University of Houston Charter School: Voyagers Lesson Plan
For the week of 4-18 to 4-22, 2016
Science Investigations:
Along with studying for Wiz Kids Competition, Voyagers are starting their Science Fair projects!
At this point, we are not necessarily concerned with practical outcomes, but rather with gaining
an understanding of the natural world for its own sake. These projects can be done individually
or with a partner. In addition to the materials for the experiment, each project will be presented
on a tri-fold. The tri-folds ought to be small and relatively inexpensive. (We recommend the
dollar store.) Detailed expectations and process will be discussed and formulated by the
students in class.
Reading Workshop:
Voyagers continue to focus on the art of imagery that different authors use in their literary
pieces. Imagery has many uses and affects: to express a thought more vividly, solicit an
emotion, create an ambiance, and persuade a reader to think in a certain perspective or set a
framework with a particular analogy. Voyagers will take note of the craft in their reading, and
explain why they believe the author used it within the particular context.
Read Aloud:
Voyagers point out imagery and figurative language in Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by
Grace Lin.
Writing Workshop: Voyagers are excited about reaching milestones and beginning on new
journeys. We are dabbling into various writing pieces from which they will chose their very best
piece to incorporate into their speeches. This week, they are working on ‘I remember…’ poems.
April Word Study Review: condensation, evaporation, transpiration, weather, climate,
mixtures, solutions, solvent, dissolve, solubility, density, buoyancy, relative, mechanical,
thermal, cylinder, graduate, scale, weight, balance, scatter plot, line plot, increase, decrease,
frequency
Math Investigations: This week, Voyagers revisit Data Analysis. Pictographs and bar graphs
are two ways to display data. Each kind of display shows information in a slightly different way.
Students are expected to study data or data tables, and decide whether it would be better to use
a pictograph or a bar graph to display the data. They will decide whether a key is useful along
with the graph, and if so, what would a key include. They will demonstrate their understanding
by choosing the most effective graph, creating the graph, labeling and graphing given data sets.
Social Studies: Voyagers are presenting on their research from the last couple of weeks on:
government functions; types of government; inalienable and alienable rights; citizen’s
responsibilities; what does “separation of church and state” means, how do we practice the
rights protected by the constitution; why or why not the two party system; what impact does our
government have on us; what is DARK money and Super PAC; Glass Steagall; and how does
the treasury department work; who is appointed and why; what is the Patriot Act; War on Drugs
and War on Terror; how do these policies affect us; what role do lobbyists play in our political
system and how do they affect us; what is the compound effect; what is NAFTA and TTP; how
do these trade agreements affect us and more!
*Lessons are modified and accommodations are made for students who have the need for them.
Homework Chart
Monday
H.W. Due
Tuesday
Literacy
30 Minutes
Read 30
Daily
min. and fill Reading
out
Reading
Log daily.
Tuesday
H.W. Due
Wednesday
30 Minutes
Daily Reading
Wednesday
H.W. Due
Thursday
Thursday
H.W. Due
Friday
Friday
H.W. Due
Monday
30 Minutes Daily 30 Minutes
30 Minutes
Reading
Daily
Daily Reading
Reading
Finish Math Science Review Math Packet on Science Science Review
on
for Wiz Kids
Graphs and
Review for for Wiz Kids
Conversions And Finish Math Study for Science Wiz Kids And Finish Math
Review
Wiz Kids
And Finish
Packet
Math