Block Plans – Unit Overviews

Grade 2/3 Combined Class

Subject Area Strand Time Frame
Dance Exploring the Elements (2’s & 3’s) Once a week
10 lessons

Math Measurement (2’s & 3’s) 3 days a week for 2

Area, Time, Temperature, Mass, weeks
Capacity 6 lessons

Science Understanding Life Systems 5 days a week for 4

Growth and Changes in Animals (2s) weeks
Growth and Changes in Plants (3s) 20 lessons

Social Studies Heritage and Identity 5 days a week for 4

Changing Family and Community weeks
Traditions (2s) 20 lessons
Communities in Canada 1780-1850 (3s)

Religion The Story of Lent and Easter (2s) 2 days a week for 3
Our Lenten Journey (3s) weeks
6 lessons
 UNIT PLAN ORGANIZER
Teacher: Mrs. Peterka Grade: 2/3

SUBJECT/STRAND Dance – Exploring Dance Elements Unit

A1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to the composition
OVERALL of dance phrases, using the elements of dance to communicate feelings and
EXPECTATIONS ideas;
A2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis
process to communicate their feelings, ideas, and understandings in response
to a variety of dance pieces and experiences;
A3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts: demonstrate an understanding
of a variety of dance forms and styles from the past and present, and their
social and/or community contexts.

We are learning to familiarize ourselves with the five elements of dance and
use them to communicate ourselves and our communities.
LEARNING GOALS:

Touching on nearly every expectation in the grade 2/3 dance curriculum,

students explore the movement of various body parts, personal and general
space, patterns, tempo, and energy. The unit culminates in the creation of a
dance that expresses thoughts and ideas related to the natural world.

CONTEXT: This unit provides students with a variety of opportunities to play with the
elements of dance by creating movement. The focus is particularly on those
elements covered in the primary years (body, space, time, and energy).

GUIDING QUESTION How can we use the elements of dance to express our feelings and ideas?

Students' final dance phrase in lesson 5 will be evaluated with a rubric

constructed using success criteria that are co-created with the students before
CULMINATING TASK and during the choreography. Students will employ their knowledge of the
dance elements as outlined in the curriculum and their observations from the
preceding lessons in the creation of these criteria.

PRIOR Beginning with the elements of body and space, which are the focus of
KNOWLEDGE student work in grades 1 and 2, students have the opportunity to create
dances that begin simply and become more complex as the unit progresses.
 UNIT PLAN ORGANIZER

Teacher: Mrs. Peterka Grade: 2/3

SUBJECT/STRAND Math – Measurement

OVERALL Grade 2:
EXPECTATIONS • estimate, measure, and record length, perimeter, area, mass, capacity, time,
and temperature, using non-standard units and standard units;
• compare, describe, and order objects, using attributes measured in non-
standard units and standard units.

Grade 3:
• estimate, measure, and record length, perimeter, area, mass, capacity, time,
and temperature, using standard units;
• compare, describe, and order objects, using attributes measured in standard
units.

LEARNING GOALS We are learning to estimate and measure area, of two-dimensional shapes
using non-standard and standard unit as well as estimate and measure mass,
time, and temperature.

GUIDING How do we measure?

QUESTIONS In what situations do we utilize measurement in the real world? Why?
What is the purpose of standard units of measure?
How do you calculate length from different starting points (not beginning at 0)
using standard measurement tools?
How would you describe the size of an object?
Why might it be useful to measure an object using two different units?

CULMINATING TASK Students will be required to write quizzes for each sub-topic in the
measurement unit (area, time, temperature, mass, capacity) which will
determine the progression throughout the lessons.

PRIOR Sufficient knowledge on length and perimeter for non-standard and standard
KNOWLEDGE units.
 UNIT PLAN ORGANIZER

Teacher: Mrs. Peterka Grade: 2/3

Science – Understanding Life Systems

SUBJECT/STRAND Grade 2: Growth and Changes in Animals

Grade 3: Growth and Changes in Plants

Grade 2:
1. assess ways in which animals have an impact on society and the
OVERALL environment, and ways in which humans have an impact upon animals and
EXPECTATIONS the places where they live;
2. investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various
animals;
3. demonstrate an understanding that animals grow and change and have
distinct characteristics.

Grade 3:
1. assess ways in which plants have an impact on society and the
environment, and ways in which human activity has an impact on plants and
plant habitats;
2. investigate similarities and differences in the characteristics of various
plants, and ways in which the characteristics of plants relate to the
environment in which they grow;
3. demonstrate an understanding that plants grow and change and have
distinct characteristics.

LEARNING GOALS We are learning to investigate, and analyze the similarities and differences
between animals and/or plants by demonstrating our understanding of
human’s impact on their life cycle and habitats.

Grade 2:

GUIDING What distinct characteristics do animals have? (OE. 2/3)

QUESTIONS Why/How are humans similar to animals? (OE. 1/2/3)
What are some ways in which humans can protect animals and the places
where they live? (OE. 1)
Why must humans protect animals and their habitats?

Grade 3:

What distinct characteristics do plants have? (OE. 2/3)

What are the similarities and differences among various types of plants? (OE.
2)
How are plants the primary source of food for humans? (OE. 1)
Why must humans protect plants and their habitats? (OE. 1)
Why are plants important to the planet? (OE. 1)

Students will engage in a final research project on either animals or plants

(depending on their grade). Students will incorporate technology into their final
CULMINATING TASK products and present them to the class. In addition, students will also partake
in a unit test which will challenge their knowledge and application of the
content in this strand.
 UNIT PLAN ORGANIZER

Teacher: Mrs. Peterka Grade: 2/3

Religion (Liturgical Season: Lent/Easter)

Grade 2: The Story of Lent and Easter
SUBJECT/STRAND
Grade 3: Our Lenten Journey

Living a Moral Life:

Grade 2: God wants to help us to live a Christian life through the gift of His
OVERALL grace, and we respond to this gift in how we live our lives (ML3); Ways to
EXPECTATIONS show to God that we respect our gift of “human dignity” and show respect
toward others (LS2.3)

Grade 3: Demonstrate an understanding of the gift of freedom and the

responsibility we have in the choices that we make (ML2); Demonstrate an
understanding of the nature of sin and our human capacity to choose our
actions (ML3); Demonstrate an understanding of how God teaches us to be
good and to refl ect this in our actions (ML1); The Church teaches and
provides us with guidance as we learn how to pray (PR2)

Last Supper, Suffering, Death and Resurrection – Connection to Liturgy

of the Eucharist:
Grade 2: Story of the Last Supper – Jesus’ actions united the disciples for a
mission (LC1.1); The celebration of the Eucharist is a remembering of Jesus’
love for us (CL2); The bread, wine, prayers, and sacrifi ce of the Eucharist are
gifts of ourselves and the Holy Spirit transforms these gifts to refl ect a new
dignity (LS2.2); A personal understanding of how God can bless our lives and
the importance of the Eucharist (CL3.3)

Grade 3: Connect Christ’s words and actions in the Gospel narratives of the
Last Supper with the Paschal Mystery and with the symbols, rituals, and
prayers in the celebration of the mass (CL2.1); Understand the importance of
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit in the Church’s life (LC2); Pentecost – The Holy
Spirit inspired the disciples (LC2.1)

God among us:

Grade 2: The Last Supper – establishing a New Covenant that Jesus
establishes (C3.1); The celebration of the Eucharist is a remembering of
Jesus’ love for us (CL2); The Eucharist is a communal prayer of the Church
and our full, active, and conscious participation at Mass unites us in prayer
with Christ and one another (PR1); Mass forms the Christian community
(BL3.3)

Grade 3: Find evidence within our human relationships that God has created
us as social beings and explain how the Sacraments of Eucharist and
Reconciliation maintain and strengthen these relationships with God and
others (LS2.2); Reflect on a selection from the Old Testament passages
which reveal prayer as a response to God’s covenantal promise (PR 1.3)

CULMINATING TASK Students will be required to complete the culminating task associated with the
grade in the Growing in Faith, Growing in Christ text.