Thematic Unit Plan 4 th Grade Physics

1. Thematic Unit Plan4th Grade Physics Angela Kershner, Kathy Maloney, and Amanda Lequia

2. Comprehension Strategy • Inferring • Deduce or conclude (information) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements. • Bloom’s Taxonomy • Knowledge • Relate • Comprehension • Discuss, compare, express • Application • Interpret • Analysis • Analyze, contrast, debate, differentiate, question • Synthesis • Compose, formulate, construct, propose • Evaluation • Appraise, argue, assess, compare, conclude, evaluate, interpret, judge

3. Common Core Standards • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4a Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.2 Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.4 Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.3 Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.3a Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.

4. Common Core Standards • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4 Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4a Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.4.4c Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.3 Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

5. Common Core Standards • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.4 Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 4 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.4.4a Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase. • CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grade and topic.

6. WKCE Standards

7. DPI Science Standards • A.4.2 When faced with a science-related problem, decide what evidence, models, or explanations previously studied can be used to better understand what is happening now • C.4.1 Use the vocabulary of the unifying themes to ask questions about objects, organisms, and events being studied • C.4.2 Use the science content being learned to ask questions, plan investigations, make observations, make predictions, and offer explanations • C.4.5 Use data they have collected to develop explanations and answer questions generated by investigations • C.4.6 Communicate the results of their investigations in ways their audiences will understand by using charts, graphs, drawings, written descriptions, and various other means, to display their answers • C.4.7 Support their conclusions with logical arguments • D.4.6 Observe and describe physical events in objects at rest or in motion • D.4.7 Observe and describe physical events involving objects and develop record-keeping systems to follow these events by measuring and describing changes in their properties, including: • position relative to another object • motion over time • and position due to forces

8. Marzano Science Vocabulary • Six Steps Dr. Marzano describes a six-step process in the instruction of vocabulary (Building Academic Vocabulary).  The first three steps are to assist the teacher in direct instruction.  The last three steps are to provide the learner practice and reinforcement. • Step 1:  The teacher will give a description, explanation, or example of the new term. • Step 2:  The teacher will ask the learner to give a description, explanation, or example of the new term in his/her own words. • Step 3:  The teacher will ask the learner to draw a picture, symbol, or locate a graphic to represent the new term. • Step 4:  The learner will participate in activities that provide more knowledge of the words in their vocabulary notebooks. • Step 5:  The learner will discuss the term with other learners. • Step 6:  The learner will participate in games that provide more reinforcement of the new term. • http://www.jc-schools.net/tutorials/vocab/strategies.html

9. Vocabulary • Force • Pull • Push • Friction • Gravity • Inertia • Mass

10. Interactive Read AloudA teaching method where the students are actively listening and responding to an oral reading of a text. • Activity • Teacher will read the book Newton and Me by Lynne Mayer • Teacher will lead discussion about gravity and force • Class will discuss the meaning of vocabulary introduced in the book • Teacher will encourage students to infer meaning of unknown vocabulary words. • Assessment • Teacher will observe and record: • Student interactions • Student participation • Student understanding of key physics principles • Best Practice • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Strategic Thinking • Interactive Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

11. Shared ReadingA teaching method where the teacher and the students read a text, poem, or song in a collaborative manner. • Activity • Teacher will read Lester, a poem, by Jack Prelutsky • Teacher will encourage students to make inferences regarding the poem by asking pointed questions • How do you think the author was feeling when… • Assessment • Teacher will observe and record: • Student interactions • Student participation • Student understanding of key physics principles • Best Practice • Strategic Thinking • Collaborative Actives • Integrative Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

12. Guided ReadingA teaching strategy where the teacher provides support to small groups of student while they learn various reading strategies. • Activity • Students will be broken into to groups based on reading level or needed comprehension strategy • Student group will be provided with a leveled reading text • Students will read provided text and discuss • Assessment • Teacher will observe student reading • Teacher will pose open-ended questions • Best Practice • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Strategic Thinking • Collaborative Activities • Integrative Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

13. Independent ReadingThe reading a student chooses to do on their own which reflects his/her interests. • Activity • Students will be provided with a variety of books regarding force, gravity, and motion • Assessment • Students will complete the Connections graphic organizer • Text-Text • Text-Self • Text-World • Best Practice • Classroom Workshop • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Strategic Thinking • Integrative Units

14. Reading Workshop/ Teacher ConferencingA teaching strategy where students are given the opportunity to write in a variety of genres and allows for the teacher to differentiate lessons based on need. • Activity • Students will meet with the teacher to discuss the book of their choosing. • Assessment • Teacher and student will discuss Connections graphic organizer • Teacher will ask questions to assess if understanding of inference is gained • Best Practice • Enable students to know, use, and interpret scientific explanations of the natural world. • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Classroom Workshop • Strategic Thinking • Integrative Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

15. Modeled WritingA teaching strategy which allows for the teacher to model (show) a variety of writing skills, processes and strategies. • Activity • “You be the Detective” • Ex: Ken reached into his pocket and took out some change.  He stood in front of the machine and looked at the lighted buttons.  Then he inserted the coins into the slot and pushed one of the buttons.  When a can fell down into the dispenser, Ken took it out, pulled up the ring on the top of the can with his finger, and then put the can to his lips. • What is Ken doing?  Circle the correct answer. • Ken was buying a candy bar at the grocery store. • Ken was buying a meal at a fast food restaurant. • Ken was buying a can of pop from a vending machine. • Assessment • Teacher will observe and record: • Student interactions • Student participation • Student understanding of key physics principles • Best Practice • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Collaborative Activities • Integrative Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

16. Shared/Interactive WritingA teaching method where the teacher and the students write in a collaborative manner. • Activity • Thank you note to high school class • Teacher will invite a high school physics class to collaborate with our 4th graders to build a rollercoaster. A thank you note will then be written to the high school class. • Assessment • Teacher will observe and record: • Student interactions • Student participation • Student understanding of key physics principles • Best Practice • Collaborative Activities • Integrative Units • Representing to learn • Formative-Reflective Assessment

17. Guided Writing • Activity • “No Gravity” book • Students will be given an assignment to write a fictitious story about what life would be like if there wasn’t gravity on Earth. • Students will compose a rough draft, edit it, and write a final copy in a booklet with pictures to accompany the story. • Assessment • Rubric • Best Practice • Strategic Thinking • Gradual Release of Responsibility • Integrative Units • Formative-Reflective Assessment

18. Writing WorkshopA teaching strategy where students are given the opportunity to write in a variety of genres and allows for the teacher to differentiate lessons based on need. • Activity • “You be the detective” • Students will write their own version of “you be the detective”. • The students will exchange with a fellow student. • Students will complete a peer-assessment checklist. • Assessment • Peer-assessment checklist • Best Practice • Guided Release of Responsibility • Classroom Workshop • Strategic Thinking • Collaborative Activities • Representing to Learn • Formative-Reflective Assessment

19. Independent WritingA teaching strategy where students write about literature or other topics of their choosing. • Activity • Journals • Students will write in a reading journal at least once a week. • They may address: • Summaries, predictions, feelings, connections, Etc. • Assessment • Checklist for participation points • Completed • Length • Conventions • Best Practice • Formative-Reflective Assessment • Strategic Thinking • Differentiation • Physical Disability: • Audio Record • Buddy Writing • Technology Application

20. Daily 5 • Read to Self • Independent reading • Read to Someone • Echo reading • Listening to Reading • Interactive Read Aloud • Newton and Me by Lynne Mayer • Word Work • Words their Way • Work on Writing • Shared/Interactive Writing • Thank You note • Guided Writing • “No Gravity” book