A complete 4th grade homeschool curriculum

1. Unit 1: Reading Between the Lines: Inference with EvidenceThis unit teaches your child to build a conclusion from a specific quoted sentence, not from a feeling or from outside knowledge. Last year they could find a sentence someone else pointed them to; this year they pick their own evidence and explain how it supports their claim.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The difference between a supported inference and an unsupported guessStudents distinguish an inference supported by a quoted sentence from a claim with no textual support.
   • Exact-word quoting of a supporting sentenceStudents quote the exact sentence from a short passage that supports a given inference.
   • An inference generated from a single clue sentence, plus its matching evidenceStudents generate their own inference from an unstated clue and identify supporting text.
   • The logical connection between a quote and the claim it supportsStudents explain in one sentence how their quoted evidence connects to their claim.
   • Two distinct valid inferences from one shared sentenceStudents compare two different, text-supported inferences drawn from the same sentence.
   • Context clues as a tool for unfamiliar-word meaningStudents identify the meaning of an unfamiliar word using context clues in a sentence.
   • The fit between a specific quote and a specific claimStudents judge whether a classmate's quoted evidence actually supports the stated claim.
   • A full claim-evidence-explanation response applied to an unfamiliar text typeStudents construct a claim-and-evidence response to an inference question in a brand-new, unpracticed passage genre.
2. Unit 2: What the Story Is Really About: ThemeThis unit teaches theme as an idea about life — different from the topic (what it's about in a few words) and different from the plot (what happened). Kids learn that what a character chooses to do, not what a narrator says, is the real evidence for theme.7 skills ▸close ▾

   • The distinction between topic (what a story is about) and theme (an idea about life)Given a story's topic stated in 3 words or fewer, state whether a candidate sentence is a topic or a theme statement.
   • Character choices as evidence of what a character valuesIdentify a character's choice in a fable that reveals what the character values.
   • Theme statements derived from a fable's stated moralWrite a theme statement, as a full sentence about life, for a fable with an explicitly stated moral.
   • Theme statements derived from character choices without a stated moralWrite a theme statement for a realistic story with no explicitly stated moral, using two character choices as evidence.
   • The possibility that one story supports more than one defensible themeCompare two different, defensible theme statements written by classmates for the same story, judging whether each is supported by quoted evidence.
   • Fit between quoted textual evidence and a stated theme claimSelect the two strongest quoted pieces of evidence, from four candidates, to support a given theme statement.
   • A theme statement and its supporting quoted evidence for an unfamiliar short storyWrite a paragraph stating a theme for a complete short story not read in class, supported by two pieces of quoted evidence.
3. Unit 3: Whose Story Is It: Summarizing and SourcesTwo skills here: writing a true summary instead of a retell, and telling firsthand from secondhand accounts to reason about what a source could actually know. The unit ends by mixing both skills together on new texts, since real life doesn't label which skill a task wants.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Main idea versus key detail in a short informational textSort a list of details from a short text into 'needed for main idea' and 'not needed' with at least 5 of 6 correct.
   • Summary as compression of main idea and key details, distinct from retellWrite a summary of a text under 100 words, in 25 words or fewer, that states the main idea and omits minor details.
   • The distinction between summary and retellExplain why a retell and a summary of the same text differ, citing what each includes or omits.
   • Firsthand versus secondhand accounts of the same eventClassify a short account of an event as firsthand or secondhand based on the teller's position.
   • How a source's position shapes what it can report, in a paired firsthand/secondhand text setExplain one specific difference in what a firsthand account and a secondhand account of the same event could know, citing text.
   • Point of view in nonfiction reportingIdentify how a nonfiction writer's point of view (firsthand or secondhand) shapes the details included in their account.
   • Discriminating between the summarizing skill and the sourcing skill when both are plausible responses to a new textGiven a new, unfamiliar informational text about a real historical event, decide whether the task calls for summarizing or for judging source type, and complete it.
   • Disagreement between two true accounts of one event, explained by position and accessCompare two true accounts of the same real event that disagree in a detail, and infer a reason for the disagreement based on each writer's position.
4. Unit 4: One Story, Three Shapes: Poem, Drama, ProseThis unit treats structure — stanza and line, scene and dialogue, paragraph and narration — as a real choice an author makes, not decoration. Kids compare the same event told as a poem and as prose and figure out what each version reveals or leaves out.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Stanza and line structure in a poemIdentify the stanza and line structure of a given poem by marking where each stanza begins and ends.
   • Scene and dialogue structure in a drama scriptIdentify scene breaks and dialogue tags in a short play script.
   • The function of stage directions relative to dialogueExplain how a stage direction adds information that dialogue alone does not provide.
   • Differences in reader knowledge produced by poem versus prose structure on one shared eventCompare what a reader learns from a poem versus a prose account of the same event, using a two-column evidence chart.
   • Theme versus topic across two genres (poem and prose)Determine a theme statement for a poem and for a prose story, distinguishing theme from topic in each.
   • The causal relationship between text structure and reader knowledge, evidenced across two textsGenerate a claim about one way structure changed what a reader could know, supported by evidence from both a poem and a prose text.
   • The relationship between an author's structural choice and what that choice reveals or withholds, applied to a novel eventInfer why an author chose drama rather than poem or prose to tell a specific unfamiliar event, with no prior example of that event in any genre.
   • Structural features that distinguish poem, drama, and proseClassify a short unfamiliar text excerpt as poem, drama, or prose based on structural features alone.
5. Unit 5: Reading a Page That Isn't All Words: Visual InformationThis unit teaches reading charts, diagrams, and timelines as real sources of information, not decorations next to the text. The turn in this unit is that a chart can be entirely true and still give a misleading impression through its axis, scale, or missing labels.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The structural parts of a bar chart (title, axis, key)Student identifies the title, axis labels, and key of a given bar chart.
   • The distinguishing visual feature of a chart versus a diagram versus a timelineStudent sorts a mixed set of visuals into chart, diagram, or timeline by naming the one feature that identifies each type.
   • The relationship between a diagram's labels and a paragraph's stated factsStudent states one fact shown by a diagram's labels that is not stated in the paragraph next to it.
   • The relationship between spacing on a timeline and duration between eventsStudent orders events from a timeline and states which two events happened closest together in time, using spacing as evidence.
   • The main pattern (most/least, increase/decrease) shown by a bar chartStudent writes a one-sentence summary naming the overall pattern shown by a bar chart, not a list of its numbers.
   • The location of a specific fact across a paired text and visualStudent answers a question about a stated fact by choosing correctly between a paired text and chart, citing which source held the answer.
   • How a broken axis distorts the visual impression of a true numeric differenceStudent explains why a chart with a broken (non-zero) axis can make a real difference look bigger than it is, even though every number on it is true.
   • The honesty of a chart's design relative to the true data it displaysStudent decides which of two differently-designed but factually true charts about the same unfamiliar data gives a more honest impression, and justifies the choice in writing.
   • Integration of a textual fact and a chart fact bearing on a single questionStudent integrates a stated fact from an informational text with a stated fact from its paired chart to answer a question that requires both.
6. Unit 6: Writing to Inform and Writing to PersuadeTwo on-demand paragraphs this unit: an opinion paragraph with two reasons, and an informative paragraph with three grouped facts. Both have to cite a source and stay on topic. This is where the reading skills from earlier units become the raw material for writing.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The difference between an opinion claim and a factual statementGiven a topic sentence, tell whether it states an opinion (a claim someone could disagree with) or a fact.
   • The distinction between a reason supported by evidence and a reason that is only a feelingSort a set of reasons into 'good reason' (points to evidence) and 'strong feeling' (states emotion only), explaining the difference for at least one pair.
   • An opinion paragraph structured as claim plus two evidence-backed reasonsWrite an opinion paragraph that states a claim and defends it with two reasons, each supported by a quote or fact from a provided source.
   • Grouping related facts under a shared category before drafting informative textSort a list of facts about one topic into two or three groups by what they have in common.
   • Informative paragraph structure: intro, grouped facts, conclusion, topic maintainedWrite an informative paragraph with an introduction, three grouped facts, and a conclusion, staying on the stated topic throughout.
   • Off-topic sentences that break paragraph unityIdentify a sentence in a draft paragraph that does not belong because it drifts off topic.
   • Primary versus secondhand facts as research source typesDistinguish a fact stated directly by a primary source from a fact reported secondhand about that source, when gathering research for an informative paragraph.
   • Run-on sentences and sentence fragments in student draftsCorrect run-on and fragment sentences in a peer or self-drafted paragraph using a taught combining or splitting rule.
   • Independent transfer of paragraph structure (opinion or informative) to a new topic and sourceGiven a new short source text on an unfamiliar topic, plan and draft an opinion or informative paragraph without a class model of that exact topic.
7. Unit 7: Writing to Tell a Story: Narrative CraftFour craft moves, taught one at a time with a full worked example before independent practice: putting events in order, writing dialogue that matters, adding sensory description, and planning toward an implied theme rather than bolting one on at the end.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Logical event order in a narrativeGiven a jumbled set of 5-6 event cards from a shared story, arrange them into a logical sequence.
   • Mechanics of punctuating dialogue (quotation marks, comma placement, capitalization after a tag)Punctuate a set of unpunctuated dialogue lines with correct quotation marks, commas, and capitalization, using the exact rules and examples modeled in class.
   • Dialogue that advances plot or reveals character motiveWrite dialogue for a given scene that reveals what a character wants, choosing lines that would change if deleted.
   • Transitional words signaling time (e.g., later, meanwhile, the next morning)Select transitional words that match the amount of time actually passing between two given events.
   • Sensory description that serves a scene's mood or meaningAdd one sensory description detail to a bare sentence that helps a reader picture the setting.
   • The connection between a character's climax choice and an implied themePlan a story event where a character's choice matches a theme the student states beforehand.
   • An original short narrative built from the four taught craft movesDraft a 5-8 paragraph narrative combining sequence, dialogue, description, and transitions around one clear event.
   • Implied theme in an unfamiliar narrative textState in one sentence the theme a finished, unfamiliar short narrative (not one the class wrote) implies.
   • Revision of a draft sentence using a taught craft moveRevise one paragraph of a draft by replacing at least one flat sentence with a dialogue line or sensory detail.
8. Unit 8: Putting It Together: Mixed Reading and Writing TasksNo new content here — this unit mixes everything from Units 1 through 7 so your child learns to choose the right tool, not just execute whichever one they were told to use. Expect a dip in performance during the mixed practice days; that's the mixing working, not a sign anything broke.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The distinguishing task-clues for inference, theme, and summary questionsGiven an unlabeled question about a text, name whether it requires inference, theme, or summary.
   • Evidence-based inference from a new, unlabeled prose passageCite text evidence to answer an inference question in a mixed passage set.
   • The required feature of each writing mode as taught in Units 6 and 7Name the three writing modes (opinion, informative, narrative) and one required feature of each, from memory.
   • Theme statement supported by textual evidence in an unlabeled passageState a theme for a story and support it with two pieces of textual evidence.
   • Summary of a text-plus-chart pairing, integrating visual and print evidenceWrite a summary of an informational text that includes a chart, using only the main idea and key details.
   • The distinguishing task-clues for opinion, informative, and narrative promptsGiven an unlabeled prompt, decide whether it asks for opinion, informative, or narrative writing.
   • A complete short piece in the mode identified from an unlabeled promptDraft a short opinion, informative, or narrative piece matching the mode a prompt requires.
   • Reliability judgment between two conflicting accounts of one eventCompare a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event and judge which is more reliable for a specific question.
   • The link between a prompt's wording and the strategy or mode it calls forExplain why a chosen reading strategy or writing mode fits a given prompt, citing the specific clue in the prompt.

Try a real Reading and Writing with Evidence: Grade 4 ELA lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Place Value to One MillionYour child learns to read, write, compare, and round numbers up to a million, always with a place value chart or number line next to the numbers so digits never float free of meaning. This is the same grouping idea from grade 3 (tens, hundreds, ones), just stretched further, with the added idea of "periods" — the comma-separated groups of three digits.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Place value of a digit within a number up to 1,000,000Identify the value of a digit in a multi-digit number based on its position, up to the millions place.
   • Standard, expanded, and word form of multi-digit numbersWrite a multi-digit number up to 1,000,000 in standard, expanded, and word form.
   • Periods (ones, thousands, millions) as a grouping structure in the base-ten systemExplain why grouping digits into periods of three helps read and write large numbers.
   • Comparison of multi-digit numbers using place valueCompare two multi-digit numbers up to 1,000,000 using >, <, or =, based on place value.
   • The relationship between digit count and number sizeDetermine whether a number with more digits is always greater, by comparing counterexamples.
   • Rounding multi-digit numbers to a specified placeRound a multi-digit number to a specified place using a number line model.
   • Justification of a rounding decision using benchmark positionJustify a rounding choice by identifying the number's position between two benchmark values on a number line.
   • Place value, comparison, and rounding applied to an unfamiliar real-world numeric contextApply place value, comparison, and rounding together to solve a problem involving an unfamiliar large-number context, such as ranking distances or budgets never used in instruction.
2. Unit 2: Multi-Digit Addition and SubtractionYour child moves from naming place value to using it — regrouping ("carrying" and "borrowing," though we don't call it that) when adding and subtracting large numbers. It starts with blocks so regrouping is seen as trading ten of one place for one of the next, and only turns into the standard written steps once your child can explain a trade out loud.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Regrouping ten ones as one ten in additionGiven a two-digit plus two-digit addition problem shown with base-ten blocks, state which place must be regrouped and why.
   • Standard addition algorithm with multiple regroupingsAdd two multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm, regrouping across two or more places.
   • Standard subtraction algorithm with regrouping across zerosSubtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm, including across a zero in the minuend.
   • The trade of ten units for one unit of the next higher placeExplain what happens to the value of a digit when ten of one place are traded for one of the next place during a subtraction regrouping.
   • Rounding-based estimation of sums and differencesEstimate a sum or difference by rounding both numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand before computing.
   • Reasonableness of a computed answer relative to an estimateJudge whether an exact answer to a multi-digit addition or subtraction problem is reasonable by comparing it to an estimate.
   • Selection of operation within a multi-step word problemSolve a two-step word problem requiring both addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers, choosing which operation applies at each step.
   • Multi-step addition/subtraction reasoning applied to an unpracticed contextSolve an unfamiliar multi-step problem involving quantities given in a new context (e.g., a data table not used in instruction), including a check using estimation.
   • Efficiency comparison between standard algorithm and compensation strategyCompare two solution strategies for the same subtraction problem — standard algorithm versus a mental or compensation strategy — and identify which is more efficient for that specific problem.
3. Unit 3: Multiplicative Comparison and Multi-Step ProblemsThis unit teaches your child to tell apart two kinds of "comparing": additive ("how much more") and multiplicative ("how many times as many"). They build a bar model first, before writing any equation — the picture decides which operation is right, not a keyword.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Multiplicative comparison represented as repeated copies of a barGiven a comparison sentence like '3 times as many apples as pears,' student draws a bar model showing the smaller quantity's bar copied 3 times.
   • The structural difference between additive and multiplicative comparison problemsStudent sorts eight word problems into 'additive comparison' and 'multiplicative comparison' bins based on sentence structure, not keywords.
   • Equations representing multiplicative comparison with a symbol for the unknownGiven a multiplicative comparison word problem, student writes an equation using a letter for the unknown and solves it.
   • The relationship between comparison language and equation structureStudent explains why two problems with the same two numbers but different wording require different equations.
   • The intermediate quantity in a two-operation word problemGiven a three-number multi-step word problem, student identifies what the first computed quantity represents before using it in a second step.
   • Multi-step word problems combining the four operations with multiplicative comparisonStudent solves a multi-step word problem combining addition or subtraction with multiplicative comparison, showing both steps.
   • Choosing additive versus multiplicative comparison in a novel contextGiven an unfamiliar real-world scenario never discussed in class (e.g. comparing recipe scaling amounts), student decides whether it calls for additive or multiplicative comparison and justifies the choice.
   • The phrase 'times as many' as a signal for multiplication-based comparisonStudent recalls the meaning of 'times as many' when given an isolated comparison phrase without a full word problem.
4. Unit 4: Multi-Digit MultiplicationYour child extends the grade 3 idea of area-as-covering into a full method for multiplying big numbers: break each factor into place-value pieces, multiply the pieces, add them up. This is called the area model, and it's taught for a while before the standard algorithm ever appears — the algorithm is introduced explicitly as a shortcut for boxes your child has already drawn many times.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Place-value decomposition of a 2-digit number into tens and onesGiven a 2-digit number, decompose it into tens and ones and write both parts in expanded form.
   • Area model for one-digit by multi-digit multiplicationDraw an area model for a 1-digit by multi-digit multiplication problem, labeling each box with the place-value parts multiplied.
   • Reading partial products directly off a fully labeled area modelGiven a completed area model with its boxes and values already labeled, write the matching list of partial products and add them to find the total.
   • Partial products for 1-digit by 4-digit multiplication tied to the area modelCalculate the product of a 1-digit number and a 4-digit number using partial products, and connect each partial product to its area model box.
   • Area model for two-digit by two-digit multiplicationDraw an area model for a 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication problem, showing all four boxes and their place values.
   • The distributive property as the reason partial products sum to the exact productExplain why decomposing both factors of a multiplication problem by place value and adding the partial products gives the same exact product as multiplying the whole numbers.
   • Standard algorithm for two-digit by two-digit multiplication as a shortcut for the area modelExecute the standard algorithm for 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication, and identify which area-model box each written partial product represents.
   • Estimating products by rounding factors before multiplyingEstimate the product of two multi-digit numbers by rounding each factor before multiplying, and judge whether the estimate is reasonable.
   • Multiplication word problems requiring a justified choice between exact computation and estimationSolve a multi-step word problem requiring multiplication, choosing whether to compute exactly or estimate, and state why the question's demand requires that precision.
   • The relationship between area model size and total computational work requiredGiven a novel real-world scenario never used in this unit's instruction, decide whether a bigger area model necessarily requires more total work than a smaller one, and justify the decision using actual computed values.
5. Unit 5: Division with RemaindersThis unit runs Unit 4 backwards. Your child already knows: side length times side length gives area. Now they're given the area and one side, and have to find the missing side — that missing side is the quotient. Long division gets built as a written record of this same box-based reasoning, not as a new set of arbitrary steps to memorize.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The missing-side (quotient) in an area model given total area and one factorGiven a rectangle's area and one side length, find the missing side length using an area model with partial quotients.
   • The correspondence between long division steps and area-model partial quotientsExplain why the long division algorithm produces the same quotient as the area-model partial-quotients method for the same problem.
   • The standard long division algorithm for 1-digit divisorsDivide a 2-, 3-, or 4-digit dividend by a 1-digit divisor using the standard long division algorithm, with and without a remainder.
   • The multiplication check for a division computationCheck a division answer by multiplying the quotient by the divisor and adding any remainder, to verify it equals the dividend.
   • Remainder interpretation matched to problem context (drop, round up, express as fraction)Given a word problem with a remainder, decide whether the situation requires dropping the remainder, rounding the quotient up, or expressing the remainder as a fraction.
   • Multistep word problems combining multiplicative comparison (Unit 3) and division with remaindersSolve a multistep word problem that combines multiplicative comparison and division with a remainder, in a context never used during instruction.
   • Estimation of a quotient using compatible numbers, as a reasonableness checkEstimate a division quotient using rounding and compatible numbers before computing, to judge whether a computed answer is reasonable.
   • The situational feature that determines which remainder interpretation a problem requiresCompare two division word problems that use the same numbers but different remainder-handling requirements, and identify what makes them different.
6. Unit 6: Factors, Multiples, and PatternsA short, focused unit. Your child learns to test whether one number is a factor of another using "division with no remainder" from Unit 5, builds factor pairs and lists of multiples using arrays and number-line hops, sorts numbers into prime and composite by counting factor pairs, and spots patterns on a hundred chart.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • Factor pairs of numbers up to 100Given a whole number up to 100, list all of its factor pairs by testing division with no remainder.
   • The role of 1 and the number itself in every factor pairExplain why a number and 1 are always a factor pair of that number, using an array picture.
   • Multiples of a numberList the first ten multiples of a given one- or two-digit number using repeated multiplication.
   • The taught surface tell distinguishing factor questions from multiple questionsSort a given task into 'asks for factors' or 'asks for multiples' by matching it to the taught tell for each.
   • Prime versus composite numbersClassify a whole number from 2 to 100 as prime or composite by checking its factor pairs.
   • Numerical patterns generated by multiples on a hundred chartGiven a 1-100 number chart with multiples of a number shaded, identify the resulting visual and numerical pattern.
   • The generating rule behind a numerical patternExplain in words why a given number pattern happens, referring to the operation that generates it.
   • Prime versus composite classification of a number resistant to quick mental testingDetermine whether a large unfamiliar number (e.g. 89 or 71) is prime or composite when no factor pair is immediately obvious.
7. Unit 7: Fraction Equivalence, Operations, and Decimal NotationThe biggest unit of the year at 32 days. Your child learns that a fraction is a shaded amount, not just two numbers stacked up. It moves from equivalence (same amount, different-looking fraction) to comparing fractions with unlike denominators, to adding and subtracting like-denominator fractions, to whole-number-times-fraction, and finally to decimals — introduced as fractions with denominator 10 or 100, shown on a grid, before any decimal point shows up.11 skills ▸close ▾

   • Equivalence of fractions shown by partitioning a fraction bar into smaller equal piecesGiven a fraction bar shaded to show a fraction, partition it into smaller equal pieces and name the new equivalent fraction.
   • The relationship between equal partitioning and equivalent fraction amountExplain why two fractions with different numerators and denominators can represent the same shaded amount.
   • Comparison of fractions with unlike denominators using benchmark fractionsCompare two fractions with unlike denominators using a benchmark fraction such as 1/2.
   • Common denominators found using multiples of the denominatorsFind a common denominator for two fractions using multiples, and use it to compare them.
   • Addition and subtraction of like-denominator fractions shown on a fraction barAdd and subtract fractions with the same denominator using a fraction bar model.
   • The condition under which fractions must share a denominator before being added or subtractedDecide whether an unfamiliar fraction addition or subtraction problem needs a common denominator before adding, given fractions with unlike denominators embedded in a word problem the class has not seen before.
   • Multiplication of a fraction by a whole number as repeated addition of the fractionMultiply a whole number by a fraction by modeling repeated addition of the fraction on a number line.
   • The difference between the fraction-addition procedure and fraction-times-whole-number procedureIdentify and correct a fraction-multiplication error that applies the addition rule instead of repeated addition.
   • Decimal notation for fractions with denominator 10 or 100 shown on a hundredths gridRepresent a fraction with denominator 10 or 100 on a hundredths grid and write its decimal notation.
   • Comparison of decimals to hundredths using shaded grid areaCompare two decimals to hundredths using a grid model rather than digit count.
   • Application of decimal grid comparison to an unfamiliar measurement contextGiven a real-world measurement context using an unfamiliar unit split into tenths, decide how to represent and compare the amounts using decimal grids without being told to do so.
8. Unit 8: Measurement Conversion, Angles, and Classifying ShapesThe longest unit of the year at 36 days, braiding three strands: converting units, measuring angles, and classifying shapes. Unit conversion is multiplicative comparison (Unit 3) applied to units instead of quantities. Angle measurement takes Unit 7's "fraction of a whole" picture and wraps it around a circle. Shape classification asks your child to use precise angle and line vocabulary instead of judging shapes by eye.12 skills ▸close ▾

   • Relative sizes of measurement units within a system (km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz; l, ml; hr, min, sec)Given a table of within-system unit relationships (e.g. 1 ft = 12 in), state the relationship for km/m, kg/g, lb/oz, l/ml, and hr/min/sec from memory.
   • Conversion from a larger to a smaller unit of length, weight, or timeConvert a measurement from a larger unit to a smaller unit (e.g. 3 ft to inches) by multiplying by the number of small units per large unit.
   • The multiplicative relationship between a measurement's numeric value and its unit sizeExplain why converting to a smaller unit means multiplying, connecting it to 'times as many' comparison language.
   • Multi-step word problems involving distance, time, liquid volume, mass, or money with unit conversionSolve a multi-step word problem that requires converting units and then adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing the converted values.
   • Area and perimeter formulas for rectangles, used to solve for a missing dimensionApply the area and perimeter formulas for a rectangle to find an unknown side length given the other side and the area or perimeter.
   • Angle measurement in whole-number degrees using a protractorMeasure a given angle with a protractor to the nearest whole degree and sketch an angle of a specified measure.
   • Angle measure as a fraction of a circular arcExplain an angle's measure as the fraction of a full circular arc it takes up, connecting it to the fraction-bar model of a whole.
   • Angle measure as additive across adjacent angles in a diagramFind an unknown angle in a diagram by adding or subtracting known adjacent angle measures.
   • Classification of two-dimensional figures by line relationships and angle typesClassify a two-dimensional figure by the presence of parallel or perpendicular lines and by the types of angles it contains.
   • Classification of quadrilaterals using multiple simultaneous properties (parallel sides and angle type)Given an unfamiliar irregular polygon with unlabeled angles, decide which quadrilateral categories it could and could not belong to, and justify the decision using at least two properties.
   • Lines of symmetry in two-dimensional figuresIdentify lines of symmetry in a two-dimensional figure, including figures with more than one line of symmetry.
   • The distinction between additive and multiplicative comparison applied to measurement conversion problemsCompare an additive ('how much more') and a multiplicative ('how many times as many') solution path for the same unit-conversion word problem and decide which the problem actually asks for.

Try a real Grade 4 Mathematics: Place Value, Operations, and Fractions lesson, no account needed →

1. Unit 1: Energy on the MoveYour child rolls balls into cups, marbles into dominoes, and rolls objects down ramps, always asking the same question: when something hits something else, where did the energy go? This is the foundation for the entire year — every later unit about waves, light, and sound reuses this "energy goes somewhere, it doesn't vanish" habit.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Energy transfer in a collision between a moving object and a struck objectStudents identify that a moving object's energy causes a change (motion, sound, or shape) in an object it hits.
   • Direction of contact in a simple collision between a moving object and a still objectStudents match a described collision (ball into cups, marble into domino) to a picture showing the correct direction of the hit.
   • Energy transfer pathway from moving ball to struck block, including sound and motion outputsStudents explain, using a labeled diagram, where a rolling ball's energy went after it strikes a stationary block.
   • Relationship between release height, speed, and distance traveled by a struck objectStudents predict how increasing ramp height will change the distance a struck object travels, based on the pattern in their own data.
   • Complete electric circuit as a closed loop enabling energy transferStudents construct a complete simple circuit that lights a bulb, given a battery, wire, and bulb.
   • Direction of energy conversion between motion and electricity in everyday devicesStudents classify given devices (flashlight, wind turbine model, hand-crank generator) by whether they convert motion into electrical energy or electrical energy into motion.
   • Fair-test design isolating ramp height as the single changed variableStudents design a fair test that changes only ramp height while holding ball mass, ramp surface, and release method constant.
   • Pattern and exception in ramp-height-versus-distance data across multiple trialsStudents compare two ramp-height trials with contrasting results and identify which trial's result breaks an otherwise consistent pattern.
   • Energy transfer from a raised object's position to motion on release, applied to an untaught track shapeStudents explain, using energy-transfer vocabulary, why a toy car placed at the top of an unfamiliar curved track (not a straight ramp) will move once released, without being told which force applies.
   • Relationship between object speed and size of change caused in a collision, argued from original dataStudents write a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph using their own ramp-height data to argue whether a faster-moving object always causes a bigger change when it hits something.
2. Unit 2: Waves Carry the PatternUsing a rope, a spring, and water, your child learns that a wave moves a repeating pattern of energy from one place to another without the rope, spring, or water itself traveling along with it. This is the single hardest idea to "see," because everything in Unit 1 involved an object physically moving to its target — this unit is about energy moving while the material stays roughly in place.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The physical features of a transverse wave (crest, trough, amplitude, wavelength)Students identify the crest, trough, amplitude, and wavelength on a labeled diagram of a wave.
   • The distinction between the motion of the medium and the motion of the wave patternStudents describe, using a rope or spring they have shaken themselves, what part of the medium stayed near its resting spot and what part of the pattern traveled.
   • The relationship between shake speed and the resulting wavelength and amplitude of a rope waveGiven two shake-speed trials on the same rope, students compare the wavelength and amplitude produced by each trial.
   • The cause-and-effect relationship between wave energy passing through water and the limited motion of a floating objectStudents explain why a floating cork moves up and down but does not travel across the water as a water wave passes beneath it.
   • The categorical difference between wave-pattern transfer and object transfer, applied to new examplesStudents classify a set of described phenomena as examples of a wave transferring a pattern versus an object transferring itself.
   • Application of the wave-pattern-versus-matter-transfer model to an unfamiliar real-world context (a wave pool)Students predict what a cork floating in a wave pool at an amusement park would do as waves pass, and justify the prediction using the rope/water wave model from this unit.
   • Measurement and recording of amplitude and wavelength using a physical rope-wave setupStudents measure amplitude and wavelength of a rope wave at two shake speeds and record both in a labeled sketch.
   • A claim-evidence-reasoning explanation of matter-versus-pattern motion in a wave, using the summative rope investigation as evidenceStudents write a claim-evidence-reasoning explanation stating what stayed still and what moved as a wave passed through a rope.
3. Unit 3: Light and How We SeeYour child learns that we see an object because light bounces off it and travels into our eye — not the other way around. Before anything else, this unit tackles head-on the very common belief that light shoots out FROM the eye. After that's settled, it moves through reflection, absorption, and see-through versus not-see-through materials, ending with mirror puzzles where your child redirects a flashlight beam around an obstacle.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The light-to-eye pathway for visionState that an object becomes visible when light reflects off it and travels to an eye.
   • The opaque/translucent/transparent classification of materials by light transmissionSort a set of everyday materials (glass, wax paper, cardboard, foil) into opaque, translucent, and transparent using how much light passes through each.
   • The ray-diagram representation of reflection off a plane surfaceDraw a labeled diagram showing a light path from a source, reflecting off a mirror, to an eye, given the position of source, mirror, and eye.
   • The rule that light travels in straight lines and reflects at the surface it strikesPredict where a flashlight beam will land after reflecting off a mirror placed at a new angle not previously tested, then explain using the straight-line rule.
   • The relationship between a material's light transmission and the shadow or visibility it producesExplain why a translucent material like wax paper still allows a fuzzy shadow to form, connecting partial blocking to the object's visibility.
   • The distinction between organized (specular) and scattered (diffuse) reflection versus the presence/absence of reflectionCompare two objects, one shiny and one dull, to explain why both reflect light to the eye even though only one looks 'shiny'.
   • A multi-mirror light path that redirects a beam around an obstructionPlan and test a two-mirror arrangement that redirects a flashlight beam around an obstacle to hit a target, recording the working arrangement.
   • Application of the reflection and straight-line-travel rules to an untaught optical device or scenarioGiven a completely new scenario (a submerged object viewed from above an aquarium, or a periscope in a submarine), explain what happens to the light path using reflection and straight-line travel, with no prior classroom example of that exact device.
   • A claim-evidence-reasoning explanation of a mirror-redirected light pathWrite a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph explaining how redirecting a beam with mirrors let the light reach a target it could not reach directly, citing the recorded light path as evidence.
4. Unit 4: Sound and VibrationYour child learns that sound happens when something vibrates, and that the sound then travels as a wave to a listener's ear — needing some material (air, water, a solid) to travel through, unlike light. They compare pitch and loudness as two separate things, and finish by building a string-and-cup telephone and testing what happens when they change the string's tightness.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The cause-effect relationship between vibration and sound productionStudents explain that sound is produced when an object vibrates, using a tuning fork or rubber band as evidence.
   • The vibrating part responsible for a given everyday soundStudents classify a set of everyday sound sources (voice, drum, radio speaker, wind chime) by identifying the vibrating part in each.
   • The requirement that sound needs a medium to travel throughStudents predict whether sound will travel through a foam block, a material never tested or shown in class, based on the medium model built with air, string, and solids.
   • The relationship between vibration rate (frequency) and pitchStudents compare the vibration rate of two rulers of different lengths and relate rate to the pitch heard.
   • The vocabulary terms amplitude and frequency and their sound effectsStudents recall the term for how big a vibration is (amplitude) and the term for how fast it repeats (frequency), matching each to its effect on sound (loudness or pitch).
   • The shared and differing structure of sound-to-ear and light-to-eye energy pathwaysStudents compare the sound-to-ear pathway with the light-to-eye pathway studied in Unit 3, identifying what is the same (wave-carried energy, a receiver) and what is different (medium requirement).
   • How a sound wave's pattern can carry a coded signalStudents explain why a coded pattern of long and short sounds (e.g., a simple tapped code) can carry a message, connecting this to the idea that a wave carries a pattern, not matter.
   • The procedure for constructing and fair-testing a string-and-cup telephoneStudents execute the constructed procedure for building and testing a string-and-cup telephone, following the modeled steps for construction and a fair test of string tightness.
   • The effect of string tightness on transmitted sound, explained through vibration and mediumStudents generate a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph that judges whether tightening the string changed what was heard and explains why using the vibration-medium model.
5. Unit 5: Senses and InformationYour child takes the two specific mechanisms they already know — eyes detect reflected light, ears detect vibration — and generalizes them into one idea: a sense organ detects a kind of energy from outside and turns it into a signal the brain uses to produce a behavior. They map this pathway (stimulus, organ, signal, brain, response) across all five senses, then compare human senses to specialized animal ones like eagle eyesight, bat hearing, and shark electroreception.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The sense organ as an energy-to-signal converterStudents state that a sense organ is a body part that detects a specific kind of outside energy and turns it into a signal.
   • The stimulus-organ-signal-brain-response pathwayGiven a labeled diagram, students sequence the pathway from stimulus to sense organ to signal to brain to response.
   • Behavior as a response to a sensed stimulusStudents classify a described animal behavior as a response to a specific sensed stimulus (light, sound, touch, chemical, or other).
   • Comparison of an animal sense organ to the matching human sense organStudents compare a named animal's specialized sense organ to the matching human sense organ, explaining what each detects and how well.
   • Fit between a sense organ's structure and its environment's available energyStudents infer why a specific sense organ's structure fits the environment an animal lives in, using evidence about the environment's available energy.
   • A CER argument for structure-environment fit in an animal's sense organStudents construct a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph arguing why a chosen animal's sense organ fits its environment, using evidence drawn from Units 3-4 mechanisms.
   • Prediction of sense mismatch for an unfamiliar animalGiven an animal never discussed in class, students predict which human sense is least similar to that animal's most important sense, and justify the choice with one piece of evidence about the animal's environment.
   • Definitions of stimulus, signal, and responseStudents recall the definitions of stimulus, signal, and response using the terms as introduced on Day 2.
6. Unit 6: Built to Survive: Structures in Plants and AnimalsYour child widens the "structure fits function" idea from sense organs to every kind of survival structure — cactus spines, thorns, internal organs, camouflage, all of it. They sort structures by purpose, compare how two unrelated organisms solve the same survival problem in different ways, and finish by comparing two organisms' structures in writing.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • External vs internal structures on a plant diagramLabel a diagram of a cactus, naming which parts are external structures and which are internal.
   • Function of a specific named external structureState the survival function of a named external structure, such as a thorn or spine.
   • Function of a specific named internal organ exactly as modeled (e.g., stomach breaks down food; root absorbs water)State the survival function of a named internal organ, using the same organ and wording shown in a worked example.
   • Structure-function relationship in an internal organ (e.g., stomach, heart, root)Explain how a named internal organ supports survival, connecting its shape to its job.
   • Structure-function comparison across two organisms solving one shared survival problemCompare how two organisms in different environments solve the same survival problem with differently shaped structures.
   • Categories of structure purpose: survival, growth, protection, reproductionClassify a set of structures as supporting survival, growth, protection, or reproduction.
   • Inferred structure-function match for an unfamiliar organism-habitat pairGiven a new organism and habitat never discussed in class, infer which structure most likely helps it survive there and why.
   • CER comparison of two survival structures across two organismsWrite a claim-evidence-reasoning comparison of two organisms' survival structures, weighing each structure's evidence.
   • Validity of a relatedness claim based on shared structure shapeJudge whether a claim that two structurally similar organisms must be closely related is supported by the structure-function evidence given.
7. Unit 7: Earth's Changing SurfaceYour child studies how weathering breaks rock apart and erosion carries the pieces away, using rock layers and real landforms as evidence of slow change over time. They build a mini streambed (a stream table), test how water flow speed changes erosion, and read maps and photos of real rivers, canyons, and dunes as evidence of a process, not a snapshot.11 skills ▸close ▾

   • The distinction between weathering and erosionState that weathering breaks rock into smaller pieces and erosion moves those pieces to a new location.
   • The weathering/erosion location test applied to a single labeled photoMatch a given photo of a weathering or erosion example to its correct vocabulary label, using the same location test shown in the worked example.
   • The bottom-equals-oldest stacking rule applied to a single simple diagramOrder three rock layers from oldest to newest using a diagram that matches the worked bottom-to-top example exactly.
   • Weathering, erosion, and deposition as distinct but connected processesClassify photographed examples of land change as weathering, erosion, or deposition.
   • The mismatch between the speed of surface processes and the length of human observationExplain why a landscape can look unchanged from day to day even though weathering and erosion are constantly acting on it.
   • Rock layers as a time-ordered record of depositionInfer the order in which rock layers formed, using the principle that layers form from bottom to top.
   • Flow rate as the manipulated variable in a stream-table erosion testRun a fair test comparing how two different water flow rates affect the amount and pattern of erosion in a stream table.
   • The cause-and-effect relationship between flow rate and erosion patternExplain the relationship between water flow rate and the amount and pattern of erosion, citing the class's own stream-table data.
   • Patterns of Earth's surface features shown on mapsInterpret a topographic or satellite map to identify patterns in landforms such as river deltas, valleys, or dunes.
   • The relationship between flow rate and erosion, supported by two data sourcesConstruct a claim-evidence-reasoning paragraph that weighs stream-table data against a labeled before/after diagram to explain how flow rate affects erosion.
   • Landform origin inferred from visual evidence of formation ratePredict which of two unfamiliar landforms (never discussed in class) formed mainly from a fast dramatic event versus a slow steady process, using only a photo and no labels.
8. Unit 8: Resources, People, and Trade-offsThe last unit asks your child to put three tools from earlier in the year to work together: energy transfer, structure-function, and Earth's surface processes. They sort resources into renewable and nonrenewable, trace coal or wind power back to a light bulb, look at mining or damming as a change to the land, and evaluate real solutions like dams and water filters as structures with both a job and a downside. It ends with a written recommendation comparing two competing proposals for a community resource.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Renewable versus nonrenewable natural resourcesSort a set of resource cards (coal, wind, water, oil, trees, sunlight) into renewable and nonrenewable groups and state the rule used.
   • The energy-transfer chain from a fuel source to a usable outputExplain, using Unit 1 energy-transfer vocabulary, how burning coal transfers energy to a light bulb.
   • Trade-offs between two energy sources on shared criteriaCompare a coal-fired power plant and a wind farm on the same three criteria: cost, reliability, and environmental effect.
   • The effect of resource extraction on surface processesIdentify which step of resource extraction (mining, drilling, damming, or clear-cutting) most changes the land surface, using Unit 7 erosion vocabulary.
   • Structure-function reasoning applied to a human-built filtration deviceExplain how the shape of a water filter's layers lets it remove particles, using the structure-function lens from Unit 6.
   • Design modifications that reduce environmental impact while preserving intended functionGenerate two possible design changes to a dam that would reduce its effect on fish while keeping its energy function.
   • Competing resource proposals weighed on benefit versus environmental costEvaluate two competing proposals for a town's water source by weighing benefit evidence against environmental-cost evidence for each.
   • A resource decision in a context not used during instructionRecommend, in a claim-evidence-reasoning response, which of two unfamiliar community resource proposals (e.g., a new fishing regulation vs. a new quarry) a town should choose, using no proposal type discussed in class.
   • Definitions of renewable and nonrenewable resourcesRecall the definition of renewable and nonrenewable resources from memory.
   • The benefit/cost T-chart format for analyzing a resource useExecute a two-column T-chart listing one benefit and one environmental cost for a given resource use, following the modeled format.

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1. Unit 1: Reading the Land: Geography Tools for a Big CountryThis unit builds the vocabulary every later unit depends on: landform, climate, resource, and region. Your child learns to read a real map (not just a picture of the U.S.) and ends up able to point to and describe all five regions. It's vocabulary-heavy on purpose — no region's story gets told yet, that starts in Unit 2.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The four standard map parts (title, key, compass rose, scale)Students name the compass rose, key, scale, and title on a map and state what each tells the reader.
   • The five landform types and their defining physical featuresStudents sort landform pictures (mountain, plain, plateau, valley, coast) into the correct labeled category.
   • The five landform types, applied to unseen examplesGiven a new photo of an unfamiliar landform, students classify it using its slope, height, and flatness.
   • The relationship between climate region and human adaptation (clothing, shelter)Students explain why a desert climate region and a mountain climate region require different clothing and shelter.
   • The difference in purpose between physical maps and political mapsStudents compare a physical map and a political map of the same U.S. area and state what each shows that the other does not.
   • The five U.S. regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West) and their approximate bordersStudents locate and label the five U.S. regions on a blank outline map.
   • The relationship between a region's physical geography and its likely natural resourcesStudents match a natural resource to a region based on that region's landforms and climate, for a region not studied in class.
   • The vocabulary terms landform, climate, and resource used in contextStudents use the words landform, climate, and resource correctly in three original sentences about a U.S. region.
2. Unit 2: Nations Before and Alongside the United StatesYour child learns that indigenous nations governed their own homelands before Europeans arrived and still govern themselves today — this isn't a past-tense story. They build words like nation, sovereignty, treaty, and removal, then practice reading two different accounts of the same treaty to see why accounts of the same event can differ.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The concept of a nation as a governed people, distinct from mapped landStudents sort five example groups into 'nation' or 'not a nation' and give a reason for one choice, matching a model just shown.
   • The concept of a nation as a governed people, applied to a boundary case not covered by the sort cardsGiven a new, unmodeled example (a nation with no large mapped territory), students decide whether it counts as a nation and justify the decision without a fresh worked example immediately before it.
   • Sovereignty as the right to make binding self-governing decisionsStudents define sovereignty by identifying which of two decisions shows self-governance.
   • The structure of a treaty (parties and mutual promise)Students identify the two parties and the stated promise in a short treaty excerpt.
   • Removal as the cause of the gap between a nation's historic homeland and its present government locationStudents explain why a named nation's tribal government now sits away from its historic homeland.
   • Present-day tribal self-governance (elections, courts, laws) as evidence sovereignty continues, located by verb tenseStudents scan a current source and pick out present-tense verbs (elects, governs, rules) that show a nation is self-governing today.
   • The pattern that two accounts of one event can differ in emphasis and omissionStudents notice that two accounts of the same treaty differ in what they include and emphasize.
   • Authorial purpose and perspective as the reason two accounts of one event differStudents explain that an account's author and purpose shape what it includes about a shared event.
   • A written comparison of two treaty accounts, connecting content differences to author and purposeStudents write a full comparison of two treaty accounts naming the difference and its underlying reason.
   • The general reason (author, purpose, perspective) two historical accounts of one event differ, applied to a new, unstudied treatyStudents compare two accounts of a treaty in an unfamiliar region never discussed in class, explaining why accounts differ.
3. Unit 3: The Northeast: Trade, Cities, and NewcomersThis is the first of the five region units, and it studies how the Northeast built wealth through trade and cities even with poor farmland. Your child meets the Haudenosaunee Confederacy as a government that still functions today, then studies colonial settlers and later immigrants side by side.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The Northeast region's location and major port citiesLocate the Northeast region and its major port cities on a U.S. map.
   • The terms port city, manufacturing, immigration, and population densityDefine port city, manufacturing, immigration, and population density using the class-built picture glossary.
   • The Haudenosaunee Confederacy's council structureExplain how the Haudenosaunee Confederacy's council structure lets multiple nations share one government.
   • The Haudenosaunee Confederacy's governance in the present dayState one present-tense fact about Haudenosaunee governance today, from a primary or current source.
   • The resource-to-industry production chain for one Northeast goodTrace one raw material's path from resource to port to factory to finished good using a labeled diagram.
   • Colonial settlers and 1800s immigrants to Northeast port citiesCompare colonial-era settlers and 1800s immigrants on who invited whom and what rights each had on arrival.
   • A Northeast population density map paired with descriptive textInterpret a population density map of the Northeast alongside a text describing its cities.
   • The link between a specific Northeast resource and a specific industry it supportsConstruct a two-column chart linking Northeast resources to Northeast industries with one explained connection.
   • The resource-to-industry pattern applied to an untaught region without portsPredict which industry a region with rich farmland but no ports might struggle to build, using the Northeast pattern.
4. Unit 4: The Southeast: Farmland, Labor, and ChangeThis unit covers the Southeast from the 1700s to today: fertile land and warm climate built plantation agriculture on the backs of enslaved people, the Indian Removal Act forced the Cherokee Nation from their homeland, and the region's economy eventually became today's Sun Belt. It's the heaviest unit emotionally so far — plan for real conversations, not just facts.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The Southeast region's location and state boundariesLocate the Southeast region on a U.S. map and name its states, using Unit 1's five-region map.
   • The relationship between Southeast climate/soil and plantation crop choiceExplain how the Southeast's climate and soil made plantation agriculture profitable.
   • The distinct roles of enslavers and enslaved people on a plantationDifferentiate the roles and conditions of plantation owners and enslaved workers using primary source evidence.
   • The causal chain from the 1830 Indian Removal Act to the Cherokee Trail of TearsSummarize the sequence of events from the Indian Removal Act to the Trail of Tears.
   • The continuity of Cherokee Nation sovereignty after removalInfer, from a set of facts about Cherokee Nation government today, why Cherokee sovereignty did not end with removal.
   • The economic structure of Southeast plantation agriculture versus Northeast colonial tradeCompare the Southeast's cash-crop economy to the Northeast's trade economy from Unit 3.
   • The continuity and change between plantation-era and Sun Belt-era Southeast economiesExplain how the modern Sun Belt economy connects to the region's earlier agricultural history.
   • The main idea and supporting details of a Trail of Tears informational textIdentify the main idea and supporting details in a grade-level text about the Trail of Tears.
   • Gain and loss analysis applied to an unstudied 20th-century Southeast industrial sourceGiven an unfamiliar primary source about a 20th-century Southeast textile mill, determine who gained and who lost from the change it describes.
   • Cause-and-effect annotation across three points on a Southeast regional timelineAnnotate a 1700-to-today Southeast timeline, marking one cause and one effect at three points.
5. Unit 5: The Midwest: Farms, Factories, and the Middle of the CountryThis unit looks at how flat land and rivers let the Midwest be both farm and factory at once. Your child studies the Great Plains, big-scale farming, Great Lakes shipping, the Great Migration, and the Ojibwe and Sioux Nations as governments today.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The location of the Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Mississippi RiverLabel the Great Plains, Great Lakes, and Mississippi River on a blank Midwest map.
   • The relationship between flat, fertile land and agribusiness farming methodsExplain how flat land and rich soil make large-scale farming possible in the Great Plains.
   • The economic function (farming, manufacturing, or both) of specific Midwest cities as signaled by clue-card evidenceSort Midwest city clue cards into farming-based, factory-based, or both, based on the industry clues named on each card.
   • A bar graph of Great Lakes shipping tonnage by good typeInterpret a bar graph showing Great Lakes shipping tonnage to explain why river and lake trade mattered to the Midwest economy.
   • Push and pull factors described in two Great Migration firsthand accountsCompare two firsthand accounts of the Great Migration to identify a shared push factor and a shared pull factor.
   • The reasons Great Migration newcomers chose Midwest cities over Midwest farmsExplain why many Great Migration newcomers settled in Midwest cities rather than on Midwest farms.
   • Present-day governance and reservation land of the Ojibwe and Sioux NationsSummarize the current governments and territories of the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) and Sioux (Lakota/Dakota) Nations today, using the three facts modeled in class.
   • Similarities and differences between Midwest and Northeast regional economiesConstruct a claim comparing the Midwest economy to the Northeast economy using a shared evidence chart.
6. Unit 6: The Southwest: Desert, Border, and Deep HistoryThis unit studies the Southwest through one defining fact: there isn't enough water. That shortage drives everything — where cities sit, how water gets shared, why irrigation matters. Your child meets the Navajo (Diné) Nation as a functioning government today, studies the 1848 U.S.-Mexico border, and sorts Southwest traditions by where they came from.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • The Southwest region's boundaries and major rivers (Colorado, Rio Grande)Locate the Southwest region and its major rivers on a 5-region U.S. map.
   • The relationship between arid climate and the need for irrigationExplain why an arid climate requires irrigation to support farming and cities.
   • The Navajo (Diné) Nation's present-day self-governmentState that the Navajo (Diné) Nation governs itself today through its own government.
   • Formal water-rights allocation versus proximity-based fairness reasoningCompare water rights rules to a fairness rule students already expect, identifying what differs.
   • The water-source map showing rivers, canals, and city locationsInterpret a water-source map to identify why a city is located where it is.
   • A bar or line chart of Southwest city populationsInterpret a population chart showing city sizes across the Southwest.
   • The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the border change it causedExplain how the 1848 treaty changed which nation governed Southwest land and people.
   • The causal link between water access and Southwest city population sizeCombine evidence from a water-source map and a population chart to write a claim about city location.
   • Sources of Hispanic and Latino heritage traditions in the SouthwestClassify Southwest cultural traditions as originating from Indigenous, Spanish, Mexican, or later U.S. influence.
7. Unit 7: The West: Coastlines, Gold Rushes, and the Newest ArrivalsThe last of the five region units. Your child studies Pacific Northwest and California nations before 1849, the Gold Rush and the rapid migration it caused, and Pacific trade routes connecting California to Asia. It closes with the third and final round of the migration-comparison method from Unit 3, this time comparing the West to the Northeast.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The five-region map of the United States, with focus on the West's bordersLocate the five U.S. regions on a blank map, including the West's borders.
   • Specific named indigenous nations of the Pacific Northwest and California and one identifying fact per nationName at least two Pacific Northwest or California nations and one fact about each, as presented on the class map.
   • The causal link between a sudden resource discovery and rapid, large-scale migrationExplain why the discovery of gold pulled large numbers of new people into California in a short time.
   • Contrasting primary-source excerpts on immigrant welcome versus Chinese Exclusion Act-era restrictionCompare a primary source welcoming immigrants to one describing an exclusion law, identifying which group each concerns.
   • Differential impact of the Gold Rush on newcomers versus previously present nations and communitiesIdentify one group that gained and one group that lost from the California Gold Rush, citing evidence from two different sources.
   • Pacific trade routes connecting California ports to Asian ports, and the goods carried on themTrace two Pacific trade routes on a blank map and label one good moving in each direction, following the modeled route map.
   • The range of climates within the West region as evidence against a single-climate labelClassify West locations shown on a map into climate types (coastal, desert, mountain, forest) using given climate clues.
   • The structural comparison between West (Gold Rush, Pacific trade, Asian immigration) and Northeast (Unit 3 trade and immigration) migration storiesWrite a two-paragraph comparison of the West's migration story to the Northeast's, citing one similarity and one difference with evidence.
   • The general logic of comparing two regions' migration stories (claim, then evidence from each side), applied to an unstudied region pairingApply the same similarity/difference comparison logic to a region not practiced this way, using only self-selected evidence.
   • The tension between a single region label and the West's actual variety in climate, economy, and historyInfer why the West might be considered several different places grouped under one region name, using map and source evidence.
8. Unit 8: One Country, Fifty States: How Government Connects the RegionsThe capstone. Your child learns that federal government, state government, and sovereign indigenous nations are three separate kinds of government sharing the same land, and pulls in every region and every named nation from Units 3-7 as evidence for how that actually plays out.8 skills ▸close ▾

   • The division between federal and state law-making powerStudents distinguish a federal-government law example from a state-government law example.
   • Shared versus separate powers of federal and state governmentsStudents classify given powers as shared, federal-only, or state-only using the Day 5-6 power sort categories.
   • Tribal sovereignty as a distinct government alongside federal and stateStudents explain why an indigenous nation's government is a third, separate kind of government, not part of federal or state government.
   • Regional variation in the exercise of state power across two named U.S. regionsStudents compare how a chosen power (such as setting a driving age) plays out differently in two named regions from Units 3-7.
   • Population-based representation in Congress across the five regionsStudents identify how many representatives a region sends to Congress using a population data table.
   • The relationship between regional population and congressional representationStudents explain why a region with a larger population sends more representatives to Congress than a smaller region.
   • The limits of a single map in representing federal-state-tribal governance differences across regionsStudents critique a map that shows the five regions as identical in governance to identify what it leaves out.
   • Application of the federal/state/tribal power framework to a scenario where the taught surface heuristic misleadsGiven a brand-new law scenario where the 'whole country vs. one place' shortcut points to the wrong government, students determine the correct government and justify the choice using evidence from two different regions.

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1. Unit 1: Fuel, Rest, and Play: How Your Body WorksThis unit is about teaching your child that food, sleep, and movement aren't about how they look — they're fuel and maintenance for a body that's growing and playing. Every food, sleep, or movement choice gets tied to a specific job: energy, growth, focus, or repair. You'll use their actual daily routine as the material the whole time.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Food as fuel that provides energy or supports growthStudents sort food and drink pictures into 'gives me energy now' and 'helps me grow' bins with at least 5 of 6 correct.
   • Body signals: hungry, full, tired, energeticGiven a short scenario, students identify which body signal (hungry, full, tired, energetic) the character is feeling.
   • Balanced eating across a full day, not one mealStudents explain why a one-day meal plan needs foods from more than one group, using energy and growth as reasons.
   • Sleep needs at this age and their effect on mood and focusStudents state the recommended sleep-hour range for a 9-10 year old and name one effect of too little sleep on mood or focus.
   • Individual variation in food and sleep needs among same-age childrenGiven two same-age children with different stated sleep or food needs, students infer a reason both could still be fine.
   • Movement and active play as a daily body need, not limited to recessStudents compare a day with recess-only movement to a day with varied active play and predict which supports growth better and why.
   • A personal one-day plan combining food, movement, and sleepStudents build a one-day plan (drawn or written) showing meals, movement, and sleep matched to their own routine.
   • The specific function each fuel/rest/movement choice supportsStudents explain, for each part of their one-day plan, what specific body function it supports (energy, focus, growth, or repair).
   • Recognizing that individual and context-based variation can make a non-standard-looking schedule still meet fuel/rest/movement needsGiven an unfamiliar daily schedule for a child in a different climate or activity level whose plan does NOT look like a standard fuel/rest/movement checklist (extra rest breaks, no separate movement block), students judge whether the plan still meets fuel, rest, and movement needs, using function, not the standard three-category checklist, as the test, and explain why an amount that differs from the class norm can still be fine.
2. Unit 2: Germs, Hygiene, and Staying WellThis is where your child learns germs are living things too small to see, that they travel by hands, air, and surfaces, and that habits like handwashing and covering coughs stop that spread — even with nobody watching. They'll also learn to recognize feeling sick and to tell a trusted adult, and connect rest and fluids back to what Unit 1 taught about rest.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • Germs as microscopic living thingsExplain that germs are living things too small to see with the naked eye.
   • The three germ-spread pathways: hands, air, surfacesClassify a given scenario (sneeze, doorknob, shared cup, cough) by which pathway germs used to spread: hands, air, or surface.
   • The causal link between an unwitnessed hygiene habit and prevented illness in someone elseExplain why a habit performed with no one watching still stops germ spread.
   • The 4-step handwashing routineExecute the 4-step handwashing routine (wet, soap, scrub 20 seconds, rinse/dry) in correct order.
   • The cough-covering routineExecute the cough/sneeze-covering routine (elbow or tissue, dispose, wash hands) correctly.
   • The decision rule for choosing handwashing vs. cough-covering based on the situationCompare a scenario requiring handwashing to one requiring cough-covering and identify which routine and why.
   • Recognizing physical signs of sickness in a novel contextInfer, from a description of symptoms in an unfamiliar setting (a school field trip, a sleepover), whether a character is showing signs of being sick.
   • Trusted adult as a role, not a fixed individualExplain why telling a trusted adult about feeling sick applies to any adult in that role, not one specific person.
   • Rest and fluids as recovery supports for a sick bodySummarize how rest and fluids help a sick body recover, connecting to Unit 1's rest concept.
   • The ordered steps of a hygiene routine and the germ-level effect of each stepSequence a 4-step hygiene routine and explain in one sentence what happens to germs at each step.
3. Unit 3: Staying Safe: Home, Street, Bike, and OnlineFour safety rule sets — fire, street/bike, online, and medicine — all running on the same mechanism: tell a trusted adult immediately, even if it seems small or you think you'll get in trouble. Your child practices applying each domain's specific rules to new scenarios, and practices naming a backup adult when the first choice isn't around.10 skills ▸close ▾

   • The get-low-and-go fire escape ruleState the two-part rule for a home fire: get low and go, then get outside and stay outside.
   • A home escape plan with two exit routesIdentify the family's two ways out of a room on a drawn home floor plan.
   • The stop-look-listen street crossing ruleApply the stop-look-listen rule to a street-crossing scenario not shown in instruction.
   • Bike safety equipment and road-position rulesList the three required pieces of bike safety gear and behavior: helmet, visibility, and riding with traffic direction.
   • The three-step response to an uncomfortable online moment, as stated and modeledRecall the three steps to do when an online moment feels uncomfortable: stop responding, do not delete the evidence, tell a trusted adult right away.
   • The difference between a normal and an uncomfortable online interactionDistinguish an uncomfortable online moment from a normal online moment using three example chat scenarios.
   • The trusted-adult-only rule for medicineExplain why medicine is only ever given by a trusted adult, never self-served or shared with a friend.
   • Backup selection within the trusted-adult role across danger typesIdentify a trusted adult for a new danger scenario when the student's first-choice adult is unavailable.
   • The shared tell-a-trusted-adult step across four danger domainsCompare the fire, street/bike, online, and medicine rules to identify the one action common to all four.
   • Category features that mark a scenario as fire, street/bike, online, or medicine-relatedClassify eight scenario cards into the correct danger domain (fire, street/bike, online, medicine).
4. Unit 4: Feelings, Calming Down, and Being a Good FriendThis unit treats feelings as information, calming down as something you can actually practice, and friendship as specific repeatable actions rather than a feeling. Your child names feelings, matches them to calming strategies (pulling rest, movement, and trusted-adult straight from Units 1 and 3), then practices listening, including others, apologizing with a real change in behavior, and saying no while staying a friend.9 skills ▸close ▾

   • Specific feeling vocabulary words matched to scenario cuesStudent names a specific feeling word (e.g., frustrated, lonely, nervous) that matches a short scenario, choosing from a word bank.
   • The relationship between a feeling's type/intensity and a matching calming strategyStudent matches a feeling to an appropriate calming strategy (breathing, movement, rest, or telling a trusted adult) across a new scenario not used in instruction.
   • The link between naming a feeling and choosing a calmer next actionStudent explains why naming a feeling out loud can change what a person does next, using a specific example.
   • The difference between telling (someone could be hurt or needs help) and tattling (minor, no harm, seeking trouble for someone), using the modeled example set itselfStudent sorts the exact contrasting example pairs modeled in class (e.g., 'she took the blue crayon' vs. 'he won't stop pushing me') into telling or tattling, using the same wording used during instruction.
   • The difference between telling (someone could be hurt or needs help) and tattling (minor, no harm, seeking trouble for someone), applied beyond the modeled examplesStudent distinguishes 'telling a trusted adult' about a friend problem from 'tattling,' applying the rule to new, unseen example pairs.
   • Listening and including behaviors as concrete, repeatable friend actionsStudent demonstrates listening and including as specific friend actions during a structured partner role-play.
   • Repair actions that specify a changed future behavior in response to a particular conflictStudent writes a repair action for a friend-conflict scenario that names a specific behavior change, not a generic apology word.
   • The distinction between refusing an unsafe or unkind request and ending a friendshipStudent identifies when saying no to a friend's request is still consistent with being a good friend, given a scenario involving peer pressure.
   • The combined application of feeling identification, strategy matching, and repair reasoning within one novel scenarioStudent applies feeling-naming, calming-strategy selection, and repair-action reasoning together to an unfamiliar multi-part scenario involving both an internal feeling and a friend conflict.

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