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K-5 English Language Arts Curriculum
Williamson County Schools has completed the first-year implementation of its K-5 English Language Arts, ELA, curriculum, Wit and Wisdom, during the 2020-21 school year. In Tennessee, content area adoptions occur on a rotating basis, typically every six years.
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ELA Texts Being Challenged
Per School Board policy 4.403 Reconsideration of Instructional Materials and Textbooks, a Reconsideration Committee has been created and is in the process of reviewing 30 texts as of July 20, 2021, that are being taught as part of the Wit and Wisdom English Language Arts curriculum in grades K-5. These specific titles have been included in the request for reconsideration submitted by representatives of a group called Moms for Liberty, Williamson County chapter. The district has heard from many other parents and community members who have shared that they are satisfied with the curriculum being taught.
Conclusion and Outcomes Report from the Reconsideration Committee
Per School Board policy 4.403, the committee’s decision may be appealed to the WCBE within 15 working days from the date of the Committee’s report on January 25, 2022. The 15 day period ends on February 15, 2022 at 4 p.m.
Text and Materials
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Text and materials used by ELA teachers are listed by grade level. Texts are used in a variety of ways including teacher read aloud, with a partner, independently, as well as entirely or abridged.
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Kindergarten
QUARTER ONE - THE FIVE SENSES
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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My Five Senses, Aliki
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My Five Senses, Margaret Miller
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Rap a Tap Tap, Leo and Diane Dillon
Picture Books (Literary)
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault; Illustrations, Lois Ehlert
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Last Stop on Market Street, Matt de la Peña; Illustrations, Christian Robinson
Supplementary Texts
Articles
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Great Depression, Children’s Encyclopedia
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The Harlem Renaissance, Britannica Kids
Paintings
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Flower Day, Diego Rivera
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Le Gourmet, Pablo Picasso
Videos
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Bojangles Step Dance
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Chicka Chicka Boom Boom
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Eight-Year-Old Tap Prodigy Little Luke
QUARTER TWO - ONCE UPON A FARM
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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Farm Animals, Wade Cooper
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The Year at Maple Hill Farm, Alice and Martin Provensen
Picture Books (Literary)
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The Little Red Hen, Jerry Pinkney
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The Three Billy Goats Gruff, Paul Galdone
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Three Little Pigs, Adaptation, Raina Moore; Illustrations, Thea Kliros
Supplementary Texts
Paintings
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American Gothic, Grant Wood
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The Cornell Farm, Edward Hicks
Poem
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Morning Is Come
Song
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Old MacDonald Had a Farm
Videos
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Making Bread
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Seasons Song
QUARTER THREE - AMERICA, THEN & NOW
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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Communication Then and Now, Robin Nelson
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Home Then and Now, Robin Nelson
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Now & Ben: The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin, Gene Barretta
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School Then and Now, Robin Nelson
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Transportation Then and Now, Robin Nelson
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When I Was Young in the Mountains, Cynthia Rylant
Picture Books (Literary)
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The Little House, Virginia Lee Burton
Supplementary Texts
Painting
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Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze (1851)
Photographs
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Betsy Ross and the American Flag: Flag Picture Gallery, Independence Hall Association
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Old Hand Water Pump, Judson McCranie
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Then & Now: The Stunning Speed of Urban Development, S.A. Rogers
Poem
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Now We Are Six, A.A. Milne
Songs
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Engine on the Track, Gayle’s Preschool Rainbow
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This Land Is Your Land, Woody Guthrie
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You’re a Grand Old Flag, George M. Cohan
Video
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Sounds of a Glass Armonica, Toronto Star
Website
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About Cynthia Rylant, Cynthia Rylant
QUARTER FOUR - THE CONTINENTS
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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Africa, Rebecca Hirsch
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Antarctica, Rebecca Hirsch
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Asia, Rebecca Hirsch
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Australia, Rebecca Hirsch
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Europe, Rebecca Hirsch
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Introducing North America, Chris Oxlade
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South America, Rebecca Hirsch
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World Atlas, Nick Crane; Illustrations, David Dean
Picture Books (Literary)
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Moon Rope, Lois Ehlert
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The Story of Ferdinand, Munro Leaf; Illustrations, Robert Lawson
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Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears: A West African Tale, Verna Aardema; Illustrations, Leo and Diane Dillon
Supplementary Texts
Article
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5 Reasons Why Animal Moms Are Awesome, April Capochino Myers
Painting
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Carta Marina Olaus Magnus
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Cornell Farm, Edward Hicks
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Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze
Photographs
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Earth from Space, Stöckli, Reto, et al
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Grand Canyon Scenic Splendor, National Park Service
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“atterns of Chinchero, Descendants of the Incas
Picture Books (Informational)
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When I Was Young in the Mountains, Cynthia Rylant; Illustrations, Diane Goode
Poem
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Lions Roar, CanTeach
Quotation
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What is life? Crowfoot
Songs
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Penguin Song, Preschool Education
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In the World is Carmen Sandiego? from Smithsonian Folkways, Smithsonian Folkways
Videos
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Antarctic Sights and Sounds, James Napoli
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Burkina Faso: Music, Our Africa
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Explore Views of the Burj Khalifa with Google Maps, Google Maps
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The Seven Continents Song, Silly School Songs
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Storm-Proofing the World’s Biggest Mud Building, BBC Earth
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Traditional Chinese Dance—‘Flowers Contend in Beauty’ by Li Qian, Lin Chen…
Web Pages
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Americas—Fact Files, Go Wild
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Moles, DK Find Out!
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First Grade
QUARTER ONE - A WORLD OF BOOKS
Core Texts
Picture Books, Literary
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Tomás and the Library Lady, Pat Mora and Raul Colón
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Waiting for the Biblioburro, Monica Brown and John Parra
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That Book Woman, Heather Henson and David Small
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Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss
Picture Books, Informational
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Museum ABC, The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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My Librarian Is a Camel, Margriet Ruurs
Supplementary Texts
Almanac
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The Old Farmer's Almanac
Videos
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CNN Heroes: Luis Soriano, CNN
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Pack Horse Librarians, SLIS Storytelling
Websites
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ASL Sign for: yes, American Sign Language Dictionary
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ASL Sign for: no, American Sign Language Dictionary
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ASL Sign for: same, American Sign Language Dictionary
QUARTER TWO - CREATURE FEATURES
Core Texts
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Picture Books, Literary
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Seven Blind Mice, Ed Young
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Picture Books, Informational
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Me…Jane, Patrick McDonnell
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Never Smile at a Monkey, Steve Jenkins
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Sea Horse: The Shyest Fish in the Sea, Chris Butterworth, John Lawrence
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What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?, Steve Jenkins, Robin Page
Supplementary Texts
Fables
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The Hare & the Tortoise, Aesop’s Fables
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The Ants & the Grasshopper, Aesop’s Fables
Video
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Pygmy Sea Horses: Masters of Camouflage, Deep Look (2014)
Visual Art
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Young Hare, Albrecht Dürer (1502)
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The Snail, Henri Matisse (1953)
QUARTER THREE - POWERFUL FORCES
Core Texts
Picture Books, Literary
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Brave Irene, William Steig
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Owl at Home, The Guest, Arnold Lobel
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Gilberto and the Wind, Marie Hall Ets
Picture Books, Informational
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
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Feel the Wind, Arthur Dorros
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Feelings, Aliki
Supplementary Texts
Poetry
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The Wind, James Reeves
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It Fell in the City, Eve Merriam
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This Windmill, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
Video
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William and the Windmill, Toronto Star
Audio
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Soaring Bird MVI 0902, SanfordAr
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Hummingbird Wing Sounds, MyBackyardBirding
Painting
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The Red Mill, Piet Mondrian (1911)
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Oostzijdse Mill with Extended Blue, Yellow and Purple Sky, Piet Mondrian (1907)
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Windmill in the Gein, Piet Mondrian (1906–07)
Article, Informational
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Wind at Work, Amy Tao
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What Makes the Wind? Amy Tao
Short Story Excerpt, Literary
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Owl and the Moon, Arnold Lobel
Websites
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American Sign Language Website
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Hurricanes, DK Find Out!
QUARTER FOUR - CINDERELLA STORIES
Core Texts
Picture Books, Literary
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Adelita, Tomie dePaola
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Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella, Tony Johnston; Illustrations, James Warhola
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Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella, Robert D. San Souci; Illustrations, Brian Pinkney
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Cinderella, Marcia Brown
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Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella, Paul Fleischman; Illustrations, Julie Paschkis
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The Korean Cinderella, Shirley Climo; Illustrations, Ruth Heller
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The Rough-Face Girl, Rafe Martin; Illustrations, David Shannon
Visual Art
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First Steps, Jean-François Millet
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First Steps, Pablo Picasso
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First Steps, after Millet, Vincent van Gogh
Supplementary Texts
Article, Informational
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900 Cinderellas, Marcia Amidon Lusted and Judith C. Greenfield
Videos
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Kudhinda Screen Printing
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The Process of Making Batik–Artisans at Work
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Wycinanka/Paper Cutout
Websites
- Around the World, TIME for Kids
- Talking Textiles, The Children’s University of Manchester
- ASL Sign for: yes, American Sign Language Dictionary
- ASL Sign for: no, American Sign Language Dictionary
- ASL Sign for: same, American Sign Language Dictionary
- 815: To Theo van Gogh. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, on or about Friday, 25 October 1889
- Vincent van Gogh Quote
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Second Grade
QUARTER ONE - A SEASON OF CHANGE
Core Texts
Poetry
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Weather, Eve Merriam
Picture Book (Informational)
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How Do You Know It’s Fall?, Lisa M. Herrington
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Why Do Leaves Change Color?, Betsy Maestro
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Sky Tree, Thomas Locker
Picture Book (Literary)
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The Little Yellow Leaf, Carin Berger
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A Color of His Own, Leo Lionni
Supplementary Texts
Paintings
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Autumn Landscape, Maurice de Vlaminck
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Bathers at Asnières, Georges Seurat
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Hunters in the Snow, Pieter Bruegel the Elder
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Paris Street, Rainy Day, Gustave Caillebotte
Websites
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ASL Sign for: stop, American Sign Language Dictionary
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ASL Sign for: linked, American Sign Language Dictionary
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ASL Sign for: same, American Sign Language Dictionary
QUARTER TWO - THE AMERICAN WEST
Core Texts
Picture Book (Informational)
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The Buffalo Are Back, Jean Craighead George
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Journey of a Pioneer, Patricia J. Murphy
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Plains Indians, Andrew Santella
Picture Book (Literary)
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Johnny Appleseed, Steven Kellogg
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John Henry: An American Legend, Ezra Jack Keats
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John Henry, Julius Lester
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The Legend of the Bluebonnet, Tomie dePaola
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The Story of Johnny Appleseed, Aliki
Supplementary Texts
Images
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American Indians and the Alaskan Natives in the United States, United States Census Bureau
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Oregon Trail Map, Legends of America
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USA Territorial Growth, Wikimedia Commons
Websites
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Who was Johnny Appleseed?, Scholastic News
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John Henry and the Coming of the Railroad, NPS
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Legend, Encyclopedia Britannica
Videos
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American History to 1920 - Children's Video Project
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The Donner Party, History Channel
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Comanche Warrior - Documentary Excerpt, Part 1
- Buffalo Dusk, YouTube
Painting
- Among the Sierra Nevada, California, Albert Bierstadt
Poetry
- Buffalo Dusk, Carl Sandburg
QUARTER THREE - CIVIL RIGHTS HEROES
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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I Have A Dream, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; paintings, Kadir Nelson
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Martin Luther King, Jr. and the March on Washington, Frances E. Ruffin; illustrations, Stephen Marchesi
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Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story, Ruby Bridges
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The Story of Ruby Bridges, Robert Coles; illustrations, George Ford
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Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez and Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation, Duncan Tonatiuh
Supplementary Texts
Photography
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Selma to Montgomery March, Alabama, 1965, James Karales
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U.S. Marshals Escorting Ruby Bridges, Associated Press
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Civil rights march on Wash[ington], D.C., Library of Congress
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Woman with camera and crowd at the March on Washington, 1963, Library of Congress
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Ruby Bridges and the Civil Rights Movement Slide Show, Scholastic
Poetry
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Words like Freedom, Langston Hughes
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Dreams, Langston Hughes
Videos
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Civil Rights - Ruby Bridges
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A Man Who Changed America
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Ruby Bridges Interview
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Sylvia Mendez and Sandra Mendez Duran
Music
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Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around, Stephen Griffith
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Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around, The Freedom Singers
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This Little Light of Mine, Stephen Griffith
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America (My Country Tis of Thee), Stephen Griffith
Articles
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Different Voices, Anna Gratz Cockerille
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When Peace Met Power, Laura Helweg
QUARTER FOUR - GOOD EATING
Core Texts
Picture Book (Informational)
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The Digestive System, Christine Taylor-Butler
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The Digestive System, Jennifer Prior
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Good Enough to Eat: A Kid’s Guide to Food and Nutrition, Lizzy Rockwell
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The Vegetables We Eat, Gail Gibbons
Picture Book (Literary)
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Bone Button Borscht, Aubry Davis
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Stone Soup, Marcia Brown
Supplementary Texts
Videos
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Food and Family, Nadine Burke
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My Food Journey, Nadine Burke
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Try Something New, Jamie Oliver
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Planting Seeds: The White House Garden and a Brooklyn School Farm
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Fruit Veggie Swag
Visual Art
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The Beaneater, Annibale Carracci
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Cakes, Wayne Thiebaud
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Two Cheeseburgers, with Everything (Dual Hamburgers), Claes Oldenberg
Articles
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Can Milk Make You Happy?, Faith Hickman Byrnie
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Debate! Should Sugary Drinks Be Taxed?, TIME for Kids
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Eating Your A,B,C’s, Kids Discover
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Third Grade
QUARTER ONE - THE SEA
Core Texts
Art
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Under the Wave off Kanagawa, Katsushika Hokusai
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The Boating Party, Mary Cassatt
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The Gulf Stream, Winslow Homer
Picture Book (Informational)
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Ocean Sunlight: How Tiny Plants Feed the Seas, Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm
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The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau, Dan Yaccarino
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Giant Squid: Searching for a Sea Monster, Mary M. Cerullo and Clyde F. E. Roper
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Shark Attack!, Cathy East Dubowski
Picture Book (Literary)
- Amos & Boris, William Steig
Supplementary Texts
Films
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Cousteau’s Silent World: Shipwreck Excerpt
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Quest for the Giant Squid
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Sperm Whale Encounter
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Why the Ocean Matters
Poetry
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The Sea Wind, Sara Teasdale
Stories
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The Lion and the Mouse, The Full Text of Aesop’s Fables
Websites
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William Steig: About the Author Section
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National Aquarium in Baltimore, MD Virtual Tour National Aquarium
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White Ibis - Excellence in Exhibition Label Writing Competition 2011
QUARTER TWO - OUTER SPACE
Core Texts
Picture Book (Informational)
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Moonshot, Brian Floca
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One Giant Leap, Robert Burleigh
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Starry Messenger, Peter Sís
Picture Book (Literary)
- Zathura, Chris Van Allsburg
Supplementary Texts
Journalism
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Galileo’s Starry Night, Kelly Terwilliger
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Greek Myths, American Museum of Natural History
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Apollo 11: The Eagle Has Landed, Leigh Anderson (Handout 18A)
Mixed Media
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Starfield, Vija Celmins
Multimedia
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One Small Step, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Stars, Mary Howe
Sculpture
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Space Object Box: Little Bear, etc. motif, Joseph Cornell
Stories
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Pegasus and Perseus, Anonymous
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Pegasus and Bellerophon, Anonymous
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Callisto and Her Son, Anonymous
Videos
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Artist Julie Niskanen on the Process of Making a Mezzotint, North Carolina Museum of Art
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Cronkite Anchors First Moon Walk, CBS
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We Choose the Moon, from a speech by President John F. Kennedy (Handout 23A)
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Moon 101, National Geographic
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Katherine Johnson: The Girl Who Loved to Count, NASA
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Public Service Broadcasting—Go!
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TateShots: ARTIST ROOMS, Vija Celmins, Tate
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Great Minds: Margaret Hamilton, NASA
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Tour of the International Space Station, NASA
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The Space Race, History.com
QUARTER THREE - A NEW HOME
Core Texts
Picture Book (Informational)
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Coming to America: The Story of Immigration, Betsy Maestro
Picture Book (Literary)
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Grandfather’s Journey, Allen Say
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Tea with Milk, Allen Say
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Family Pictures, Carmen Lomas Garza
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The Keeping Quilt, Patricia Polacco
Photography
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The Steerage, Alfred Stieglitz
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Untitled photograph of evacuees seeing the Statue of Liberty, History Extra
Architecture
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Liberty Enlightening the World, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi
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Gateway Arch, Eero Saarinen, Encyclopaedia Britannica Online, Kelly Mooney
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Visiting the Washington Monument, Robert Mills
Supplementary Texts
Journalism
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Kimono Show Introduces Occasions and Styles of Japanese Traditional Clothing, Susan Miyagi Hamaker
Historical Accounts
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William Remembers the Storm, Ellis Island Oral History Collection, National Park Service
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Oral History Library, The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc.
Multimedia
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Japanese Immigrant’s Trunk, Smithsonian Museum
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Immigration: Who and Why?, PBS Kids Go
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The Statue’s Shackles and Feet, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior
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The Torch of the Statue of Liberty, National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior
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Visitors in the Statue of Liberty’s Crown, Getty Images
Stories
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Two Places to Call Home, Jody Kapp
Video
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The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus
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Ann K. Nakamura: Image of Americans, Japanese American National Museum
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Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say, Katherine Detrick
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The Keeping Quilt, Reba Heath
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Día de los Muertos Festival 2015, Artist Talk by Carmen Lopez Garza 1, Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
QUARTER FOUR - ARTISTS MAKE ART
Core Texts
Picture Books (Informational)
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Alvin Ailey, Andrea Davis Pinkney
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A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, Jen Bryant
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Action Jackson, Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
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When Marian Sang, Pam Muñoz Ryan
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Picture Book (Literary)
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Emma’s Rug, Allen Say
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Paintings
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I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold, Charles Demuth
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My Egypt, Charles Demuth
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Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist), Jackson Pollock
- Number 11, 1952 (Blue Poles), Jackson Pollock
Supplementary Texts
Poem
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Willow Poem, William Carlos Williams
Articles
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Brian Pinkney, National Center for Children’s Literature
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A Signature Work, Muse Magazine
Transcript
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Excerpt of Scholastic transcript of interview with Andrea Davis Pinkney
Painting
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Mural, Jackson Pollock
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Starfield, Vija Celmins
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Under the Wave off Kanagawa, Katsushika Hokusai
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The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World, Frederic Bartholdi
Photography
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M45: The Pleiades Star Cluster, Antonio Fernandez-Sanchez
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Photograph of Marian Anderson singing in front of Lincoln Memorial
Multimedia
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Excerpts of Revelations, Alvin Ailey
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The Great Figure, William Carlos Williams
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Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child, Marian Anderson
Websites
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William Carlos Williams, University of Pennsylvania
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Christopher Columbus, All About Explorers
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Jackson Pollock, The Art Story
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Pollock, Jackson, Scholastic
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Introducing Kids to Great Artists: Jackson Pollock, Piikea Street
Videos
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Excerpt from 1988 interview with Alvin Ailey
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Excerpt of 2013 National Book Festival
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Celebrating Revelations at 50 Film, Alvin Ailey
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Video of William Carlos Williams, Optic Nerve
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Video of Christine Dixon discussing Blue Poles
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Jackson Pollock, Hans Namuth
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Newsreel footage of Marian Anderson’s first Lincoln Memorial performance
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Fourth Grade
QUARTER ONE - A GREAT HEART
Core Texts
Novel (Literary)
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Love That Dog, Sharon Creech
Scientific Text (Informational)
- The Circulatory Story, Mary K. Corcoran; Illustrations, Jef Czekaj
Supplementary Texts
Painting
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Portrait of Dr. Samuel D. Gross (The Gross Clinic), Thomas Eakins
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Image
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Image of a subway map system
Poems
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The Red Wheelbarrow, William Carlos Williams
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Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost
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The Pasture, Robert Frost
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Love That Boy, Walter Dean Myers
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Dog, Valerie Worth
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Heart to Heart, Rita Dove
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The Tiger, William Blake
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Street Music, Arnold Adoff
Videos
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Exploring the Heart - The Circulatory System!
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Grand Central Terminal, NYC
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Gallery Walk
Biographies
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Biography of Anne Frank
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Biography of Clara Barton
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Biography of Helen Keller
QUARTER TWO - EXTREME SETTINGS
Core Texts
Novel (Literary)
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Hatchet, Gary Paulsen
Short Story (Literary)
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All Summer in a Day, Ray Bradbury
Scientific Text (Informational)
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Mountains, Seymour Simon
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SAS Survival Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Anywhere, John Lofty Wiseman
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Note: We use excerpts specified within lessons.
Poems
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Dust of Snow, Robert Frost
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Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, Robert Frost
Supplementary Texts
Art
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Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright
Video
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All Summer in a Day
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Tidal Wave
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Explode a Moment with Barry Lane
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Planet Venus: The Deadliest Planet, Venus Surface & Atmosphere
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Costa Rica - Rainforest Heavy Rain
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4 Hours of Heavy Pouring Rain and Thunder
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Barry Lane writes about ‘His Favorite Day’
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Planet Earth - Mountains
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What Is a Mountain?
Websites
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Fallingwater
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National Geographic Lost Cities Photos
QUARTER THREE - THE REDCOATS ARE COMING
Core Texts
Picture Book (Literary)
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The Scarlet Stockings Spy, Trinka Hakes Noble
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Can't You Make Them Behave, King George?, Jean Fritz
Poetry
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Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak, Kay Winters
Historical Account (Informational)
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George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides, Rosalyn Schanzer
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Note: We use excerpts specified within lessons.
Supplementary Texts
Articles (Informational)
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Massacre in King Street, Mark Clemens
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Detested Tea, Andrew Matthews
Art
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The Boston Massacre, Paul Revere
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Washington Crossing the Delaware, Emanuel Leutze
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Raising the Flag at Ground Zero, Thomas Franklin
Video
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Paul Revere - Mini Biography
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Fred Woods Trail - Driftwood, Pennsylvania
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The Culper Spy Ring: Path through History
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REBUILD - From The Ashes, The World Trade Center Rises Again
Websites
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EDSITEment: Emanuel Leutze’s Symbolic Scene of Washington Crossing the Delaware
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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
QUARTER FOUR - MYTH MAKING
Core Texts
Drama (Literary)
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Pushing Up the Sky: Native American Plays for Children, Joseph Bruchac
Historical Account (Informational)
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Understanding Greek Myths, Natalie Hyde
Myth (Literary)
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Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words & Wisdom from Greek & Roman Mythology, Lise Lunge-Larsen
Novel (Literary)
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Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech
Supplementary Texts
Art
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Pandora, Dante Gabriel Rossetti
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Pandora, Odilon Redon
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Parthenon
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The Raven Steals the Light, Bill Reid and Robert Bringhurst
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Winged Victory of Samothrace
Myths (Literary)
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When Raven Soared, Leigh Anderson
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The Sun, Moon, and Stars, retold by Donna Henes
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Legend of the Moccasin Flower, retold by Mary Morton Cowan
Poetry
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The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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The Little Horse is Newly, E.E. Cummings
Videos
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Aerial Acropolis focusing on Parthenon house of goddess Athena/Acropolis, Athens, Greece
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Secrets of the Parthenon, PBS Nova
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The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls
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Samothrace Reconstruction: Hieron to Nike
Website
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American Excavations Samothrace, Emory University
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A Closer Look at Winged Victory of Samothrace, Louvre photos
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Fifth Grade
QUARTER ONE - CULTURES IN CONFLICT
Core Texts
Novel (Literary)
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Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, Scott O’Dell and Elizabeth Hall
Speech
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Lincoln Hall Speech, Washington D.C., January 14, 1879, Chief Joseph, Nez Perce
Supplementary Texts
Film Clip
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A Landscape of History - Video Featuring the Nez Perce National Historic Trail
Historical Account (Informational)
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Teaching with Documents: The Lewis and Clark Expedition, National Archives
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Map of the United States Expansion
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Map of Native American Tribes
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Lewis & Clark and the Indian Country: The Indian Country, 1800: A Brilliant Plan for Living, Newberry Library
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Lewis & Clark and the Indian Country: A New Nation Comes to the Indian Country, Newberry Library
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Nimiipuu Homeland, Nez Perce National Historic Park Museum Collections
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Legend Times, Nez Perce National Historic Park Museum Collections
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Food and Drink, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Nez Perce National Historic Trail
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Clothing, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Nez Perce National Historic Trail
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Shelter - The Tipi, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Nez Perce National Historic Trail
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Getting Around, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Nez Perce Museum Collections
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Transport and Trade, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Nez Perce Museum Collections
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Spirituality, U. S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Nez Perce Museum Collections
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Children's Play, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Nez Perce National Historic Trail
Paintings
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Chief Joseph, Nez Perce Chief, Head-and-shoulders Portrait, Facing Forward, E. A. Burbank
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The White Cloud, Head Chief of the Iowas, George Catlin
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Portrait of George Washington, Gilbert Stuart
Photography
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Chief Joseph and his Family c.1880, F.M. Sargent
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Image of family eating meal
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Image of 4th of July
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Image of FIFA
Stories
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Coyote and the Monster Story Part 1 , Part 2, and Part 3 , as told by J. R. Spencer
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How Beaver Stole Fire from the Pines
QUARTER TWO - WORD PLAY
Core Texts
Novel (Literary)
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The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
Supplementary Texts
Comedy Routine
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Who’s on First?, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
Video
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Who’s on First?
Paintings
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The Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dalí
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Time Transfixed, René Magritte
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Reading at a Table, Pablo Picasso
QUARTER THREE - A WAR BETWEEN US
Core Texts
Historical Account (Informational)
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The Boys’ War, Jim Murphy
Novel (Literary)
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The River Between Us, Richard Peck
Supplementary Texts
Articles
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Excerpt from Civil War Medicine, National Park Service
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Hospitals and Medical Knowledge, Civil War Preservation Trust
Film
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The Civil War, Episode 1: The Cause, Ken Burns
Maps
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Compare Two Worlds: North vs. South 1861, Scholastic, Inc.
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Grand Tower, Illinois, Google Earth
Multimedia
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Slavery slideshow, Scholastic, Inc.
Photography
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Abraham Lincoln, three-quarter length portrait, seated and holding his spectacles and a pencil, Alexander Gardner
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President Abraham Lincoln, Major General John A. McClernand, And E. J. Allen, Chief of the Secret Service of the United States, at Secret Service Department, Headquarters Army of the Potomac, near Antietam, Maryland, Alexander Gardner
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President Lincoln, United States Headquarters, Army of the Potomac, near Antietam, Alexander Gardner
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The President and General McClellan on the battlefield of Antietam, Alexander Gardner
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President Lincoln on the battlefield of Antietam, October, 1862, Alexander Gardner
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The Floating Palace, 1888, Smithsonian Museum of American History
Poetry
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The Women Who Went to the Field, Clara Barton
Website
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Civil War Casualties, Civil War Trust
Video
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America Divided, History.com
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Ford Historic Model T, Ford Model T - 100 Years Later, CarDataVideo
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What Caused the Civil War, Virginia Historical Society
QUARTER FOUR - BREAKING BARRIERS
Core Texts
Cutout
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The Fall of Icarus (1943), Henri Matisse
Literary Nonfiction (Informational)
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We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, Kadir Nelson
Sculpture
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Image 1: Joie de Vivre, Mark di Suvero, Getty Images
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Image 2: Joie de Vivre, Mark di Suvero, Wikimedia
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Image 3: Joie de Vivre, Mark di Suvero, Getty Images
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Image 4: Joie de Vivre, Mark di Suvero
Supplementary Texts
Articles
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About the Paralympics: Paralympic History, PBS Medal Quest
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Afghan Sprinter Tahmina Kohistani Shows What’s Possible for Muslim Women, Mike Wise
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Cool Papa Bell, National Baseball Hall of Fame
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History in Detail: Dr. Ludwig Guttmann, British Paralympic Association
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Finding Common Ground on the Soccer Field, Todd Tuell
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Guardians of the Game, Todd Tuell
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Helping Refugee Kids Find Their Footing in the U.S., Laura Klairmont
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Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs, Museum of Modern Art
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Jackie Robinson, National Baseball Hall of Fame
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Josh Gibson, National Baseball Hall of Fame
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Refugees Find Hope, Film Deal on Soccer Field, Kathy Lohr
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Street Soccer, Connie Colón
Maps
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Afghanistan, Scholastic, Inc.
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Latin America, University of Texas
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Zuccotti Park, Google Maps
Short Story
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Raymond’s Run, Toni Cade Bambara
Photograph
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Photograph of Broadway Mall, HarlemGal
Videos
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A Boston Marathon First: Bobby Gibb on Her History-Making Run, CBS Boston
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Always #LikeAGirl, Always
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Annual ARETE Honors for Courage in Sports: Fugees, 2008, Fugees Family
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Meet CNN Hero Luma Mufleh, CNN.com
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CNN Hero Luma Mufleh: From Refugee to Fugees, CNN.com
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ESPY Awards - Nelson Mandela documentary, Scott Duncan
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Jackie Robinson Breaks Barriers, History.com
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Nelson Mandela Speech that changed the world
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The Mandeville Legacy - Paralympics Documentary, Cliff Productions
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The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow, California Newsreel
Website
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Fugees Family
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Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Historical Timeline
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Superintendent's Report - June 24, 2021
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Timestamps
14:46 New Laws in Place for 2021-22
20:11 Elementary English/Language Arts Curriculum
WCS Board Work Session - June 17, 2021
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Timestamps
41:16-57:30 The Science of Reading
57:30- 02:07:47 Textbook Adoption Process
02:08:22- 03:32:30 Feedback and Adjustments for the 2021-2022 School Year
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Frequently Asked Questions
July 1, 2021Was Wit and Wisdom approved by the Tennessee Department of Education?
The curriculum content and all materials in Wit and Wisdom were approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. WCS’ adoption of Wit and Wisdom for grades K-2 was approved by the Tennessee Department of Education through an official waiver with WCS adding a systematic phonics program for K-2 that Wit and Wisdom did not include.
Does Wit and Wisdom contain critical race theory?WCS curriculum leaders have found no efforts within Wit and Wisdom to teach critical race theory or any material that illegally teaches that an individual, by virtue of their race or sex is inherently privileged or that any individual by virtue of their race or sex bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex, etc. However, the Commissioner of Education is charged with determining any violation of this legislation and has ultimate responsibility for making that determination with all curriculum.
Are all the texts being using in elementary ELA new to WCS?
No. The majority of these texts have been used in WCS classrooms for years including titles such as Hatchet, George vs. George: The Revolutionary War as Seen from Both Sides, Ruby Bridges, Green Eggs and Ham, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, John Henry: An American Legend, Stone Soup, Zathura and The Phantom Tollbooth. Additionally, many of these titles are available to students from school libraries.
How can I find a list of books that my child will be reading in class?
Parents can access a complete list of core and supplementary texts used in Wit and Wisdom on our website.
June 28, 2021
What is the process of adopting new curriculum and the supporting textbooks/materials?
Typically, the State of Tennessee conducts content area adoptions every six years. English/Language Arts (ELA) is the most recent adoption with its first year of implementation during the 2020-21 school year.
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) shares a selection of State-approved instructional vendors and materials for the adoption with school districts.
Williamson County Schools follows Board Policy 4.401 when adopting instructional materials from the State-approved list. A WCS textbook selection committee is created that includes teachers and parents representing all schools involved. Teacher membership is approved by the School Board. In addition, materials are made available to all teachers in the subject area to review. A series of public meetings is held for community review of materials, along with reviews by committee members and subject matter or grade level teachers. All are provided the opportunity for input into the textbook selection.
Per Board policy, the final selection is made by the Textbook Adoption Committee with the School Board approving the recommended instructional materials.
For details of last year’s ELA adoption, see the June 17 School Board work session.
Why is there a reconsideration of the Wit and Wisdom program and what is the Reconsideration Committee doing?
There has been a request to reconsider the use of Wit and Wisdom in Williamson County Schools. When such a request is made, the district follows Board Policy 4.403, Reconsideration of Instructional Materials and Textbooks. The first step for the Reconsideration Committee will be to read the material in its entirety per that policy.
What changes have been made to the elementary ELA curriculum?
As with any first year implementation of new materials, curriculum specialists have been making adjustments to the new curriculum over the past year. Some adjustments that have been made or that will be made in the future based on staff analysis include:
- Revised family tip sheets (communication that teachers sent out before each unit) to clarify and increase family awareness of upcoming content
- Created a secure Google site for fifth grade research project on Breaking Barriers module
- Introduce women’s suffrage to broaden the lens of the Civil Rights Heroes module in second grade
- Replace Woods Runner with an alternative text in fourth grade, with Wit and Wisdom rewriting 11 lessons for the district
- Complete an internal review of The River Between Us, a fifth grade text