olorado
Reader
Educator Guide - 2023-2024 School Year EVERY DROP COUNTS !
Purpose :
Students will learn about the importance of water in Colorado , including its sources , usage , and management . This Reader aims to educate students about the Colorado Water Plan and how individuals , particularly students and schools , can contribute to water conservation efforts .
Cross Curricular Connections and Colorado Academic Standards :
4th & 5th Grade Reading , Writing , and Communicating :
• Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text , including figurative language such as metaphors and similes . ( CCSS : RL . 5.4 )
• Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text . ( CCSS : RL . 4.1 )
• By the end of year , read and comprehend informational texts , including history / social studies , science , and technical texts , in the grades 4 – 5 text complexity band proficiently , with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range . ( CCSS : RI . 4.10 )
3rd Grade Social Studies : Geography
• The concept of region is developed through an examination of similarities and differences in places and communities . ( GLE : 3.2.2 )
4th Grade Social Studies : Geography
• Use geographic tools to research and answer questions about Colorado geography . ( GLE : 4.2.1 )
5th Grade Social Studies : Geography
• Use geographic tools and sources to research and answer questions about United State geography . ( GLE : 5.2.1 )
4th Grade Science : Earth and Space Science
• Energy and fuels that humans used are derived from natural sources and their use affects the environment in multiple ways . ( GLE : 4.3.4 )
5th Grade Science : Life Science
• Plants acquire their material for growth chiefly from air and water . ( GLE : 5.2.1 )
5th Grade Science : Earth and Space Science
• Most of Earth ’ s water is in the ocean and much of Earth ’ s freshwater is in glaciers or underground . ( GLE : 5.3.4 )
How to use :
Use this Colorado Reader during your reading , science , or social studies time . Another option is to send these items home with your students ( or include in homework / enrichment packets ) to complete at home on virtual learning days . Or use during substitute days . Pass out one copy of the Colorado Reader to each student . Ask students to read the Colorado Reader , completing the activities within the Reader as they go . Answers to the activities in the Reader are included , should you desire to collect and score responses . To further enhance learning , incorporate any of the additional lessons from the Curriculum Matrix that are identified on below .
Vocabulary :
agriculture : the science or practice of farming , including cultivation of the soil for the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food , wool , and other products
acre-foot / acre-feet : a unit of volume of water in irrigation ; the amount covering one acre to a depth of one-foot
climate : the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over a long period of time
cropland : land used to cultivate plants that are grown and harvested , especially grains , fruits , and vegetables
farming : the activity or business of growing crops and raising livestock
flood irrigation : a method of irrigation where a field is flooded to a predetermined depth
Colorado Agriculture in the Classroom • 10343 Federal Blvd Unit J Box 224 • Westminster , CO 80260 • Info @ CoAgClassroom . org • 970-818-3308