For parents
Reading About Our World
One short nonfiction passage each week, linked to that week's science or social studies. Each has a word box and questions with answers.
Week 1 · Science
Forces All Around You
Forces are pushes and pulls
Week 2 · Social Studies
City, Suburb and Country
Urban, suburban & rural communities
Week 3 · Science
The Force That Slows Things Down
Friction
Week 4 · Social Studies
Land, Water and Gifts from Nature
Landforms, water & resources
Week 5 · Science
Magnets and Static: Forces at a Distance
Magnets & static electricity
Week 6 · Social Studies
The First Peoples of This Land
Native peoples, past and present
Week 7 · Science
Engineers Solve Problems with Magnets
Engineering a magnet solution
Week 8 · Social Studies
How Do Towns Begin?
How our community began
Week 9 · Science
Motion That Repeats
Patterns of motion
Week 10 · Science
A Pond Is an Ecosystem
Ecosystems
Week 11 · Social Studies
Five Regions, One Country
The five U.S. regions
Week 12 · Social Studies
Native Nations Across the Land
Native nations across regions
Week 13 · Science
Better Together
Animal groups
Week 14 · Science
Who Eats Whom?
Food chains & food webs
Week 15 · Science
Changing as They Grow
Life cycles
Week 16 · Social Studies
Coming to a New Home
Immigration
Week 17 · Science
A Bridge for Animals
Modeling an ecosystem
Week 18 · Social Studies
Many Cultures, One Country
Culture
Week 19 · Science
Tools of a Weather Watcher
Measuring weather
Week 20 · Social Studies
Three Branches, One Government
Three branches of government
Week 21 · Science
Staying Safe in Wild Weather
Severe weather & safety
Week 22 · Social Studies
Every Vote Counts
Voting
Week 23 · Science
Climates Around the World
Climate regions
Week 24 · Social Studies
Choices, Choices
Economic choices
Week 25 · Science
Reading the Sky
Clouds, air pressure & forecasts
Week 26 · Social Studies
Buying, Selling and Trading
Scarcity, markets & trade
Week 27 · Science
Built for Where They Live
Adapting to climate
Week 28 · Science
Like Parent, Like Offspring
Inherited traits
Week 29 · Social Studies
Maps That Tell Stories
Reading resource, population & climate maps
Week 30 · Science
Same Kind, Different Looks
Variation in a species
Week 31 · Social Studies
Save, Spend and Give
Save, spend & give
Week 32 · Social Studies
The Journey of Your Breakfast
Interdependence
Week 33 · Science
Clues in the Rocks
Fossils & past environments
Week 34 · Social Studies
Kids Can Make a Difference
Taking civic action
Week 35 · Social Studies
Who Runs Your Town?
Local government for the year-end community project
Week 36 · Science
Nature and Surroundings
Year review: environment, traits & change