Curriculum Connections

In this scope, students investigate the relationship between energy and forces and will develop an understanding that a bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly.

Explore 1: Scientific Investigation-Collision: Students discover what happens when a moving object collides with a stationary object.

Explore 2: Engineering Solution-Park the Car: Students problem-solve to determine how to move a toy car to the garage by designing a ramp and using collision.

In this unit, students will be describing examples of scarcity and opportunity costs (the item not chosen in a given situation) within their family and their community. Students will be able to determine the difference between a need and a want, as well as describe examples of each.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like.

Communication

In this scope, students learn that communication is the sharing of information and ideas. It involves a sender transmitting a message, a receiver receiving the message, and the receiver then sending feedback to the original sender. The cycle then repeats.

Explore 1: Talking Lights: Student experiment with communication through Morse Code.

Explore 2: What Did We Hear?: Student discover what can increase the distance sound travels.

Explore 3: Engineering Solution - Let's Talk!: Students design and construct an item that will use light and sound to communicate with other people over long distances.

While this lesson is on your pacing guide for December, we understand many may choose to teach this topic in November closer to the Thanksgiving holiday. Students will participate in a historically accurate study of Thanksgiving by learning about the contributions of the Pilgrims and Native Americans. Students will also learn about the myths surrounding the Pilgrims and Native Americans. There is an optional lesson teaching about Sarah Hale and her role in establishing Thanksgiving as a national holiday in the new Civics and Patriotism lessons created by DESE.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like.

In this scope, students will learn that rapid changes to land can occur within hours, days, or weeks and are often caused by earth's natural disasters such as volcanos, earthquakes, hurricanes, landslides, floods, tsunamis, and tornados.

Explore 1: Volcano Model: Students will observe how volcanic eruptions can change the land around the volcano.

Explore 2: Land in Motion: Students model how landforms can be shaped through various environmental factors.

Explore 3: Engineering Solution - Sturdy Structures: Students create a structure designed to withstand various natural disasters.

Students will become familiar with the way inventions have changed how people live. They should understand the difference between a pioneer and inventor, as well as a discovery and an invention. Students will read about and study famous inventors. They will build knowledge of the contributions these inventors have made in our nation and how these contributions have helped facilitate the movement of people, products, and ideas.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like.

In Unit 2: People of Missouri students will identify and explain how significant individuals and events have impacted the history of Missouri. The unit starts with a sequential study of early Americans in North America. Students will study Native Americans of Missouri and how they were affected by European explorers. Students will also learn about the Louisiana Purchase and how Missouri became a state. Third grade students will complete this unit in October or November.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like. It includes options for several 30-minute class periods.

How can living in a group help or hurt an animal's chance of survival? In Topic 2 of Unit 1: Life Science Part 1, Students will learn that some animals form groups that help members survive.

Explore 1: Collect and Conquer! Students will explore the differences between hunting in groups and hunting alone.

Explore 2: Strength in Numbers: Students will play the role of predator or prey as they battle to see who will survive.

In Unit 2: Causes of the American Revolution, students will build background knowledge about the causes of the American Revolution, starting with the French and Indian War. Students will also look at the perspectives of different groups involved and will study significant individuals to America prior to 1800. Curriculum writers chose to move this unit from Quarter 3 to Quarter 2 this year, so that students could gain sufficient background knowledge to make their Quarter 3 reading and writing (focused on the American Revolution) easier and more effective.

DESE's Civics and Patriotism lessons include Preservation of Traditions for fourth grade. This lesson plan includes information about the History of Thanksgiving.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like. It has options for up to three 30-minute class periods.

How does energy move from one place to another? In Topic 2 of Unit 2: Physical Science, Part 1, students learn that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents.

Explore 1: What's the Buzz? Students explore how energy works by using batteries to make a lightbulb light up and make a buzzer sound.

Explore 2: Engineering Solution-All the Bells and Whistles Students will use the scientific knowledge they gained as well as the 21st century skill of collaboration to design a booth that has many examples of electrical energy being transferred to other forms of energy.

Unit 2: The Impact of Wars on the United States is a 3-week unit, which should be taught in Quarter 2, in November or December. In this unit students ask How did wars change the United States? and What were the resolutions to the wars? Students learn about the Civil War, World War I, World War II, and the Cold War. Students connect the outcomes of each war to political, social, and cultural changes that still remain in our country today.

Don't forget Veteran's Day, November 11. Teachers can use DESE's Civics and Patriotism lesson for Veterans Day if they'd like. It has activities for up to two 30-minute class periods.

What patterns does Earth's movement cause? In Topic 1 of Unit 2: Earth and Space Science, Part 1 students will learn about patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.

Explore 1: Shadow Tracker Students construct a sundial, using a paper plate, pencil, and a small ball of modeling clay.

Explore 2: Tuva-Hours of Daylight This explore is optional. Students will find that the hours of daylight vary throughout the seasons.