University of Houston Charter School: Voyagers Lesson Plan
For the week of 11-07, 2016
Math Investigations: Voyagers learn to represent multiplication of decimals with products to
the hundredths using objects and pictorial models, including area models. In addition, they will
look for products of decimals to the hundredths, including situations involving money, using
strategies based on place-value understandings, properties of operations, and the relationship
to the multiplication of whole numbers. We will learn to use the Distributive Property to show
multiplication with decimals (25 × 8.5? (25 × (8 + 0.5))
Students are asked:
How can you use rounding or compatible numbers to estimate the product? (Possible answer: multiply
25 and 8 or 25 and 9)
What is a reasonable estimate of 25 × 8.5? (Possible answers: 200 or 225) Learning Task
What does the number 25 represent in this problem? (Number of boards used to build the doghouse)
What does the number 8.5 represent? (Length in feet of each board)
What are you being asked to find? (Total length in feet of all the boards used to build the doghouse)
What strategy can you use to find the total length of the boards used? (Possible answer: multiply or add)
Reading Workshop: Voyagers take note various ways writers introduce dialogue in their stories:
agreed, announced, stammered, suggested, yelled, sighed, asked, moaned, cried, demanded,
whined, teased, etc.. Once they collect unique words to use for the instead of the usual, “said,”
they will use these in their own writing pieces. Students will also continue exploring The Art of
Language. We will create special notation keys to note and describe strategies writers use in
their texts.
Writing Workshop: We are expecting visiting poets on Tuesday! They will help inspire the poets
in all of us!
Last week, students finished their rough drafts, revising and editing their stories, while
highlighting to provide evidence of the many figurative, descriptive and poetic language used in
their writing piece, along with publishing their pieces for a Writers Theater!
During Writers Theater, small groups of classmates will be given directions by the author to
create a play. Stage directions and narration will be given by the author. We will discuss the
importance of clear narration.
Science Investigations: We are going on a trip on Monday to the Croc Adventures!!! Students
will observe the way organisms live and survive in their ecosystem by interacting with the living
and non-living elements (Sudan Plated Lizard Burrowing is a big part of these lizard’s existence;
they dig burrows for protection (non-living) Sun provides surface temperatures for basking from
1250F – 1400F (non-living) Diet consists of insects in the wild, but they also eat some fruits and
flowers (living).)
Students will learn to describe how the flow of energy derived from the Sun, used by producers
to create their own food, is transferred through a food chain and food web to consumers and
decomposers. (Black Throat Monitor These lizards are carnivores and eat small reptiles and
rodents; they will eat smaller monitors, snakes, birds, eggs, and more Some of the animals they
eat are herbivores; they eat plants; these plants derive energy from the Sun to make their food
The monitor food chain is part of a larger food web; the monitor, when full grown, will be at the
top if this food web.)
They will compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and
survive such as hooves on prairie animals or webbed feet in aquatic animals. The animals we
observe at the field trip will be used to discuss inherited traits (American Alligators and
Crocodiles) will be used to compare inherited traits versus learned behaviors (these animals have
multiple learned behaviors in captivity).
In small groups, students are doing research and reviewing notes on the sciences we have
covered so far. They will then create models on a specific concepts of their choosing to present
to the class. So far, students are covering eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells, differences between
the eukaryotic plant cells and eukaryotic animal cells, DNA, molds, virus, bacteria and
landforms.
Social Studies Investigations: This week, Voyagers will begin planning our trip to Austin and
learning about the Texas State Capitol.
Word Study
Spelling: (Mono is a greek root for single or alone. Check out: http://membean.com/wrotds/mono-one)
Monochrome-having one color; a painting, design, photo, or outfit
that is only one color or shades of one color
Monocle-An eyeglass for one eye
Monolingual-speaking or writing only one language
Monolith-something made out of one single large block or piece of
stone; one single stone monument
Monologue-long speech by one person
Monophobia-an abnormal fear of being the only one there; fear of
being alone
Monopoly-control of a product or service by one company
Monorail-a track for subway or train cars that only has one rail
Monosyllabic-Having only one syllable.
Monotone-a speech in which every word has one tone of voice
(Logos is a greek root for word or study.)
Logic-reasoning to gain knowledge and wisdom
Geology-study of the earth
Astrology-knowledge from the stars
Biology-study of physical life
Zoology-study of animals
Technology-study of how to improve an art or a skill
Anthropology-study of mankind
Psychology-study of the soul or mental life of man
Legend-a story to be read
Dialogue-great talking across time, distance, or table
*Plans will be modified accordingly for those with IEPs.
Homework Chart
Monday
Read Studies
Weekly
Read 30
newspaper, take
minutes
notations and
every day.
answer
questions.
Word Study Study vocabulary
words… read the
definitions.
Literacy
Science and
Social
Studies
Math
Tuesday
Wednesday
Practice for
Practice for
Reader’s Theater! Reader’s
Theater!
Explain your
understanding of
each vocabulary
word.
Thursday
Write rich and
interesting
sentences that
help readers
understand the
vocab words.
Watch at least
one Go Math
Video and do at
least an hour of
Think Through
Math (Show
your work and
use the help
and coach line.).
Friday
No School