Quarter 2 · Weeks 10–18

Building Meaning: Division, Narratives, Ecosystems & Regions

Children learn division as sharing and grouping, master division facts, and use the properties of multiplication to solve two-step problems. In writing they plan and write narratives with dialogue and a clear problem and solution, then revise, read poetry and compare texts. Science moves into ecosystems, habitats, food webs and life cycles. Social studies covers U.S. geography and regions, Native nations across regions, movement and trade, culture and immigration.

Units in this quarter

Quarter plan

By the end of this quarter

Mathematics

Your child can explain division as sharing equally or as making equal groups, and write a division sentence for a story.
Your child can use a multiplication fact to find a division fact from the same fact family, with no remainders.
Your child can solve multiplication and division word problems and find the unknown number in an equation such as 6 × ? = 42.
Your child can switch, group or break apart factors to make a hard fact easier, and use the rules for 0 and 1.
Your child can solve two-step word problems, use a letter for the unknown, and check the answer with an estimate.
Your child can explain patterns in the multiplication chart and multiply a one-digit number by a multiple of 10.

Matters most for what comes next: Knowing division as the partner of multiplication, using fact families, and solving two-step problems matter most; measurement problems, area, perimeter and graphs in the next quarters depend on them.

Reading & Writing

Your child can write a short story about one small moment with an opening, a problem, events in order and an ending.
Your child can add details, feelings and dialogue to a story and punctuate the dialogue correctly.
Your child can revise for stronger words and edit for capitals, end marks and subject-verb agreement.
Your child can talk about a poem using the words line, stanza, rhyme and rhythm, and read it aloud with expression.
Your child can compare two texts on the same topic and use evidence from both to draw a conclusion.
Your child can write a research question, take short notes in their own words and sort the notes under headings.

Matters most for what comes next: Writing events in order with details, revising and editing a draft, and taking notes in their own words matter most for the essays and research report ahead.

Science

Your child can describe an ecosystem as living and nonliving things in one place that affect each other.
Your child can explain how body features and behaviors help plants and animals survive in their habitats.
Your child can build a food chain and a food web, starting with the sun, and predict what happens when one part changes.
Your child can use evidence to explain how living in a group helps some animals survive.
Your child can compare the life cycles of a plant, a butterfly and a frog and tell what all life cycles share.
Your child can observe a local study site, record data, and build a model of an ecosystem to make predictions.

Matters most for what comes next: Explaining how living things depend on each other and their habitat, and using a model to predict a change, matter most for the climate and traits units ahead.

Social Studies

Your child can find the United States, its neighbors, oceans, major mountain ranges, rivers and the Great Lakes on a map.
Your child can name the five regions of the United States and compare their land, climate and work.
Your child can describe how Native nations in different regions used their land, and describe them as living nations today.
Your child can explain why people and goods move and why regions trade with each other.
Your child can explain what culture is and how immigration, past and present, has shaped life in the United States.
Your child can research one state and present its geography, history and landmarks.

Matters most for what comes next: Finding places and regions on a United States map and explaining why people and goods move matter most for the trade lessons in Quarter 3 and the map work in Quarter 4.

Assessment calendar

Week	Day	Subject	What
10	5	All subjects	Weekly checkWeekly checks in all four subjects, every Day 5
12	5	Mathematics	Unit testUnit 2 Test: Multiplication & Division Facts
12	5	Reading & Writing	Unit testUnit 2 Test: Main Idea, Opinions & Narratives
12	5	Science	Unit testUnit 2 Test: Magnet Design & Ecosystems
12	5	Social Studies	Unit testUnit 2 Test: Early Communities & U.S. Regions
14	4	Mathematics	ProjectParty Planner Challenge (Days 3–4)
14	4	Reading & Writing	ProjectPicture Book Publishing Project and Author's Chair (Days 3–4)
16	5	Science	ProjectLocal ecosystem field report (study begins Day 1)
17	5	Science	ProjectEcosystem model: explain your model (work begins Day 1)
17	5	Social Studies	ProjectState research project: presentation (work begins Day 1)
18	1	Mathematics	Quarter reviewQuarter 2 Review: Mathematics
18	2	Reading & Writing	Quarter reviewQuarter 2 Review: Reading & Writing
18	3	Science	Quarter reviewQuarter 2 Review: Science
18	4	Science	ProjectEcosystem design performance task
18	4	Social Studies	Quarter reviewQuarter 2 Review: Social Studies
18	5	Mathematics	Unit testUnit 3 Test: Properties, Patterns & Two-Step Problems
18	5	Reading & Writing	Unit testUnit 3 Test: Revising, Poetry & Comparing Texts
18	5	Science	Unit testUnit 3 Test: Life Cycles & Living Together
18	5	Social Studies	Unit testUnit 3 Test: Movement, Culture & Immigration

Pacing and planning

Week 14 is the flex week and Week 18 is the review week. Math Week 17 is mostly review as well.
A week behind? Keep math Weeks 10–13 and 15–16 whole. In Week 14, use Days 3–4 for missed lessons in place of the projects.
Week 12 Day 5 and Week 18 Day 5 each hold four unit tests. Give two that day and two the next; reading is best split into two sittings.
In Week 18, give each Quarter 2 Review on its day (math, reading, science, social studies) and trim that day's review lesson to match.
Gather ahead: 6 to 10 pill bugs for Week 14 Day 4, dry beans to soak overnight before Week 15 Day 1, and a paper cup with potting soil.
For Week 17, find a large clear jar or shoebox for the ecosystem model, and poster board, an atlas and library books for the state project.

Week 12: All four Unit 2 tests fall on Day 5; split them over two days if your child tires.
Week 14: Flex week: Days 1–2 catch up; Days 3–4 hold the Party Planner Challenge, a picture book and map projects.
Week 15: Science starts a bean plant on Day 1; soak the beans the night before.
Week 16: Science moves outdoors for a local ecosystem study, with two visits to one study square.
Week 17: Project week in science (ecosystem model) and social studies (state research project); both are presented on Day 5. ELA teaches research skills.
Week 18: Review week: Quarter 2 Reviews on Days 1–4, a science performance task on Day 4, four Unit 3 tests on Day 5.

Quarter 2 Reviews Quarter 2 report form

See what your state adds or places differently

Weeks in this quarter

Open a week for the full plan, jump straight to a day, or print the whole week.

Week 10

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can tell what a narrative is and name its five parts(W.3.3, SL.3.1, W.3.3.A, SL.3.1.C)
Mathematics: I can share a total into equal groups to show what division means(3.OA.A.2, 3.OA.B.6, 3.OA.C.7)
Science: I can explain that an ecosystem is all the living and nonliving things in one place and how they affect each…(3-LS4-3, 3-LS1-1)
Social Studies: I can find the United States on a globe and name its neighbors and oceans(D2.Geo.1.3-5, D2.Geo.2.3-5, D2.Geo.5.3-5, D2.Geo.8.3-5)

Activities

English: Read aloud "The Lost Mitten": On the first snowy Saturday of winter, my little…
Mathematics: Your child deals beans onto plates, then draws circles with dots and writes the…
Science: What Is an Ecosystem?
Social: Globe hunt

Reading list

Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs — Patricia LauberRead-aloud
The Mouse and the Motorcycle — Beverly Cleary
The Stories Julian Tells — Ann Cameron
Tornado — Betsy Byars

Week 11

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can show a character's feelings with actions and body clues instead of just naming the feeling(W.3.3.B, L.3.3.A, RL.3.3, L.3.3.B)
Mathematics: I can quickly divide by 2, 5 and 10 using multiplication facts I know(3.OA.C.7, 3.OA.B.6)
Science: I can explain that a habitat gives a living thing the food, water, shelter and space it needs(3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-2)
Social Studies: I can name the five regions of the United States and find my own region(D2.Geo.2.3-5, D2.Geo.10.3-5, D2.Geo.11.3-5)

Activities

English: Read aloud "The Art Show": Ravi found his painting on the gym wall
Mathematics: Your child names the strategy, solves and says the multiplication check
Science: What Is a Habitat?
Social: Region coloring

Reading list

What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? — Steve Jenkins and Robin PageRead-aloud
The Mouse and the Motorcycle — Beverly Cleary
My Father's Dragon — Ruth Stiles Gannett
The Stories Julian Tells — Ann Cameron

Week 12

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can plan a story with an opening, rising action, climax, falling action and ending(W.3.3.A, RL.3.5, L.3.6, SL.3.2)
Mathematics: I can solve multiplication word problems by finding the equal groups(3.OA.A.3, 3.OA.A.1, 3.OA.A.2, 3.OA.A.4)
Science: I can build a food chain and draw arrows that show energy moving from the food to the eater(3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4, 3-PS2-4, 3-5-ETS1-1)
Social Studies: I can describe how Native nations of the Eastern Woodlands used the forest, and that they are living nations…(D2.Geo.4.3-5, D2.His.2.3-5, D2.His.4.3-5, D2.His.5.3-5)

Activities

English: 1) Ask: "What is the climax?" (The boat starts to sink, and they jump out and s…
Mathematics: Write each story on paper
Science: Food Chain Basics
Social: Read and build

Reading list

Sarah, Plain and Tall — Patricia MacLachlanRead-aloud
The Mouse and the Motorcycle — Beverly Cleary
My Father's Dragon — Ruth Stiles Gannett
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs — Patricia Lauber

Week 13

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can tell the difference between revising and editing and do both to my writing(W.3.5, SL.3.1.B, L.3.1.H, L.3.1.I)
Mathematics: I can switch the order of factors and get the same product (commutative property)(3.OA.B.5, 3.OA.C.7)
Science: I can explain how living in a group helps some animals survive(3-LS2-1)
Social Studies: I can name reasons people move from one place to another(D2.Geo.7.3-5, D2.His.14.3-5, D2.Geo.9.3-5, D2.His.2.3-5)

Activities

English: Hold a short writing conference
Mathematics: Your child says "commutative property" each time the factors trade places
Science: Why Animals Live in Groups
Social: Source work

Reading list

Grandfather's Journey — Allen SayRead-aloud
The Mouse and the Motorcycle — Beverly Cleary
My Father's Dragon — Ruth Stiles Gannett
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs — Patricia Lauber

Week 14

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can punctuate dialogue correctly every time (catch-up day)(L.3.2.C, W.3.3.B, L.3.1.F, W.3.3.A)
Mathematics: I can catch up on division by modeling sharing and grouping and using fact families(3.OA.A.2, 3.OA.B.6, 3.OA.B.5, 3.OA.C.7)
Science: I can sort producers, consumers and decomposers and draw food chain arrows the right way(3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-2, 3-5-ETS1-3, 3-LS2-1)
Social Studies: I can fix tricky map skills from Weeks 10 and 11, like regions and landforms(D2.Geo.2.3-5, D2.Geo.10.3-5, D2.Geo.4.3-5, D2.His.2.3-5)

Activities

English: Write one spoken line on each of four sticky notes
Mathematics: Make fact-family triangles together
Science: Flex Catch-Up: Food Roles and Arrows
Social: Region relay

Reading list

Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen — Debbi Michiko FlorenceRead-aloud
Charlotte's Web — E. B. White
Juana & Lucas — Juana Medina
Grandfather's Journey — Allen Say

Week 15

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can find the lines and stanzas in a poem and use poetry words to talk about it(RL.3.5, L.3.6, RF.3.3.A, L.3.4.B)
Mathematics: I can find the two steps in a word problem before I solve it(3.OA.D.8, 3.OA.A.4, 3.NBT.A.1, 3.NBT.A.2)
Science: I can describe the stages of a plant's life cycle and start a bean plant to observe(3-LS1-1)
Social Studies: I can explain what culture is and name parts of my own family's culture(D2.Geo.4.3-5, D2.Civ.14.3-5, D2.Geo.7.3-5)

Activities

English: 1) Your child numbers the lines of the second stanza and brackets it
Mathematics: Your child tells the hidden question, names both steps, then solves
Science: Plant Life Cycle
Social: Six-box culture chart

Reading list

Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems — Eloise GreenfieldRead-aloud
Charlotte's Web — E. B. White
Juana & Lucas — Juana Medina
Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen — Debbi Michiko Florence

Week 16

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can compare the characters, plots and lessons of two fables(RL.3.9, RL.3.2, SL.3.1, RI.3.9)
Mathematics: I can find and explain patterns on the multiplication chart and in skip counting(3.OA.D.9, 3.NBT.A.3, 3.OA.C.7)
Science: I can choose a local study site and plan how to observe it safely like a field scientist(3-LS4-3, 3-LS2-1, SL.3.4)
Social Studies: I can explain what immigration means and name reasons people move to a new country(D2.Geo.7.3-5, D2.His.14.3-5, D2.His.2.3-5, D2.His.16.3-5)

Activities

English: Read Fable 2 aloud
Mathematics: Your child finds each pattern on the chart and explains it
Science: Choose Your Local Ecosystem
Social: Story cards

Reading list

The Keeping Quilt — Patricia PolaccoRead-aloud
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China — Ed Young
Grandfather's Journey — Allen Say
Over and Under the Pond — Kate Messner

Week 17

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can write a focused research question and ask questions that help a speaker explain more(W.3.7, SL.3.3, W.3.8, RI.3.5)
Mathematics: I can show a division fact as equal sharing and as equal grouping(3.OA.A.2, 3.OA.C.7, 3.OA.B.6, 3.OA.A.3)
Science: I can plan a model of an ecosystem that includes producers, consumers, decomposers and nonliving parts(3-LS4-3, 3-LS4-4)
Social Studies: I can choose a U.S(D1.1.3-5, D1.3.3-5, D1.4.3-5, D1.5.3-5)

Activities

English: Turn each topic into a focused question together
Mathematics: Your child builds each one, draws it, and labels it sharing or grouping
Science: Plan a Model Ecosystem
Social: Choose a state

Reading list

Over and Under the Pond — Kate MessnerRead-aloud
Snowflake Bentley — Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China — Ed Young
Grandfather's Journey — Allen Say

Week 18

Videos Print

English Language Arts: I can review narrative writing by mapping a story I hear and writing one of my own(W.3.3, W.3.3.C, W.3.3.D, SL.3.2)
Mathematics: I can use a strategy to multiply quickly with all the facts from ×2 to ×10(3.OA.C.7, 3.OA.B.5, 3.OA.B.6, 3.OA.A.4)
Science: I can review and explain ecosystems, habitats and adaptations with examples(3-LS4-2, 3-LS4-3, 3-LS1-1, 3-LS2-1)
Social Studies: I can review U.S(D2.Geo.2.3-5, D2.Geo.10.3-5, D2.Geo.4.3-5, D2.His.2.3-5)

Activities

English: 1) Your child retells the story in 4 or 5 sentences from listening only
Mathematics: Write each fact
Science: Q2 Review: Ecosystems, Habitats and Adaptations
Social: Map and clue game

Reading list

Juana & Lucas — Juana MedinaRead-aloud
Over and Under the Pond — Kate Messner
Snowflake Bentley — Jacqueline Briggs Martin
Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China — Ed Young

Key milestones this quarter

Unit 2 tests (Week 12)
Division facts
A complete short narrative
Model ecosystem
State project
Unit 3 tests and Quarter 2 review (Week 18)