A whole-group mathematical exploration of Sierpinski’s Triangle. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> 1 mathematical scenario -> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics -> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations -> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in Sierpinski’s Triangle. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. Or have learners create their own shape with fractional pieces. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like -> Computer and Internet access

A whole-group mathematical exploration of the Multiplication Table / Times Table. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> 1 mathematical scenario -> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics -> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations -> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in the Multiplication Table. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. It makes the most sense to bring in this activity before students are formally familiar with multiplication and the structure of the table. Even so, this model differs slightly from the traditional layout and display allowing for the focus to be on finding patterns than recalling “how the times tables work.” POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like -> Computer and Internet access

A whole-group mathematical exploration of the Hundred Chart from https://mathforlove.com. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> 1 mathematical scenario -> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics -> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations -> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in this very special Hundred Chart. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. Or have learners create their hundred chart with numerical patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like -> Computer and Internet access

A whole-group mathematical exploration of a Magic Square. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> 1 mathematical scenario -> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics -> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations -> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based, industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in a Magic Square. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like -> Computer and Internet access

A whole-group mathematical exploration of Pascal’s Triangle. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> 1 mathematical scenario -> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics -> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations -> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in Pascal’s Triangle. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. Or have learners create their own triangle with numerical patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like -> Computer and Internet access

An independent and whole-group exploration of phenomenon related to how the Sun, Moon, and Earth interact using the scientific method. This resource touches on some key topics of early astronomy instruction: the Earth’s rotation, the Earth’s revolution around the Sun, moon phases, tides, eclipses, and the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> 2 pages of rich, scientific questions related to the Sun, moon, and Earth –> Teacher guide for implementation with plenty of links to other exciting resources about Space –> Answer Key with explanations, sample diagrams, other resources, and digging deeper questions STORY I created an astronomy unit around the same time that my learners were also exploring the scientific method. As a way to reinforce the connection between the two, I developed this activity which prompts students to hypothesize about 6 key Earth-related questions. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of a worksheet which, through the teacher’s guidance, can facilitate deep conversation about how the heavenly bodies of our Solar System interact. The exploration begins with an independent task; learners will hypothesize about why certain phenomena occur, like “how do night and day occur?” or “what causes seasons?” Then a whole-group discussion brings about the variety of postulates in the room. Learners should be encouraged to model their thinking to their peers with a globe and a flashlight. The learning community then comes to an agreement on their collective theory of why a certain phenomenon happens. Then, after a little exploration together of the provided resources, learners are able to synthesize what they discovered through a drawing and explanation of their own. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS This file includes multiple links to deeper questions about the universe or interesting developments in our understanding of Space. MATERIALS/PRE-REQS Besides this resource, you may require: –> Computers with internet access –> A Globe (or something to model the Earth like a basketball) –> A Flashlight (or a light to model the sun - must be bright & direct enough to cast shadows) –> A “Moon” (something relative to the size of your “Earth” to model the moon like a tennis ball)

A small- and whole-group exploration geared toward creating a to-scale model of the solar system that fits within the walls of a classroom. By leveraging their understanding of ratios and scale factors, learners can scale down the actual distances between planets and the diameters of those planets to a reasonable size for display from the ceiling. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> Step-by-step instructions for accurately scaling down the diameters of the planets and distances from the Sun –> Teacher guide for strategic implementation in the classroom, leaning on the learners to provide the mathematical reasoning for building accurate models STORY In an effort to create a fun, visual representation of the Solar System during my astronomy unit, I came up with this activity. Instead of just being another art project, I decided to have learners flex their mathematical reasoning muscles to discover scale factors. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of an activity which, through the teacher’s guidance, can facilitate great conversation about the connections between proportional reasoning and a scale model of the Solar System. Using two separate scale factors, learners will create a model with scaled planet diameters and distances from the Sun. With this, you will be able to create an accurate model for drawing deeper conclusions together in class. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS There is always more research or exploration that can be done about the things scientists have discovered in our Solar System. MATERIALS/PRE-REQS Besides this resource, you may require: –> Computers with internet access –> Meter or yard stick –> Construction, butcher, or printer paper for creating planets

A whole-group mathematical exploration of the Fibonacci Spiral. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> 1 mathematical scenario –> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics –> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations –> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in the Fibonacci Spiral. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: –> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like –> Computer and Internet access

A small-group or independent, scientific exploration of purpose and prevalence of simple machines in our daily lives. This resource offers opportunity for learners to experience brainstorm items that contain the six simple machines in four different areas of a home. Then, they will examine everyday household items that contain 2 or 3 simple machines considering the purpose of how these systems assist our lives. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> 2 different activities exploring simple and compound machines –> Possible answers are included for both activities STORY After watching Bill Nye’s episode about simple machines, my students were interested in exploring more on the topic. Our discussion also moved into the realm of compound machines. The next day, I created for them this activity and we had a group competition to see who could name the most household items containing simple machines. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of a worksheet that can help students navigate an exploration of simple and compound machines in their homes and at school. Choose to frame this as an independent or small group activity for learners to extend their understanding of the six simple machines. In any case, push learners to continue inquiring about how science is used to make our lives easier - specifically within systems. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS After completing this activity with your class, you can also have students think of an item and let classmates guess which simple machines can be found in it. In class, this was my lead up to conversations about potential and kinetic energy. In that unit, we had students build Rube Goldberg machines, and this knowledge was very helpful in the successful creation of those machines. MATERIALS/PRE-REQS Besides this resource, you may require: –> Some knowledge of simple machines –> Sample simple / compound machines for students to consider

A whole-group scientific exploration of how fingerprinting can be used to identify a subject. This resource offers opportunity for learners to glimpse into the world of forensic science. “Frame” one of your students secretly and let the rest of the class match up the types of fingerprints in this relevant-to-the-real-world activity. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> A one page printable sheet for collecting fingerprints –> Detailed instructions for setting up and implementing the activity STORY Last year, I wanted to expose my students to as many different branches of science as possible. Forensics ended up being a one day unit and this activity was involved! IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of a worksheet that can help students document the fingerprints of their peers as well as teacher instructions for framing one member of the class in the “perfect crime” of your choosing. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible discussion topics to extend the activity are outlined in the file. MATERIALS/PRE-REQS Besides this resource, you may require: –> Tape –> Several ink pads

A whole-group mathematical exploration of a Modular Arithmetic Model. This resource creates space for a learning community founded on discourse, theorization, generalization, and justification. Learners are encouraged to bring ideas forward within the conversation and prove or disprove each other’s theories about the patterns they discover within this model. This activity is used best to push learners toward deep, critical thought about a mathematical scenario. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> 1 mathematical scenario –> Detailed instructions on how to lead students into deep, critical thought about mathematics –> 7 possible student discoveries with explanations –> Plenty of possibility for extension, deeper discussion, or lesson ideas STORY A lot of my work this school year has led me to really pushing learners outside the usual confines of the worksheet-based industrial model of education. More than ever, I am discovering how to really push my learners to see beyond the obvious: making observations, developing generalizations and justifying their theories. Learning inside my classroom has moved from something I assign to learners to something that my learners explore and discover for themselves. This and my other pattern exploration activities are examples of things I used this year to drive that deep thought. IMPLEMENTATION This resource is primarily for the teacher’s eyes only. It gives clear instructions for how to set up a conversation about the mathematics in play in this Modular Arithmetic Model. While seven expected discoveries are shown, it is certainly not an exhaustive list and it is not meant to be shared directly with learners. As the resource explains, the entire purpose is to have learners make the mathematical discoveries themselves. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions are included in the file! There is always more research or exploration that can be done when we are drawing conclusions about sequences and patterns. Or have learners create their own circular model with numerical patterns. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: –> Time and practice to condition your learners to know what a productive mathematical discussion looks like and sounds like –> Computer and Internet access

An independent exploration designed to allow learners the chance to experience the steps an author must go throught to publish their own work. Learners will follow a 10-step process taking them from character development all the way through illustrations and publishing. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> A 10-step process for helping learners develop a short story –> 5 pages of graphic organizers STORY I developed this product when my learners who had been writing short stories since Pre K. I found it interesting that many of them had never made it through the full editing process to publishing. As a way to keep it interesting, I designed a character card graphic organizer in the style of a trading card to help learners visualize and develop their main character. From there I built the entire 10-step process which took my class about 3 weeks to complete. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists of a list of ten steps for teacher implmentation of the writing process. Several optional activities are included as well to differentiate or mix up the time you have. Use the 5 included worksheets and several resources linked in this file to construct a several week writing exploration with your class. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Show off those stories! Consider arranging time to read the stories to a younger grade level. Learners will gain practice in reading aloud skills and asking questions.

A small-group or independent science project designed to allow learners the chance to experience physical science according to their own interests and the household objects they have available to them. Learners will spend time researching a strange phenomenon explainable using physics and preparing a demonstration of the experiment for the class. On presentation day, the class will circulate to watch groups of learners give their demonstrations, make hypotheses about the outcomes, and write the explanation given for the experiments they view. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> Project Description –> Physics Demo Project Brainstorm –> Observer Notes Sheet –> Project Rubric STORY Science Fair Projects can often be very time consuming - thinking of a project, designing an experiment, collecting results, gluing things to a board, and bringing it all back to school. I decided this year to simplify the process and let learners work as partners to give a physical science demonstration about how the world works. I had given many demonstrations in class like the classic “egg sucked into a bottle” trick, “pulling the table cloth out from under the dishes” trick and the ever popular “cola sinks, diet cola floats” trick. Learners were fascinated by these demonstrations, and I got the idea to let them come up with their own experiments so we could run our own mini science fair. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists of a project description page which, through the teacher’s guidance, can facilitate great conversation and exploration into many real-world phenomena which seem like “tricks” but can be explained through an understanding of physical science. You have several options for setting up a presentation day which gives opportunity for the whole class to benefit from the science explorations. Overall, this project should take students about one week to research, develop, rehearse, and present their experiments. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Download this project and let the students teach the science concepts for the day. Invite other classrooms over and have yourself a proper mini-science fair!

A small- or whole-group science experiment designed to allow learners the chance to craft their own experiment following the Scientific Method. The experiment begins with watching an old M&M commercial stating the oldest and perhaps most popular M&M slogan, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.” Learners will decide on the variables and conditions of the experiment before conducting it and gathering data. They will leverage their own creativity in the specific design of their experiment and conduct it themselves in tandem with the other groups in the class. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> Experiment Walkthrough and Notes –> Experiment Handout STORY This experiment came about when I wanted a way to highlight the Scientific Method and independent and dependent variables with very few materials. A usual class favorite, this experiment has repeat value over many years. Plus, allowing learners to both design the experiment and base it off of M&Ms boasts great engagement. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of an experiment which, through the teacher’s guidance, can facilitate great conversation about conducting experiments, the importance of variables, the importance of establishing a control, and much more. You can begin the experiment with several included discussion starters for introducing the exploration. Then, the class will gather their ideas and set out designing experiments, conducting them, and compiling data. When finished, a larger conversation can be had reflecting on the M&M slogan and the validity of the experiments just carried out. Specific examples from my classroom for each step of the experiment’s implementation have been included for reference. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS After completing the experiment, you could discuss how scientists have to repeat experiments to make sure the results are valid. Have a discussion about what could be done differently. Or, dive in head first with the entire Chemistry Science Unit Plan (coming soon to TES).

A small-group or independent science project designed to allow learners the chance to investigate the many fields of science. Learners will spend time researching a chosen or assigned field of study and preparing a slide presentation to share the information with the class. During presentations, the rest of the class will take notes on specific aspects of the branches of science being showcased. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> Project Description Worksheet –> 2-page note taking organizer for presentations STORY Before jumping into a wide variety of topics in a school year, I enjoy a beginning-of-year research project into the fields of science. This also allows time for learners to practice research methodology, presentation skills, and note taking. IMPLEMENTATION This resource consists mainly of a project description page which, through the teacher’s guidance, can facilitate great conversation about the many branches of science that exist. The research learners will conduct on their specific field of science centers around four main questions as well as a search through the information listed on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics site. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS As you go throughout the year, have learners make connections between the topics they are learning to the fields of science they researched.

A small-group or independent mathematical list of graphing challenges using linear equations. This resource gives learners opportunities to push their understanding of how the coordinate plane works and how the equations we write can manipulate the lines graphed upon that plane. Learners will explore the importance of slope, how that can affect perpendicular and parallel lines, and what is required to draw a line through a specific point. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> Instructions for implementation -> 1-page of exploration -> Suggestions for best practices of instruction STORY After my students got a basic understanding of how the coordinate plane works, memorized vocabulary like origin and quadrant, and leaned what a y = x + 1 graph looked like, they were hungry for more. Then this activity was born to challenge them and give them more exposure to graphs. Challenge your students to push their understanding of how equations work and start some good algebra classroom discussions before they even hit their first algebra course. IMPLEMENTATION This resource provides a page of graphing challenges which can be achieved only through equations of lines that learners test and confirm. It’s implementation has a variety of possibilities. This activity can be a great intro to a further discussion on point-slope and slope-intercept form. It could be used as extra practice, an extension, or even as a small group differentiated instruction activity. More information to implement the activity in the file. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Continue your student’s exploration of how words, equations, tables, and graphs are related with The Fantastic Four of Algebra Exploration. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> Computers with Internet accessibility

A whole-group mathematical game of bingo involving solutions to multi-step equations. This resource creates the structure for practicing the simplification and solving of linear equations in one-variable and the values of the variables are represented in the numbers placed on the bingo cards. Learners will solve equations independently to mark the correct number on their own card. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: -> Blank Bingo Board Template -> 30 Linear Equations with Corresponding Answers -> Ideas for alternate or extended play STORY My competitive students absolutely love bingo. Anytime I can do a review game having to do with bingo they eat it right up. It is fairly simple to make clues and let students choose where they want their numbers. IMPLEMENTATION This resource provides blank bingo cards and a set of 30 clues. By printing the templates, you have everything you need to run one game of bingo. Learners fill in their own blank template randomly with any number in the range of 1-30. To play again, simply make a new set of clues or have the learners develop them. This is a great review game. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS Possible extensions included in this file! MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: -> A Random Number Generator – links in the file

A weekly whole-group classroom system for centers with opportunities to experience the grade 5 math topics using writing, hands-on manipulatives, small group work, independent tasks, and technology. This resource extends your students’ understanding by devoting 75 minutes a week to math rotations that will stretch their thinking and further develop their problem solving skills. This structure is used best in tandem with your regular mathematics curriculum to learn and apply the concepts in a being learned each week. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> 29 weeks of center rotations (5 fifteen-minute rotations per week) –> Guide to implementing the centers STORY Warm ups, writing prompts, partner work, note taking, and textbook problems are not enough to keep up a learner’s interest and full capabilities for learning in the math classroom. I decided my first year to implement a weekly rotation for math centers modeled after the “Daily 5” strategy used in language arts. Students go through 5 fifteen-minute rotations using a variety of tools to explore the current unit or topic we are working through as a class. This structure gives students something to look forward to (we always do it on Wednesdays) and also provides extra time for focused group work that goes beyond the pages of a textbook or my abilities to teach the entire class at once. Set up these rotations as a weekly structure in your class and wait for your students to wish it was centers day! IMPLEMENTATION This resource gives you 29 weeks of math rotations which explore everything from area and perimeter to fractions to decimals to financial literacy. Set up the 75-minute rotations for the same day each week according to the concepts being learned in your usual curriculum. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS There are so many extensions to the activities, vocabulary questions, and games found in these 29 weeks of centers. MATERIALS/PREREQUISITES Besides this resource, you may require: –> Manipulatives like base ten blocks, centimeter cubes, fraction tiles, decimal tiles or paper versions of these –> Whiteboards and Markers –> Technology with access to internet (I like to use our classroom’s smart board but you can choose to structure the technology rotation around individual laptops instead) –> A teacher account to an online, interactive math game website like Splash Learn or Legends of Learning

This 4-week unit plan will give you a great framework for a unit in discovering the secrets and science of Space. Using these resources, you’ll debunk a few misconceptions about the cause of seasons, moon phases, distances between and sizes of planets, and the levels of our atmosphere. This unit plan offers multiple lessons involving great technological resources for conceptualizing the ideas. Inside this .zip file you will find a Read Me.pdf that will guide you through the 4 weeks of the unit. See the “What’s included” section below for the details. This is an all-inclusive unit plan! Although this was designed and implemented in a sixth grade classroom, it can be easily modified to fit a fifth grade or seventh grade classroom as well. WHAT’S INCLUDED This resource contains: –> A planning & pacing guide –> Four comprehensive, technology-integrated activities –> A group research project & presentation –> Group rubric and peer evaluation rubric for the project –> A simple assessment (for use as a pretest) –> A in-depth assessment (for use as a summative) –> Reteaching resources for all 6 major topics of the unit –> Answer keys and teacher implementation info included for each rubric STORY I originally developed this unit plan to address a variety of concepts surrounding the wonder and science of Space. I weaved in situations where practice with the scientific method could be included as well. IMPLEMENTATION This unit plan contains a guide for a suggested path through the scientific content. In addition, each activity or project has a teacher forward detailing options for how to implement the activity in any classroom. There are also resources for effectively reteaching concepts from the unit. From start to finish, this plan has four weeks of science learning in your classroom covered. POSSIBLE EXTENSIONS The reteaching materials included in this file are a great, multi-day possibility for extending learning and curiosity. MATERIALS/PRE-REQS Besides this resource, you may require: –> Computers with internet access –> Meter or yard stick –> Construction, butcher, or printer paper for one activity –> Wooden skewers or stakes for one outdoor activity