Weeks 19-27 • Discovering the adventures of Viking explorers, the wonders of our solar system, and the patterns of weather and climate on Earth
The third quarter expands the theme of exploration, from the seafaring voyages of the Vikings to the scientific exploration of our solar system and the patterns of weather on our own planet. This journey of discovery provides a perfect context for applying mathematical skills to multi-digit arithmetic and two-step word problems, while also diving into geometry and data analysis in greater depth.
Academic Skills:
Content Knowledge:
Setting sail with the Vikings to explore their culture, longships, and adventures across the North Atlantic
CKLA Domain 6: The Viking Age
"The Fierce Northmen," "Homes and Villages," "The Viking Ship," "Viking Traders and Explorers"
D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths
Selected myths including "Odin's Family," "Thor's Duel with Hrungnir," and "Loki's Children"
Introduce the Viking Age with CKLA read-aloud "The Fierce Northmen." Locate Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) on a world map. Discuss who the Vikings were and why they began to explore. 3.1a
Review addition and subtraction strategies for three-digit numbers. Create word problems based on Viking themes: "A Viking longship carried 245 warriors. Another ship carried 186 warriors. How many warriors were there in total?" NY-3.NBT.2
Read "Homes and Villages" from CKLA. Learn about Viking daily life, longhouses, and farming. Compare Viking homes to modern homes using a Venn diagram. 3.4a
Introduce two-step word problems using Viking scenarios: "Viking traders collected 235 silver coins in one town and 186 silver coins in another. They spent 112 coins on supplies. How many coins did they have left?" Model how to solve this by adding first, then subtracting. NY-3.OA.8
Read "The Viking Ship" from CKLA. Discuss the importance of longships to Viking culture and exploration. Create a simple model of a longship using craft materials. 3.4a
Read "Viking Traders and Explorers" from CKLA. Trace Viking voyages on a map from Scandinavia to Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland (North America). Discuss why the Vikings were such skilled navigators. 3.1b
Introduce Norse mythology with a selection from D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. Read about Odin and his family. Discuss how myths were important to Viking culture and helped explain natural phenomena. 3R9
Practice solving more two-step word problems with Viking themes. Include problems that require addition followed by subtraction, subtraction followed by addition, and multiplication followed by addition. NY-3.OA.8
Read about Thor from D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. Compare Thor with Zeus from Greek mythology (studied in Quarter 2). Create a Venn diagram showing similarities and differences. 3R9
Explore Viking art and runes. Create a design for a Viking shield using traditional patterns. Practice writing your name using the runic alphabet.
Read about Loki from D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. Discuss the concept of a trickster figure in mythology. What makes Loki different from heroes like Thor? 3R6
Create a Viking trading game that involves two-step word problems. Students must calculate how many goods they can buy and sell, with prices that require addition, subtraction, and multiplication. NY-3.OA.8
Learn about Leif Erikson and his discovery of North America (Vinland) around 1000 CE, nearly 500 years before Columbus. Discuss what made his journey remarkable and why it's important in history. 3.4a
Write a short narrative from the perspective of a Viking child. What would daily life be like? What adventures might they dream of? Use details from the CKLA readings to make the narrative historically accurate.
Create a Viking Age lapbook or poster that includes a map of Viking voyages, facts about longships, examples of Norse mythology, and other key aspects of Viking culture studied over the past three weeks.
History & Geography Materials:
Supplemental Resources:
Expanding our exploration to the cosmos, learning about our solar system and the history of space exploration
CKLA Domain 7: Astronomy
"Introduction to the Solar System," "The Earth, Moon, and Sun," "The Planets Closest to the Sun," "The Outer Planets," "Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors"
Supplemental Biographies
Selections about Mae Jemison, Galileo Galilei, and Nicolaus Copernicus
Introduce astronomy with CKLA read-aloud "Introduction to the Solar System." Discuss what makes up our solar system (sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets). Begin creating a solar system model. CKLA Domain 7
Introduce place value to 10,000. Use the astronomical distances in our solar system as a context for working with larger numbers. Create a place value chart showing ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands. NY-3.NBT.1
Read "The Earth, Moon, and Sun" from CKLA. Learn about the Earth's rotation (causing day and night) and its revolution around the sun (causing seasons). Model these movements using a globe and a lamp. CKLA Domain 7
Introduce rounding to the nearest 10 and 100. Use a number line to visualize which number is closer. Practice with space-themed examples: "The moon is 238,855 miles from Earth. Round to the nearest hundred." NY-3.NBT.1
Read a biography of Galileo Galilei. Discuss his contributions to astronomy, including his telescope observations. Summarize the main idea and key details from the text. 3R2
Read "The Planets Closest to the Sun" from CKLA. Learn about Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars (the inner planets). Add these to your solar system model, paying attention to their relative sizes and distances. CKLA Domain 7
Continue practicing rounding to the nearest 10 and 100. Create a "planet facts" chart with actual numbers and rounded numbers. For example: "Mercury is 36 million miles from the Sun. Rounded to the nearest 10 million, that's 40 million miles." NY-3.NBT.1
Read "The Outer Planets" from CKLA. Learn about Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Compare and contrast the inner and outer planets using a Venn diagram. CKLA Domain 7
Use planet data to create a scaled bar graph showing the number of moons each planet has. Discuss how to interpret the data. Which planet has the most moons? How many more moons does Jupiter have than Earth? NY-3.MD.3
Read a biography of Nicolaus Copernicus. Learn about the shift from a geocentric (Earth-centered) to heliocentric (Sun-centered) view of the solar system. Compare this with the biography of Galileo from last week. 3R9
Read "Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors" from CKLA. Discuss these smaller objects in our solar system. Create a drawing of a comet with its tail pointing away from the sun. CKLA Domain 7
Continue working with data and graphs. Create a pictograph showing how many Earth days it takes each planet to complete one orbit around the sun. Discuss how to interpret the scale. NY-3.MD.3
Read a biography of Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. Discuss her achievements and what inspired her to become an astronaut. 3R2
Write a paragraph comparing two astronomers or astronauts studied, focusing on their contributions to space exploration. 3R9
Complete the solar system model. Arrange the planets in the correct order from the sun. Include the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Add labels with facts about each planet.
Create a simple timeline of space exploration, including key events like the first satellite (Sputnik), first human in space (Yuri Gagarin), first person on the moon (Neil Armstrong), and the International Space Station. 3.4a
Science Materials:
Supplemental Resources:
Investigating the patterns of weather and climate on Earth, using data to understand and predict weather conditions
CKSci Unit 4: Weather and Climate
"Weather vs. Climate," "Measuring Weather," "Weather Patterns," "Severe Weather," "Climate Zones"
The Cloud Book
by Tomie dePaola
Introduce the topic of weather and climate with CKSci read-aloud "Weather vs. Climate." Create a T-chart comparing weather (short-term conditions) and climate (long-term patterns). Begin a daily weather log to track conditions. CKSci Unit 4
Read "Measuring Weather" from CKSci. Learn about meteorologists and the tools they use (thermometer, anemometer, rain gauge, barometer). Make a simple rain gauge using a clear plastic bottle. CKSci Unit 4
Use the daily weather log to create a bar graph showing temperature over the past few days. Discuss how to choose an appropriate scale for the y-axis. Practice creating and interpreting the graph. NY-3.MD.3
Read "The Cloud Book" by Tomie dePaola. Learn about different types of clouds (cumulus, stratus, cirrus, cumulonimbus) and what they tell us about upcoming weather. Create a cloud identification chart. 3R7
Go cloud watching. Observe the sky and identify the types of clouds present. Record observations in a science notebook. Make predictions about upcoming weather based on cloud types.
Read "Weather Patterns" from CKSci. Learn about seasons and how Earth's tilt causes them. Discuss how weather patterns change throughout the year in your region. 3-ESS2-1
Continue data collection and analysis. Create a pictograph showing types of weather observed over the past two weeks (sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc.). Practice interpreting the data: "How many more sunny days than rainy days?" NY-3.MD.3
Read "Severe Weather" from CKSci. Learn about different types of severe weather (hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, floods) and their impacts on communities. 3-ESS3-1
Evaluate design solutions that reduce the impact of severe weather. For example, how do hurricane shutters protect homes? How do levees prevent flooding? Design a model of a house that could withstand a specific type of severe weather. 3-ESS3-1
Research and read about a major weather event in history (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Dust Bowl). Discuss its impact on people and the environment. Use both text and diagrams/images to gather information. 3R7
Read "Climate Zones" from CKSci. Learn about the different climate zones on Earth (tropical, temperate, polar). Locate these zones on a world map and discuss how they affect plant and animal life. CKSci Unit 4
Explore how climate affects human communities around the world. Compare homes, clothing, and food in different climate zones. Discuss how people adapt to their environment. 3.3a
Use climate data to create a bar graph comparing average annual rainfall in different climate zones. Discuss why some areas get more rain than others and how this affects plant and animal life. NY-3.MD.3
Write a weather forecast for a local news program. Include temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover predictions. Use appropriate weather vocabulary and data from observations.
Create a weather and climate lapbook or poster that includes: the difference between weather and climate, types of clouds, weather instruments, climate zones, and graphs of collected weather data. This serves as a comprehensive review of the unit.
Science Materials:
Supplemental Resources:
| Title | Author | Week(s) Used |
|---|---|---|
| CKLA Domain 6: The Viking Age | Core Knowledge Foundation | Weeks 19-21 |
| D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths | Ingri & Edgar D'Aulaire | Weeks 19-21 |
| CKLA Domain 7: Astronomy | Core Knowledge Foundation | Weeks 22-24 |
| Mae Jemison: First African American Woman in Space | Selected Biography | Week 24 |
| CKSci Unit 4: Weather and Climate | Core Knowledge Foundation | Weeks 25-27 |
| The Cloud Book | Tomie dePaola | Week 25 |
Continue your homeschool journey with Quarter 4: Perspectives: Native Cultures, Habitats, and Conservation, featuring Native American cultures, habitats, ecosystems, and environmental conservation.
Continue to Quarter 4