scale and skip counts aloud before reading any bar.

Exit ticket:

A bar ends halfway between 50 and 60 on a scale that counts by 10s. What number does it show?
On a scale that counts by 2s, where does a bar for 15 end?
A scale counts by 5s. A bar ends on the fourth line above 0. What number does it show?

Answers: 1) 55 2) Halfway between 14 and 16 3) 20

English Language Arts

Objective: I can write a reflection about my growth as a reader and writer using school words like revise, evidence and paragraph.

Standards: W.3.10, W.3.4, L.3.6, L.3.1.C

Builds on: Needs abstract nouns from Week 5 Day 1 and the six pieces chosen yesterday. One-minute check: say pencil and pride. Ask: "Which one can you touch?" (A pencil. Pride is an abstract noun.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study, about 3 minutes. Write chicken, wagon, animal, tunnel and camel. Your child splits each word into syllables and underlines the schwa ending. (chick|en, wag|on, an|i|mal, tun|nel, cam|el) Spaced review from Week 3. Ask: "What is text evidence?" (the exact words that prove an answer) Then write this word bank on paper: revise, edit, evidence, paragraph, linking word, dialogue, source, main idea.
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A reflection is writing about your own learning." Write four prompts in the notebook. 1) What skill did I master this year? 2) What kind of reading do I like best now? 3) What surprised me? 4) What is still hard? Read this model aloud, "A Reader Who Checks": In September, I answered questions about stories from memory. Now I go back and find evidence in the text. My reading notebook proves it, because my fall answers have no quotes and my spring answers do. My biggest growth is patience. I used to stop after one draft, but I revised my fable two times. Summaries are still hard for me, so I will keep practicing main idea. Think aloud. Say: "I will mark the school words with the highlighter: evidence, text, draft, revised, main idea." Say: "The writer makes a claim: 'Now I go back and find evidence.' Then comes the proof from a real notebook." Say: "Growth and patience are abstract nouns. They name ideas you cannot touch." Ask: "What is still hard for this writer, and what is the plan?" (Summaries. The writer will keep practicing main idea.) Tell your child to use two abstract nouns, such as growth, pride, effort or confidence.
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Choose one portfolio piece together. Ask prompt 1. Your child answers aloud and points to proof in the piece. 2) Write one strong sentence together with this frame: "My ___ shows I can ___ because ___." Sample: "My frog report shows I can explain science words because I told what a tadpole is." 3) Ask prompts 2, 3 and 4. Your child answers each in a complete sentence. 4) Ask: "Which abstract noun names how you feel about this piece?" (Sample: pride or confidence.) If stuck, say: "Open the piece. Put your finger on the best part. What skill is that?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child writes a reflection called "My Year as a Reader and Writer." 1) Write one short paragraph of 3 or 4 sentences for each of prompts 1, 2 and 3. 2) End with two sentences on what is still hard and what to do about it. 3) Highlight the school words. Checklist: each paragraph answers its prompt. Every claim has proof from a real piece. At least four school words are highlighted. At least two abstract nouns are used. Look for a sentence such as: "My confidence grew when I read my essay to Grandpa."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions aloud. Your child keeps the reflection and the model open.

Watch for: Vague praise with no proof, such as "I got better at writing."

Try: Ask: "Which piece shows that? Point to the exact part." Your child adds that part to the sentence.

Exit ticket:

Read the sentence in your reflection that has the best proof. Which piece does it point to?
Which two abstract nouns did you use? Why are they abstract?
In the model, what proof shows that the writer now uses evidence?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: a sentence that names a real piece and what it shows. 2) Answers vary. Look for: two words such as growth and pride, which name ideas or feelings you cannot touch. 3) The fall answers in the reading notebook have no quotes, and the spring answers do.

Science

Objective: I can write a plan with materials, steps, a fair test and a data table.

Standards: 3-5-ETS1-3

Builds on: Needs the Day 1 question, plus the fair test plans from Week 3 and Week 8. One-minute check: your child reads the question aloud and says what will be measured.

Day 172 — Plan Your Investigation — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 6. Ask: "What is a variable?" (Anything that can change in a test.) Then your child reads the Day 1 question aloud. Now the wonder. Ask: "Could a stranger repeat your test from your notes alone?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A good plan has four parts. Materials, numbered steps, what stays the same, and a data table made before you start." Model the sample plan and write it in pencil in the notebook as you talk. Materials: 1 marble, the grooved ruler, 3 books, the cup with a doorway, tape, a tape measure. Steps. One: prop the ruler's 30 end on the 3 books. Two: tape a start line at the low end and set the cup's rim on it. Three: hold the marble at the 10 mark and let go without a push. Four: measure from the start line to the cup's rim, in centimeters. Five: run 3 trials, then repeat from the 20 mark and the 30 mark. Kept the same: the marble, the cup, the ramp, the floor and the start line. Draw the table with five columns: Start mark, Trial 1, Trial 2, Trial 3, Middle number. Say: "One odd roll can fool us. Three trials let us see what usually happens." Ask: "What is the one variable we change?" (The start mark.) "Why draw the table before the test?" (So each result is written down right away.) "Would it be fair to swap in a bigger marble halfway?" (No. Then two things would change.) If stuck, say: "Pretend I have never seen your test. What do I do first?"
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Write the Plan. 1) Your child lists every material, with amounts. 2) They write at least 5 numbered steps. 3) They list at least 3 things to keep the same. 4) They name the one thing to change and what to measure, with the tool and the unit. Use the ruler or tape measure for any length. 5) They draw a blank data table with a row for each setup and a column for each of 3 trials. 6) They write a prediction with "because." 7) You read the steps aloud and act them out exactly as written. Your child fixes any step that leaves you guessing. Expect one or two gaps on the first try. That is normal. The plan is ready when you could follow it without asking a question. Safety: an adult checks the plan and does any cutting.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child completes the plan page with six headings: Question, Prediction, Materials, Steps, Kept the Same, Data Table. Then they finish two frames. "One thing that might go wrong is ___. If it does, I will ___." Sample: "The marble might miss the doorway. If it does, I will note it and do that trial again."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise steps that are clear enough for someone else to follow.

Watch for: Planning to change two things at once, such as the start mark and the marble.

Try: Read each step aloud and ask, "Is this the same every time, or is it the thing we change?" Only one step may be the change.

Exit ticket:

Tia tests which paper soaks up the most water. What are two things she must not change between papers?
A plan says only, "Roll the marble and see what happens." What is missing?
What will you measure in your own test? Name the tool and the unit.

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for two: the size of each paper, the amount of water, or how long it soaks. 2) Answers vary. Look for: where to start the marble, what to measure, and how many trials. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a tool and a unit, such as a tape measure and centimeters, or a count.

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Day 3 · Wednesday

Social Studies

Objective: I can build the parts of my project: a map, a cost plan and a poster or letter.

Standards: D4.3.3-5, D2.Geo.1.3-5, D2.Eco.1.3-5

Builds on: Needs Day 2's four facts and outline, and map skills from Week 3. One-minute check: ask, "What does a compass rose show?" (Directions: north, south, east and west.)

New words:

cost plan – a list of what you need, each price and the total

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 24. Ask: "What is a budget?" (A plan for how to use money.) Ask: "Why make a plan before spending?" (So the money covers what matters most.) Then ask the big question: "What will people look at first in your project?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today you build three parts." Part 1 is the map. Say: "A map needs a title, a key and a compass rose. Mark the exact spot for your idea with a star." Part 2 is the cost plan. Say: "A cost plan lists each item, its price and the total." Model one in the notebook for the book-sharing box. Wooden crate $13. Outdoor paint $8. Hinges and latch $5. Add aloud: "13 + 8 = 21. 21 + 5 = 26. The total is $26." Say: "Our budget is $30. 30 - 26 = 4. We have $4 left." Say: "Compare choices too. A ready-made box costs $45. Building one costs $26 but takes a weekend of work." Ask: "Which choice fits a $30 budget?" (Building it.) "What does building cost besides money?" (Time and work.) Part 3 is the main piece. Say: "Make a poster or write a polite letter to the decision-maker. End with a specific ask. It names exactly what you want to happen." Ask: "Is 'Please make the park better' a specific ask?" (No. It does not say what to do.) If stuck, say: "Point to each item as you add. Write the running total beside it."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Build time. 1) Map: on the graph paper, your child draws the place from above. Add a title, a key with three symbols and a compass rose. Use the ruler for straight streets. Star the spot. 2) Cost plan: your child draws a table with two columns, Item | Price. List each item with a price from the flyer. Round each price to whole dollars. 3) Your child adds the prices and writes the total. Check by adding again in a different order. 4) Your child writes the budget and what is left. If the total is over budget, swap in a cheaper item. 5) Start the poster with markers, or start the letter on lined paper. Letter frame: "Dear ___, I am a third grader. I noticed ___. I propose ___. It would cost about $___. Thank you for considering my idea." An adult reads the letter and adds any return address. 6) Ask for evidence: "Which fact from your research sheet belongs in the letter?" Look for a map with all three parts and a correct total. Plans vary. Look for prices that came from a real source.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child lists each part built today and what it is for. Then your child writes the specific ask in one sentence. Sample: "Map: shows where the box goes. Cost plan: shows it costs $26. Ask: Please allow a book-sharing box beside the playground gate."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Your child answers the exit questions with the cost plan open. Praise a total that was checked twice.

Watch for: Leaving an item out of the total, or adding one price twice.

Try: Your child points to each item while adding and writes the running total beside each line.

Exit ticket:

A bird feeder plan lists a post for $14, a feeder for $9 and seed for $4. Find the total.
The bird feeder budget is $30. Does the plan fit? How much money is left?
What is the specific ask in your own project?

Answers: 1) $27 (14 + 9 = 23, 23 + 4 = 27). 2) Yes. $3 is left (30 - 27 = 3). 3) Answers vary. Look for: a clear request that names what should happen and where.

Mathematics

Objective: I can solve one-step and two-step 'how many more' and 'how many fewer' problems from scaled graphs.

Standards: 3.MD.B.3, 3.OA.D.8

Builds on: Needs compare problems from Week 3 Day 5 and the hidden question from Week 15 Day 1. One-minute check: Tia has 50 beads and Max has 20. How many more does Tia have? (30)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 30 Day 3. Your child finds the perimeter of a rectangle 7 cm by 2 cm (18 cm). Then subtract tens in your head, with no clock. Ask 70 − 30, 90 − 40, 80 − 50 and 60 − 20 (40, 50, 30, 40).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Set out the Minutes Read graph from Day 2. Your child reads each bar aloud. (Monday 20, Tuesday 35, Wednesday 15, Thursday 40, Friday 25) Say: "To compare, read both bars first. Write the two numbers. Then subtract." Ask: "How many more minutes on Tuesday than on Wednesday?" Highlight the two bars. Write 35 − 15 = 20. Say: "So Tuesday has 20 more minutes. Wednesday has 20 fewer. More and fewer use the same subtraction." Next, a two-step problem. Ask: "How many fewer minutes on Wednesday than on Monday and Thursday together?" Say: "There is a hidden question. How many minutes on Monday and Thursday together?" Write 20 + 40 = 60. Then write 60 − 15 = 45. Say: "So Wednesday has 45 fewer minutes." Now your child does more. Ask: "How many more minutes on Thursday than on Friday?" (40 − 25 = 15) Ask: "How many more minutes on Wednesday and Friday together than on Tuesday?" (15 + 25 = 40; 40 − 35 = 5)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — On grid paper, draw a picture graph titled Cans Collected. Key: each can picture = 10 cans. Team A: 4 pictures. Team B: 6 pictures. Team C: 3 pictures and half a picture. 1) Your child reads each row. (40, 60, 35) 2) How many fewer cans did Team C collect than Team B? (60 − 35 = 25) 3) How many more cans did Teams A and C collect together than Team B? (40 + 35 = 75; 75 − 60 = 15) 4) The goal is 200 cans. How many more cans do the three teams need? (40 + 60 + 35 = 135; 200 − 135 = 65) If stuck, say: "Read the rows you need first. What is the hidden question? Answer it, then compare."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child uses both graphs and writes an equation for each step. 1) How many more minutes on Thursday than on Monday? (40 − 20 = 20) 2) How many fewer minutes on Wednesday than on Friday? (25 − 15 = 10) 3) How many minutes in the whole week? (20 + 35 + 15 + 40 + 25 = 135) 4) How many more cans did Team B collect than Team A? (60 − 40 = 20) 5) How many more cans did Teams A and B collect together than Team C? (40 + 60 = 100; 100 − 35 = 65) 6) How many fewer minutes on Friday than on Monday and Wednesday together? (20 + 15 = 35; 35 − 25 = 10) 7) A graph shows 80 sunny days and 45 rainy days. How many fewer rainy days is that? (80 − 45 = 35) 8) A graph shows 30 robins, 15 jays and 25 wrens. How many fewer jays than robins and wrens together? (30 + 25 = 55; 55 − 15 = 40)
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Your child keeps the Minutes Read graph in view and answers on paper. Ask for an equation for each step.

Watch for: Stopping after the first step of a two-step problem.

Try: Your child underlines the final question first. At the end, ask: "Does your number answer that question?"

Exit ticket:

From the Minutes Read graph, how many more minutes were read on Tuesday than on Monday?
How many fewer minutes were read on Tuesday than on Thursday?
How many more minutes were read on Tuesday and Thursday together than on Friday?

Answers: 1) 15 minutes (35 − 20 = 15) 2) 5 minutes (40 − 35 = 5) 3) 50 minutes (35 + 40 = 75; 75 − 25 = 50)

English Language Arts

Objective: I can set clear, specific reading and writing goals for fourth grade.

Standards: W.3.10, W.3.4, SL.3.1, L.3.1.D, L.3.1.E

Builds on: Needs the three simple tenses from Week 10 Day 4 and the "still hard" part of yesterday's reflection. One-minute check: your child finishes, "Yesterday I ___ (run) home." (ran)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study, about 3 minutes. Dictate this sentence: "A camel pulled the wagon through the tunnel." Your child writes it. Check it together: a capital letter, a period, and the endings -el, -on and -el. Spaced review from Week 8. Ask: "Name two linking words that give a reason." (because and since)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A good goal is specific, can be checked, and is possible. Specific means exact and clear. You met that word in Week 11." Write two goals: "Spell better" and "Learn five new spelling words each week and test myself on Friday." Ask: "Which goal is stronger? Why?" (The second. It tells what, how often and how to check.) Think aloud to fix a weak goal. Say: "'Get better at reading' is fuzzy. I ask what, how often and how I will check. Now it says: I will read for 20 minutes every night and list each title." Say: "Strong goals come from the 'still hard' part of your reflection." Next, show one verb in three tenses. Past: "Last fall I kept my stories short." Present: "Now I keep a list of strong words." Future: "In fourth grade I will keep a reading log." Say: "Most verbs add -ed for the past. Irregular verbs change: keep, kept; give, gave; begin, began. The future uses will."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Share one goal you have for yourself. Your child asks you one question about it. 2) Your child shares one goal. Ask: "How will you know you did it?" Listen for something that can be counted or seen. 3) Test this goal together: "Read 100 books this summer." Ask: "Is it possible?" (Probably not.) "How many books could you read in one week?" Your child fixes the goal. (Sample: I will read one chapter book every two weeks.) 4) Your child says one past-tense sentence about this year with an irregular verb. Then they say one future sentence. (Sample: "This year I gave a talk. Next year I will give a longer one.") If stuck, say: "Start with 'I will.' Add what, how often and how you will check."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — 1) Your child writes two reading goals and two writing goals for fourth grade. Each goal is in the future tense and uses this frame: "I will ___ every ___. I will check by ___." 2) Your child writes one past-tense sentence about this year with an irregular verb. 3) Your child makes a small poster with colored pencils. The top goal goes in large letters. Checklist: the goal is specific. It can be checked. It is possible. It starts with "I will." Sample: "I will read one chapter book every two weeks. I will check by listing each title on my poster."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions aloud. Your child may write the first two answers in the notebook.

Watch for: Goals that are too big, such as "Read 100 books this summer."

Try: Ask: "How many could you do in one week?" Count the weeks together and shrink the goal until it is possible.

Exit ticket:

Make this goal stronger: "Get better at spelling."
Change this sentence to the past tense: "I choose my best piece."
Read your top goal aloud. How will you check it?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: what, how often and a way to check. Sample: "I will practice five words each week and test myself on Friday." 2) I chose my best piece. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a specific goal and a real way to count or see it.

Science

Objective: I can carry out my fair test, run 3 trials and record my data.

Standards: 3-5-ETS1-3

Builds on: Needs the Day 2 plan and data table, plus measuring to the nearest centimeter from math. One-minute check: your child measures a pencil to the nearest centimeter.

Day 173 — Conduct the Investigation — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 3. Ask: "A toy car rolls onto a towel and stops sooner than on bare floor. Why?" (The towel is rougher, so there is more friction.) Then your child reads the plan steps aloud and checks that every material is ready. Now the wonder. Ask: "Will your data match your prediction? What if it does not?" (Either way, we learn something.)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Today you are the scientist. Follow your steps exactly. Record each result right away. Write down anything surprising." Model one trial with the sample kit. Let the marble go from the 10 mark. Line up the 0 on the tape measure with the start line. Read the number at the cup's rim, to the nearest centimeter. Write it in the Trial 1 box at once. Say the number you read aloud, such as "4 centimeters," and write it at once. If the cup barely moves, add a book or use a lighter cup. Then keep that setup for every trial. Next show a spoiled trial. Let the marble miss the doorway. Say: "That trial went wrong. I write a note and do it again." Ask: "When do you write the number?" (Right away.) "The marble misses the cup. What now?" (Note it and redo that trial.) "May you give the marble a little push on trial 3?" (No. Every trial must start the same way.) If stuck, say: "Read your next step aloud. Do just that step."
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Run the Test. 1) Your child sets up exactly as planned. 2) They run the first setup 3 times and record each result in the data table. 3) They do the same for each other setup. 4) An adult may hold things steady, but your child reads the measuring tool. 5) They write 2 observations, such as "The cup turned sideways from the 30 mark." 6) They put the materials away. Change only the one planned thing. Keep everything else the same, and measure in the same unit every time. For the sample, the table has three rows: 10 mark, 20 mark, 30 mark. Expect the cup to slide farther from higher starts. Trials in one row will differ a little. If your results look different, say: "Real results vary. Look for the pattern." Check that every box holds a number and a unit. Safety: pick up marbles right away, and keep them away from small children.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child copies the finished data table neatly into the science notebook and writes 3 observations. They circle any result that is very different from the others in its row. Then they finish this frame. "This one may be different because ___." Sample: "This one may be different because the cup hit a bump in the floor."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud. Praise honest notes about anything that went wrong.

Watch for: Changing the method partway through, such as pushing the marble on some trials, without noticing.

Try: Before each trial, read the step aloud together and ask, "Same start? Same everything else?"

Exit ticket:

What did you change, and what did you measure? Give one number from your table.
During one trial, the cat bumps the ramp. What should a careful scientist do?
Did you start every trial the same way? Tell about anything that changed.

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one thing changed, one thing measured, and a number with its unit. 2) Write a note about it and run that trial again. 3) Answers vary. Look for: an honest answer that matches the notes in the notebook.

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Day 4 · Thursday

Social Studies

Objective: I can improve my project with feedback and rehearse my presentation.

Standards: D4.3.3-5, D4.5.3-5, D4.4.3-5

Builds on: Needs the map, cost plan and poster or letter from Day 3. One-minute check: your child states the specific ask in one sentence. (Answers vary. It names what should happen and where.)

New words:

feedback – kind, useful comments that help someone make their work better
rehearse – to practice a talk before you give it

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 6. Ask: "What is a claim?" (An answer that you can back up with evidence.) Your child says the project statement twice: once quietly, then in a big, clear presenting voice. Then ask the big question: "How can a listener help make your project stronger?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "To rehearse is to practice a talk before you give it. Rehearsing finds the rough spots before your audience does." Say: "Feedback is a kind, useful comment that helps make work better. Good feedback has one star and one step. A star is a strength. A step is a fix." Show the checklist. Model with a made-up project: "Star: your cost plan is easy to read. Step: your prices add to $26, but your total says $24." Say: "We also check the argument. Is the claim clear? Does each piece of evidence have a source? Does it really support the claim?" Model: "Claim: the park needs a book box. Evidence: books are fun." Ask: "Is that strong evidence?" (No. It is an opinion with no source.) "What would be stronger?" (Sample: a tally of kids at the park, or what the librarian said.) "Does good feedback say only what is wrong?" (No. It names a strength and a fix.) If stuck, say: "Point to the checklist. Which line is strongest? Which line is missing?"
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Rehearse twice. 1) Your child writes cue words on three index cards. Card 1: need and map. Card 2: history fact and cost. Card 3: who decides and the ask. 2) Draw a chart in the notebook: Round | Minutes | Parts covered | Star | Step. 3) Round 1: your child presents with the project parts while the timer runs. Aim for about 3 minutes. Write the time. 4) Give one star and one step from the checklist. Then ask the three argument questions aloud. 5) Swap roles. You explain a made-up idea in a few sentences, with one mistake, such as a wrong total. Your child gives you a star and a step. 6) Your child makes the fix from step 4. Change only that one thing. 7) Round 2: your child presents again. Write the time. 8) Ask one hard question, such as "Who will take care of it?" Your child practices an answer. Expect round 2 to cover all five parts in 2 to 4 minutes. Times vary. Look for a smoother second round.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Today's entry goes on the fourth index card. Frames: "The feedback I got was ___. I changed ___. If someone asks ___, I will say ___." Sample: "The feedback I got was that my total was wrong. I changed it to $26. If someone asks who will care for the box, I will say my family will check it each week."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Your child answers the exit questions aloud. Praise taking feedback calmly and making a real fix.

Watch for: Feeling hurt by feedback, or ignoring it.

Try: Call it one star and one step. Give the star first. Let your child choose how to make the fix.

Exit ticket:

What star and what step did you get today?
Sam says, "We need a crosswalk because crosswalks are nice." What is weak about Sam's evidence?
How long was your second talk, and what did you fix before it?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one strength and one fix. 2) It is an opinion. It has no fact or source, such as a count of people crossing. 3) Answers vary. Look for: about 2 to 4 minutes and one specific change.

Mathematics

Objective: I can use area, perimeter, fractions, graphs and multiplication to work on my year-end performance task.

Standards: 3.MD.C.7.b, 3.MD.D.8, 3.G.A.2, 3.MD.B.3

Builds on: Needs area by multiplying from Week 29 Day 1 and perimeter by adding sides from Week 30 Day 3. One-minute check: your child finds the area of a 2 by 9 rectangle (18 square units).

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 31 Day 1. Your child finds the area and the perimeter of a 5 by 7 rectangle (35 square units; 24 units). Then practice ×4 and ×6 facts with no clock. Ask 4 × 7, 4 × 9, 6 × 6 and 6 × 8 (28, 36, 36, 48).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "For two days you will design a Reading Corner. It uses four kinds of math." Read the task sheet aloud. Say: "Each part earns up to 3 points. One point is for correct math. One is for labels and units. One is for a clear explanation." Model a small sample first, an art corner. On grid paper, draw a rectangle 5 squares long and 3 squares tall. Label the sides 5 ft and 3 ft. Say: "Area covers the floor, so I multiply." Write 5 × 3 = 15 square feet. Say: "Perimeter goes around, so I add all four sides." Write 5 + 3 + 5 + 3 = 16 feet. Say: "So the art corner has an area of 15 square feet and a perimeter of 16 feet." Now your child does more. This is Part 1. Your child rules a Reading Corner 8 squares long and 6 squares tall. Your child labels the sides and finds both measures. (8 × 6 = 48 square feet; 8 + 6 + 8 + 6 = 28 feet)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Work on Part 2, the rug. Your child draws a rug 4 squares long and 3 squares tall inside the corner. 1) What is the area of the rug? (4 × 3 = 12 square feet) 2) Edging goes around the rug. How many feet of edging is that? (4 + 3 + 4 + 3 = 14 feet) 3) Your child splits the rug into 4 equal reading spots and colors each one. How many squares are in each spot? What fraction of the rug is each spot? (3 squares; 1/4) 4) How much floor is not under the rug? (48 − 12 = 36 square feet) If stuck, say: "Does it cover or go around? Cover means multiply. Around means add all four sides."
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Your child works alone on Part 3, the survey graph. Say: "24 classmates named a favorite kind of book. Adventure 9, animals 6, mysteries 4 and comics 5." 1) Draw a scale that counts by 2s from 0 to 10. (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10) 2) Draw the adventure bar. (Halfway between 8 and 10.) 3) Draw the animals bar. (On the 6 line.) 4) Draw the mysteries bar. (On the 4 line.) 5) Draw the comics bar. (Halfway between 4 and 6.) 6) Add a title and two labels. Check the total. (9 + 6 + 4 + 5 = 24) 7) How many more classmates chose adventure than mysteries? (9 − 4 = 5) 8) How many fewer chose comics than adventure and animals together? (9 + 6 = 15; 15 − 5 = 10) Save every page for tomorrow.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read each question aloud. Your child answers on paper and writes the unit.

Watch for: Mixing up the two measures, such as multiplying to find the edging around the rug.

Try: Your child writes "covers" or "goes around" beside each question before solving.

Exit ticket:

A play corner is 7 ft by 4 ft. What is its area?
How much edging goes around a mat that is 6 ft by 2 ft?
A mat is split into 6 equal parts. What fraction of the mat is each part?

Answers: 1) 28 square feet 2) 16 feet 3) 1/6

English Language Arts

Objective: I can put together a finished portfolio with a cover, a table of contents and a note for each piece.

Standards: W.3.6, W.3.5, W.3.10

Builds on: Needs the six pieces from Day 1, the reflection from Day 2 and the goals from Day 3. It also uses publishing a neat final copy from Week 31 Day 4. One-minute check: ask, "Which comes first in a school year: March, September or December?" (September)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study, about 3 minutes. Say dozen, pedal, metal and travel. Ask: "Which word means twelve?" (dozen) "Which one do you push with your foot on a bike?" (pedal) Your child says one sentence with metal and one with travel. Spaced review from Week 1. Ask: "Which part of a book lists what is inside, in order?" (the table of contents)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A finished portfolio tells the story of your year." List its parts on paper. 1) A cover with your name and the title "My Third Grade Portfolio." 2) A table of contents. 3) The six pieces in date order. 4) A "Why I Chose This" note before each piece. 5) The reflection and goals at the end. Show one line of a table of contents: "2. The Day the Tent Fell Down (November), narrative." Say: "Each line has a number, a title, a month and the kind of writing." Read this model note for that story. Its title is "Why I Chose This": I chose this story from November because it was the first time I wrote dialogue with correct quotation marks. I rewrote the ending twice so the problem was really solved. Think aloud. Say: "The first sentence names the skill. The second sentence tells about effort or revising." Ask: "What skill does this note name?" (dialogue with correct quotation marks)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Your child puts the six pieces in date order. Ask: "Why does date order help a reader?" (The reader can see the writing grow.) 2) Write the table of contents together, one numbered line for each piece. If you have a computer, your child types it. You help with saving and printing. Handwriting is fine too. 3) Your child writes the first "Why I Chose This" note. Check for two sentences: one names the skill, and one tells about effort or revising. 4) Ask: "Does your note tell why you chose it, or only what it is?" If stuck, say: "Which test did this piece pass on Day 1? Start with 'I chose this because.'"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — 1) Your child writes the other five notes on lined paper, two sentences each. 2) Your child designs the cover with markers. 3) Your child puts the portfolio together in the folder: cover, table of contents, then each note with its piece. The reflection and goals go last. Fasten the pages with the stapler or hole punch. 4) Your child checks the order against the table of contents and fixes any mismatch. Look for: every note names a skill, the pieces run from earliest to latest, and the contents page matches.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions aloud. Your child uses the finished portfolio to answer.

Watch for: Notes that only describe the piece, such as "This is my poem."

Try: Point to the three tests from Day 1. Ask which one the piece passes, and begin the note with "I chose this because."

Exit ticket:

What two things does each "Why I Chose This" note tell?
Open your table of contents. Which piece is number 4, and what kind of writing is it?
Read your best note aloud. Which words name the skill?

Answers: 1) The skill the piece shows, and the effort or revising that went into it. 2) Answers vary. Look for: an answer that matches the table of contents. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a named skill, such as dialogue, evidence or linking words.

Science

Objective: I can make a graph of my data and write a conclusion with a claim, evidence and reasoning.

Standards: 3-5-ETS1-3

Builds on: Needs the Day 3 data and three earlier skills. The middle number is from Week 3. Bar graphs are from Week 34. Claim, evidence and reasoning are from Week 13. One-minute check: your child puts 12, 9 and 10 in order and names the middle. (10)

Day 174 — Analyze and Conclude — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 34. Ask: "Name four parts of a bar graph." (A title, labels, a scale that starts at 0, and bars.) Then your child looks at the data table. Ask: "What do you notice first?" Now the wonder. Ask: "Do your numbers answer your question?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A conclusion answers your question with evidence. It has three parts." The claim is one sentence that answers the question. The evidence is numbers from the data. The reasoning tells why the evidence supports the claim. Write this made-up sample data, in centimeters. From the 10 mark: 4, 5, 3. From the 20 mark: 8, 7, 9. From the 30 mark: 12, 13, 11. Say: "First find the middle number in each row. Put 4, 5, 3 in order: 3, 4, 5. The middle is 4." Ask: "Which number is in the middle of 8, 7, 9?" (8) "For 12, 13, 11?" (12) Now model the conclusion. Claim: "A higher start makes the marble push the cup farther." Evidence: "The middle slide was 4 centimeters from the 10 mark and 12 from the 30 mark." Reasoning: "Only the start mark changed, so the higher start caused the longer slide." Ask: "Which part uses numbers?" (The evidence.) "What if the data does not match the prediction?" (The claim follows the data. It is still good science.) If stuck, say: "Cover your prediction. What do the numbers say?"
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Graph and Conclude. 1) Your child circles the middle number in each row of the data table. 2) On graph paper, they draw a bar graph with the ruler. The setups go along the bottom. The measurement goes up the side. 3) They number the scale from 0 in even steps, such as 1s, 2s or 5s. 4) They draw one bar for each middle number and shade it with a colored pencil. 5) They add a title and label both sides, with the unit. 6) They write a claim, evidence with two numbers, and reasoning. 7) They compare the result with the prediction. Keep every bar the same width. Check that the claim matches the graph. The made-up sample gives bars at 4, 8 and 12, rising like steps. Your own numbers will differ. If your bars are close together, the change may matter very little. Say: "Real results vary. Look for the pattern."
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child tapes the graph into the notebook and writes the conclusion below it with four frames. "My claim is ___. My evidence is ___. This shows ___ because ___. My prediction was ___." Sample: "My claim is that a higher start pushes the cup farther. My evidence is 4 centimeters and 12 centimeters."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Read the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise every claim that matches the data, even when the prediction was wrong.

Watch for: Writing a claim that matches the prediction instead of the data.

Try: Cover the prediction with your hand. Ask, "What do the numbers say?" Your child writes the claim before looking again.

Exit ticket:

Three trials gave 31, 27 and 30 centimeters. Which number stands for all three, and why?
"Only the water temperature changed, so it caused the faster dissolving." Is this a claim, evidence or reasoning?
What is your own claim? Give two numbers from your table as evidence.

Answers: 1) 30 centimeters. It is the middle number when they are in order: 27, 30, 31. 2) Reasoning. It tells why the evidence supports the claim. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a claim that answers the question, with two numbers and their units.

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Day 5 · Friday

Social Studies

Objective: I can present my year-end community project and answer audience questions.

Standards: D4.3.3-5, D4.7.3-5, D2.Civ.6.3-5

Builds on: Needs the finished project and cue cards from Day 4. One-minute check: ask, "What five parts will your talk cover?" (The need with the map, the history fact, the cost plan, who decides and the ask.)

Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 16. Ask: "A friend shares an idea you disagree with. What do you do first?" (Listen, then repeat the idea back.) Your child takes one slow breath and says the opening line twice: "My Community Showcase project proposes ___." Then ask the big question: "What do you want your listeners to do after your talk?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Your talk names the need and shows the map and history fact. Then it explains the cost, tells who decides and ends with your ask." Say: "A showcase shares ideas respectfully. Listeners may see things differently. A good presenter listens and thanks them." Model a respectful reply. Say: "Suppose someone says a book box might get messy. You could answer: Thank you. That is a fair worry. My family will tidy it each week." Ask: "What did the presenter do first?" (Thanked the listener.) "Did the presenter give a reason or just say no?" (A reason.) Say: "People working together can do more than one person alone. They also have to agree on a plan, and that takes listening." Ask: "What is one benefit of working with others on your idea?" (Sample: more helpers and more ideas.) "What is one challenge?" (Sample: people may disagree or be busy.) Say: "After the talk, we choose a next step, such as mailing the letter with an adult." If stuck, say: "Read your last card. It is your ask."
Activity / Source Work (15–20 min) — Showcase. 1) Seat the listeners in the presenting space. Hand each one a feedback slip. 2) Your child presents for about 3 minutes with the project parts and cue cards. 3) Your child takes two questions and answers each politely with a reason. 4) Each listener fills in a slip: "I learned ___. One question I still have is ___." 5) Your child reads the slips and sorts them into two piles: things people learned and questions to answer. 6) With an adult, your child chooses a next step and predicts what might happen. Write it in a chart in the notebook: Next step | Who helps | Date | What we predict. Look for all five parts covered and two polite answers. Listeners differ. Look for what most of the slips say.
Notebook Entry (10 min) — Your child completes these frames: "One piece of feedback was ___. My answer is ___. My next step is ___ on ___." Sample: "One piece of feedback was a question about rain. My answer is a box with a door. My next step is mailing my letter on Monday."
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud. Give the stored Week 35 check later today, after a break. It has 7 items and takes about 15 minutes. 6 or more right: go on to the next step your child chose. 4 or 5 right: redo the Day 3 page and make a new cost plan. 3 or fewer right: reteach Day 1. Sort cards for the map, history fact, cost plan and decision-maker into four boxes. Praise polite answers.

Watch for: Presenting only the idea and forgetting the ask at the end.

Try: Write the ask on the last cue card in big letters. Your child ends by reading it to the listeners.

Exit ticket:

What was the best moment of your showcase?
A listener disagrees with your idea. Name two respectful things you can do.
What is the next step for your idea, and on what date?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: one specific moment. 2) Any two: listen, thank them, give a reason or ask a question back. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a realistic step with a date, such as mailing the letter on Monday.

Mathematics

Objective: I can finish my performance task and explain the math in my design.

Standards: 3.OA.A.3, 3.OA.D.8, 3.MD.C.7.b, 3.MD.D.8, 3.MD.B.3

Builds on: Needs two-step problems from Week 15 Day 1 and estimating to check from Week 15 Day 4. One-minute check: 4 boxes hold 5 pencils each, and 10 more are loose. How many pencils? (30)

New words:

budget – a plan for how to spend money

Warm-Up (5 min) — Today your child finishes the task, then takes the Week 35 check. Plan about 70 minutes, or give the check tomorrow. Spaced review from Week 15 Day 1. Jo has 3 bags of 6 shells and finds 4 more. How many shells? (3 × 6 = 18; 18 + 4 = 22) Then practice ×4 and ×5 facts with no clock. Ask 4 × 8, 4 × 9, 5 × 7 and 5 × 9 (32, 36, 35, 45).
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "Part 4 is the budget. A budget is a plan for spending money." Model a sample first. Say: "An art shelf has $40. Paint sets cost $3 each, and we need 7." Write 7 × 3 = 21. Say: "Brushes cost $2 each, and we need 4." Write 4 × 2 = 8. Ask: "How much do we spend?" Write 21 + 8 = 29. Ask: "How much is left?" Write 40 − 29 = 11. Check with an estimate: 20 + 10 = 30, and 29 is close. Say: "So we spend $29, and $11 is left." Now your child does more. This is Part 4. Say: "The class has $60. Cushions cost $4 each, and the class needs 6. Book bins cost $5 each, and the class needs 3." Your child answers three questions in writing. How much do the cushions cost? (6 × 4 = 24 dollars) How much do the bins cost? (3 × 5 = 15 dollars) How much is left from $60? (24 + 15 = 39; 60 − 39 = 21 dollars)
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — Score the task together with the rubric. Your child reads each answer aloud and explains it. 1) Part 1: area and perimeter of the corner. (48 square feet; 28 feet) 2) Part 2: rug area, edging and one reading spot. (12 square feet; 14 feet; 1/4) 3) Part 3: four bars, a title and two labels. (9, 6, 4 and 5; total 24) 4) Part 4: the budget. ($24, $15 and $21 left) Give up to 3 points for each part, 12 in all. Then your child presents the Reading Corner to the family in about two minutes. Each listener asks one question. If stuck, say: "Tell me what you drew. Which math did you use? How do you know it is right?"
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — Save the task in the math portfolio. Then give the stored Week 35 check. It has 7 items and sits with the Week 35 lessons. Allow about 15 minutes, with no clock running. Score it with the answer key. Choose a route by the result. 6 or 7 right: your child is ready for Week 36. 4 or 5 right: find the kind of item missed. For items 1 to 3, picture graphs, redo Day 1 Guided Practice. For items 4 and 5, bar graph scales, redo Day 2 Guided Practice. For items 6 and 7, how many more and fewer, redo Day 3 Guided Practice. 3 or fewer right: reteach the Day 1 Mini-Lesson with a key of 2. Then redo Day 3 Guided Practice before Week 36.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — After the check, your child answers these three questions. Then go over any missed check items together.

Watch for: Adding the two costs and stopping, without subtracting from $60.

Try: Your child rereads the last question. Then check by adding back: 21 + 39 = 60.

Exit ticket:

7 lamps cost $5 each. What is the total cost?
Paint costs $18 and paper costs $14. How much is left from $50?
Tell one place you used multiplication in your Reading Corner.

Answers: 1) $35 2) $18 (18 + 14 = 32; 50 − 32 = 18) 3) Answers vary. Look for: the floor area (8 × 6), the rug area (4 × 3) or a cost (6 × 4).

English Language Arts

Objective: I can present my portfolio, explain how I grew, and answer questions from my audience.

Standards: SL.3.4, SL.3.6, SL.3.3, SL.3.1

Builds on: Needs the talk skills from Week 33: note cards (Day 1), voice and eye contact (Day 2) and answering questions (Day 4). One-minute check: ask, "Where do you look at the end of each sentence?" (up, at one listener)

New words:

talking points – the few main things you plan to say

Warm-Up (5 min) — Word study, about 3 minutes. Give a quick spelling check with no clock. Say each word, and your child writes it: garden, seven, button, animal, tunnel, travel. Challenge word: festival. Correct it together, and your child underlines each schwa ending. Spaced review from Week 33. Ask: "What are the three parts of a strong answer to an audience question?" (Repeat the question, answer it, and add a detail.)
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A portfolio share walks your audience through three pieces: your earliest, your hardest and your favorite. You tell what changed." Make a note card on the index card with three talking points. Model one first. Say: "I write key words, not sentences." Write: "Earliest: September notebook page, three sentences, no evidence. Hardest: research report, tracked every source. Favorite: creek poem, said by heart." Your child writes their own three points on the card. Next, practice an opening line: "The biggest change in my writing this year was ___." Your child finishes it two ways and keeps the stronger one. Review the Week 33 tips: a loud, clear voice, a steady pace and eye contact. Say: "Hold up each piece when you talk about it. Speak in complete sentences."
Guided Practice (10–15 min) — 1) Practice run. Your child presents to you for 3 or 4 minutes and holds up each piece. 2) Ask one audience question, such as: "Which piece took the most revising?" Your child repeats the question, answers it and adds a detail. 3) Share one strength and one tip. 4) Give the stored Week 35 check. It has 8 items. Your child works alone for about 8 minutes. You may read the directions aloud, but give no hints. Score it together. If the hour is full, give the check after the family share instead. 6 or more right: ready. Your child may make a poster of the portfolio. 4 or 5 right: redo the Day 3 practice page. Then your child tells one thing they did yesterday, do today and will do tomorrow. 3 or fewer right: revisit Day 3. Draw three boxes labeled yesterday, today and tomorrow, and move a verb through each box.
Independent Practice (15–20 min) — 1) Your child presents the portfolio to the family and takes at least two questions. 2) The family talks it over. Each person names one piece they liked and tells why. Your child answers each comment in a complete sentence. Sample: "Thank you. I worked hard on that ending." 3) To finish, your child writes "Third Grade Author" on the sheet of paper and signs it with the pen. It goes at the front of the portfolio. Look for: three pieces shown at the right moments, eyes up at the end of sentences, and answers with a detail.
Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three questions to celebrate the year. Your child answers in complete sentences.

Watch for: Reading the notes word for word and never looking up.

Try: Your child holds up each piece, looks at the audience and says one sentence before glancing at the card.

Exit ticket:

Which three pieces did you share? What changed from the earliest to the favorite?
What question did your audience ask? Say your answer again with its detail.
What did you do well as a speaker today, and what will you work on in fourth grade?

Answers: 1) Answers vary. Look for: the earliest, hardest and favorite pieces and one real change. 2) Answers vary. Look for: a real question and an answer with a detail. 3) Answers vary. Look for: one strength and one specific thing to improve.

Science

Objective: I can present my investigation, explain my evidence and answer questions.

Standards: 3-5-ETS1-3

Builds on: Needs Days 1 to 4 and the survey talk from Week 34. One-minute check: your child says the claim in one sentence.

New words:

display – a poster or board that shows your work so others can read it

Day 175 — Science Fair Showcase — Wonder Warm-Up (5 min) — Spaced review from Week 5. Ask: "Your marble run had a spot where it stopped working. What do engineers call that spot?" (A failure point.) Then your child says the claim aloud in one sentence. Now the wonder. Ask: "What would you tell another scientist who wants to repeat your test?"
Mini-Lesson (10–15 min) — Say: "A science fair display tells your whole story." Name the six parts and sketch six boxes in the notebook. Title. Question. Prediction. Materials and Steps. Data and Graph. Conclusion. Say: "Scientists also say what could be better. Every test has a weak spot." Give a sample. "My cup sometimes turned sideways. That was a failure point in my test. Next time I would add two rulers as a guide lane." Say: "Telling the weak spot helps the next scientist run a fairer test." Ask: "Which box holds the graph?" (Data and Graph.) "Which part answers the question?" (The conclusion.) "What was one weak spot in your own test?" (Answers vary. Look for something real, such as a bumpy floor.) Teach two speaking tips from Week 34: face your listeners, and point to the graph. If stuck, say: "Tell the story in order. What did you ask? What did you do? What did you find?"
Investigation / Hands-On (15–20 min) — Build and Present. 1) Your child plans where the six parts go on the poster board. 2) They glue on the graph and data table and write the other parts with markers. 3) They set the test materials in front of the display. 4) They practice once aloud. 5) They present to family for three to five minutes, showing the materials and the graph. 6) The listeners ask three questions. Try "What did you keep the same?" "What surprised you?" and "What would you change next time?" 7) Your child answers with evidence from the data. A listener keeps a small table with two columns: Part, Included. Expect all six parts and answers that use numbers. If time runs short, your child writes only the headings and tells the rest aloud. If a part is missing, point to its box and your child adds it.
Science Notebook Entry (10 min) — Self-check. Your child writes three sentences in the science notebook. "One strength of my investigation was ___. One thing I would improve in my test is ___. A new question I wonder about is ___." Sample: "One strength was careful measuring. I would improve the floor by using a smoother one. I wonder if a heavier marble pushes the cup farther."
Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket (5 min) — Ask the three exit questions aloud and celebrate the investigation. Then give the Week 35 Science Check, which has 7 items. Your child works alone for about 10 minutes, now or later today. Score it with the key. With 6 or more right, plan the follow-up test that the check suggests. With 4 or 5 right, redo the Day 4 page and graph the data on the check. With 3 or fewer right, reteach Day 2. Roll a ball down a book ramp 3 times and list what stays the same.

Watch for: Reading the poster word for word without looking at the listeners.

Try: Your child points to each part and explains it in their own words. They glance at the poster only when stuck.

Exit ticket:

Which of the six display parts shows your evidence?
What is one weak spot, or failure point, in your test? How would you fix it?
What new question did your investigation make you wonder about?

Answers: 1) Data and Graph. The evidence sentence in the conclusion also uses it. 2) Answers vary. Look for: one specific change to the test, such as a smoother floor or a guide lane. 3) Answers vary. Look for: a question with something to change and something to measure.

Print Day 5 practice pages →

Worksheets

math — Day 171 — Year Review — Place Value, +/-
math — Day 172 — Year Review — × ÷
math — Day 173 — Year Review — Fractions
math — Day 174 — Year Review — Time, Mass, Volume
math — Day 175 — Year Review — Area, Perim, Geometry