Curriculum

How We Organize Ourselves

Who We Are

How We Express Ourselves

Sharing the Planet

How the World Works

Ready for School

Central Idea: Expectations, routines, and behaviors support learning.

Lines of Inquiry:

·   My school

·   Making friends

·   Learning together

·   Getting along

Healthy Me

Central Idea: Knowing our bodies helps us care for them well.

Lines of Inquiry:

·       My senses

·       Taking care of myself

·       Eating well

·       Staying safe

Imagine It, Make It

Central Idea: Our imagination and creativity can be expressed in so many ways.

Lines of Inquiry:

·       Using my imagination

·       Tools we use

·       Things we build

·       Art all around us

Nature All Around Us

Central Idea: The environment is made up of important natural cycles

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How plants grow

·    What is in the sky

·    Our weather

·    Seasons

Cause and Effect

Central Idea: Understanding how materials behave and interact determine how people use them.

Lines of Inquiry:

·   Human-made materials

·   How materials change

·   The many uses of different materials in different states

How We Organize Ourselves

Who We Are

How We Express Ourselves

How the World Works

Sharing the Planet

Where We Are in Place & Time

Structures & Systems at School

Central Idea: Systems, structures, and people impact learning.

Lines of Inquiry:

·   Different roles of people at school

·    Routines and structures as a part of daily school life

·  Roles and responsibilities in a learning community

All About Us

Central Idea: People’s interests and relationships make them unique.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Physical, social, emotional characteristics

·    Similarities & differences between myself & others

·    How to make/maintain relationships

Celebrate!

Central Idea: People practice traditions and celebrations based on their cultural beliefs.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Diverse traditions

·    Different family roles in celebrations

·    Cultural similarities & differences in traditions/celebrations

Patterns Around the World

Central Idea: Weather patterns affect our daily life.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Characteristics of weather

·    How weather affects the way people live globally

·    Comparing weather patterns & seasons

Life Cycles

Central Idea: Living organisms depend on specific resources and conditions in order to exist.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Sharing resources with plants & animals

·    Characteristics of a life cycle

·    Caring for plant and insect life

Journeys

Central Idea: People travel around the world for different reasons.

Lines of Inquiry:

·   Reasons people travel

·    Ways people travel

·    Personal journeys

Who We Are

Where We Are in Place & Time

How We Express Ourselves

How We Organize Ourselves

How the World Works

Sharing the Planet

Beliefs and Values

Central Idea: Your identity is influenced by cultures, beliefs, and values.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Cultural symbols are connected to people, events, or  ideas

·    How people share cultures and traditions

·    How immigration changes communities

·    Rights & responsibilities

Our Changing World

Central Idea: Lifestyles are influenced by technology and changing views.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How technology changes transportation

·    How schools and communities change over time

·    Everyday life across generations

Music and Poetry

Central Idea: Feelings can be expressed through music and poetry.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    The patterns in music and poetry

·    How music and poetry express ideas

·    How music and poetry evoke different emotions

Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

Central Idea: People trade goods and services with each other and make choices about how to spend their money.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How people make choices based on needs and wants (saving)

·    How people can trade services or goods

·    How people do jobs to earn money

Light and Space

Central Idea: Movement of objects in the sky result in patterns that can be observed in nature. 

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Characteristics of light

·    Objects in the sky

·    Patterns and cycles in space (seasons, shadows)

Amazing Animal Adaptations

Central Idea: All living things adapt to their environment.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How plants and animals adapt to survive in their environment

·    The relationship between animals and plants

·    Characteristics of different species and habitats

Who We Are

How We Express Ourselves

Sharing the Planet

Where We Are in Place & Time

How We Organize Ourselves

How the World Works

Family History

Central Idea: Predecessors help shape lives.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Our daily lives compared with those of our ancestors

·    Personal and family histories

·    Family life and traditions around the world

ArtSee

Central Idea: Feelings and creativity can be expressed visually.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Similarities and differences of how artists communicate experiences, beliefs, and ideas

·    How art is used in events and celebrations in various cultures, past and present

·    Communicating our own feelings and creativity using a variety of artistic techniques

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Central Idea: The ways resources are handled have consequences on the environment.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Human actions that impact earth

·    Environmental consequences of human behaviors

·    The responsibility to conserve natural resources and help sustain life on our planet

People Make a Difference

Central Idea: Influential people impact life.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Different types of influential people and their characteristics

·    Different methods of conflict resolution influential people have used over time

·    Consequences of individuals’ actions

From Production to Consumption

Central Idea: People collaborate to produce goods.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    The connection between natural resources and the production of goods

·    The stages of production

·    Worldwide collaboration for the production of goods

Material World

Central Idea: The world is made of materials that have distinct properties.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Phases of matter and their different properties

·    Properties of different materials

·    Uses of materials in everyday life

Who We Are

Where We Are in Place & Time

How We Express Ourselves

Sharing the Planet

How the World Works

How We Organize Ourselves

Teammates

Central Idea: Interdependence is an integral part of human relationships. 

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Our actions within diverse communities

·    Understanding origins of prejudice in ourselves & others

·    Identity based on awareness of fair play

Cultural Connections

Central Idea: Modern civilizations are influenced by past civilizations and cultures.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Multiple perspectives of people with different experiences

·    Effects of exploration & settlement

·    Transformation of culture

Lights, Camera, Action!

Central Idea: People communicate ideas in various ways. 

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Communicating with empathy

·    Using imagination to produce a performance

·    Various ways to  interpret  a work of art  

Booming Biomes

Central Idea: The interdependence of organisms in an environment impacts survival.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Diverse life forms and their different environments

·    Organisms and their effect on environments  

·    Organisms’ adaptations and survival

Patterns in Space

Central Idea: Solar systems have predictable patterns. 

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How gravity makes the solar system function

·    Seasonal patterns on earth and star patterns (constellations)

·    Phases of the moon

Communities 

Central Idea: Many factors help to create and develop a community.  

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Characteristics of communities

·    How communities change

·    Roles and relationships within communities

Sharing the Planet

Who We Are

How We Express Ourselves

How the World Works

How We Organize Ourselves

Where We Are in Place & Time

Electric Atmosphere

Central Idea: Sharing resources creates global impact.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Forms and sources of energy

·    Impact of scientific/technological advances

·    Supply and demand of finite resources

Invaluable Values

Central Idea: Values determine rights and responsibilities in communities.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Rights & responsibilities of community leaders

·    Similarities and differences of different governments

·    How collective identity impacts responsibility

Awesome Authors

Central Idea: People express their ideas, feelings, culture, values, and beliefs through writing.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    The structures of writing

·    The purpose of writing for communication

·    Interpretation when responding to literature

Rocks and Rolls

Central Idea: The Earth’s dynamics affect life.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Formation and properties of rocks and minerals

·    Transformation of Earth’s surface over time

·    How rapid processes impact Earth’s surface and affect life

Mission Matters

Central Idea: Power struggles occur when various cultures interact.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Relationship between environmental conditions and exploration

·    Beliefs behind the creation of the mission system

·    Impact of colonization on the indigenous population

·    Consequences of the Mexican rule in California  

Eureka!

Central Idea: Discoveries of new resources affect ways of life.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Effects of discovered resources on communities

·    Development of communities based on the discoveries of new resources

·    Discovery of a new resource

How We Organize Ourselves

Where We Are in Place & Time

Sharing the Planet

How the World Works

Who We Are

How We Express Ourselves

We Rule

Central Idea: Societies establish rules in order to organize themselves.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    How governments reflect the rules and beliefs of a society

·    Conflicts between people with different perspectives

·    Societal rules and beliefs around the world

Inventions & Innovations

Central Idea: Innovation affects people’s way of life.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    The scientific method

·    Inventions and innovations that have changed daily life

·    Technological advances and their effects throughout history

Water World

Central Idea: Natural resources essential to life are limited.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Processes of the water cycle

·    Community water sources

·    Water conservation as a global responsibility

Matter Moves

Central Idea: Matter acts and interacts according to laws and patterns of the natural world.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Structures of matter

·    Properties of matter

·    Matter mixtures and interactions

Healthy Human

Central Idea: Human beings have interconnected systems that affect life and health.

Lines of Inquiry:

·    Life structures 

·    How body systems are related

·    How behaviors impact health

·    How physical & mental health are connected

Beliefs to Action

Central Idea: We can make a difference by expressing our beliefs and taking action.

Lines of Inquiry:

·   Real world issues

·   Essential Elements

·   Taking action

Exhibition