What's included in our grades 3-5 language arts curriculum

Unit 1

Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows

Students explore international classic tales, including The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, and “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp.”

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Animal Classification

Students learn how scientists use animals’ characteristics to classify and study them; students apply knowledge through text-based discussions and writing exercises.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 3

The Human Body: Systems and Senses

This unit involves the study of the human body, building students’ understanding of its senses and skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.

Number of Lessons: 14

Unit 4

The Ancient Roman Civilization

Students dive into ancient Rome, studying its history, culture, and myths about Roman gods and goddesses.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 5

Light and Sound

Students learn the science behind light and sound, read biographies of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, and write newspaper articles.

Number of Lessons: 17

Unit 6

The Viking Age (with Core Quest)

This unit’s informational and literary texts convey information about the Vikings, their culture, and their exploration.

Number of Lessons: 11

Unit 7

Astronomy: Our Solar System and Beyond

Students learn about astronomy, the universe, and important figures in the history of space exploration, including Nicolaus Copernicus and Mae Jemison.

Number of Lessons: 20

Unit 8

Native Americans: Regions and Cultures

Students compare, contrast, assemble information, and reflect on what they have learned about Native Americans and their ways of life.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 9

Early Explorations of North America

Students explore reasons for European exploration, what exploration was like, and who went exploring; then students write opinion pieces using this information.

Number of Lessons: 14

Unit 10

Colonial America

Students learn about colonies in early America, including how colonies were started and the progress colonists made after settling.

Number of Lessons: 16

Unit 11

Ecology

Students learn about different aspects of ecology, including food chains, the balance of nature, changes to the environment, and protecting the environment.

Number of Lessons: 12

Unit 1

Personal Narratives

This unit examines the genre of personal narratives, including nonfiction works written by a first-person narrator involved in the events being described.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Empires in the Middle Ages, Part I and II

This unit covers the history of various empires and geographical regions throughout the Middle Ages.

Number of Lessons: 25

Unit 3

Poetry

Students explore poetry, training in methods and devices poets use and learning to read, write, and interpret formal and free verse poems.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 4

Eureka! Student Inventor (Core Quest)

This Core Quest, a narrative-driven unit, immerses students in close-reading adventures and scientific and historical content about inventions. Students write and read opinion, informational, and narrative texts.

Number of Lessons: 10

Unit 5

Geology

This unit focuses on the composition of Earth and the forces that change its surface.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 6

Contemporary Fiction: The House on Mango Street

This unit explores narrative literature and writing, using excerpts from The House on Mango Street as its anchor text.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 7

American Revolution

Students learn that disagreements about principles of government led colonists in North America to seek independence from Great Britain.

Number of Lessons: 17

Unit 8

Treasure Island

Students focus on character development, setting, plot, and literary devices while reading an abridged version of a classic novel, Treasure Island.

Number of Lessons: 19

Unit 9

Writing Quest (supplemental): The Contraption

In this supplemental Quest, students interact with a mysterious machine fueled by their writing and solve the machine’s puzzles. This Quest features a digital environment controlled by the teacher.

Unit 1

Personal Narratives

This unit examines the genre of personal narratives, including nonfiction works written by a first-person narrator involved in the events being described.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Early American Civilizations

Students study the geography, climate, flora, and fauna of the Americas and the rise and fall of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 3

Poetry

Students explore poetry, training in methods and devices poets use and learning to read, write, and interpret formal and free verse poems.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 4

Adventures of Don Quixote

In this unit students trace the development of plot, characters, and literary elements while reading a full-length, adapted version of Don Quixote.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 5

The Renaissance

This unit provides students with a broad exposure to the art and literature of the Renaissance through the works of renowned masters.

Number of Lessons: 19

Unit 6

The Reformation

This unit teaches students about the Reformation, a movement involving religious and political upheaval that shifted the political power in Europe.

Number of Lessons: 10

Unit 7

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Core Quest)

This unit is an immersive Quest that treats Shakespeare’s comedy as both literature and a living text for interpretation and performance.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 8

Native Americans

Students learn how settlers, explorers, and the American government in the 1800s affected Native American cultures and their relationship with the land.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 9

Chemical Matter

Students learn about chemistry and close-reading through a literary and informational work, The Badlands Sleuth, in which the protagonist uses chemistry to solve mysteries.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 10

Writing Quest (supplemental): The Robot

Students interact with a classroom pet that learns and grows with their writing. This Quest features a digital environment controlled by the teacher.

Unit 1

Classic Tales: The Wind in the Willows

Students explore international classic tales, including The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, and “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp.”

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Animal Classification

Students learn how scientists use animals’ characteristics to classify and study them; students apply knowledge through text-based discussions and writing exercises.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 3

The Human Body: Systems and Senses

This unit involves the study of the human body, building students’ understanding of its senses and skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems.

Number of Lessons: 14

Unit 4

The Ancient Roman Civilization

Students dive into ancient Rome, studying its history, culture, and myths about Roman gods and goddesses.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 5

Light and Sound

Students learn the science behind light and sound, read biographies of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, and write newspaper articles.

Number of Lessons: 17

Unit 6

The Viking Age (with Core Quest)

This unit’s informational and literary texts convey information about the Vikings, their culture, and their exploration.

Number of Lessons: 11

Unit 7

Astronomy: Our Solar System and Beyond

Students learn about astronomy, the universe, and important figures in the history of space exploration, including Nicolaus Copernicus and Mae Jemison.

Number of Lessons: 20

Unit 8

Native Americans: Regions and Cultures

Students compare, contrast, assemble information, and reflect on what they have learned about Native Americans and their ways of life.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 9

Early Explorations of North America

Students explore reasons for European exploration, what exploration was like, and who went exploring; then students write opinion pieces using this information.

Number of Lessons: 14

Unit 10

Colonial America

Students learn about colonies in early America, including how colonies were started and the progress colonists made after settling.

Number of Lessons: 16

Unit 11

Ecology

Students learn about different aspects of ecology, including food chains, the balance of nature, changes to the environment, and protecting the environment.

Number of Lessons: 12

Unit 1

Personal Narratives

This unit examines the genre of personal narratives, including nonfiction works written by a first-person narrator involved in the events being described.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Empires in the Middle Ages, Part I and II

This unit covers the history of various empires and geographical regions throughout the Middle Ages.

Number of Lessons: 25

Unit 3

Poetry

Students explore poetry, training in methods and devices poets use and learning to read, write, and interpret formal and free verse poems.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 4

Eureka! Student Inventor (Core Quest)

This Core Quest, a narrative-driven unit, immerses students in close-reading adventures and scientific and historical content about inventions. Students write and read opinion, informational, and narrative texts.

Number of Lessons: 10

Unit 5

Geology

This unit focuses on the composition of Earth and the forces that change its surface.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 6

Contemporary Fiction: The House on Mango Street

This unit explores narrative literature and writing, using excerpts from The House on Mango Street as its anchor text.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 7

American Revolution

Students learn that disagreements about principles of government led colonists in North America to seek independence from Great Britain.

Number of Lessons: 17

Unit 8

Treasure Island

Students focus on character development, setting, plot, and literary devices while reading an abridged version of a classic novel, Treasure Island.

Number of Lessons: 19

Unit 9

Writing Quest (supplemental): The Contraption

In this supplemental Quest, students interact with a mysterious machine fueled by their writing and solve the machine’s puzzles. This Quest features a digital environment controlled by the teacher.

Unit 1

Personal Narratives

This unit examines the genre of personal narratives, including nonfiction works written by a first-person narrator involved in the events being described.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 2

Early American Civilizations

Students study the geography, climate, flora, and fauna of the Americas and the rise and fall of the Maya, Aztec, and Inca civilizations.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 3

Poetry

Students explore poetry, training in methods and devices poets use and learning to read, write, and interpret formal and free verse poems.

Number of Lessons: 13

Unit 4

Adventures of Don Quixote

In this unit students trace the development of plot, characters, and literary elements while reading a full-length, adapted version of Don Quixote.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 5

The Renaissance

This unit provides students with a broad exposure to the art and literature of the Renaissance through the works of renowned masters.

Number of Lessons: 19

Unit 6

The Reformation

This unit teaches students about the Reformation, a movement involving religious and political upheaval that shifted the political power in Europe.

Number of Lessons: 10

Unit 7

A Midsummer Night's Dream (Core Quest)

This unit is an immersive Quest that treats Shakespeare’s comedy as both literature and a living text for interpretation and performance.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 8

Native Americans

Students learn how settlers, explorers, and the American government in the 1800s affected Native American cultures and their relationship with the land.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 9

Chemical Matter

Students learn about chemistry and close-reading through a literary and informational work, The Badlands Sleuth, in which the protagonist uses chemistry to solve mysteries.

Number of Lessons: 15

Unit 10

Writing Quest (supplemental): The Robot

Students interact with a classroom pet that learns and grows with their writing. This Quest features a digital environment controlled by the teacher.