Grades 4-5 - Purple Cluster

Welcome to Purple Cluster from Kira Walker and Sarah Scholle 

 

Theme: What Does it Mean to Be Human?

 

 

In Purple Cluster, students are engaged in inquiry throughout the year. The curriculum is learned through units that involve firsthand experiences with the content as well as supportive texts. There is an emphasis on science and writing.

 

The students function as detectives and investigators as they work in groups to solve both student-generated and teacher-directed tasks. The culminating project is a science symposium in which they present their research projects and their original writing.

 

Processes and activities used throughout the year include literature circles, writer's workshop, inquiry science, overnight camping, interactive journals, science notebooks, genre studies, podcasts, math projects, and working with models and simulations. Children are expected to work both collaboratively and independently.