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Q1 · 2025–2026

Q1 Homeschool Plan: Creatures and Kingdoms

Quarter Overview

Core Book

Redwall by Brian Jacques - an adventure tale featuring memorable animal characters and kingdoms

Big Project

Animal Adaptation Diorama plus a Creature Field Guide with original drawings and research

Key Learning Areas

Animal classification, food webs, adaptations, ratios and fractions, ancient history (Egypt and Mesopotamia)

Duration

7 weeks (September 9 - October 22, 2026)

Oregon State Standards - Quarter 1

Language Arts (Oregon ELA)

  • RL.6.1: Cite textual evidence from literature to support analysis
  • RL.6.2: Determine theme and summarize without personal opinions
  • RL.6.3: Describe how plot, character, and setting interact
  • RL.6.4: Determine meaning of words and phrases including figurative language
  • RL.6.10: Read and comprehend literature grades 6-8
  • W.6.3: Write narratives (personal narrative project)
  • W.6.4: Produce clear and coherent writing
  • W.6.5: Strengthen writing through planning and revision
  • W.6.10: Write routinely for varied purposes
  • L.6.4: Determine word meanings using context clues and roots
  • SL.6.1: Engage in collaborative discussion
  • SL.6.4: Present findings clearly (diorama presentation)

Mathematics (Oregon Math)

  • 6.RP.A.1: Understand the concept of a ratio
  • 6.RP.A.2: Understand unit rate a/b associated with a ratio a:b
  • 6.RP.A.3: Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world problems
  • 6.NS.A.1: Interpret and compute quotients of fractions
  • 6.NS.B.3: Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals

Science (Oregon NGSS - Life Science)

  • MS-LS1-1: Conduct investigations to provide evidence for cell theory and organism structure
  • MS-LS2-1: Analyze data on resource availability effects on organisms in an ecosystem
  • MS-LS2-2: Construct explanation about matter cycling and energy flow through ecosystems
  • MS-LS2-3: Develop a model to describe cycling of matter and flow of energy (food webs)
  • MS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation

Weekly Breakdown

Week 1: Welcome and Setup

September 9-12, 2026

3-day intro week

Language Arts

Begin Redwall; set up Reading Journal; introduce vocabulary system (10 words/week from the novel).

RL.6.10 L.6.4

Math

Pre-assessment; introduce ratio concept using animal examples (cheetah speed vs. human speed = 70:10).

6.RP.A.1

Science

What is biology? Five kingdoms overview; set up Nature Observation Journal.

MS-LS1-1

Social Studies

What is history? Map skills intro; locate and label Mesopotamia and Egypt on world map.

SS.6.GEO.1 SS.6.H.1
Thursday Focus

Set up and personalize all journals and binders; begin Creature Field Guide with first animal entry and original drawing.

Week 2: Vertebrates

September 15-18, 2026

Language Arts

Redwall ch. 1-7; personal narrative brainstorm - a real outdoor adventure or memory.

RL.6.1 RL.6.3 W.6.3

Math

Equivalent ratios and ratio tables; compare animal body proportions and speeds as ratios.

6.RP.A.1 6.RP.A.3

Science

Vertebrate classification - mammals (warm-blooded, fur, live birth); birds (hollow bones, feathers, beaks); reptiles (scales, ectotherms).

MS-LS4-4 MS-LS1-1

Social Studies

Mesopotamia - Tigris and Euphrates, Sumerian culture, cuneiform writing, ziggurats.

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.GEO.2
Thursday Focus

Creature Field Guide - mammal entry with detailed original drawing. Begin animal quiz card deck (one card per animal studied, she writes the questions).

Week 3: Cold-Blooded Animals and Invertebrates

September 22-25, 2026

Language Arts

Redwall ch. 8-14; personal narrative rough draft.

RL.6.1 W.6.3 W.6.4

Math

Unit rates - miles per hour; compare animal speeds, lifespans, body sizes as unit rates.

6.RP.A.2 6.RP.A.3

Science

Fish (gills, scales, lateral line system); amphibian metamorphosis life cycle; invertebrates - insects (6 legs, 3 body segments), arachnids.

MS-LS4-4 MS-LS1-1

Social Studies

Ancient Egypt - Nile River geography, pharaohs, hieroglyphics decoder activity; animals in Egyptian religion (Ra=falcon, Bastet=cat, Sobek=crocodile, Anubis=jackal).

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.GEO.2 SS.6.CV.1
Thursday Focus

BEGIN Animal Adaptation Diorama - choose animal, sketch habitat plan on graph paper, list materials. Creature Field Guide - invertebrate entry.

Week 4: Food Webs

September 29 - October 2, 2026

Language Arts

Redwall ch. 15-21; personal narrative revision.

RL.6.3 W.6.5 L.6.4

Math

Fractions review - simplifying, comparing, equivalent fractions; connect to ratios.

6.NS.A.1 6.NS.B.3

Science

Food chains vs. food webs; producers, consumers, decomposers; energy pyramid; make a food web mobile (yarn connecting animal cards).

MS-LS2-2 MS-LS2-3

Social Studies

Ancient Egypt - pyramids, mummification, daily life, farming and flooding of the Nile.

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.H.2
Thursday Focus

Diorama construction - build base and background scene. Animal quiz - 10-question vertebrate and invertebrate quiz she writes herself.

Week 5: Animal Adaptations

October 6-9, 2026

Language Arts

Redwall ch. 22-27; personal narrative second revision.

RL.6.2 W.6.4 W.6.5

Math

Adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators; word problems using animal data.

6.NS.A.1 6.NS.B.3

Science

Animal adaptations deep dive - camouflage, mimicry, hibernation, migration, venom, armor; choose one adaptation to research in depth.

MS-LS4-4 MS-LS2-1

Social Studies

Compare Egypt and Mesopotamia - graphic organizer; begin illustrated history timeline scroll (ongoing art project).

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.H.2 SS.6.GEO.1
Thursday Focus

Diorama - add animal figure (clay or detailed drawing), plants, food sources, other animals. Creature Field Guide - deep adaptation entry.

Week 6: Predator and Prey

October 13-16, 2026

Language Arts

Finish Redwall; prepare for book quiz; vocabulary review from whole novel.

RL.6.1 RL.6.2 RL.6.4 L.6.4

Math

Multiplying fractions; word problems using ecosystem data.

6.NS.A.1

Science

Predator vs. prey strategies - speed, senses, camouflage, pack hunting, defensive mechanisms; apply to animals in Redwall.

MS-LS2-1 MS-LS4-4

Social Studies

Introduction to Ancient Greece - Mediterranean geography, city-states (preview of Q2).

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.GEO.1
Thursday Focus

Diorama - final details, label 3-5 key habitat elements, write 2-paragraph creature profile. Diorama presentation rehearsal.

Week 7: Q1 Celebration

October 20-22, 2026

3-day final week

Language Arts

Redwall book quiz; personal narrative final copy with optional illustrated cover.

RL.6.1 RL.6.2 W.6.3 SL.6.4

Math

Q1 review - ratios, unit rates, fractions.

6.RP.A.1 6.RP.A.2 6.RP.A.3 6.NS.A.1

Science

Animal Kingdom review; ANIMAL QUIZ DAY - she creates a 15-question quiz covering all vertebrates, invertebrates, adaptations, and food webs, then gives it to parent.

MS-LS1-1 MS-LS2-2 MS-LS2-3 MS-LS4-4

Social Studies

Q1 Social Studies review; add Mesopotamia and Egypt to illustrated timeline scroll.

SS.6.H.1 SS.6.H.2
Thursday (October 22) - Final Day

DIORAMA PRESENTATION DAY. Present as if leading a nature tour. Q1 portfolio review.

Animal Adaptation Diorama - Project Steps

This 5-step project spans the quarter, building skills and knowledge each week.

Step 1 (Week 3)

Choose animal, sketch habitat on graph paper, list materials.

Step 2 (Week 4)

Build base and background scene.

Step 3 (Week 5)

Add animal figure, plants, food sources, and other animals.

Step 4 (Week 6)

Final labels, creature profile, and rehearse presentation.

Step 5 (Week 7)

Present as if leading a nature tour of your habitat.

Resources and Supplies

Books and References

Redwall by Brian Jacques; The Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock; DK Eyewitness Animal; National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia

Videos and Online

Crash Course Kids - Animal Kingdom, Food Webs, Adaptations; Khan Academy 6th grade math - ratios and fractions; BBC Nature clips

Art and Craft Supplies

Shoebox for diorama, air-dry clay, cardstock, yarn (food web mobile), colored pencils, field guides, index cards for quiz deck, sketchbook