A complete 3rd grade homeschool curriculum

1. Unit 1: Finding the EvidenceThis is where the whole year starts: your child learns that an answer about a story is only as good as the exact sentence that backs it up. They'll practice the six question types (who, what, when, where, why, how), find the one sentence that answers each, and learn to tell a complete sentence from a fragment.7 skills ▸close ▾

   • Finding the answer sentenceGiven a one-sentence question about a short passage, students locate and underline the single sentence in the text that answers it.
   • Six kinds of questionsStudents classify a question as a who, what, when, where, why, or how question by identifying its question word.
   • Picking the best evidenceGiven two candidate sentences from a text, students determine which one better supports a given answer, and explain why the other is not sufficient.
   • Checking for complete sentencesStudents determine whether a given sentence is a complete sentence or a fragment by checking for a subject and a verb.
   • Finding the missing partStudents explain, in a written sentence, why a given fragment is missing a subject or a verb.
   • Two answers with evidenceGiven a short passage and two different but each-supportable answers to the same question, students identify the separate evidence sentence that supports each answer.
   • Evidence for six answersOn a brand-new 150-250 word passage never seen before, students answer six text-dependent questions and copy the exact sentence supporting each answer.
2. Unit 2: What the Story Is Really AboutNow they move from pointing at what's stated to figuring out what the story means when the author never says it outright. They'll separate what a character did from why, and build a 'lesson' out of a character's choice plus what happened because of it. Two fables get compared side by side before naming the pattern.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Telling fable events in orderRecount the key events of a fable in the order they happened, using at least three past-tense verbs correctly.
   • What characters do and whyIdentify the sentence in a fable that states a character's action, and distinguish it from the sentence that reveals why the character acted.
   • Finding why from story cluesInfer a character's motivation in a new short fable by combining what the character does with details about the situation.
   • The lesson of a fableState the central lesson of a fable and identify the one line of text that would make the lesson false if it were untrue.
   • Comparing two fable lessonsCompare the lessons of two different fables that share a similar character choice, and explain what makes the lessons alike or different.
   • Choosing the better lessonJudge which of two proposed lessons for the same fable is better supported by evidence, and justify the judgment.
   • Past and present tense verbsCorrectly use past tense verbs to recount completed story events and present tense verbs to describe a story's stated lesson.
   • How choices cause eventsExplain how a character's choice causes a specific later event in the fable.
3. Unit 3: Main Idea and How Nonfiction Is BuiltSwitching from stories to nonfiction. Your child learns that a nonfiction paragraph has one main idea with details supporting it, and that authors also use headings, captions, diagrams, and glossaries to carry information — not just sentences. A short daily grammar thread on subject-verb agreement runs alongside.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Main idea of a paragraphGiven a 3-5 sentence nonfiction paragraph, state the one sentence or idea that all other sentences support.
   • Main idea and detailsSort a mixed set of sentences from a paragraph into 'main idea' and 'supporting detail.'
   • Checking if details fitExplain why a detail from a paragraph does or does not support the stated main idea.
   • Choosing the right text featureName the text feature (heading, caption, diagram, glossary, or bold word) that would answer a given question fastest.
   • Facts in diagrams and captionsLocate the specific answer to a factual question inside a diagram or caption, not the body text.
   • Making subjects and verbs agreeIdentify the subject and verb in a sentence and fix a subject-verb agreement error.
   • Which text feature helps mostCompare two nonfiction pages on the same topic and judge which text feature better answers a given question.
   • Reading a brand new articleOn a completely new one-page informational text never seen in class, state the main idea, list two supporting details, and answer two questions using text features.
4. Unit 4: Reading Nonfiction CloselyThis unit pushes Unit 3's feature-spotting into actually combining information — connecting what a diagram shows to what the sentences say. Your child also learns to tell apart cause/effect from sequence-of-steps, two structures that look similar and are easy to mix up. Grammar adds future tense and irregular verbs in small daily doses.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Finding causes and effectsGiven two sentences describing an event and its result, state which sentence is the cause and which is the effect.
   • Cause and effect or stepsSort a mixed set of sentence pairs into 'cause and effect' or 'sequence of steps' categories.
   • Facts only labels tellExplain how a diagram's label adds a specific fact that the surrounding sentences do not state.
   • Using words and pictures togetherAnswer a comprehension question that requires combining one fact from the sentences with one fact from a diagram or photo caption.
   • Verbs for the futureProduce a sentence describing a future action using correct future-tense verb form, including at least one irregular verb.
   • Tricky past tense verbsIdentify the correct past-tense form of an irregular verb from three answer choices.
   • Text or diagram answersGiven a new two-page informational passage with an unfamiliar diagram, decide which questions the sentences alone can answer and which require the diagram.
   • Text feature word reviewRecall the definition of a text feature term (heading, caption, diagram, glossary) taught in Unit 3.
   • Cause and effect or sequenceCompare a cause/effect passage and a sequence passage on the same topic and state which structure each uses and why.
5. Unit 5: Comparing Two TextsYour child learns to compare two texts on the same topic — two stories or two nonfiction pieces — and notice what each author chose to include or leave out. They'll take brief notes from each text, sort ideas into a comparison chart, and write sentences using 'and,' 'but,' or 'or' to state a similarity or difference, each one backed by evidence.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Sorting details with circlesSort a list of details from two texts into 'both,' 'only text A,' or 'only text B' on a comparison chart.
   • Same and different detailsState one detail found in both of two informational texts and one detail found in only one.
   • Joining ideas with conjunctionsCombine two related sentences about compared texts using and, but, or or, choosing the conjunction that matches the relationship.
   • Why authors pick certain detailsExplain why two accurate texts about the same event can emphasize different details.
   • Comparing lessons in two storiesCompare the lessons two characters learn in two different stories on a similar theme.
   • Evidence behind a comparisonJudge which of two provided details would most weaken a stated similarity claim if it were false.
   • Write a short comparisonWrite 4-5 sentences comparing two new texts on the same topic, stating one similarity and one difference each with evidence.
   • Compare and contrast wordsRecall the meaning of the terms compare and contrast as used for two texts.
6. Unit 6: Writing to Give an OpinionYour child writes a 4-paragraph opinion piece: a stated opinion, two reasons each backed up by something from a short text, and a closing. This is the first unit where they're producing a full piece of writing graded against everything built so far — especially 'evidence' from Unit 1.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Writing an opinion sentenceState an opinion as a complete sentence that names the topic and takes a clear side.
   • Reasons, facts, and feelingsSort a list of sentences about a topic into 'reason' (supports opinion, can be argued) versus 'fact' (true statement, not an opinion) versus 'feeling' (restates emotion, gives no support).
   • Finding proof for a reasonSelect the sentence from a short provided text that best supports a given reason, and explain why it supports that reason rather than a different one.
   • Linking reasons with becauseCombine a reason and its supporting detail into two sentences using a linking word (because, also, another reason).
   • Planning a four paragraph opinionPlan a 4-paragraph opinion piece using a graphic organizer that separates opinion, reason 1 with support, reason 2 with support, and closing.
   • Writing a four paragraph opinionDraft an opinion piece independently from a planning organizer and a new short text, stating an opinion and supporting it with two reasons.
   • Checking reasons in draftsCheck a partner's draft for one specific issue: does each reason have a supporting sentence from the text, or is it a restated feeling.
   • Keeping verb tense the sameRevise a sentence with an incorrect or shifting verb tense so the tense is consistent across the paragraph.
   • Opinion writing on your ownWrite a complete opinion piece on a new topic, with a new short text, choosing which of three provided facts best supports each reason without being told which one fits.
7. Unit 7: Writing to InformInformative writing as the flip side of nonfiction reading skills built since Unit 3. Your child gathers facts from short sources, groups them into three paragraph topics, writes topic sentences, and adds a heading plus one text feature (a diagram or caption) they design themselves.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Naming parts of a textLabel a heading, caption, diagram, and topic sentence in a short sample text.
   • Sorting facts into groupsSort a list of 10-12 facts about one topic into 3 groups by shared subtopic.
   • Writing a topic sentenceWrite a topic sentence that names the shared idea of a group of facts.
   • Taking notes in short phrasesRecord facts from a short provided source using short phrases, not copied sentences.
   • Writing a heading that fitsWrite a heading that fits all 3 paragraphs of a given draft and check it against each one.
   • Making a diagram or captionDesign a diagram or caption that matches one fact stated in an original paragraph.
   • Making subjects and verbs matchEdit a paragraph for subject-verb agreement, correcting each mismatched verb.
   • Fixing a verb tense mistakeEdit a paragraph so verb tense stays consistent across all sentences.
   • Choosing the fact that fitsChoose which of two facts is a better fit for a given paragraph's topic sentence.
   • Writing your own informative pieceCompose a 3-paragraph informative piece on an unfamiliar topic with a heading and one text feature.
8. Unit 8: Writing a Story in OrderThe final unit: writing an original narrative with a clear starting situation, an ordered middle, and an ending that shows change. It's not new from scratch — it pulls together sequencing from Unit 2, motivation vocabulary from Unit 2, the compare structure from Unit 5, and grammar built across Units 1-4, and combines them for the first time into one piece.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Putting story events in orderStudent identifies whether a given three-sentence story excerpt is in chronological order or scrambled.
   • Beginning middle and endStudent arranges four events from a picture-based story prompt into a beginning-middle-end sequence chart.
   • Show feelings through actionsStudent rewrites a sentence that names a character's feeling directly into a sentence that shows the feeling through an action.
   • Time words that show orderStudent selects the temporal word (first, next, then, finally) that correctly signals the relationship between two given story events.
   • How a character's choices changeStudent compares a character's choice at the story's beginning to the same character's choice at the story's end, explaining what changed and why.
   • Combining two short sentencesStudent combines two short related sentences into one sentence using a coordinating conjunction (and, but, or, so).
   • Fixing a verb tense mistakeStudent corrects a verb tense error in a sentence so that tense stays consistent with the surrounding paragraph.
   • Writing your own storyStudent plans and drafts an original 3-paragraph narrative with a clearly established situation, a sequenced middle using temporal words, and an ending, including at least one motivation detail.

Try a real Reading, Thinking, Writing: Grade 3 English Language Arts lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Equal Groups, Arrays, and the Meaning of MultiplicationThis unit gives a name and a picture to something your child already half-knows: counting things in equal groups. They'll learn two pictures - equal groups and arrays (rows and columns of dots or tiles) - and the words that go with them: factor, product, row, column. The array picture is the star here because rotating it shows, without any rule to memorize, that 4 groups of 6 and 6 groups of 4 come out the same.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Equal groups and multiplicationGiven a picture of equal groups (e.g., 4 baskets of 3 apples), the student writes the total as repeated addition and as a multiplication equation.
   • Rows, columns, and totalsThe student builds an array with a stated number of rows and columns and states the total.
   • Factors and productsThe student names the factors and product in a given multiplication equation and in a matching array.
   • Turning arrays, same totalGiven an array, the student rotates it 90 degrees (physically or by redrawing) and explains why the total does not change.
   • Groups and arrays, one factThe student compares an equal-groups picture and an array for the same fact and explains what stays the same and what looks different.
   • Equal groups word problemsGiven a word problem describing equal groups, the student selects and draws the matching picture and writes the equation.
   • When arrays do not fitThe student identifies a case where repeated addition describes a situation but an array does not fit naturally (e.g., 3 groups of a half-sandwich), and explains why.
   • Why factor order never mattersGiven a multiplication fact never shown in class, the student draws an array, rotates it, and explains using the picture why the two factor orders give the same product.
2. Unit 2: Division, Fact Families, and Fluency Within 100Division isn't a new topic here - it's the same array from Unit 1, looked at from a different angle. Every array hiding a multiplication fact is also hiding two division facts, and your child learns to see all four before drilling any one of them. The unit moves from splitting real arrays, to naming fact families, to solving for missing factors, to fast recall, ending with two-step word problems.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Fact families from one arrayGiven an array of up to 10 rows and 10 columns, state the two multiplication facts and two division facts it represents.
   • Divisor, dividend, and quotientIdentify the divisor, dividend, and quotient in a division fact when the fact and its array are both shown.
   • Dividing arrays into equal rowsDivide a set of up to 100 objects into equal rows, using an array drawing, to find the number in each row.
   • Division facts up to 100Recall the quotient for any division fact with a divisor and dividend within 10x10, without counting or drawing.
   • Finding the missing factorFind the missing factor in an equation such as 6 x ? = 42 or ? x 7 = 56, presented with the product in either position.
   • When groups have leftoversExplain why a set of objects cannot always be split into equal whole-number groups, using a specific non-even example.
   • Solving problems with two stepsSolve a two-step word problem requiring one multiplication step and one related division step, drawn from an unfamiliar context.
   • Patterns in the multiplication tableIdentify the pattern of increasing products in a multiplication table (e.g. the 9s pattern) and use it to predict an unfamiliar fact.
   • Turned arrays, same fact familyCompare two array drawings that represent the same fact family rotated 90 degrees and judge whether they show the same facts.
3. Unit 3: Place Value to 10,000 and RoundingNumbers get bigger - up to 10,000 - and rounding gets taught as a real choice ('which friendly number is this closer to on a line?') instead of a digit-underlining trick. Your child builds a place value chart through the thousands, places numbers on number lines with no marked ticks except two endpoints, and rounds to the nearest 10 and 100 using that line. They also multiply single digits by multiples of 10 using the array knowledge from Units 1-2.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Place value to 10,000Given a 4-digit number, write how many thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones it has using a place value chart.
   • Expanded form to 10,000Write a 4-digit number in expanded form as the sum of thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones.
   • Placing numbers on number linesPlace a given whole number as a point on an open number line marked only with two benchmark endpoints.
   • Rounding to the nearest tenRound a given whole number to the nearest 10 by identifying which benchmark on a number line it is closer to.
   • Rounding to the nearest hundredRound a given whole number to the nearest 100 using the same number-line reasoning applied to the nearest 10.
   • Why rounding answers can differExplain why a number can round differently depending on whether the purpose calls for nearest 10 or nearest 100.
   • Multiplying by multiples of tenMultiply a one-digit number by a multiple of 10 (10-90) using an array or equal-groups picture from Units 1-2.
   • Estimating to check answersEstimate a sum or difference by rounding both numbers first, then compare the estimate to a computed exact answer to judge reasonableness.
   • Exact answer or estimateDecide, for an unfamiliar word problem with no rounding cue given, whether an exact answer or an estimate best fits the situation, and justify the choice.
4. Unit 4: Area and Perimeter: Two Questions About One ShapeSame rectangle, two different questions: how much space is inside it (area), and how far around the outside (perimeter). Your child tiles rectangles with unit squares to build area as an honest count, then connects that count to the array's rows-times-columns from Units 1-2, now relabeled length-times-width. Perimeter goes on the very same rectangles on purpose, so the two ideas get compared side by side instead of learned as unrelated facts.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Finding area by counting squaresFind the area of a rectangle by tiling it with unit squares and counting them.
   • Why rows times columns worksExplain why the number of unit squares in a tiled rectangle equals rows times columns.
   • Area using length times widthCompute the area of a rectangle using the formula length times width, given whole-number side lengths.
   • Area versus perimeterDistinguish area problems from perimeter problems by identifying which unit label (square units vs. linear units) and which count (interior squares vs. distance around) each requires.
   • Finding a missing side lengthFind an unknown side length of a rectangle given its perimeter and one known side.
   • Building rectangles with tilesBuild rectangles from a fixed number of unit tiles and record their area and perimeter accurately.
   • Same tiles, different shapesPredict, for a new fixed number of tiles not yet built, whether area or perimeter will stay the same across different rectangles.
   • Picking the best rectangleDetermine the rectangle dimensions that would use a given number of square tiles most efficiently for a real fencing or flooring scenario not previously discussed in class.
   • Rounding sides to estimate areaRound three-digit rectangle side lengths to the nearest ten to estimate area before computing the exact product.
5. Unit 5: Unit Fractions and Fractions on the Number LineFractions arrive as pictures, not symbols, first. Your child folds and divides shapes and number lines into equal parts, names unit fractions like 1/4, and places fractions as points or hops on a line rather than as two numbers stacked on top of each other. A big chunk of this unit is spent on unequal partitioning, because that's the single most common way this goes wrong.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Cutting shapes into equal partsPartition a rectangle or circle into b equal-sized parts, b up to 8, using folding or drawn lines.
   • Shading fraction barsShade a of b equal parts on a fraction bar to represent a given fraction a/b.
   • Equal parts or unequal partsIdentify which of several partitioned shapes shows equal parts versus unequal parts, given shapes cut to look plausible but unequal.
   • Why equal parts matterExplain why a fraction label is meaningless if the parts of the whole are not equal in size.
   • Unit fractions on a number linePartition a number line segment from 0 to 1 into b equal lengths and label each tick with the correct unit fraction.
   • Fractions as number line hopsLocate and label a given fraction a/b as the point reached after a hops of length 1/b from 0.
   • Matching bars and number linesCompare a fraction bar model and a number line model of the same fraction and explain that both represent the same distance from a whole.
   • The whole changes the sizeDetermine whether 1/2 of two different-sized wholes (a long strip and a short strip, both cut fairly) names the same actual size of piece.
   • Fourths in the real worldGiven an unfamiliar real object (a garden bed, a ribbon length) never used in class examples, partition it into equal fourths and mark the 1/4 point on a corresponding number line.
6. Unit 6: Comparing Fractions with ModelsNow that your child can build and place fractions, this unit compares them - using bars and number lines, never by comparing the numerators or denominators alone. Same-denominator and same-numerator comparisons come first because the picture gives an obvious answer; comparing against the benchmark 1/2 comes next for trickier pairs; whole numbers as fractions (3 = 3/1) closes the unit out.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Comparing with the same denominatorGiven two fraction bars split into the same number of equal parts, state which shaded amount is greater by counting shaded parts.
   • Comparing with the same numeratorGiven two fraction bars with the same numerator but different denominators, explain why the fraction with fewer parts is greater.
   • Comparing fractions on number linesLocate two given fractions as points on the same number line and state which point is farther from zero.
   • Spotting equivalent fractionsIdentify two fractions shown on stacked, equal-length fraction bars as equivalent when their shaded lengths match exactly.
   • Using one half to compareCompare two fractions that share neither numerator nor denominator by reasoning about each fraction's distance from the benchmark 1/2.
   • Why comparing bottom numbers failsExplain why two fractions with different denominators cannot be compared by comparing the denominators alone.
   • Whole numbers as fractionsRepresent a whole number such as 3 as a fraction (3/1) and place it correctly on a number line alongside fractions less than one.
   • Comparing fractions with drawingsGiven a new pair of fractions and two blank equal-length strips with no marks, choose and draw a model that shows which fraction is greater, then justify the choice.
7. Unit 7: Telling Time to the Minute and Elapsed TimeA clock face gets introduced as a number line bent into a circle - the same skip-counting-by-5s your child already has gets pointed at a new, round context. The unit builds clock reading first, then elapsed time using a timeline drawing, adding one complication at a time: within an hour, crossing an hour, comparing two gaps, crossing noon or midnight. Unlike most of this course, clock-reading itself is taught fairly directly - it's a genuinely new structure, not something to rediscover.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Counting minutes by fivesGiven an analog clock with only hour marks labeled, skip-count by 5s aloud or in writing to name the exact minute the minute hand points to.
   • Reading clocks to the minuteRead any analog clock face and state the time to the nearest minute, including times where the minute hand sits between labeled 5-minute marks.
   • Clocks as bent number linesExplain why the clock face can be thought of as a number line bent into a circle, using the wrap-around at 12 as evidence.
   • Elapsed time on a timelineDraw a timeline with labeled hops of 5 minutes to represent the elapsed time between a given start time and end time that do not cross an hour boundary.
   • Elapsed time across the hourSolve a word problem requiring addition or subtraction of a time interval that crosses one hour boundary, using a drawn timeline.
   • Same elapsed time, different timesCompare two different start-and-end time pairs and determine whether they represent the same elapsed time.
   • Elapsed time in many stepsSolve a multi-step elapsed-time word problem set in an unfamiliar real-world context (e.g. a multi-stop bus schedule) that crosses both an hour boundary and the a.m./p.m. divide, with no explicit cue that a timeline should be used.
   • Skip counting by fivesRecall the skip-count sequence by 5s to 60 from memory within 30 seconds.
   • What makes elapsed time hardClassify a set of mixed elapsed-time word problems by which structural feature makes them hard (crosses an hour, crosses noon/midnight, or neither) before solving any of them.
8. Unit 8: Scaled Picture Graphs and Bar GraphsThis closing unit reveals that a graph's scale - one symbol equals 5, one gridline equals 5 - is just an equal group from Unit 1 wearing a costume. Your child reads scaled picture graphs, then scaled bar graphs, then builds their own bar graph from a data table, and uses rounding from Unit 3 to sanity-check totals they compute from a graph.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Finding totals on picture graphsFind the total number of items shown by a set of symbols on a scaled picture graph, given a key stating one symbol equals a fixed number.
   • Finding totals on bar graphsDetermine the total represented by a bar on a scaled bar graph by multiplying the bar's grid length by the graph's scale value.
   • Comparing totals on scaled graphsSolve a two-step 'how many more/fewer' comparison problem using data from a scaled bar or picture graph.
   • Why scale matters on graphsExplain why a graph's scale must be read before its bars or symbols can be compared to another graph of different data.
   • Making a scaled bar graphConstruct a scaled bar graph from a given data table, choosing and labeling an appropriate scale.
   • Same data, different scalesCompare two bar graphs of the identical data set drawn at different scales and judge whether either graph misrepresents the data.
   • Rounding to check graph totalsRound a graph-derived total to the nearest ten to judge whether a computed answer is reasonable.
   • Scale, key, and axisRecall the meaning of graph vocabulary (scale, key, axis) introduced in this unit.

Try a real Number, Shape, and Pattern: Grade 3 Mathematics lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Forces and MotionYour child pushes and pulls real objects, measures force with a spring scale, and rolls balls down ramps to collect real data. They learn motion has both a speed and a direction, that forces can cancel out or not, and that a pattern in their own trial data lets them predict something they haven't tried yet.11 skills ▸close ▾

   • Pushes and pullsGiven a photo or short video of an action, students classify the force shown as a push or a pull.
   • Measuring force on different surfacesStudents use a spring scale to measure the force needed to start a toy car moving on three different surfaces.
   • Balanced forces on still objectsStudents explain why an object sitting still on a table has balanced forces acting on it, using the table's push-back as evidence.
   • Unbalanced forces and motionGiven two forces acting on the same toy from opposite directions with different strengths shown by arrow length, students predict which way the object will move.
   • Speed and directionStudents describe an object's motion using both its speed (fast/slow) and its direction (which way) from a rolling-ball demonstration.
   • Ramp height and roll distanceStudents record ramp-height and roll-distance data across at least four trials and identify the pattern connecting them.
   • Predicting from a patternUsing their own trial data pattern, students predict how far the ball will roll from an untested ramp height and justify the prediction with the data.
   • Forces on a new deviceGiven a description of a brand-new device the class has never seen (a wind-up toy on a slanted tray), students decide whether the forces on it are balanced or unbalanced and predict its motion.
   • Explaining ramp results with evidenceStudents write a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph that states a prediction, cites their trial data as evidence, and explains why the pattern supports the prediction.
   • When height and friction changeGiven a new case where BOTH ramp height and surface friction change together, students decide whether height alone still explains the distance and identify what else must be considered.
   • Reading about forces in toolsStudents identify the push or pull force and the object it acts on in a short nonfiction passage about simple machines.
2. Unit 2: Invisible Forces: Magnets and Static ElectricityYour child takes the push/pull vocabulary from Unit 1 and applies it to forces that work without anything touching. They test which ends of magnets attract or repel, build a static charge with a balloon and wool, and design a fair test that changes only distance to see how magnet strength changes.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Contact and noncontact forcesGiven a labeled diagram of two objects interacting, students classify the interaction as contact force or non-contact force.
   • Magnets attract and repelStudents predict whether two magnets will attract or repel based on which poles face each other, then test the prediction with real magnets.
   • Static charge from frictionStudents explain why a balloon rubbed with wool sticks to a wall, using the term static electric charge from friction.
   • Changing only magnet distanceStudents design a test that changes only the distance between a magnet and a paperclip, holding the magnet and paperclip the same, to find how force strength changes.
   • Magnet distance and force strengthStudents compare their magnet-distance data across multiple trials to identify the pattern connecting distance and force strength.
   • Contact or noncontact in machinesGiven a new, unfamiliar object pair never discussed in class (for example, a doorbell button and a doorbell), students infer whether the interaction is contact or non-contact and justify the choice with evidence.
   • Magnets and balanced forcesStudents argue from their own distance-force data whether magnetism follows the same balanced/unbalanced force logic taught for pushes and pulls in Unit 1, correctly identifying that a stationary object held against a magnet's pull still has forces acting on it.
   • Static charge and noncontact forceStudents recall the definition of static electric charge and non-contact force when prompted with a word bank.
3. Unit 3: Life Cycles of Plants and AnimalsYour child follows a frog and a bean plant through their repeating stages, noticing that each stage has traits that fit what the organism needs right then. A weeks-long bean-plant log is the backbone of the unit — dated, measured entries that become evidence for a final diagram and comparison.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Stages of a frog life cycleStudents identify the four stages of a frog's life cycle from a labeled diagram.
   • Drawing a life cycle loopStudents copy a labeled stage-and-loop diagram for a life cycle shown in a worked example, reproducing stage names in the correct closed-loop order.
   • Traits for each life stageStudents match a stage-specific trait (gills, lungs) to the correct life cycle stage and explain why that trait suits what the organism needs at that stage.
   • Metamorphosis and direct growthStudents distinguish metamorphosis (frog, butterfly) from direct growth (human, dog) using two contrasted animal cases.
   • Recording bean plant changesStudents record a dated, measured observation of their bean plant's stage and describe one visible change from the prior entry.
   • Growth is not a forceStudents classify a plant's growth toward light as a life-cycle response, not a force, using the force definition from Unit 1.
   • Ordering a new life cycleStudents sequence the life cycle stages of an unfamiliar organism from unlabeled photos and justify the order using visible traits.
   • Main idea of life cyclesStudents summarize the main idea and key details of a short informational text about an animal life cycle.
   • Using text and diagrams togetherStudents use text and diagram together to answer a question a diagram alone could not answer.
   • Slow growth and sudden changeStudents write a short explanation comparing a life-cycle change to a force-caused change, using evidence from their observation log and Unit 1 notes.
4. Unit 4: Inheritance and Variation of TraitsYour child learns offspring inherit traits from parents, but no two offspring turn out exactly alike. They build a firm line between traits you're born with and traits you pick up during life, then measure a real trait across many samples and graph how much it varies.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Traits from parentsStudents state that offspring inherit traits from parents.
   • Inherited or acquired traitsStudents classify a given trait as inherited or acquired using the birth-presence test.
   • More inherited or acquired traitsStudents classify a novel trait example not used in instruction as inherited or acquired, and justify the classification.
   • Measuring one traitStudents measure a trait across at least 10 samples and record the values.
   • Range, typical value, and variationStudents explain how the range and typical value in a graphed trait relate to variation within a group, and accept a data point that differs from their own as legitimate rather than a mistake.
   • Comparing variation in two groupsStudents compare two data sets of the same trait from different groups and infer which shows more variation.
   • Helpful or harmful traitsStudents explain that a trait's value for survival depends on the environment, not on the trait alone.
   • Inherited or acquired from descriptionsStudents classify an unfamiliar organism's trait as inherited or acquired using only a written description, no picture or class discussion cue.
   • Writing about trait cardsStudents generate a written argument sorting trait cards into inherited vs. acquired, citing the birth-presence test as evidence.
5. Unit 5: Fossils and Environments of the PastYour child learns a fossil is evidence of something that lived long ago, not a living thing itself. They compare specific traits on fossils to the same traits on living things today, learn that rock layers stack oldest-at-bottom, and combine both ideas to figure out what an ancient environment might have looked like.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • What a fossil isIdentify that a fossil is evidence of a living thing from long ago, not a living thing itself.
   • Fossil, living thing, or rockSort picture cards into fossil, living thing, and non-living rock using the definitions taught on Day 1.
   • Comparing fossils and living thingsCompare a named trait on a fossil to the same trait on a living organism today.
   • Rock layers show ageExplain how the position of a rock layer indicates its relative age.
   • Ranking new rock layersRank an unfamiliar rock-layer diagram from oldest to youngest using layer position.
   • Fossil clues about past placesInfer a past environment from a fossil's trait, citing the specific trait as support.
   • What fossils cannot tell usDistinguish a question a fossil can answer from a question it cannot answer.
   • Two texts, one fossil siteCompare information about the same fossil site from two different texts.
   • Past environments from new fossilsInfer the likely past environment of an unfamiliar rock-and-fossil sample never discussed in class.
6. Unit 6: Organisms in a Changing EnvironmentYour child asks whether a trait that helps in one environment can hurt in another if that environment changes. They build out everything 'environment' actually includes — weather, food, water, other organisms, shelter — and compare what happens to a population when change is fast (a fire) versus slow (temperature drifting over years).8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Parts of an environmentStudents list at least four components of an environment (weather, food, water, other organisms) for a given habitat picture.
   • Fast and slow environment changesStudents classify a given environmental change as fast (fire, flood, new predator arriving) or slow (temperature drift, gradual habitat loss).
   • Matching traits to environmentsStudents explain why a specific trait (e.g., thick fur, long beak, camouflage color) helps an organism survive in one named environment.
   • Does this trait help survivalGiven a new organism and environment not used in class examples, students predict whether a named trait would help or hurt survival.
   • Fast change and slow changeStudents compare what happens to a population when its environment changes quickly versus slowly, using the idea that slow change gives more time for some individuals to survive by chance variation.
   • Backing up a survival claimStudents construct a written argument that states a claim about whether a given trait helps or hurts survival under a stated environmental change, supported by at least one piece of evidence drawn from Unit 4 or Unit 5 content.
   • Checking a friend's argumentStudents critique a peer's written survival argument by checking whether the claim, the stated environmental change, and the cited evidence actually connect to each other.
   • Traits in brand new situationsGiven a completely novel scenario (an environment changing in a way never discussed in class, e.g., a new food source appearing) students judge whether a stated trait would now help, hurt, or make no difference, and justify the judgment.
7. Unit 7: Weather Patterns and HazardsYour child collects real weather data, graphs it, and uses the pattern they find to justify a preparedness action. It moves from daily readings (temperature, wind, rain) to a multi-week household weather log, then to reasoning about whole seasons, then to matching a hazard to a real preparedness step.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Temperature, wind, and precipitationGiven a thermometer reading, a wind description, and a sky description, the student names each as temperature, wind, or precipitation.
   • Reading a thermometerThe student reads a household or classroom thermometer and records the temperature to the nearest labeled line, on at least 5 different days.
   • Reading a temperature graphGiven two weeks of a class temperature log shown as a line graph, the student identifies the day with the highest and lowest recorded temperature.
   • Why seasons bring certain weatherGiven a season and a region description, the student explains why that season's typical temperature and precipitation pattern occurs there, using the recorded-data evidence from the class log.
   • Season pattern or daily changeGiven a new city's multi-week weather data table (not used in class), the student determines whether the data shows a seasonal pattern or random day-to-day variation.
   • Matching weather hazards to safety actionsGiven descriptions of three weather hazards (flood, severe storm, extreme heat/cold), the student matches each hazard to one preparedness action and explains why that action addresses that specific hazard.
   • Graphing your own weather dataUsing their own multi-week household weather log, the student constructs a bar or line graph of one weather variable across the log's dates.
   • Planning ahead with weather evidenceUsing their own graphed log and a stated seasonal pattern, the student designs one preparedness action and justifies it in writing using the words 'pattern' and 'evidence.'
8. Unit 8: Capstone: Systems We Can ExplainNo new content here — this unit asks your child to take four ideas built all year (force, pattern, trait, evidence) and use them on scenarios mixed from every unit, then design and run their own small investigation with household materials, ending in a written explanation and a family showcase.11 skills ▸close ▾

   • What pattern and evidence meanStudents state the definitions of 'pattern' and 'evidence' from memory without a prompt card.
   • What force and trait meanStudents state the definitions of 'force' and 'trait' from memory without a prompt card.
   • Claim, evidence, and reasoningStudents recall the three parts of a CER explanation, in order, from memory.
   • Contact and non-contact forcesStudents correctly classify a novel scenario as involving a contact force, a non-contact force, or no force, using the Unit 1-2 push/pull definition.
   • Sorting force, pattern, trait, evidenceGiven a mixed set of scenario cards from all seven prior units, students sort each card under the correct master idea (force, pattern, trait, or evidence).
   • Patterns in rocks and weatherStudents explain why the same word 'pattern' correctly describes both a fossil rock layer sequence and a week of weather data.
   • Design your own investigationStudents design one testable investigation, choosing a variable to change and a measurement to collect, from a bounded set of integrated scenario options.
   • Collecting your investigation dataStudents run their designed investigation with household materials and record measured results in a data log.
   • Connecting your investigation to earlier lessonsStudents construct a claim-evidence-reasoning explanation of their investigation, naming which prior unit each piece of reasoning came from.
   • Does the evidence fit the claimStudents evaluate a peer's claim by checking whether the stated evidence actually supports it.
   • What your evidence can showStudents identify what their own investigation's evidence can and cannot show about their claim.

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1. Unit 1: What Makes a CommunityThis is where the whole year's vocabulary starts: community, need, want, role, interdependence (that's just a big word for 'we depend on each other'). Your child tests groups they already know — family, class, town — against the question 'who depends on whom, for what?' to decide if it really counts as a community.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • What a community isStudent states the definition of 'community' as a group of people who depend on each other.
   • Community or not a communityStudent sorts given examples of groups of people into 'community' and 'not a community' based on whether members depend on each other.
   • Needs and wantsStudent distinguishes a need from a want in examples drawn from home, school, and town life.
   • Different roles in a communityStudent explains why a community depends on people filling different roles, using a named community that was NOT the community modeled in Day 6 instruction.
   • Comparing two of my communitiesStudent compares two different communities (e.g., family and town) to identify one need each meets that the other does not.
   • Is one family a communityStudent infers whether a hypothetical group of one family alone, with no outside contact, could be a full community.
   • Which community meets the needStudent identifies which of three named groups students belong to (family, class, town) meets a given need.
   • Organizing facts about communitiesStudent organizes evidence about three communities (need met, role, and reason for interdependence) into a short written and drawn response.
2. Unit 2: Map and Globe SkillsYour child learns that maps and globes are choices someone made, not exact copies of a place. Over about 3.5 weeks they build a full toolkit — directions, symbols, scale, landforms, continents, oceans, and why a globe and a flat map don't quite agree — that every later unit depends on to find and compare places.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The four cardinal directionsStudent names the four cardinal directions and points to each on a compass rose.
   • Finding direction on a mapStudent uses a compass rose to state the cardinal direction from one labeled point on a map to another.
   • Halfway directions like northeastStudent identifies intermediate directions (NE, NW, SE, SW) as halfway points between two cardinal directions.
   • Reading a map keyStudent matches a map symbol to its meaning using a provided map key.
   • Why maps can look differentStudent explains why two accurate maps of the same place can show different information.
   • Using a map scaleStudent uses a map's scale tool to estimate the real distance between two points.
   • Landforms and bodies of waterStudent classifies landforms and bodies of water by matching a picture to its correct name.
   • Why flat maps change shapesStudent compares a globe and a flat map of the same area and infers why their shapes differ.
   • Finding continents and oceansStudent locates and names all seven continents and four of the five oceans on an unlabeled world map.
   • Make your own mapStudent draws an original map of an unfamiliar space with a title, key, at least four symbols, and a compass rose.
3. Unit 3: Communities Around the WorldYour child compares how communities in different parts of the world meet the same basic needs — shelter, food, getting around — differently, because of land, climate, and resources. They study at least three real communities (desert, coastal or river, cold or mountain) and build a comparison chart, using the map skills from Unit 2 to actually locate them.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Cities, suburbs, and rural areasSort images of settlements into urban, suburban, or rural using density of buildings and land use as evidence.
   • Weather, land, and daily lifeExplain how a community's climate and landform affect one daily-life choice, such as house material or clothing.
   • Finding communities on a mapLocate three studied world communities on a map using latitude clues, continent names, and legend symbols from Unit 2.
   • Same need, different waysCompare how two studied communities meet the same need, identifying at least one shared purpose and one different method.
   • Guessing resources from the landInfer why a community likely uses a resource for shelter based on climate and landform clues in a new, unstudied region.
   • Respectful or unfair wordsClassify a written statement about another community as respectful description or as an unfair judgment.
   • Making a comparison chartOrganize evidence about two communities into a comparison chart with need, method, and reason columns.
   • Compare two communities in writingProduce a short written piece comparing how two studied communities meet one need, using map evidence and specific details, and extend that same comparison logic to one need/community pairing not charted together in class.
4. Unit 4: Communities Across TimeYour child studies one local or regional community at two points in time — old photos, old objects, and modern comparisons. They learn to tell a primary source (from that time) from a secondary source (told about later), then build a then/now chart comparing homes, work, and transport.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Sorting primary and secondary sourcesSort a set of source materials into primary (from that time) and secondary (told about later) using date and authorship clues.
   • What makes a source primaryExplain why a source made during the time period counts as primary even if it looks similar to a later secondary source.
   • Our community then and nowCompare homes, work, and transport in one studied community at two time periods using a then/now chart.
   • What changed and what stayedIdentify at least one tradition that has continued and one thing that has changed in the same studied community.
   • Proving a claim with evidenceSupport a then/now claim about a category (homes, work, or transport) with one specific piece of source evidence.
   • Why one object can misleadPredict what a future community member might wrongly conclude from a single object left behind today.
   • History words to knowRecall the definitions of primary source, secondary source, then/now, change, continuity, and tradition.
   • Finding our community on mapsLocate the studied community on a map using cardinal directions and a legend before comparing it across time.
5. Unit 5: Rules, Laws, and GovernmentYour child learns why communities need rules, the difference between a rule and a law, and who actually makes each — a mayor and council for local rules, the president at the national level. They also learn the difference between a citizen's right (allowed to) and responsibility (expected to).9 skills ▸close ▾

   • How rules and laws differStudents distinguish a rule from a law by identifying who made it and how many people it applies to, given a written example.
   • Who makes town rulesStudents identify the mayor and town council as the people who make local rules, given a description of a town decision.
   • Why presidents and mayors differStudents explain why the president's role differs from the mayor's role by comparing the size of community each governs.
   • Sorting local and national rulesStudents classify a set of new rule examples as local or national government responsibility, using scope as evidence.
   • Allowed to or expected toStudents distinguish a citizen's right from a citizen's responsibility, using the test question of 'allowed to' versus 'expected to.'
   • Why a local rule existsStudents infer one likely reason a specific real local rule exists, based on a problem it probably solves.
   • Why rules differ between townsStudents explain why two different communities might have different rules for the same problem, citing a difference in the community's situation.
   • Fair rules and disagreementStudents evaluate whether a specific rule can be fair even if a person disagrees with it, by checking whether the rule's stated purpose is addressed.
   • Explaining a new local ruleGiven a real local rule never discussed in class, students construct a short response naming its likely government maker, one reason, and one related citizen responsibility.
6. Unit 6: Goods, Services, and TradeYour child learns that no community makes everything it needs on its own. They sort goods from services, learn producer and consumer, meet scarcity as the reason trade exists, and trace one good from producer to consumer on a flowchart.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Naming goods and servicesMatch a picture card of a good or a service to its correct word label.
   • Sorting goods and servicesSort pictures and words into goods and services.
   • Producers and consumersLabel a person in a scenario as producer or consumer.
   • Why communities cannot make everythingExplain why a community cannot produce everything it needs, using a specific region's resources.
   • Why communities trade togetherCompare two communities' resources to infer why they would trade with each other.
   • From producer to consumerSequence the steps a good takes from producer to consumer into a flowchart.
   • Opportunity cost of a choiceIdentify what a person gives up when choosing one option over another (opportunity cost) in a new, unfamiliar scenario.
   • Is having more resources fairJudge whether it is fair for one community to have more resources than another, citing a reason.
   • Trading helps both communitiesWrite 2-3 sentences explaining why a community trades for a good instead of making it locally, and state what the other community gets from the trade.
7. Unit 7: Connected CommunitiesThis takes the trade ideas from Unit 6 global. Your child traces an everyday object — a banana, a phone, a t-shirt — back to where it actually came from, measures the real distance on a map, and looks at how a problem somewhere else (a drought, a factory closing) can reach a community that had nothing to do with causing it.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • How trade goods travel farStudent names three ways a distant community's products reach their home community (ship, truck, plane).
   • Telling imports from exportsStudent labels an imported item as an import and a locally made item as an export, using the community's point of view.
   • Finding where goods come fromStudent locates the country of origin of a tagged object on a world map using latitude/longitude-free grid or continent key.
   • Why communities import goodsStudent explains why a community trades for a good instead of producing it locally, citing climate, resource, or skill limits.
   • Comparing two supply chainsStudent compares two objects' supply chains to identify which traveled farther and which used more transport steps.
   • When faraway problems reach homeStudent infers how a problem in a distant community (drought, factory closure) could change something available in their own community, including cases where the link is not obvious.
   • Should we fix faraway problemsStudent evaluates whether a community should help fix a problem it did not cause but that affects a distant community, using evidence to support a position.
   • Trace an everyday object's journeyStudent constructs a map-and-text trace of one everyday object's journey from origin community to home, using at least two forms of evidence.
8. Unit 8: Being a Contributing Community MemberThe year's final project. Your child picks a real local need, proposes a rule-change to address it, maps exactly where it applies, and justifies it with a cost and a benefit — pulling together civics language from Unit 5 and cost/benefit thinking from Unit 6, applied for the first time to something they chose themselves.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Citizen rights and responsibilitiesState the citizen right and the matching responsibility in a given local scenario.
   • Scale difference between a rule and a lawSort community actions into rule-scale (classroom, home) or law-scale (city, state) categories.
   • Real needs versus vague complaintsPick out a specific, real community need from a mix of specific and vague examples, using the modeled specific-versus-vague pattern.
   • Costs and benefits of actionsList a cost and a benefit, naming at least one person besides the student, for a proposed action.
   • Matching rule changes to needsExplain how a stated rule-change addresses the identified community need.
   • Showing your action on a mapProduce a labeled map showing the exact location of a proposed community action.
   • Writing a community improvement proposalCompose a 4-5 sentence proposal connecting a need, a rule-change, a map, and a cost/benefit into one justification.
   • Presenting your proposal aloudPresent the proposal orally, responding to one classmate question with a relevant answer.
   • Review of everything so farRetrieve one vocabulary term or fact from each of Units 1-7 during cumulative review.

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