Cities Along the Road

Samarkand, Kashgar, Dunhuang — cosmopolitan crossroads.

Learning target: I can explain samarkand, Kashgar, Dunhuang — cosmopolitan crossroads.

Step-by-step

1. Warm-up (5 min): map / timeline question on the board to activate yesterday's learning.
2. Mini-lesson (10 min): teacher-led overview of "Samarkand, Kashgar, Dunhuang — cosmopolitan crossroads" using the textbook or atlas.
3. Guided practice (15 min): annotate a primary source, label a map, or sort cards on a timeline with a partner.
4. Independent practice (10 min): students respond in their notebook with one claim + one piece of evidence.

Coordinate plane: plot Silk Road cities on a grid map.

Learning target: I can coordinate plane: plot Silk Road cities on a grid map.

Step-by-step

1. Number talk (5 min): mental-math warm-up tied to today's concept.
2. Mini-lesson (12 min): worked example of "Coordinate plane: plot Silk Road cities on a grid map" with the teacher modeling thinking out loud.
3. We do (10 min): class works two problems together; students explain each step.
4. You do (15 min): students try 4–6 problems independently or with a partner; teacher confers.
5. Closure (5 min): one student presents a solution; class critiques the reasoning.

Plan mini-research on one Silk Road city (W.6.7).

Learning target: I can plan mini-research on one Silk Road city.

Step-by-step

1. Bell-ringer (5 min): a sentence-level grammar warm-up or quick-write prompt.
2. Read-aloud / shared reading (12 min): "Plan mini-research on one Silk Road city (W" — students follow along and annotate.
3. Discussion (10 min): turn-and-talk on a focus question, then share out with text evidence.
4. Writing (15 min): students respond in writer's notebook — one paragraph minimum, citing the text.
5. Share (3 min): two volunteers read a sentence they're proud of.

Selective breeding — how humans shape traits over time.

Learning target: I can selective breeding — how humans shape traits over time.

Step-by-step

1. Phenomenon (5 min): show an image, video, or demo and ask, "What do you notice? What do you wonder?"
2. Mini-lesson (10 min): teacher introduces the science of "Selective breeding — how humans shape traits over time" with a labeled diagram.
3. Investigation (20 min): students gather data — observe, measure, model, or run the lab.
4. Sense-making (8 min): students record a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning response in the lab notebook.
5. Share-out (2 min): one group presents data; class compares results.