3
    Third GradePowered by ThirdGrade.com

    Standards this week

    Social Studies

    • D4.7.3-5 Explain different strategies and approaches students and others could take in working alone and together to address local, regional, and global problems.Day 1, 2, 3
    • D2.Civ.7.3-5 Apply civic virtues and democratic principles in school and community settings.Day 1
    • D4.8.3-5 Use a range of deliberative and democratic procedures to make decisions about and act on civic problems in their classrooms and schools.Day 2
    • D4.2.3-5 Construct explanations using reasoning, correct sequence, examples, and details with relevant information and data.Day 3, 4
    • D4.3.3-5 Day 4, 5
    • D4.1.3-5 Construct arguments using claims and evidence from multiple sources.Day 5

    Mathematics

    • 3.G.A.1 Understand that shapes in different categories may share attributes (e.g., quadrilaterals).Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

    English Language Arts

    • RL.3.5 Refer to parts of stories, dramas, and poems using terms such as chapter, scene, and stanza.Day 1, 5
    • RL.3.10 Read and comprehend literature at the high end of the grades 2-3 text complexity band independently and proficiently.Day 1, 3
    • RF.3.4.A Day 1
    • RF.3.4.B Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
    • L.3.2.F Day 1
    • RF.3.4.C Day 2
    • RL.3.7 Explain how illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story.Day 2, 5
    • L.3.5.A Distinguish the literal and nonliteral meanings of words and phrases in context.Day 3
    • SL.3.4 Report on a topic or text with appropriate facts and relevant details, speaking clearly.Day 4, 5
    • SL.3.5 Create engaging audio recordings or add visual displays to emphasize or enhance certain facts or details.Day 4
    • SL.3.6 Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation to provide requested detail or clarification.Day 4
    • SL.3.3 Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.Day 4
    • RL.3.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.Day 4

    Science

    • 3-LS3-1 Analyze data to provide evidence that traits are inherited from parents.Day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

    See what your state adds or places differently

    Suggested daily schedule
    8:30–8:45 AM15 minMorning Circle / Read-Aloud / Calendar
    8:45–10:00 AM75 minEnglish Language Arts
    10:00–11:00 AM60 minMathematics
    11:00–11:15 AM15 minSnack and Movement Break
    11:15–12:00 PM30–45 minScience (every day)
    12:00–12:45 PM30–45 minSocial Studies (every day)
    12:45–1:30 PM45 minLunch and Choice Time
    1:30–2:15 PM45 minSpecials: PE / Art / Music (rotating)
    2:15–2:45 PM30 minIndependent Reading & Journaling

    Mark Week 34 complete

    0 / 4 done

    Saved in this browser

    Day 1 · Monday

    Social Studies

    I can begin my civic action safely and keep a log of what I did and what happened.

    D4.7.3-5D2.Civ.7.3-5

    Builds on: Needs Week 33: a finished plan with a goal number, dates, helpers and a safety rule. One-minute check: ask, "What is your goal number?" (Answers vary. It should match the planner, such as 40 pairs of socks.)

    New words:
    • action log – a chart where you write what you did each day and what happened
    • civic virtue – a good habit that helps people live and work together, such as honesty or respect

    Materials: Civic Action Project planner, open to Step 5 (from the site's Civic Action Project page), or a notebook page titled Step 5, Materials box packed last week, Action log page (1 sheet of paper ruled into 4 columns: Date, What we did, Count, Note), Clipboard or a large book to write on, Notebook, Pencil, For a cleanup project only: work gloves and a trash bag

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 33. Ask: "Name the six steps of the civic action cycle in order." (Identify, research, plan, act, reflect, share.) Ask: "Which step is today?" (Act.) Your child reads the plan's first step, names the helpers and says the safety rule. Then ask the big question: "What will we do if something does not go as planned?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Today we act. Good citizens use civic virtues. Those are good habits like respect, responsibility and honesty." Say: "Respect means polite words, even when someone says no. Responsibility means doing the job we promised. Honesty means writing the real count." Say: "Real plans rarely go perfectly. Changing a plan is part of civic action." Show the action log page. Say: "Each row of an action log has four parts: the date, what we did, a count and a note." In the notebook, write a model row for a made-up sock drive: "Monday. Set the box in the hall and hung 2 flyers. 13 pairs. Note: the box was hard to see." Ask: "Which part is the count?" (13 pairs.) "What does the note tell us?" (A problem to fix. The box was hard to see.) "A neighbor says, 'No, thank you.' Which virtue do you use?" (Respect. Say thank you and move on.) If stuck, say: "Point to each column. Date, did, count, note."

    15–20 min · Activity / Source Work

    Action Day 1. 1) Read the safety rule aloud. An adult stays with your child the whole time. 2) Take the materials box. Your child carries out the first step of the plan. Samples: set up a collection box and flyers, do a 15-minute cleanup, or deliver a polite letter. 3) Cleanup safety: wear gloves and use the trash bag. Never touch glass, needles or anything sharp. Your child points and the adult handles it. 4) Never put your address or full name on a flyer or online. Never go door to door alone, and never collect money online. 5) Keep the plan the same today. Just notice what works. 6) Right after, your child clips the log page to the clipboard and fills in the first row. The columns are Date | What we did | Count | Note. 7) Ask for evidence: "What in your log shows what happened today?" (The count and the note.) Look for a date, an action and a count or result. Real results vary. Look for what helped and what got in the way.

    10 min · Notebook Entry

    Your child writes three sentences and draws one quick picture of the action. Frames: "Today I ___. The hardest part was ___. Tomorrow I could try ___." Sample: "Today I set out the sock box and hung two flyers. The hardest part was finding a good spot. Tomorrow I could try moving the box by the door."

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three exit questions aloud. Praise honest counts and polite words to helpers.

    Watch for: Skipping the log because the action is more fun than writing.

    Try: Keep the log on the clipboard beside the work. Fill in the row the moment the step is done.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. What did you do today for your project? Point to the log row that shows it.
    2. Tara's log row says: Tuesday, picked up litter, 2 bags. Which part of the row is missing?
    3. You promised to hang three flyers but hung only one. What count do you write, and why?
    Show answers
    1. Answers vary. Look for: the first step from the plan, matching the log row.
    2. The note. It should tell one thing that happened or one problem to fix.
    3. One. An honest log shows what really happened, so the plan can be fixed.

    Support: Break today's step into two small jobs. Check off each one together. Then your child says the log row aloud while you write it.

    Extend: Your child invites one more helper, with an adult's okay, and gives that person one clear job.

    Homework: Your child tells a family member what happened today and adds any new count to the log. Look for a real number, not just "a lot."

    Mathematics

    I can explain why every square is a rectangle but not every rectangle is a square.

    3.G.A.1

    Builds on: Needs Week 33 Day 4 (square, rectangle, rhombus and the square corner test). One-minute check: hold up the rectangle card and ask for its name and one reason (rectangle; 4 square corners).

    Materials: The 6 quadrilateral cards from Week 33 Day 4 (square, rectangle, rhombus, roof shape, kite, lopsided shape), 2 new cards cut from grid paper: a 5 by 5 square and a rectangle 4 long and 3 tall, Scissors (to cut out the new cards), Ruler, Index card (to test square corners), Grid paper, Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 33 Day 3. A rectangle of 12 squares is split into 4 equal parts. Ask how many squares are in each part and what fraction each is (12 ÷ 4 = 3 squares each; 1/4). Then practice ×8 facts with no clock. Ask 8 × 3, 8 × 6 and 8 × 9 (24, 48, 72).

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A rectangle is a quadrilateral with 4 square corners. That is the only rule." Say: "A square has 4 square corners and 4 equal sides." Draw a big circle on paper and label it rectangles. Draw a small circle inside it and label it squares. Work the 4 by 4 square card fully. Fit the index card into each corner. Ask: "Does it pass the rectangle rule?" (Yes. It has 4 square corners.) Say: "So this square is a rectangle. Every square is a rectangle, because every square has 4 square corners." Lay it in the small circle. Ask: "Is it inside the big circle too?" (Yes) Now test the 6 by 2 rectangle card with the ruler. Ask: "Are all 4 sides equal?" (No. They are 6, 2, 6 and 2.) Say: "So this rectangle is not a square. A square is a special rectangle, one with 4 equal sides." Lay it in the big circle, outside the small one. Now your child does more. Your child tests and places the 5 by 5 card and the 4 by 3 card. (small circle; big circle only)

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Your child tests each card, places it, and says the reason aloud. 1) The rhombus card. (Outside both circles. Its corners are not square.) 2) The roof card. (Outside both circles. Its corners are not square.) 3) Turn the 5 by 5 square onto one corner. Does it stay in the small circle? (Yes. Turning does not change corners or sides.) 4) Ask: "Can you draw a square that is not a rectangle? Try on grid paper." (No. Every square has 4 square corners.) If stuck, say: "Rectangle rule: 4 square corners. Square rule: 4 square corners and 4 equal sides. Test both."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    For each shape, your child answers: rectangle, square, both or neither. 1) 4 square corners; sides of 4, 4, 4 and 4 units. (both) 2) 4 square corners; sides of 5, 2, 5 and 2 units. (rectangle only) 3) The kite card. (neither) 4) 4 square corners; sides of 7, 1, 7 and 1 units. (rectangle only) 5) A quadrilateral with only 2 square corners. (neither; a rectangle needs 4) 6) You draw a square standing on one corner. (both) 7) A sandbox has 4 square corners and is 6 feet on every side. Jo calls it a rectangle. Is Jo right? (Yes. A square is a special rectangle.) 8) A door has 4 square corners. It is 3 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Max calls it a square. Is Max right? (No. Its sides are not all equal.) Last, your child writes one sentence telling why a square is a special rectangle.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Read each question aloud; your child answers on grid paper and may use the ruler and the index card.

    Watch for: Thinking a shape can belong to only one group.

    Try: Use the two circles. Your child lays the square in the small circle and sees that it sits inside the big one too.

    Fact fluency: ×8 facts
    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. What one rule must a quadrilateral pass to be a rectangle?
    2. A shape has 4 square corners and sides of 8, 8, 8 and 8 cm. Is it a rectangle, a square or both?
    3. Draw a rectangle that is not a square. Tell why it is not a square.
    Show answers
    1. It must have 4 square corners.
    2. Both
    3. Sample: 5 units long and 2 units tall. Its sides are not all equal.

    Support: Use only the 4 by 4 square card and the 6 by 2 rectangle card. Your child tests every corner and side, then places each card.

    Extend: Your child draws every rectangle with a perimeter of 16 units and whole-number sides, then circles the square. (1 by 7, 2 by 6, 3 by 5 and 4 by 4; the square is 4 by 4)

    Homework: Your child finds three squares and three rectangles that are not squares at home and lists them. Sample: a sticky note is a square; a door is a rectangle that is not a square.

    English Language Arts

    I can read a script aloud as reader's theater and use the parts of a play to read it well.

    RL.3.5RL.3.10RF.3.4.ARF.3.4.BL.3.2.F

    Builds on: Needs story parts from Week 1 (characters, setting, beginning, middle and end) and the word scene from Week 1 Day 3. One-minute check: ask, "In a play, what do we call each part?" (a scene)

    New words:
    • script – a story written as a play, with a line for each speaker
    • cast – the list of characters in a play
    • stage directions – words in parentheses that tell how to speak a line or what to do
    • reader's theater – reading a play aloud using only your voice, with no costumes or stage

    Materials: The script in this lesson, copied by hand or printed, one copy per reader, Highlighters or colored pencils in different colors, Reader's notebook, Pencil, One or two family members to read parts (you may read two parts yourself)

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Word study, about 3 minutes. Say: "This week's words have soft c and soft g. C usually says /s/ and g usually says /j/ before e, i or y." Write pencil, center, mice, giant, page and magic. Your child circles the letter that follows each soft c or g, reads the word and sorts it. (Soft c: pencil, center, mice. Soft g: giant, page, magic.) Spaced review from Week 1. Ask: "What two things does a setting tell?" (where and when)

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A script is a story written as a play. In reader's theater we read it aloud with only our voices." Point to each part of the script as you name it. Say: "The cast is the list of characters. A name in capital letters tells who speaks. The words after the colon are the line. Words in parentheses are stage directions. They tell how to speak a line or what to do. We never read them aloud. A new scene starts when the time or place changes." Read the script together: "The Squeaky Wagon": CAST: NARRATOR, DESI, AUNT FLO, MR. PARK, a neighbor. SCENE 1. NARRATOR: It is the morning of the pet parade. Desi pulls a wagon with her rabbit, Clover, inside. DESI (groaning): Squeak, squeak, squeak! This wheel is so loud! AUNT FLO (peeking into the wagon): Poor Clover is shaking. She hates that noise. DESI (sighing): We can't be in the parade like this. MR. PARK (calling from his porch): I have an oil can... somewhere in my shed! SCENE 2. NARRATOR: Ten minutes later, Mr. Park kneels beside the wagon. MR. PARK (squeezing the can): One drop here. Now give it a pull. DESI (whispering): Listen... nothing! AUNT FLO (smiling): Clover has stopped shaking. DESI (cheering): Thank you, Mr. Park! Come and march with us! NARRATOR: And the quietest wagon in the parade rolled down Main Street. Think aloud on Desi's first line. Say: "The stage direction says groaning. So I make my voice low and tired." Read it that way. Ask: "Who speaks next?" (Aunt Flo) "What does her stage direction tell her to do?" (peek into the wagon) Say: "As we read, listen for the problem."

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    1) Each reader highlights their own character name and lines in one color. Your child also circles every set of parentheses in pencil. Ask: "How many stage directions did you find?" (8) 2) Read the script once, slowly. Ask: "What is the problem in Scene 1?" (The squeaky wheel scares Clover, so they cannot join the parade.) 3) Point to the three dots in Desi's whispered line. Say: "Dots mean pause." Your child rereads that line with a whisper and a pause. 4) Ask: "What happens in Scene 2 because of Scene 1?" (Mr. Park offers the oil can in Scene 1. In Scene 2 he uses it, and the squeak stops.) If stuck, say: "Find the parentheses. What word is inside? Make your voice match that word."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    1) Read the script three times. Switch parts each time so your child reads the Narrator, Desi and Mr. Park. 2) After each read, your child names one line that sounded better. 3) In the notebook, your child writes three sentences: the problem, how it is solved, and the stage direction that helped most. Sample: "The squeaky wagon scared Clover. Mr. Park oiled the wheel. The word whispering helped me read softly." Look for: the problem and its solution, a stage direction copied correctly, and a voice change you can hear.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three questions aloud. Your child keeps the script open and points to the line that proves each answer.

    Watch for: Reading the stage directions aloud as if they were part of the line.

    Try: Your child circles each set of parentheses before reading. Say: "Circled words are for your eyes only. They change your voice."

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Why does a new scene begin after Mr. Park's first line?
    2. Find Aunt Flo's line in Scene 2. How should she sound, and how do you know?
    3. Read Desi's last line aloud. What did you do with your voice, and why?
    Show answers
    1. The time changes. The narrator says it is ten minutes later.
    2. Happy or relieved. The stage direction says smiling, and Clover has stopped shaking.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: a louder, excited voice, because the stage direction says cheering and the sentences end with exclamation points.

    Support: Your child reads only Aunt Flo's two short lines on the first read. Add Desi's part on the second read.

    Extend: Your child writes a four-line Scene 3 set at the parade. Each line needs a speaker name and a stage direction.

    Homework: Perform "The Squeaky Wagon" for your family for about 10 minutes. You may read two parts. Look for a different voice on at least three stage directions.

    Science

    I can plan a survey to collect data about one inherited trait.

    3-LS3-1

    Builds on: Needs Week 28 (traits are inherited and vary) and the tally marks used in Week 16. One-minute check: ask, "Which is an inherited trait: a dog's fur color or a dog's name?" (Fur color.)

    New words:
    • survey – checking the same thing about many people or living things, then counting what you find

    Materials: Science notebook, Ruler for drawing the chart, Pencil

    5 min · Day 166 — Plan a Trait Survey — Wonder Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 28. Ask: "What is variation?" (Differences among living things of the same kind, like puppies in one litter.) Then the wonder. Ask: "If we looked at 10 dogs, would they all have the same fur? Which fur would we see most?" Your child writes a guess in pencil in the notebook.

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A survey checks the same thing about many people or living things. Then we count to find a pattern." Say: "A good survey trait is inherited, easy to see, and has 2 to 4 clear choices." Read this menu aloud. Dogs: fur length (short, medium, long). One kind of garden plant: flower color. People: eye color (brown, blue, green, other) or natural hair (straight, wavy, curly). Give three rules. Check at least 10. Ask permission first. Use kind words, because no trait is better than another. Say: "A small group can fool you. Ten or more gives a truer pattern." Now model a tally chart. Draw three rows: short, medium, long. Say: "I saw seven dogs. Short, short, long, medium, short, long, short." Your child makes one mark for each dog as you read. Ask: "How many had short fur?" (4) "How many marks did you make in all?" (7) "Is a favorite food a good survey trait?" (No. It is a choice, not an inherited trait.) If stuck, say: "Were they born with it? Can you see it? Can you name every choice?"

    15–20 min · Investigation / Hands-On

    Survey Plan. 1) Your child picks one trait from the menu and writes its choices. 2) They list at least 10 to check. For people, use family, neighbors, friends or family photos. For dogs, plan a walk with an adult. For plants, pick 10 plants of one kind. 3) With the ruler, they draw a tally chart with three columns: Choice, Tally, Total. Make one row for each choice. 4) They write the survey question. 5) They predict the most common choice and give a reason. Nothing is counted today. Keep one thing the same in the plan: look at or ask each one the same way. Check the plan together. The trait can be seen. The choices do not overlap. The chart has room for 10 or more marks. Safety: look at dogs you do not know from a distance, with an adult.

    10 min · Science Notebook Entry

    Your child titles a page "Trait Survey Plan" and fills in these frames. "My question: What ___ do ___ have? Choices: ___. I will check ___. I predict ___ will be most common because ___." Sample: "What fur length do dogs near my home have? Choices: short, medium, long. I will check 12 dogs on our walk. I predict short, because I see many short-haired dogs."

    5 min · Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

    Read the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise choices that are clear and do not overlap.

    Watch for: Choosing something that is not inherited, such as a favorite color, or a trait that is hard to see.

    Try: Ask two questions: "Were they born with it? Can I see it clearly?" If either answer is no, switch to a trait from the menu.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Mia wants to survey "favorite ice cream." Is that an inherited trait? Explain.
    2. Plan a survey of the rose bushes in a park. Name the trait and three choices.
    3. A fur color chart has rows for "brown," "dark" and "light brown." What is the problem?
    Show answers
    1. No. A favorite is a choice. It is not passed from parents to offspring.
    2. Answers vary. Look for: a trait you can see, such as flower color, with choices such as red, pink and white.
    3. The choices overlap. One dog could fit two rows, so the counts would be wrong.

    Support: Pick a trait with only two choices, such as dog fur that is one color or more than one color. The chart then has two rows.

    Extend: Your child plans to record two traits for each individual, in two charts. They predict the most common choice in each chart.

    Homework: Start the survey with 2 family members, 2 dogs or 2 plants. Add their tally marks. Look for: one mark for each, in the correct row.

    Day 2 · Tuesday

    Social Studies

    I can continue my civic action, check my progress toward my goal and adjust my plan.

    D4.7.3-5D4.8.3-5

    Builds on: Needs yesterday's first log row and the goal number in the planner. One-minute check: your child reads the count from yesterday's row. (Answers vary. It should match the log.)

    New words:
    • progress – how far you have come toward a goal

    Materials: Action log from Day 1, Civic Action Project planner, Graph paper (or plain paper ruled into squares), Ruler, Materials box, Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 31. Ask: "Name the four ways people give to their community." (Time, talent, things and money.) Ask: "Which ways does your project use?" (Answers vary.) Your child reads yesterday's log row aloud. Then ask the big question: "Are we on track to reach our goal? How can we tell?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Partway through, we check our progress. Progress is how far we have come toward the goal." Model with the made-up sock drive. Write in the notebook: Goal 40 pairs. Monday 13. Tuesday 8. Say: "First add the days. 13 + 8 = 21 pairs so far." Say: "Then subtract from the goal. 40 - 21 = 19. The drive needs 19 more." Ask: "What could help the drive collect more?" (Sample: a reminder flyer, asking a neighbor or moving the box.) Say: "Sometimes helpers disagree about a change. Then we decide fairly. Each person gives one reason. Everyone listens. Then we vote." Ask: "Why does each person give a reason before the vote?" (So everyone hears the ideas and the choice is fair.) "The drive has 21 pairs and wants 40. Is it past halfway?" (Yes. Half of 40 is 20.) If stuck, say: "Add what we have. Then count up from that number to the goal."

    15–20 min · Activity / Source Work

    Action Day 2. 1) With an adult, your child takes the materials box, does the next step of the plan and adds a log row. 2) Draw this table in the notebook: Day | Count today | Total so far | Still needed. Your child fills in a row for each day. 3) Make a progress bar graph on the graph paper. Draw one bar for each day. Each bar shows the total so far. 4) Label the bottom "Day" and the side with what you are counting. 5) With the ruler, draw a dashed line across at the goal number. 6) Hold a family meeting. Each person names one change and one reason. Vote. Your child writes the winning change in the planner. Keep the goal the same. Change only one thing, so you can see whether it helps. Expect the bars to step upward. Real results vary. Look for the pattern: is the total climbing toward the dashed line? If your project has no count, such as a letter, graph the steps finished. If the action runs long, hold the family meeting at dinner.

    10 min · Notebook Entry

    Your child completes these frames: "So far we have ___. We need ___ more to reach our goal. We decided to change ___ because ___." Sample: "So far we have 21 pairs. We need 19 more to reach our goal. We decided to move the box because people did not see it."

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Your child solves the first two exit questions on paper. Praise checking the numbers against the log and listening during the vote.

    Watch for: Seeing a small Day 2 count and wanting to quit.

    Try: Show the graph. Say: "Look how far the total has climbed." Then pick one change that is easy to try today.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. A card project wants to make 30 cards. The helpers made 12 cards, then 9 cards. How many cards so far?
    2. How many more cards does that project need to reach 30?
    3. What change did your family vote for today, and what was the reason?
    Show answers
    1. 21 cards (12 + 9 = 21).
    2. 9 more cards (30 - 21 = 9).
    3. Answers vary. Look for: one specific change linked to what the log shows.

    Support: Draw a number line from 0 to the goal. Your child marks the total so far, then hops to the goal by tens and ones.

    Extend: Your child predicts the final total if each coming day matches today's count. Then your child says whether the goal will be reached.

    Homework: With an adult, your child does one more small step and logs it. Look for all four parts in the new row.

    Mathematics

    I can recognize rhombuses and parallelograms and tell how they relate to squares and rectangles.

    3.G.A.1

    Builds on: Needs Week 34 Day 1 (every square is a rectangle) and Week 33 Day 4 (a rhombus has 4 equal sides). One-minute check: ask "How many equal sides does a rhombus have?" (4)

    New words:
    • same-direction sides – two sides that run the same way and would never meet, like train tracks
    • parallelogram – a quadrilateral with two pairs of same-direction sides

    Materials: 8 straws: 6 cut to 6 inches and 2 cut to 3 inches, Scissors (to cut the straws and the new card), Tape (to join the straw ends loosely), Ruler, Index card (to test square corners), The 8 quadrilateral cards from Day 1, 1 new card cut from grid paper, a slanted parallelogram. Draw a top side 5 long. Draw the bottom side 5 long, 3 rows lower and shifted 2 squares right. Join the ends., Grid paper, Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 33 Day 2. Ask: "What is a vertex?" (A corner where two sides meet.) Ask: "How many vertices does an octagon have?" (8) Then practice ×9 facts with no clock. Ask 9 × 4, 9 × 7 and 9 × 9 (36, 63, 81).

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Tape the four 6-inch straws into a square. Ask: "What do you know about a square?" (4 equal sides and 4 square corners) Push the square sideways so it leans. Ask: "Did any side change length?" (No) Test a corner with the index card. Ask: "Are the corners still square?" (No) Say: "It has 4 equal sides, so it is a rhombus. The square was a rhombus too, one with square corners." Look at the top and bottom straws. Slide the ruler from one to the other without turning it. Say: "They run the same way and would never meet, like train tracks. They are same-direction sides." Test the left and right straws the same way. Say: "A quadrilateral with two pairs of same-direction sides is a parallelogram. So this rhombus is a parallelogram." Note for you: later grades call these parallel sides. Now your child does more. Your child tapes two 6-inch and two 3-inch straws into a rectangle, tests it, then pushes it sideways. (Both shapes have two pairs of same-direction sides. The leaning one is a parallelogram that is not a rectangle.)

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Use the 9 cards. Your child slides the ruler to test each pair of opposite sides. 1) Sort the cards into parallelograms and not parallelograms. (6 parallelograms: 2 squares, 2 rectangles, the rhombus and the slanted card; 3 are not: roof, kite and lopsided) 2) Which of the 6 parallelograms are rhombuses? (3: the rhombus card and the 2 squares) 3) Is the roof card a parallelogram? (No. Only its top and bottom run the same way.) 4) Is the slanted card a rhombus? Measure its sides. (No. Its sides are not all equal.) If stuck, say: "Lay the ruler on one side. Slide it to the opposite side without turning. Does it line up?"

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    For each shape, your child lists every name that fits from this list: quadrilateral, parallelogram, rectangle, rhombus, square. 1) The 4 by 4 square card. (all five names) 2) The 6 by 2 rectangle card. (quadrilateral, parallelogram, rectangle) 3) The rhombus card. (quadrilateral, parallelogram, rhombus) 4) The slanted card. (quadrilateral, parallelogram) 5) The kite card. (quadrilateral only) 6) On grid paper, your child draws a top side 4 long. The bottom side is 4 long, 2 rows lower and shifted 3 squares right. Join the ends. (quadrilateral, parallelogram) 7) A frame is made of 4 sticks, each 2 feet long. It leans, so its corners are not square. (quadrilateral, parallelogram, rhombus) 8) A gate has two 4-foot bars and two 3-foot bars. Opposite bars match and run the same way. Its corners are not square. (quadrilateral, parallelogram)

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Read each question aloud; your child answers on paper and may handle the straw shapes.

    Watch for: Thinking a rhombus must look like a diamond standing on its point.

    Try: Turn the rhombus card several ways and measure the four sides again. Position does not change the name.

    Fact fluency: ×9 facts
    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. What makes a quadrilateral a rhombus?
    2. You push a straw rectangle sideways. What changes, and what stays the same?
    3. A shape has two pairs of same-direction sides. Its sides are 7, 3, 7 and 3 cm, and its corners are not square. List every name that fits.
    Show answers
    1. It has 4 equal sides.
    2. The corners are no longer square. The side lengths and the two pairs of same-direction sides stay.
    3. Quadrilateral and parallelogram

    Support: Keep both straw models on the table. Your child pushes each one and retests the corners and sides before naming any card.

    Extend: Your child pushes the straw square a little, then a lot. Ask: "Is each shape a rhombus?" (Yes. The 4 sides stay equal. Only the corners change.)

    Homework: Your child finds one rhombus and one parallelogram in pictures, tiles or signs and sketches them. Sample: a leaning fence panel is a parallelogram; a diamond-shaped road sign is a rhombus.

    English Language Arts

    I can read aloud with expression and use a book's pictures to help me choose my voice.

    RF.3.4.BRF.3.4.CRL.3.7

    Builds on: Needs stage directions from yesterday and using pictures to learn about characters from Week 1 Day 2. One-minute check: ask, "Yesterday, what told you how Desi should sound?" (the stage directions in parentheses)

    New words:
    • self-correct – to notice your own reading mistake and fix it yourself

    Materials: The story in this lesson, Your child's own picture book or illustrated storybook, A stuffed animal or a family member as an audience, 3 sticky notes, Reader's notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Word study, about 3 minutes. Write circle, giraffe, orange, dance and city. Your child underlines each c or g and circles the letter that follows. Ask: "Which c in circle is soft?" (The first c. It comes before i.) "Why is the second c hard?" (It comes before l.) Your child reads all five words. Spaced review from Week 11. Ask: "Which sentence shows a feeling: 'Sam was scared' or 'Sam's knees shook'?" (Sam's knees shook.)

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Reading with expression means your voice matches what is happening and how the characters feel." Write three clues on a notebook page: 1) punctuation, 2) speaking words such as whispered, 3) the picture. Say: "A picture shows the mood. Look at faces, bodies and light." Read the story aloud. The notes in brackets tell what each picture shows. "Midnight Snack": [Picture 1: A hallway at night with one tiny night-light. A boy in pajamas tiptoes with a finger on his lips.] Ravi crept down the hall. "Don't creak," he whispered to the floor. [Picture 2: The kitchen. A huge shadow with pointed ears stretches across the wall. Ravi's eyes are wide.] Something moved by the fridge! Ravi froze. "Who is there?" he asked. [Picture 3: The light is on. A small gray cat sits beside a tipped-over cereal box. Ravi is laughing.] Click! Grandma turned on the light. "It is only Pepper," she said. "And she found the cereal first!" Think aloud about Picture 1. Say: "The boy tiptoes with a finger on his lips. The words say whispered. So I read slowly and very softly." Read the first part that way. Next, model a fix. Read the first sentence as "Ravi kept down the hall." Say: "That does not make sense. I stop and reread. The picture shows tiptoeing. The word is crept." Say: "Good readers self-correct. They fix a word that does not make sense."

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    1) Reread the note for Picture 2. Ask: "How does Ravi feel? What in the picture shows it?" (Scared. His eyes are wide and the shadow is huge.) Your child reads that part twice: once flat, then with a voice that fits. 2) Ask: "Which mark tells you how to read 'Something moved by the fridge!'?" (The exclamation point. It shows strong feeling.) 3) Reread the note for Picture 3. Ask: "What does the picture tell you that the words do not?" (Pepper is a small cat. She tipped over the box. Ravi is laughing.) "So how should Grandma sound?" (calm and amused) 4) Say: "Catch my mistake." Read "Ravi froze" as "Ravi frost." Ask: "What should I do?" (Stop, read it again and change it to froze.) If stuck, say: "Look at the face in the picture. Name the feeling. Now make your voice feel that way."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    1) Your child looks through their own picture book. They put sticky notes on three pages where the picture shows a strong feeling. 2) On each note they write one mood word, such as sneaky, scared or relieved. 3) Your child reads the book aloud to the stuffed animal and changes voice at each note. If a word does not make sense, they stop, reread and fix it. 4) In the notebook, your child writes two sentences about one page. Sample: "The picture shows the bear hiding behind a tree with big eyes. I used a small, shaky voice." Look for: three clear voice changes, a detail named from a picture, and at least one fix made without your help.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three questions aloud. Your child may look back at the story and at the sticky-note pages.

    Watch for: Using the same loud, excited voice on every page.

    Try: Before each page, ask: "How does the character feel here? Point to the clue." Your child matches the voice to that answer.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. In the first part of "Midnight Snack," which word tells you how loud to read Ravi's words?
    2. Picture 2 shows a huge shadow with pointed ears. How does that help you read the lines that follow?
    3. Open one of your sticky-note pages. What does the picture show, and what voice did you choose?
    Show answers
    1. Whispered.
    2. It shows a scary moment, so the reader uses a quick, nervous voice.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: one detail from the picture and a voice that fits it.

    Support: Echo read. You read one sentence with expression, and your child repeats it the same way.

    Extend: Your child finds a page where the picture shows something the words leave out. They explain how it changes their voice.

    Homework: Read a picture book aloud to a family member for 10 minutes. Point out one picture that changed your voice. Look for at least two different voices.

    Science

    I can collect survey data carefully and record it in a tally chart.

    3-LS3-1

    Builds on: Needs the Day 1 plan and chart, plus tally bundles from Week 16. One-minute check: your child shows 9 with tally marks. (One bundle of five and four more.)

    Materials: Tally chart from Day 1 (Day 166), Clipboard or hardcover book, Pencil, Hand mirror (only for a people survey, so your child can check their own trait)

    5 min · Day 167 — Collect Data — Wonder Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 31. Ask: "Name three things in a plant's environment." (Any three: sunlight, water, soil, temperature, wind.) Then practice the polite words twice. "Hello. I am doing a science survey about traits. May I look at your dog's fur?" Change the last words to fit your trait. Then the wonder. Ask: "Will your prediction turn out right? How will we know?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Careful data is data we can trust." Teach five rules. One: ask permission first. Two: make one tally mark right away. Three: count nobody twice. Four: if you cannot tell, ask, or mark a "not sure" row. Never guess. Five: be kind, because every trait is just variation. Show bundling on scrap space in the notebook. Draw four marks, then cross them with the fifth. Say: "Each bundle is five. Count bundles by fives, then count on." Now show a mistake. Say: "I checked Grandma, Dad, Aunt Jo, then Dad again." Ask: "What went wrong?" (Dad was counted twice.) Say: "Write initials or a short note beside each mark. Then nobody is counted twice." Ask: "A row has two bundles and three marks. How many?" (13) "A dog is too far away to see its fur. What do you do?" (Move closer with permission, or mark not sure.) "A neighbor says no thank you. What do you do?" (Say thanks anyway and do not count them.) If stuck, say: "Touch each bundle and count by fives. Then count the extra marks."

    15–20 min · Investigation / Hands-On

    Data Collection. 1) Your child sets the chart on the clipboard and takes a pencil. 2) They check at least 10, in person, by phone with relatives or from family photos with permission. For a people survey, they use the hand mirror to add themselves. 3) They make one tally mark for each, right away, with initials or a note. 4) When finished, they count each row and write the totals. 5) They add the totals. The sum must equal the number checked. Change nothing between one check and the next: look or ask the same way each time. Watch for which row grows fastest. Expect more than one choice to get marks. That is variation. If every mark lands in one row, say: "Real results vary. Some groups are alike. Check five more and look for the pattern." Safety: stay with an adult outdoors, and do not touch animals you do not know.

    10 min · Science Notebook Entry

    Your child copies the finished chart neatly into the notebook. Then they complete three frames. "I checked ___. The most common choice was ___. I noticed ___." Sample: "I checked 12 dogs. The most common choice was short fur. I noticed only 2 dogs had long fur."

    5 min · Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

    Read the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise marks made right away and totals that add up.

    Watch for: Losing track and counting someone twice, or forgetting to make a mark.

    Try: Your child writes initials beside every mark. At the end, they count the initials and compare with the totals.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. A tally row shows three bundles and two more marks. What number is that?
    2. Your three rows total 4, 5 and 2, but you checked 12 dogs. What does that tell you?
    3. Why do you make each tally mark right away instead of at the end?
    Show answers
    1. 17
    2. The totals add to 11, so one dog is missing or miscounted. Check the marks again.
    3. So you do not forget anyone or count someone twice.

    Support: Check family and close friends only. Your child says each choice aloud, and you make the marks together.

    Extend: Check 20 in two groups, such as adults and children, on two charts. Your child compares the most common choice in each group.

    Homework: Finish checking anyone left on the list and update the totals. Look for: row totals that add up to the number checked.

    Day 3 · Wednesday

    Social Studies

    I can reflect on the results of my civic action using my log and data.

    D4.7.3-5D4.2.3-5

    Builds on: Needs the action log and bar graph from Days 1 and 2, and last week's prediction. One-minute check: your child reads the total so far from the log. (Answers vary. It should equal the daily counts added together.)

    Materials: Action log and bar graph, Civic Action Project planner, reflection page, Notebook, Pencil, 1 sheet of plain paper or a blank card for a thank-you note

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 8. Ask: "Is this a fact or an opinion: Our park is the worst park in town?" (An opinion. It cannot be proved.) Your child reads the total from the log. Ask: "Is it higher, lower or about what you predicted last week?" (Answers vary. Compare it with the prediction in the planner.) Then ask the big question: "If we miss our goal, did we fail?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "To reflect is to look back honestly so we can learn." Write five reflection questions in the notebook. What did I do? What was the result? What worked? What did not work? What comes next? Model with the made-up sock drive. Write its four daily counts: 13, 8, 10 and 6. Add aloud: "13 + 8 = 21. 21 + 10 = 31. 31 + 6 = 37 pairs." Say: "The goal was 40. 40 - 37 = 3. The drive was 3 short." Ask: "Did the drive still help?" (Yes. 37 pairs of socks will keep people's feet warm.) Say: "A result that misses the goal is still real help and real learning." Ask: "Which of the five questions asks about the future?" (What comes next?) "Which number is the evidence for the result?" (37 pairs, from the log.) If stuck, say: "Put your finger on the log. Read me the number that answers it."

    15–20 min · Activity / Source Work

    Write the reflection. 1) Your child adds the last log row and writes the final total. 2) Your child finishes the bar graph and labels the last bar with the total. 3) Check: does the total on the graph match the log? If not, add again. 4) On the reflection page, your child answers the five questions in full sentences. At least one answer must use a number from the log. 5) Draw a small chart to help: Question | My answer | Evidence from the log. 6) Ask for evidence: "Which log row shows that?" 7) Family talk: what should happen next? Choose one: keep going, hand the project to another group, or start a new step. Each person gives a reason, then decide together. Look for answers about what really happened. Real results vary. Some projects pass the goal and some fall short. Look for the pattern in the log: which day or change brought the most?

    10 min · Notebook Entry

    Your child writes a thank-you note on the plain paper to one helper or to the group that received the help. It names one specific thing that person did. Frame: "Dear ___, Thank you for ___. Because of you, ___." Sample: "Dear Grandpa, Thank you for carrying the sock box each day. Because of you, we collected 37 pairs." Save the note for Day 5.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Your child answers the exit questions with the log open. Praise honest answers about what did not work.

    Watch for: Saying the project failed because the goal was not fully met.

    Try: Point to the total. Ask: "Who did this still help?" Your child adds that answer to the reflection.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. What was the result of your action? Give a number from your log if you can.
    2. A toy drive wanted 25 toys. It collected 7, 6 and 9 toys. What was the total, and how far was it from the goal?
    3. What is one thing that did not work, and what would you do next time?
    Show answers
    1. Answers vary. Look for: a result that matches the log, such as "we filled 5 bags."
    2. 22 toys (7 + 6 = 13, 13 + 9 = 22). It was 3 short (25 - 22 = 3).
    3. Answers vary. Look for: an honest problem and a realistic change, such as starting earlier.

    Support: Your child answers the five questions aloud first. Then write one short sentence for each together.

    Extend: Your child writes a plan for a next phase of the project, with one new goal number and a date.

    Homework: Your child shows the graph to a family member and asks what the next step should be. Look for your child using the total as evidence.

    Mathematics

    I can recognize trapezoids and compare them with other quadrilaterals.

    3.G.A.1

    Builds on: Needs Week 34 Day 2 (same-direction sides and parallelograms). One-minute check: ask "How many pairs of same-direction sides does a parallelogram have?" (2)

    New words:
    • trapezoid – a quadrilateral with at least one pair of same-direction sides

    Materials: 2 large paper triangles (cut from one sheet of paper), Scissors, Ruler, The 9 quadrilateral cards from Day 2, Grid paper, Crayons, Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 32 Day 1. Ask the area and the perimeter of an 8 by 10 rectangle (80 square units; 36 units). Then practice ×6 and ×9 facts with no clock. Ask 6 × 7, 6 × 8, 9 × 5 and 9 × 8 (42, 48, 45, 72).

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A trapezoid is a quadrilateral with at least one pair of same-direction sides." Make one. Lay the ruler on a paper triangle so its lower edge sits on the bottom side. Draw a line along the upper edge of the ruler. Say: "The two edges of a ruler run the same way. So my line runs the same way as the bottom side." Cut along the line and keep the bottom piece. Ask: "How many sides does it have?" (4) Ask: "Would the two slanted sides meet if they kept going?" (Yes) Say: "It has one pair of same-direction sides. So this shape is a trapezoid." Note for you: some books say exactly one pair. This course says at least one pair, so parallelograms are trapezoids too. Now your child does more. Your child cuts a trapezoid from the second triangle, then tests the 6 by 2 rectangle card. (The rectangle has two pairs, so it is a trapezoid too.)

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Trapezoid or not? Your child slides the ruler along each pair of opposite sides. 1) The roof card. (Yes. Its top and bottom run the same way.) 2) The slanted parallelogram card. (Yes. It has two pairs.) 3) The kite card. (No. It has no same-direction sides.) 4) The lopsided card. (No. It has none either.) If stuck, say: "Lay the ruler on one side. Slide it to the opposite side without turning. Does it line up?"

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    Your child draws on grid paper and traces each pair of same-direction sides with a crayon. 1) Bottom side 6 long, top side 2 long, 3 rows higher. Join the ends. (a trapezoid; top and bottom) 2) Bottom side 3 long, top side 5 long, 4 rows higher. Join the ends. (a trapezoid, wider at the top) 3) Bottom side 5 long, left side straight up 3, top side 2 long. Join the ends. (a trapezoid with 2 square corners) 4) Is the rhombus card a trapezoid? (Yes. It has two pairs.) 5) Is a shape with no same-direction sides a trapezoid? (No) 6) You turn the roof card upside down. Is it still a trapezoid? (Yes) 7) A lampshade outline has a top edge of 6 inches and a bottom edge of 10 inches. Those edges run the same way, and the sides lean in. What is it? (a trapezoid) 8) The side of a ramp has a flat bottom, a straight-up back, a short flat top and a slanted front. Is it a trapezoid? How many square corners? (Yes; 2)

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Read each question aloud; your child answers on grid paper and may use the ruler.

    Watch for: Thinking a trapezoid must be wider at the bottom than at the top.

    Try: Turn the trapezoid upside down and sideways. Your child tests the pair of sides again each time. The name stays the same.

    Fact fluency: ×6 and ×9 facts
    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. What must a quadrilateral have to be a trapezoid?
    2. A rectangle has two pairs of same-direction sides. Is it a trapezoid in this course? Why?
    3. Draw a trapezoid that is wider at the top than at the bottom. Mark its same-direction sides.
    Show answers
    1. At least one pair of same-direction sides.
    2. Yes. It has at least one pair.
    3. Sample: bottom side 2 long, top side 6 long, slanted ends. The top and bottom are marked.

    Support: Use only the roof card and the kite card. Your child lays two pencils along opposite sides to see if they run the same way.

    Extend: Your child cuts a paper trapezoid in two with one straight cut that runs the same way as its top. Ask: "Are both pieces trapezoids?" (Yes. Each piece keeps a top and bottom that run the same way.)

    Homework: Your child finds a trapezoid at home or outside, such as a lampshade outline, a bag or a roof. Your child sketches it and marks the same-direction sides. (Check that the marked pair runs the same way.)

    English Language Arts

    I can memorize a short poem using a step-by-step strategy.

    RF.3.4.BRL.3.10L.3.5.A

    Builds on: Needs stanzas and rhyme from Week 15 and nonliteral meaning, met in poems in Week 15 and taught fully in Week 26. One-minute check: say, "The sun smiled down on us." Ask: "Literal or nonliteral?" (Nonliteral. It means the sun shone warmly.)

    New words:
    • memorize – to learn something so well that you can say it without looking

    Materials: The poem in this lesson, 1 index card, A sheet of paper to cover lines, Reader's notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Word study, about 3 minutes. Dictate this sentence: "The gentle giant read a page." Your child writes it. Check it together: a capital letter, a period, and an e or i after each soft g. Spaced review from Week 15. Ask: "What do we call a group of lines in a poem?" (a stanza)

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Read the poem aloud twice. Each slash marks the end of a line. "The Creek": The little creek is wide awake. / It chatters down to meet the lake. / It tickles stones along its way / And hums beneath the bridge all day. / (new stanza) / In winter it wears coats of ice / And sleeps as still as hiding mice. / But spring comes knocking at its door, / And off it runs to sing once more. Say: "Before we memorize a poem, we make sure we understand it." Think aloud. Say: "'It chatters down to meet the lake.' Can a creek really chatter? No. That line is nonliteral. It means the water makes a bubbly noise as it flows." Ask: "'In winter it wears coats of ice.' What is really happening?" (Ice covers the creek.) Now write the four steps on paper. 1) Read the whole poem aloud three times. 2) Read one line, cover it and say it. 3) Join on the line that follows, and always start again from line 1. 4) Practice again later in the day. Model steps 2 and 3 with the first two lines. Say each line, cover it, and say it again from line 1.

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Memorize the first stanza together with cover and say. 1) Your child reads line 1, covers it and says it. 2) Your child adds line 2 and says lines 1 and 2. Ask: "Which words rhyme at the ends of these lines?" (awake and lake) Say: "Rhymes are hooks that help you remember." 3) Your child adds line 3 with a hand motion, such as wiggling fingers for tickles. 4) Your child adds line 4. Then cover the whole stanza, and your child says all four lines. If stuck, say: "Go back to line 1. Say it with me, then alone. Now add one line."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    1) Your child copies the whole poem neatly onto the index card, with its title. 2) Your child memorizes the second stanza with the same four steps. 3) Your child tries the full poem twice without the card. They put a pencil dot beside any line that needed a peek. 4) In the notebook, your child writes what "spring comes knocking at its door" really means. Sample: "Spring arrives and the ice melts, so the creek flows again." Look for: the first stanza said smoothly, honest dots on the card, and the meaning told in your child's own words.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the first two questions aloud. For the third, turn the card face down and listen.

    Watch for: Trying to memorize the whole poem at once by rereading it many times.

    Try: Keep to one new line at a time. Your child always starts again from line 1 before adding a line.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Why do you go back to line 1 each time you add a new line?
    2. "And sleeps as still as hiding mice." What is the creek really doing?
    3. Say as much of the poem as you can without looking. Which line will you practice next?
    Show answers
    1. So the earlier lines stay strong and the lines stay joined in order.
    2. It is frozen and not moving.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: an honest try and one named line to practice.

    Support: Your child memorizes only the first stanza and reads the second stanza from the card.

    Extend: Your child writes a third stanza of four lines about the creek in summer. It needs one nonliteral phrase.

    Homework: Recite "The Creek" to a family member before bed. Practice each dotted line twice (about 10 minutes). Look for fewer dots than today.

    Science

    I can make a bar graph of my trait data and describe the patterns I see.

    3-LS3-1

    Builds on: Needs the Day 2 totals and the bar graph from the Week 8 investigation. One-minute check: your child reads the largest total from the chart aloud.

    New words:
    • scale – the numbers up the side of a graph, spaced in even steps

    Materials: Completed tally chart from Day 2, Graph paper, Ruler, Crayons or colored pencils, Science notebook, pencil, and tape or glue

    5 min · Day 168 — Graph and Find Patterns — Wonder Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 8. Ask: "You graphed your Week 8 test. What went along the bottom, and what went up the side?" (The setups went along the bottom. The measured numbers went up the side.) Then the wonder. Ask: "A chart holds numbers. What can a picture of those numbers show faster?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A bar graph turns totals into bars, so the pattern is easy to see." Name the parts as you sketch them in the notebook. A title. The choices along the bottom. A scale up the side. One bar for each choice. Say: "The scale starts at 0 and goes up in even steps. Every bar is the same width." Use this sample: eye color of 12 people, with brown 7, blue 3 and green 2. Number the side from 0 to 8. Draw the brown bar up to 7. Ask: "Where does the blue bar stop?" (At 3.) "Which choice is most common? How can you tell?" (Brown. Its bar is tallest.) "How many more people had brown eyes than green?" (5, because 7 minus 2 is 5.) Say: "No choice is better. The graph just shows variation." Say: "If your largest total is above 10, count the scale by 2s." If stuck, say: "Put a finger on top of the bar. Slide it left to the number."

    15–20 min · Investigation / Hands-On

    Bar Graph. 1) Your child writes a title on the graph paper, such as "Fur Length of 12 Dogs." 2) They label the bottom with the choices. They label the side, such as "Number of dogs," and write the scale from 0. 3) With the ruler, they draw one bar for each total and color it with a crayon. 4) They write the most common and the least common choice. They subtract to find how many more. 5) They add all the bar totals. The sum should equal the number checked. 6) They compare the result with the Day 1 prediction. Keep two things the same: the width of every bar and the size of every step. Check that each bar's height matches its tally total. Expect bars of different heights. If two bars tie, your child names both. A wrong prediction is fine. Say: "Real results vary. Look for the pattern."

    10 min · Science Notebook Entry

    Your child tapes the graph into the notebook and writes three pattern sentences. "Most ___ had ___. Only ___ had ___. My prediction was ___." Sample: "Most dogs had short fur. Only 2 dogs had long fur. My prediction was correct."

    5 min · Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

    Read the data and the three exit questions aloud; your child answers on paper. Praise answers that use numbers from a graph.

    Watch for: Starting the scale at 1 instead of 0, or drawing bars of different widths.

    Try: Point to the bottom line and say, "Every bar starts at 0." Your child uses the ruler to keep each bar one square wide.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Feather color of 14 backyard chickens: brown 6, white 5, black 3. Which bar would be tallest, and which shortest?
    2. Use the chicken data. How many more chickens were brown than black?
    3. Jo numbers her scale 0, 1, 2, 4, 5. What is wrong, and why does it matter?
    Show answers
    1. Brown is tallest. Black is shortest.
    2. 3 more, because 6 minus 3 is 3.
    3. She skipped 3. The steps are not even, so the bars would show the wrong heights.

    Support: Use paper with large squares and a scale that counts by 1s. Your child colors one square for each individual.

    Extend: Your child graphs a second trait or a second group. They write one sentence that compares the two graphs.

    Homework: Show the graph to a family member. Explain the most common and least common choice. Look for: a number in each sentence.

    Day 4 · Thursday

    Social Studies

    I can make a clear poster that explains my civic action and its results.

    D4.3.3-5D4.2.3-5

    Builds on: Needs yesterday's reflection and the finished bar graph. One-minute check: your child says the final result in one sentence with a number. (Answers vary. Sample: "We collected 37 pairs of socks.")

    New words:
    • talking points – short notes that remind a speaker what to say

    Materials: Poster board (or 4 sheets of paper taped together), Markers, 2 photos or drawings from the action, Bar graph and reflection page from Day 3, Glue stick, Ruler, Scrap paper, 3 index cards, Civic Action Project rubric (24 points), Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 8. Ask: "What is a caption?" (The words beside a picture that tell what it shows.) Your child reads one sentence from yesterday's reflection. Then ask the big question: "Someone walks past your poster. What one thing should they learn?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A good poster tells your project's story in six parts." Write the list on scrap paper. 1) A title. 2) The issue. 3) What we did. 4) The results. 5) What we learned. 6) What is next, with thank-yous. Say: "The issue box needs one fact and its source. The results box needs a number or the bar graph." Say: "Use a photo that shows a person's face only if that person said yes." Now test the letter size. Write a title on scrap paper in letters as tall as your thumb. Prop it up. Your child walks six big steps away and reads it. Ask: "Could you read it from there?" (Yes, if the letters are tall and thick.) "Which box holds the bar graph?" (The results.) "Why does the fact need a source?" (So readers can check it and trust it.) If stuck, say: "Tell me the story aloud first: problem, action, result. Now find the box for each."

    15–20 min · Activity / Source Work

    Poster build. 1) Your child sketches a layout on scrap paper: six boxes, with the title across the top. 2) With the ruler, draw light pencil lines for the title on the poster board. 3) Your child writes the title in thumb-tall marker letters. 4) Your child writes the issue with one fact and its source. 5) Glue in the two photos or drawings. Your child writes a caption for each. 6) Glue in the bar graph and write the total beside it. 7) Your child copies what we learned and what is next from the reflection page, then adds thank-yous. 8) Check with the rubric. Are all six parts there? Does every number match the log? Can the title be read from six steps away? Ask for evidence: "Where on the poster is the number that shows your result?" Posters vary. Look for a clear story, not fancy art. Any unfinished box can be completed after the lesson.

    10 min · Notebook Entry

    Today's entry goes on the index cards. Your child writes three talking points, one short sentence on each card: the issue, what we did and the result. Sample: "Card 1: People at the shelter need warm socks. Card 2: We ran a sock drive for four days. Card 3: We collected 37 pairs."

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Your child checks the poster against the six-part list, then answers the exit questions aloud. Praise a clear result number and helpful captions.

    Watch for: Filling the poster with small writing and leaving out the result.

    Try: Do the six-step reading test. Then ask: "Where is the number that shows what happened?"

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. On your poster, which part comes right after the issue?
    2. Which number or fact on your poster shows your result?
    3. A poster has a title and photos but no number anywhere. Which part is missing, and why does it matter?
    Show answers
    1. What we did.
    2. Answers vary. Look for: a real number from the log or the bar graph.
    3. The results. Without them, readers cannot tell what the action achieved.

    Support: Draw the six boxes on the poster in pencil and label them. Your child fills one box at a time.

    Extend: Your child adds a small map of where the action happened, with a title, a key and a compass rose.

    Homework: Your child says the three talking points aloud two times. Look for eyes up from the cards on the second try.

    Mathematics

    I can sort quadrilaterals in a family tree that shows how the groups fit together.

    3.G.A.1

    Builds on: Needs Week 34 Days 1 to 3 (the rules for rectangles, rhombuses, parallelograms and trapezoids). One-minute check: ask "What is the rule for a parallelogram?" (two pairs of same-direction sides)

    Materials: Large sheet of paper for the tree poster, The 9 quadrilateral cards from Day 2, Glue stick or tape, Markers, Ruler, Index card (to test square corners), Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 33 Day 3. A rectangle of 16 squares is split into 2 equal parts. Ask how many squares are in each part and what fraction each is (16 ÷ 2 = 8 squares each; 1/2). Then practice ×7 and ×8 facts with no clock. Ask 7 × 4, 7 × 7, 8 × 4 and 8 × 7 (28, 49, 32, 56).

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Each smaller group fits inside a bigger group, like a family tree." With markers, draw six boxes on the poster and write a rule in each. Top box: Quadrilateral, 4 sides. Under it: Trapezoid, at least one pair of same-direction sides. Under that: Parallelogram, two pairs. Under that, side by side: Rectangle, 4 square corners, and Rhombus, 4 equal sides. At the bottom, joined to both: Square. Work the 4 by 4 square card fully. Start at the top and read each rule aloud. Test with the ruler and the index card. Ask each time: "Does it pass?" (Yes, at every box.) Say: "So a square has all six names. Its most specific name is its lowest box, Square." Say: "A shape gets the name of every box above it." Now your child does more. Your child walks the 6 by 2 rectangle card down the tree. (quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram, rectangle; it stops at Rectangle)

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Your child walks each card down the tree, says each name, and glues it in its lowest box. 1) The rhombus card. (quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram, rhombus) 2) The slanted card. (quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram) 3) The roof card. (quadrilateral, trapezoid) 4) The kite card. (quadrilateral only; it has no same-direction sides) Glue the two cards from the Mini-Lesson too. If stuck, say: "Start at the top. Read the rule in the box. If the shape passes, go down one box."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    Your child uses the poster and writes each answer in the notebook. 1) List every name for the 5 by 5 square card, then glue it. (all six names) 2) List every name for the 4 by 3 rectangle card, then glue it. (quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram, rectangle) 3) Where does the lopsided card go? (the Quadrilateral box only) 4) True or false: every rhombus is a parallelogram. (True. Rhombus sits under Parallelogram.) 5) True or false: every parallelogram is a rectangle. (False. The slanted card has no square corners.) 6) True or false: every square is a trapezoid. (True. Square sits under every other box.) 7) I have two pairs of same-direction sides. My sides are 6, 2, 6 and 2 inches. My corners are not square. What is my lowest box? (Parallelogram) 8) I have exactly one pair of same-direction sides. What is my lowest box? (Trapezoid) Keep the poster for Day 5.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Read each question aloud; your child answers on paper and may look at the poster.

    Watch for: Reading the tree backward, such as saying every rectangle is a square.

    Try: Names flow down the tree. A shape gets the name of every box above it, never the boxes below it.

    Fact fluency: ×7 and ×8 facts
    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Which two boxes sit just above Square on the tree?
    2. The lowest box for a shape is Parallelogram. Name the two boxes above it.
    3. True or false: every trapezoid is a parallelogram. Give a reason.
    Show answers
    1. Rectangle and Rhombus
    2. Trapezoid and Quadrilateral
    3. False. The roof shape has only one pair of same-direction sides.

    Support: Give your child a tree with the six names and rules already written. Your child only walks the cards down and places them.

    Extend: Your child draws the tree again as rings inside rings. The Square ring must sit inside both the Rectangle ring and the Rhombus ring.

    Homework: Your child draws the quadrilateral family tree from memory, then checks it against the poster. (Six boxes: Quadrilateral, Trapezoid, Parallelogram, Rectangle, Rhombus, Square.)

    English Language Arts

    I can perform a memorized poem with expression and answer a question about what it means.

    SL.3.4SL.3.5SL.3.6SL.3.3RF.3.4.BRL.3.4

    Builds on: Needs "The Creek" memorized on Day 3 and the voice tips for a talk from Week 33 Day 2. One-minute check: your child whispers the poem once and names any shaky line.

    New words:
    • recite – to say a poem aloud from memory

    Materials: Index card with "The Creek" from Day 3, Family members as an audience, Phone or tablet to record sound, Writer's notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Word study, about 3 minutes. Say center, gentle and magic. Ask: "Which word means soft and kind?" (gentle) "Which word names the middle?" (center) Your child says one sentence with magic. Spaced review from Week 33. Ask: "Name two voice tips for giving a talk." (Any two: loud enough, clear, steady pace, expression.)

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Today you recite your poem for an audience." Write the tips on paper and act out each one. 1) Stand tall and still. 2) Take a breath, then say the title. 3) Pause at the end of each stanza. 4) Let your face match the words. 5) If you forget a line, pause, breathe and glance at the card. Next, plan the voice with a think-aloud. Say: "The first stanza is lively, so my voice is bright. The winter lines are still, so I slow down and get quiet. At 'But spring' I grow louder again." Your child marks the card with a slash at the end of each line for a breath. They underline "But spring." Recite the first stanza yourself as a model. Ask: "Where did I pause?" (at the end of the stanza)

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    1) Your child performs the poem once for you. Share two strengths and one tip. Sample: "You paused after the first stanza. Your winter lines were soft. Next time, look up on the last line." 2) Ask, as an audience member would: "What does the poet want us to notice about the creek?" (It seems alive. It is noisy and moving, then still in winter, then moving again.) Your child answers in a complete sentence. 3) Ask: "Which words show that winter has ended?" ("But spring comes knocking at its door.") 4) Your child performs again and uses your tip. If stuck on a meaning question, say: "Start with 'The poem says' and finish with a line you know."

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    1) Your child performs the poem for the family while you record the sound. 2) Each listener asks one question about the poem or the performance. Your child answers each one in a complete sentence with a detail. 3) Your child listens to the recording. 4) In the notebook, your child writes two sentences: one strength and one change for next time. Sample: "I paused after the first stanza. Next time I will slow down on the winter lines." Look for: the title said first, a pace that is easy to follow, and answers in complete sentences.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three questions aloud. Your child answers the second one in a complete sentence, as if you were the audience.

    Watch for: Rushing through the poem in one breath to get it over with.

    Try: Point to the slashes on the card. Your child takes a small breath at every slash and a big one between stanzas.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Why should your voice get slower and softer at the start of the second stanza?
    2. Someone in the audience asks why the creek sings once more. Answer in a complete sentence.
    3. What will you do differently in your next performance?
    Show answers
    1. Those lines tell about winter, when the creek is frozen and still.
    2. Sample: The creek sings once more because spring melts the ice and the water flows again.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: one specific change, such as pausing longer or looking up.

    Support: Your child performs while holding the card and glances at it only when needed.

    Extend: Your child writes and memorizes a four-line poem about rain or wind with one nonliteral phrase, then records it.

    Homework: Perform "The Creek" for someone who did not hear it today, by phone or in person (10 minutes). Look for the title first and a pause between stanzas.

    Science

    I can present my trait survey and use my data to explain what I found.

    3-LS3-1

    Builds on: Needs the Day 3 graph and pattern sentences, plus the field report skills from Week 16. One-minute check: your child points to the tallest bar and reads its number.

    New words:
    • finding – something you learned from your data

    Materials: Bar graph from Day 3 (Day 168), 5 index cards for notes, Science notebook and pencil, Clock or watch

    5 min · Day 169 — Present Survey Findings — Wonder Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 28. Ask: "Twin lambs have the same parents. Why might they still look a little different?" (Each lamb gets its own mix of traits from its parents.) Then your child reads the three pattern sentences from Day 3 aloud. Now the wonder. Ask: "What can your graph tell someone who never saw your survey?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Scientists share their findings so others can learn from them and check them." Teach the five parts of a survey talk. One: the question. Two: how many you checked and how. Three: the graph. Four: the patterns, with numbers. Five: what this shows about variation. Model a short talk with the Day 3 sample. Say: "My question was what eye colors people near me have. I looked at 12 people and tallied each one once. Here is my graph. Brown was most common, with 7. Green was least common, with 2. This shows variation. Each person inherits eye color from their parents." Add one honest limit. Say: "My survey tells about these 12 only." Ask: "Which part gives the numbers?" (Part four, the patterns.) "Which sentence tells why the group varies?" (Each one inherits traits from its own parents.) "Does my survey tell about everyone in the world?" (No. It tells about the group I checked.) Teach two speaking tips: face your listeners, and point to the graph. If stuck, say: "Point to the tallest bar. Say its name and its number."

    15–20 min · Investigation / Hands-On

    Survey Talk. 1) Your child writes one index card for each part, with only a few words. 2) They practice once aloud. Glance at the clock and aim for two to three minutes. 3) They present to at least one family member. 4) The listener keeps a small table with two columns: Part, Included. 5) The listener asks two questions. Try "Would the pattern be the same with 50?" and "Which result surprised you?" 6) Your child answers by pointing to the data. Keep the talk in the same order as the cards. Listen for all five parts and at least two numbers. If a part is skipped, point to that card and your child adds it. For the first question, a strong answer is honest. Sample: "I do not know. I would need to check more."

    10 min · Science Notebook Entry

    Self-check in the science notebook. Your child rates three skills from 1 to 3: speaking clearly, using the graph, and answering questions. Then they finish this frame. "Next time I will ___." Sample: "Next time I will say the numbers more slowly."

    5 min · Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

    Ask the three exit questions aloud. Praise every finding that came with a number.

    Watch for: Calling the most common choice "normal" and the other choices "weird."

    Try: Say that every choice is normal variation. Practice the sentence "This group varies in ___" three times.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Ben says, "Most dogs had short fur." What should he add to make it a stronger finding?
    2. Lee calls blue eyes "weird" because only 2 people had them. What is a kinder, more scientific way to say it?
    3. A survey talk has five parts. List them in the order you say them.
    Show answers
    1. Numbers from his data, such as "7 of the 12 dogs had short fur."
    2. "Blue was the least common choice in my group." Every choice is normal variation.
    3. The question, how many were checked and how, the graph, the patterns, and what it shows about variation.

    Support: Your child presents to one familiar person and reads from the cards. You hold the graph and point as they speak.

    Extend: Your child adds a sixth card with one new survey question the results raised. They tell how they would test it.

    Homework: Give the talk to another family member, in person or by phone. Ask them one question about a pet's or plant's traits. Look for: numbers in the talk.

    Day 5 · Friday

    Social Studies

    I can present my civic action project and answer questions from my audience.

    D4.3.3-5D4.1.3-5

    Builds on: Needs the finished poster and the three talking-point cards from Day 4. One-minute check: your child says the result card without looking. (Answers vary. It should include the number.)

    Materials: Finished poster, Talking-point cards from Day 4, Civic Action Project rubric (24 points), Stored Week 34 check (7 items) and its answer key, About 40 coins or buttons (for reteaching), Thank-you note from Day 3, Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 17. Ask: "What do you do first when a listener asks you a question?" (Repeat the question, then answer it.) Your child practices the opening line twice, looking at you: "Hi, my name is ___. My civic action project was about ___." Then ask the big question: "How can your talk make listeners care about your issue?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "A strong talk has five parts: the issue, the facts, what you did, the result and what is next." Say: "Your talk is also an argument. Your claim is what the community should do. Your evidence comes from your sources." Model with the sock drive: "Our neighbors should keep giving socks. We collected 37 pairs in four days. The shelter worker told us socks run out every winter." Ask: "What is the claim?" (Neighbors should keep giving socks.) "Name the two sources." (The log count and the interview.) Show good speaking. Stand tall beside the poster. Speak slowly. Point to the graph. Look at the listeners. Teach an answer frame: "Good question. I think ___ because ___." Ask: "What if you do not know an answer?" (Say so honestly and offer to find out.) If stuck, say: "Look at the card. Look up. Then say it to one person."

    15–20 min · Activity / Source Work

    Present. 1) Gather a small audience, such as family, or grandparents on a video call with an adult. 2) Your child gives the talk in 3 to 5 minutes, using the poster and the cards. 3) Each listener asks one question. Your child repeats it, then answers with the frame. 4) Each listener names one thing they learned. 5) Score the whole project together with the 24-point rubric. Fill in a small chart: Rubric row | Points | One reason. 6) Your child gives the thank-you note to its helper. 7) Ask for evidence: "Which fact in your talk came from your log? Which came from another source?" Talks vary. Look for a claim and two pieces of evidence.

    10 min · Notebook Entry

    Your child writes a self-evaluation in the notebook. Frames: "One thing I did well was ___. Next time I will ___. My rubric score was ___." Sample: "One thing I did well was pointing to my graph. Next time I will speak more slowly. My rubric score was 20."

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three exit questions aloud. Then give the stored Week 34 check. It has 7 items and takes about 15 minutes. If time is short, give it later today. 6 or more right: celebrate and move on. 4 or 5 right: redo the Day 3 page. Then check the bar graph total against the log. 3 or fewer right: reteach Day 2. Line up coins or buttons for each day's count, then count up to the goal. Praise clear evidence.

    Watch for: Rushing, and reading the poster aloud with their back to the listeners.

    Try: Practice one card at a time: look at the card, look up, then say the line to a person.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Say your claim and one piece of evidence that came from your log.
    2. What question did a listener ask, and how did you answer it?
    3. What is one safe civic action you could take this summer?
    Show answers
    1. Answers vary. Look for: what the community should do, plus a number from the log.
    2. Answers vary. Look for: a real question and an answer that gives a fact or a reason.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: a realistic, local action done with an adult.

    Support: Present to one or two familiar people. Your child may read from the cards.

    Extend: With permission, your child shares the poster with a library, a community group or a local newsletter.

    Homework: Your child tells one more person about the project. Look for the result number and one next step.

    Mathematics

    I can classify quadrilaterals by their sides and corners on the Week 34 check.

    3.G.A.1

    Builds on: Needs Days 1 to 4 of this week and the tree poster. One-minute check: ask "Which box is at the top of the tree, and what is its rule?" (Quadrilateral; 4 sides)

    Materials: Stored Week 34 check (the Week 34 quiz) and its answer key, Quadrilateral family tree poster from Day 4, Grid paper, Ruler, Index card (to test square corners), Straws and tape from Day 2 (for reteaching), Notebook, Pencil

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 33 Day 1. Ask the names of polygons with 5 sides and with 6 sides (pentagon; hexagon). Then practice ×6, ×7 and ×8 facts with no clock. Ask 6 × 6, 7 × 9 and 8 × 8 (36, 63, 64).

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Play Draw It for 10 minutes. Say: "I name a box. You draw a shape that belongs in that box but in no box below it." Model one turn for Parallelogram. On grid paper, draw a top side 4 long. Draw the bottom side 4 long, 3 rows lower and shifted 2 squares right. Join the ends. Slide the ruler to test both pairs of sides. Test a corner with the index card. Say: "It has two pairs of same-direction sides and no square corners. Its sides are not all equal. So its lowest box is Parallelogram." Now your child takes four turns and tests each drawing. Rectangle. (Sample: 5 long and 2 tall.) Rhombus. (Sample: join the middles of the sides of a rectangle 6 long and 2 tall.) Trapezoid. (Sample: bottom side 6, top side 2, slanted ends.) Quadrilateral. (Sample: 4 different sides with no same-direction pair.) After each turn, your child walks the shape down the poster and says every name.

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Your child works on paper while you watch. Help only when asked. 1) List every name for a rectangle 4 long and 2 tall. (quadrilateral, trapezoid, parallelogram, rectangle) 2) True or false: a rhombus always has square corners. (False. Only a rhombus that is a square does.) 3) A shape has exactly one pair of same-direction sides. Which boxes hold it? (Quadrilateral and Trapezoid) 4) Your child draws any quadrilateral and lists every name that fits. (Answers vary. Check with the poster.) If stuck, say: "Start at the top of the tree. Which rules does the shape pass?"

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    Give the stored Week 34 check now. It has 7 items on naming and sorting quadrilaterals. Allow about 15 minutes, with no clock running. Your child may use the ruler and index card but turns the poster over. Score it with the answer key. Then choose a route by the result. 6 or 7 right: move on to Week 35. 4 or 5 right: find the kind of item missed. For items 1, 2 and 4, squares and rectangles, redo the Day 1 Mini-Lesson. For items 3 and 5, rhombuses and parallelograms, redo the Day 2 Mini-Lesson with straws. For item 6, trapezoids, redo Day 3 Guided Practice. For item 7, drawing other quadrilaterals, redo Week 33 Day 4 Guided Practice. 3 or fewer right: reteach Day 1 with the index card and ruler. Then walk shapes down the Day 4 poster again.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    After the check, your child answers these three questions; then go over any missed check items together.

    Watch for: Giving a less specific name, such as quadrilateral, when a question asks for the most specific name.

    Try: Your child starts at the top of the tree and goes down until the shape fails a rule. The last box it passed is the most specific name.

    Fact fluency: ×6, ×7 and ×8 facts
    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Which box on the tree holds every shape on the poster? Why?
    2. Name a shape that belongs in the Trapezoid box but not in the Parallelogram box.
    3. Which check item was hardest? What will you practice?
    Show answers
    1. Quadrilateral. Every shape on the poster has 4 sides.
    2. The roof shape. It has only one pair of same-direction sides.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: a named shape or rule and a plan to practice it.

    Support: Read each check item aloud. Your child may keep the tree poster face up. Give the check in two sittings if your child tires.

    Extend: After the check, your child writes a three-clue riddle about one quadrilateral for a family member. Sample: two pairs of same-direction sides; sides not all equal; no square corners. (a parallelogram)

    Homework: Your child redoes any missed check items with a family member. If none were missed, your child teaches the tree poster to a family member. Then ask 6 × 8, 7 × 7 and 8 × 9 (48, 49, 72).

    English Language Arts

    I can show what I know about scripts, expression, illustrations and performing.

    RF.3.4.BSL.3.4RL.3.5RL.3.7

    Builds on: Needs all four lessons this week: script parts (Day 1), expression and pictures (Day 2), and the poem (Days 3 and 4). One-minute check: ask, "What are three clues for reading with expression?" (punctuation, speaking words, the picture)

    Materials: The stored Week 34 check, printed, Pencil, Paper, Script from Day 1, the story from Day 2 and the poem card from Day 3, Your child's own picture book or illustrated storybook, Reader's notebook

    5 min · Warm-Up

    Word study, about 3 minutes. Give a quick spelling check with no clock. Say each word, and your child writes it: city, pencil, circle, dance, orange, giraffe. Challenge word: celery. Correct it together. Your child circles the letter that follows each c or g. Spaced review from Week 22. Say: "Lena hugged her old dog, and her eyes filled with tears." Ask: "How does Lena feel? What is the clue?" (Sad. She cries and hugs the dog.)

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Review the week with a game called Director. Say: "I will read a line the wrong way. You are the director. Fix me and name the clue." 1) From the Day 1 script, shout Desi's whispered line. (Wrong. The stage direction says whispering.) 2) From "Midnight Snack," read the Picture 2 lines in a sleepy voice. (Wrong. The picture shows wide eyes, and there is an exclamation point.) 3) Read line 1 of the poem as "The little creek is wide a week." Ask: "What should a reader do?" (Stop, read it again and change it to awake.) 4) Ask: "The creek 'hums beneath the bridge.' What does that really mean?" (The water makes a soft, steady sound.) After each one, your child reads the line the right way.

    10–15 min · Guided Practice

    Give the stored Week 34 check. It has 8 items. Your child works alone for about 10 to 15 minutes. You may read the directions aloud, but give no hints. Score it together, and your child says each missed answer aloud the right way. Then choose the next step. 6 or more right: your child is ready and writes a four-line script for two characters. 4 or 5 right: redo the Day 2 practice page and reread the Day 2 story with expression. 3 or fewer right: revisit Day 1. Read the script with a toy for each character and act out every stage direction.

    15–20 min · Independent Practice

    1) Your child chooses a favorite page from their own picture book. 2) Your child reads it aloud twice and tries to make the second read better. 3) In the notebook, your child writes two sentences on how the illustration helped them choose a voice. Sample: "The picture shows rain and a tiny boat. I read slowly in a worried voice." 4) For fun, your child performs the script or the poem one more time. Look for: a clear change between the two reads, and a picture detail named in the writing.

    5 min · Exit Ticket

    Ask the three questions to close the week. Your child keeps the picture book open for the second one.

    Watch for: Answering a check item from memory without rereading the line it gives.

    Try: Say: "Put your finger on the line. Read it again before you write."

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. A script says SCENE 2 after six lines. What has probably changed?
    2. On your picture-book page today, what in the illustration helped you choose your voice?
    3. Which is your strength now: reading scripts, reading with expression, memorizing or performing? Why?
    Show answers
    1. The time or the place.
    2. Answers vary. Look for: one picture detail and a voice that fits it.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: a named strength and a reason.

    Support: Read each check item aloud. Your child may show an answer about expression with their voice before writing it.

    Extend: Your child turns one page of a favorite storybook into a script with a cast list, a narrator and stage directions.

    Homework: Read a favorite poem or script aloud to a family member for 10 minutes. Use at least three different voices.

    Science

    I can explain how to survey, graph and describe variation in a trait.

    3-LS3-1

    Builds on: Needs Days 1 to 4 of this week. One-minute check: your child names the four survey steps in order. (Plan, collect, graph, present.)

    Materials: Week 34 Science Check (7 items) and its answer key, Bar graph from Day 3 (Day 168), Pencil and ruler, Science notebook

    5 min · Day 170 — Week 34 Check: Trait Survey — Wonder Warm-Up

    Spaced review from Week 30. Ask: "All dogs belong to one species. What does species mean?" (One kind of living thing.) Then your child holds up the graph and names the most common choice. Now the wonder. Ask: "Could you read the data from a survey you did not make?"

    10–15 min · Mini-Lesson

    Say: "Today you are a data detective with someone else's survey." Draw this tally chart in the notebook as your child watches. Title: Coat Color of Horses at One Farm. Brown: one bundle and three marks. Black: three marks. Gray: four marks. Ask: "How many horses were brown?" (8) "How many horses were checked in all?" (15, because 8 plus 3 plus 4 is 15.) "Which coat color did the fewest horses have?" (Black.) "How many more horses were brown than gray?" (4) Say: "These horses are one species, yet their coats vary. Each foal inherits its coat color from its parents." Ask: "The farmer says all horses everywhere are mostly brown. Is the chart enough evidence?" (No. It tells about one farm only.) If stuck, say: "Find the row. Count the bundle as five. Then count on."

    15–20 min · Investigation / Hands-On

    Stump the Grown-Up. 1) Your child draws a bar graph of the horse data in the notebook. They use the ruler, a title, labels and a scale from 0 to 8. 2) They write two questions that the graph can answer. 3) You answer both aloud, and you get one wrong on purpose. Your child finds the mistake and proves it with the graph. 4) Lay the horse graph beside your child's own graph. They name one way the two are alike and one way they differ. 5) Fill in a small table with three columns: Skill, Got it, Practice. The skills are counting tallies, finding the total, finding how many more, and drawing the scale. Keep the bars the same width and the steps even. Expect bars at 8, 3 and 4. Expect "both show variation" as the way they are alike.

    10 min · Science Notebook Entry

    Your child writes a reflection with three frames. "My strongest survey skill is ___. The skill I will practice is ___. My most interesting finding was ___." Sample: "My strongest skill is tallying. I will practice drawing the scale. My most interesting finding was that no dog had medium fur."

    5 min · Wrap-Up & Exit Ticket

    Ask the three exit questions aloud and praise answers with numbers. Then give the Week 34 Science Check, which has 7 items. Your child works alone for about 10 minutes, later today if time is short. Score it with the key. With 6 or more right, check 10 more for the same trait and see whether the pattern changes. With 4 or 5 right, redo the Day 3 page with the data on the check. With 3 or fewer right, reteach Day 2 by tallying family hair textures in bundles of five.

    Watch for: Mixing up the number for one choice with the total number checked.

    Try: Your child touches each bar and says its number. Then they add all the bars to find the total checked.

    Exit ticket (3 questions)
    1. Put the four survey steps in order: graph, plan, present, collect.
    2. On a graph, the "long fur" bar reaches 3 and the "short fur" bar reaches 9. What two things can you say?
    3. What was the most interesting finding from your own survey? Use a number.
    Show answers
    1. Plan, collect, graph, present.
    2. Short fur was most common. There were 6 more with short fur than with long fur.
    3. Answers vary. Look for: a pattern from the graph, stated with a number.

    Support: Read the check aloud. During the lesson, your child may look at their own graph to remember the parts.

    Extend: Your child plans a new survey for a plant trait, with a question, choices and a prediction.

    Homework: Tell a family member what the survey showed about variation. Look for: the word "vary" and at least one number.

    Friday Checks & Answer Keys

    Mathematics · Week 34 Mathematics Check

    3.G.A.1

    Goals

    • I can sort quadrilaterals by their sides and corners.
    • I can explain how quadrilateral groups fit together.

    Answer each question. Show your thinking in the box when there is one.

    1. A shape has 4 square corners and 4 equal sides. What is its most specific name?
    2. A shape has 4 square corners, but its sides are not all equal. What is it?
    3. Is every square a rhombus?
      ○ yes○ no
    4. Is every rectangle a square?
      ○ yes○ no
    5. Name a parallelogram that is not a rectangle.
    6. Does a trapezoid always have square corners?
      ○ yes○ no
    7. Draw a quadrilateral that is not a square, a rectangle or a rhombus. Tell how you know.
    Show answer key
    1. square
    2. rectangle
    3. yes
    4. no
    5. a rhombus with no square corners (or a slanted parallelogram)
    6. no
    7. Answers vary. Look for: a closed shape with 4 straight sides that does not have 4 square corners and does not have 4 equal sides, such as a kite or a shape with 4 different sides.

    What to do next

    Most right
    If 6 or more are right: make a quadrilateral riddle book where each page gives clues about sides and corners.
    Some right
    If 4–5 are right: redo the Day 4 page, then play Draw It and walk each new shape down the family tree poster.
    Few right
    If 3 or fewer are right: reteach Day 1 by checking corners with an index card and sides with a ruler while sorting shape cards.

    English Language Arts · Week 34 English Language Arts Check

    RL.3.5RL.3.10RF.3.4.ARF.3.4.BL.3.2.FRF.3.4.CRL.3.7L.3.5.A

    Goals

    • I can use the parts of a script to read it.
    • I can read with expression and fix my reading.
    • I can read and spell soft c and soft g words.

    Answer each question. Show your thinking in the box when there is one.

    1. In 'GRANDMA (chuckling): That cat is a clown!', what is the stage direction?
    2. Who is speaking in 'GRANDMA (chuckling): That cat is a clown!'?
    3. How should you read '"Help me!" cried Jun'?
      ○ loud and scared○ soft and calm
    4. A picture shows a dark, stormy night. How should your voice sound?
    5. You read 'The dog barked at the man.' as 'The dog baked at the man.' What should you do?
    6. 'The stars are diamonds in the sky.' What does it really mean?
    7. Circle the word with soft c.
      ○ cat○ face○ cup
    8. Circle the word with soft g.
      ○ gem○ go○ gum
    Show answer key
    1. chuckling
    2. Grandma
    3. loud and scared
    4. Answers vary. Look for: a quiet, worried, scared or tense voice.
    5. Stop, reread and fix it to barked so it makes sense.
    6. The stars are sparkly and bright.
    7. face
    8. gem

    What to do next

    Most right
    If 6 or more are right: Write a four-line reader's theater script for two characters with a stage direction on every line.
    Some right
    If 4–5 are right: Redo the Day 2 page, then read a comic aloud with a different voice for each character.
    Few right
    If 3 or fewer are right: Reteach Day 1: read a short script with puppets, holding up the puppet for each character name and acting out each stage direction.

    Science · Week 34 Science Check

    3-LS3-1

    Goals

    • I can plan and carry out a trait survey.
    • I can read a tally chart and a bar graph.

    Answer each question. Show your thinking in the box when there is one.

    1. What is a survey?
    2. Freckles survey: yes has one bundle of 5 tally marks and 1 more mark. How many people said yes?
    3. Hair texture: straight 8, wavy 5, curly 3. How many people were surveyed?
    4. Using the same data, how many more had straight hair than curly hair?
    5. Which choice was least common?
      ○ straight○ wavy○ curly
    6. Why should you survey at least 10 people, not just 2?
    7. What should you always do before you survey someone?
    Show answer key
    1. A way to collect the same information from many people to look for patterns.
    2. 6
    3. 16 people
    4. 5 more
    5. curly
    6. More people give a better picture of the pattern.
    7. Ask permission kindly.

    What to do next

    Most right
    If 6 or more are right: Survey 10 more people for the same trait and see if the pattern changes.
    Some right
    If 4–5 are right: Redo the Day 3 page with the new data on this check and draw the bar graph.
    Few right
    If 3 or fewer are right: Reteach Day 2, Collect Data: count family members' hair textures with tally marks, bundling every 5.

    Social Studies · Week 34 Social Studies Check

    D4.7.3-5D2.Civ.7.3-5D4.8.3-5D4.2.3-5D4.3.3-5D4.1.3-5

    Goals

    • I can track progress toward a goal with numbers.
    • I can reflect on what worked and what did not.

    Answer each question. Show your thinking in the box when there is one.

    1. What four things go in each row of an action log?
    2. A can drive's goal is 50. Day 1: 16 cans. Day 2: 11 cans. How many more are needed?
    3. A litter cleanup filled 3 bags, 5 bags and 4 bags. How many bags in all?
    4. Part of your plan is not working. What should you do?
    5. Which reflection question looks back at a problem?
      ○ What did not work?○ What is my name?○ What color is the box?
    6. A drive collected 44 books. Its goal was 50. Did it help? Explain.
    7. Name one of the six parts of a project poster.
    Show answer key
    1. The date, what we did, a count and a note.
    2. 23 more (16 + 11 = 27, and 50 − 27 = 23)
    3. 12 bags (3 + 5 = 8, 8 + 4 = 12)
    4. Change the plan and try something new.
    5. What did not work?
    6. Yes. 44 books still helped people, even though it was 6 short.
    7. Any one of: title, the issue, what we did, the results, what we learned, what is next with thank-yous.

    What to do next

    Most right
    If 6 or more are right: Make a short video or slide show of your project with an adult and share it with a relative.
    Some right
    If 4–5 are right: Redo the Day 3 page, then add a total to your own bar graph and check it against the log.
    Few right
    If 3 or fewer are right: Reteach Day 2 (progress): line up counters for each day's count, push them together and count up to the goal.

    Week 34

    Home Connection

    Big ideas

    • Every square is a rectangle, but not the other way.
    • Reading aloud with expression brings words to life.
    • Surveys and graphs show how traits vary.
    • Small actions can make a real difference.

    Mathematics

    Try it (10 min): Use straws, toothpicks or paper strips to build a square, a rectangle, a rhombus, a parallelogram and a trapezoid. Sort them by their sides and corners.

    Talk about it: Why is every square a rectangle, but not every rectangle a square?

    English Language Arts

    Try it (10 min): Choose a short poem and memorize it two lines at a time. Then perform it for family with expression and explain what it means.

    Talk about it: How did your voice change to match the poem's feeling?

    Science

    Try it (10 min): Survey family members, friends or neighbors about one trait, like eye color or hair color. Record answers in a tally chart and make a bar graph.

    Talk about it: What pattern did you notice in your data?

    Social Studies

    Try it (10 min): Carry out one small, safe civic action with an adult, like picking up litter with gloves or making cards for a community center. Keep a log of what you did and what happened.

    Talk about it: How could you make your action even better next time?

    This week’s words

    quadrilateral · rhombus · trapezoid · expression · survey · tally chart

    Celebrate

    Name three things to celebrate: shapes you sorted, a poem you performed, and an action you took to help.

    This week's read-aloud

    One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul

    This week your child carries out a civic action plan, and this true story shows women who saw a problem in their community and acted.

    See the five daily prompts →

    Math catch-up · 3.G.A.1

    Shape Family Sort

    A square is a rectangle and a rhombus too, which surprises many children. Sorting by sides and corners (not by how a shape looks) helps.

    Builds on: 2.G.A.1

    Materials: paper cut-outs of squares, rectangles, rhombuses, trapezoids and other quadrilaterals · an index card corner to test square corners · sorting mats or sheets of paper

    1. Make a "square corner tester" from the corner of an index card. Test every corner of each shape.
    2. Sort into "4 square corners" and "not." All the squares and rectangles go together. Say, "Every square is a rectangle."
    3. Now sort by "all 4 sides equal." Squares and rhombuses go together. Turn a square on its point: it is still a square.
    4. Each day, you hand your child a shape. They name every family it belongs to and give a reason for each.

    Try again

    1. Ana says a square is not a rectangle. Is she right? Why?
    2. A shape has 4 equal sides but no square corners. What is it?
    3. A shape has 4 sides and 4 square corners, but its sides are not all equal. What is it?

    Reading About Our World · Week 34 · Social Studies

    Kids Can Make a Difference

    Taking civic action · This week's Social Studies lessons

    Kids take civic action at a park by picking up litter next to an overflowing trash can, counting litter on a clipboard and holding a sign asking for more trash cans.

    Read it aloud first while your child follows along. Then read it together, and let your child read the parts they can. Talk about the words in the word box.

    What Is Civic Action?

    Civic action means working, alone or with others, to help solve a problem in your community. You do not have to be a grown-up to take civic action. Kids all over the country have cleaned up parks, collected food for neighbors and asked leaders to fix unsafe streets. Civic means having to do with a community and its people.

    Step 1: Notice a Problem

    Civic action starts with noticing. Maybe the trash cans at your park are always overflowing. Maybe there is no crosswalk near the library. A good project issue is real, close to home and something kids can safely help with. Choose something you care about.

    Step 2: Gather Facts

    Next, research the problem. You can observe and count, such as counting pieces of litter at the playground for 10 minutes. You can interview people who use the park. You can look for facts in a newspaper or on a town website. Write down where each fact came from. Facts make your case stronger.

    Step 3: Make a Plan

    Then make a plan. What will you do? What is your goal? Who can help? What do you need? How will you know it worked? You might organize a cleanup, make posters or write a polite letter to a town leader. Ask an adult to help keep the project safe.

    Step 4: Speak Up Respectfully

    Many town councils hold public meetings where community members, including kids, can speak. When you speak or write to a leader, use a claim and evidence. For example: Our park needs more trash cans, because we counted 23 pieces of litter in 10 minutes. Thank the leader for listening, even if they do not agree right away. You can also send a letter or an email.

    Step 5: Act and Reflect

    Finally, carry out your plan and keep a log of what happens. Afterward, reflect, which means look back and think. What worked? What would you do differently? Even a small project can make a community a better place.

    Word box

    • civic action: working to help solve a problem in your community
    • issue: a problem that people care about
    • evidence: facts that show something is true
    • reflect: to think carefully about what happened and what you learned

    Questions

    1. What is civic action?
    2. Name two ways to gather facts about a community problem.
    3. Why do you think it helps to bring evidence when you ask a leader to fix a problem?
    4. How did the author organize this passage?

    Week 34 spelling words →

    This week's specials page

    Try Something New

    • Art: Write a label for each portfolio piece.
    • Music: Listen to folk songs and popular songs.
    • PE: Try a new activity: bike, swim, hike or dance.
    • Health: Shade, a hat and sunscreen protect your skin.

    Try it (PE)

    1. Pick a new activity to try: biking, swimming with an adult, hiking or dancing.
    2. Do it for at least 20 minutes with a grown-up.
    3. Tell your family what you liked about it.

    Think about it: A new activity I tried was ____.

    See this year's specials plans