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Quarter 1: Foundations of the Western Hemisphere

Weeks 1-9 • Land, People, and Ancient Civilizations

9 Weeks Systems Thinking

Quarter 1 Overview

The first quarter establishes a strong foundation in all four core subjects. Students develop advanced reading comprehension and writing skills through studying ancient civilizations, master multi-digit operations and fractions in mathematics, explore the properties of matter in science, and gain deep understanding of Western Hemisphere geography and pre-Columbian civilizations in social studies.

Quarter 1 Learning Goals

Academic Skills:

  • • Master multi-digit multiplication and long division
  • • Write informative multi-paragraph essays
  • • Conduct research using multiple sources
  • • Analyze text structure and author's purpose
  • • Apply scientific method to investigations

Content Knowledge:

  • • Western Hemisphere geography
  • • Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations
  • • Properties and changes of matter
  • • Literary elements and figurative language
  • • Migration theories and adaptation

English Language Arts Curriculum

Core Components

Reading & Literature

  • • 90 minutes daily reading instruction
  • • Close reading of complex texts
  • • Novel studies: Island of the Blue Dolphins
  • • Poetry analysis and interpretation
  • • Independent reading 30 min/day

Writing & Grammar

  • • Essentials in Writing Level 5
  • • Multi-paragraph essay structure
  • • Grammar: complex sentences, clauses
  • • Research and citation skills
  • • Daily journaling practice

Weekly ELA Structure

Monday: Reading Comprehension

  • • Introduce weekly vocabulary (15-20 words from content areas)
  • • Close reading of anchor text (CKLA or literature selection)
  • • Identify main idea and supporting details
  • • Practice annotation strategies

Tuesday: Literary Analysis

  • • Analyze text structure (compare/contrast, cause/effect, chronological)
  • • Study literary devices (metaphor, simile, personification)
  • • Character development and motivation
  • • Theme identification and evidence

Wednesday: Grammar & Mechanics

  • • Essentials in Writing video lesson (15-20 min)
  • • Practice exercises: sentence types, punctuation, parts of speech
  • • Sentence diagramming practice
  • • Edit and revise previous writing

Thursday: Writing Workshop

  • • Pre-writing: brainstorming, outlining, graphic organizers
  • • Drafting: focus on paragraph development
  • • Peer review and feedback
  • • Revision strategies

Friday: Integration & Assessment

  • • Literature circles discussion
  • • Vocabulary quiz
  • • Share writing pieces
  • • Independent reading time with reading response journal

Quarter 1 Major ELA Projects

  • Week 2: Informative essay on a geographic region (5 paragraphs)
  • Week 4: Compare/contrast essay on two ancient civilizations
  • Week 6: Research report with citations (3-5 pages)
  • Week 8: Historical fiction narrative "Day in the Life"
  • Week 9: Portfolio reflection essay

Social Studies Curriculum

Core Components

Geography Skills

  • • Map reading and creation
  • • Latitude and longitude
  • • Physical vs. political features
  • • Climate zones and regions
  • • Human-environment interaction

Historical Thinking

  • • Primary vs. secondary sources
  • • Chronological reasoning
  • • Cause and effect analysis
  • • Compare/contrast civilizations
  • • Historical interpretation

Weeks 1-2: Geography of the Americas

  • Physical Geography: Major landforms (Andes, Rockies, Amazon Basin), water systems, climate zones
  • Human Geography: Population distribution, major cities, cultural regions
  • Migration Theories: Bering Land Bridge, coastal routes, early settlements
  • Map Skills: Create detailed maps showing physical features, climate zones, and migration routes
  • Current Connections: How geography influences modern life in different regions

Weeks 3-6: Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations

Week 3: The Maya (250-900 CE)

  • • Geographic setting: Yucatan Peninsula, rainforest environment
  • • Political structure: City-states (Tikal, Palenque, Copan)
  • • Achievements: Calendar, astronomy, mathematics (concept of zero)
  • • Daily life: Social classes, religion, agriculture
  • • Mystery of decline: Theories and evidence

Week 4: The Aztec Empire (1345-1521)

  • • Rise of Tenochtitlan: Engineering marvels on Lake Texcoco
  • • Triple Alliance and expansion
  • • Tribute system and economy
  • • Chinampas: Innovative agriculture
  • • Religion and human sacrifice: Historical context

Week 5: The Inca Empire (1438-1533)

  • • Largest empire in pre-Columbian America
  • • Road system: 25,000 miles of roads
  • • Terrace farming in the Andes
  • • Quipu: Record keeping without writing
  • • Mit'a system: Labor tax

Week 6: Comparative Analysis

  • • Government structures comparison
  • • Agricultural innovations
  • • Religious beliefs and practices
  • • Technological achievements
  • • Lasting influences on modern culture

Social Studies Skills Development

  • Document Analysis: Examine primary sources like codices and archaeological evidence
  • Historical Thinking: Evaluate multiple perspectives on historical events
  • Research Skills: Use multiple sources to investigate historical questions
  • Presentation: Create museum-quality displays about civilizations
  • Current Events: Connect historical themes to contemporary issues

Mathematics Curriculum

Quarter 1 Math Focus

Using Math with Confidence Grade 5 by Kate Snow, students master whole number operations and begin fraction work through hands-on, conceptual lessons.

Weeks 1-4: Whole Numbers

  • • Place value to billions
  • • Order of operations (PEMDAS)
  • • Multi-digit multiplication mastery
  • • Long division with 2-digit divisors
  • • Problem solving strategies

Weeks 5-9: Fractions & Volume

  • • Add/subtract unlike denominators
  • • Simplifying fractions
  • • Mixed numbers and improper fractions
  • • Volume of rectangular prisms
  • • Real-world applications

Daily Math Structure (60 minutes)

  • Warm-up (10 min): Mental math, number talks, or review problems
  • Lesson (20 min): New concept introduction with manipulatives
  • Guided Practice (15 min): Work through problems together
  • Independent Practice (10 min): Individual problem solving
  • Wrap-up (5 min): Share strategies, address questions

Science Curriculum

CKSci Unit 1: Investigating Matter

Students develop models to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be seen and investigate physical and chemical changes.

Key Investigations

  • Week 1-2: Properties of matter (mass, volume, density)
  • Week 3-4: States of matter and particle models
  • Week 5-6: Physical vs. chemical changes
  • Week 7-8: Conservation of matter experiments
  • Week 9: Engineering challenge: Design a water filter

Weekly Science Structure (45 minutes)

  • Monday: Introduce phenomenon, make predictions
  • Tuesday: Hands-on investigation
  • Wednesday: Data collection and analysis
  • Thursday: Read and discuss CKSci text
  • Friday: Science notebook entries, assessment

Weeks 1-2: The Geography of the Americas

Establishing the physical and cultural foundation for the year's study

Sample Daily Schedule - Week 1

Monday
8:30-10:00 ELA Block

• Vocabulary introduction: hemisphere, latitude, longitude, continent (15 min) • Close reading: "The Geography of the Americas" from CKHG (30 min) • Identify main ideas and create outline (20 min) • Grammar: Review complete sentences and fragments (25 min) 5.RI.2, 5.L.1a

10:15-11:15 Math

• Warm-up: Place value to millions review (10 min) • Lesson: Extend place value to billions (20 min) • Practice: Reading and writing large numbers (20 min) • Problem: "The Amazon River is 6,400,000 meters long..." (10 min) NY-5.NBT.1

1:00-1:45 Social Studies

• Introduction to Western Hemisphere (10 min) • Map work: Label continents, oceans, major features (20 min) • Begin salt-dough relief map project (15 min) 5.1a

2:00-2:45 Science

• Introduction to matter: What is it? (15 min) • Explore properties: mass, volume, texture (20 min) • Science notebook setup and first entry (10 min) 5-PS1-3

🗺️ Integrated Project: Creating the Americas

Students create a comprehensive study of the Western Hemisphere including:

  • • 3D salt-dough relief map with climate zones
  • • Written report on one geographic region (5 paragraphs)
  • • Mathematical calculations of distances and areas
  • • Scientific investigation of regional rock/mineral samples

This project integrates all four core subjects and develops research skills

Quarter 1 Complete Resources

Core Curriculum Materials

Primary Texts

  • • Essentials in Writing Level 5 (Complete Program)
  • • Math with Confidence Grade 5 by Kate Snow
  • • CKHG: Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations
  • • CKSci: Investigating Matter

Literature & Reading

  • • Island of the Blue Dolphins (Novel Study)
  • • The Lightning Thief (Read-Aloud)
  • • DKfindout! Maya, Incas, and Aztecs
  • • Poetry anthology (teacher selected)

Materials & Supplies

ELA Supplies

  • • Composition notebooks (4)
  • • Highlighters (multiple colors)
  • • Index cards for vocabulary
  • • Dictionary and thesaurus
  • • Reading timer

Project Materials

  • • Salt, flour, water (map)
  • • Poster boards
  • • Art supplies
  • • Research folders
  • • Presentation materials

Assessment Tools

  • • Portfolio binders
  • • Rubrics (provided)
  • • Progress tracking sheets
  • • Camera for documentation
  • • Quarter report templates

Ready for Quarter 2?

Continue the journey with Quarter 2: Collision of Worlds, featuring the Age of Exploration and the transformative Columbian Exchange.

Continue to Quarter 2