The Big Question:
How does growing up change us?
This unit is about what happens to
people, plants, and animals as they
grow and change. You will read about
growing up in three ancient cultures
and fun facts about plant and animal
growth. You will read novel excerpts
and a folk tale about conflicts within
families and lessons family members
teach one another. As you explore
growing up, you will grow as a reader
and practice the academic and literary
language you need to use in school.
For the next several weeks, our class will be studying what happens to people,
plants, and animals as they grow. We will be discussing the question “How does
growing up change us?” We will study what it was like to grow up in ancient
civilizations. We will read two novel excerpts and a folktale about the lessons
that are learned as one grows. Finally, we will study and compare how animals,
plants, and people grow.
You can help your child learn more about growing up. Talk to your child about
things you remember from your childhood. You may want to discuss:
• how growing up was different when you were a child
• important people and places in your childhood
• important experiences that helped you grow up and mature
Also talk to your child about how he or she has learned to do many new things
as he or she has grown. Discussing this will help your child better understand
that growing up means more than just getting bigger. It also means being able to
do things that he or she could not do when he or she was younger.
In this unit students will practice narrative writing. This type of writing tells
a story. Students will practice writing a personal letter, writing about a character
or setting, rewriting a story from another point of view, and writing a personal
narrative. At the end of the unit, they will write a lengthy fictional narrative. You
can help by asking your child to describe the characters, plot, and setting of their
story to you in detail.
As part of this unit, students will perform a skit about children from ancient
times. You can help by having your child read his or her part as you read the
lines for the other characters. This will help your child memorize his or her lines.
At the end of the unit, your child may work alone or with other students on
a project. Your child may need to search the Internet or find information at the
school library to do this project. I am also encouraging your child to read other
books about growing up. Ask your child to talk with you about the school project
he or she is doing and the additional books he or she is reading for this unit.
Lead students in a discussion about how people, animals, and plants grow up. Tell students that this unit contains both fiction and nonfiction selections. They are grouped together to help students understand the concrete and emotional experiences of growing up. Students will also learn skills, such as
comparing and contrasting, and visualizing.
For the next several weeks, our class will be studying what happens to people,
plants, and animals as they grow. We will be discussing the question “How does
growing up change us?” We will study what it was like to grow up in ancient
civilizations. We will read two novel excerpts and a folktale about the lessons
that are learned as one grows. Finally, we will study and compare how animals,
plants, and people grow.
You can help your child learn more about growing up. Talk to your child about
things you remember from your childhood. You may want to discuss:
• how growing up was different when you were a child
• important people and places in your childhood
• important experiences that helped you grow up and mature
Also talk to your child about how he or she has learned to do many new things
as he or she has grown. Discussing this will help your child better understand
that growing up means more than just getting bigger. It also means being able to
do things that he or she could not do when he or she was younger.
In this unit students will practice narrative writing. This type of writing tells
a story. Students will practice writing a personal letter, writing about a character
or setting, rewriting a story from another point of view, and writing a personal
narrative. At the end of the unit, they will write a lengthy fictional narrative. You
can help by asking your child to describe the characters, plot, and setting of their
story to you in detail.
As part of this unit, students will perform a skit about children from ancient
times. You can help by having your child read his or her part as you read the
lines for the other characters. This will help your child memorize his or her lines.
At the end of the unit, your child may work alone or with other students on
a project. Your child may need to search the Internet or find information at the
school library to do this project. I am also encouraging your child to read other
books about growing up. Ask your child to talk with you about the school project
he or she is doing and the additional books he or she is reading for this unit.
Lead students in a discussion about how people, animals, and plants grow up. Tell students that this unit contains both fiction and nonfiction selections. They are grouped together to help students understand the concrete and emotional experiences of growing up. Students will also learn skills, such as
comparing and contrasting, and visualizing.
