Curriculum

At McDougle, teachers are expected to tightly align instruction to the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the Common Core State Standards. Teachers work in collaborative PLC’s (Professional Learning Communities), where they use data to guide their instruction for all students. Instruction of students is shared among the PLC members based on the information gathered from assessments.

Literacy

A balanced literacy approach is used to teach literacy during a two-hour block. The following areas are included in the literacy block:

• Morning Meeting (emphasis in K-2) can include a greeting, interactive/shared writing, shared reading, interactive read aloud, and handwriting practice
• Reading Workshop includes a mini-lesson highlighting reading strategies, literacy analysis, and literacy center procedures. It also includes guided reading groups that utilize leveled texts based on benchmark data and age appropriate and rigorous literacy centers for students who are not involved in guided reading groups.
• Lucy Caulkins Units of Study are used to supplement our writing instruction. Lessons include a mini-lesson focused on process, craft, conventions, grammar and other areas of writing. Students spend time writing for a sustained amount of time writing on their own along with small guided writing groups/ and conferencing with students during this time. They also have time to share their writing with classmates.
• Interactive Read-Aloud is another component of literacy. The focus of these varies among the following: author study, craft, genre, content area and story elements.

Mathematics

• All schools in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System follow the Common Core State Standards where students are able to use their experiences “to pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity”, according to the Common Core State Standards.

Science

Students are taught science concepts using inquiry-based hands-on science kits that rotate throughout all the schools in the district.

Assessments

Teachers utilize many different forms of assessments to guide instruction on a daily basis.

• On-going formative assessments are used to guide instruction on a daily basis. Guiding reading groups are assigned based on data from reading benchmarks.
• State required summative assessments are administered at the end of the year.

Please visit www.ncpta.org/parent for more information on the Common Core State Standards.

Project Based Learning - PBL

Students will be engaged in Project Based Learning this year as a way of mastering the Common Core State Standards. These are not projects where students simply apply what they have learned from traditional instruction and create a project at the end --like a dessert. Instead, Project Based learning treats projects as a “main course”. During the Project Based Learning, students learn the Common Core and Essential Standards by engaging in an integrated curriculum throughout the project process.

A “Main Course” project

• is intended to teach significant content. Goals for student learning are explicitly derived from content standards and key concepts.
• requires critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and various forms of communication.
• requires self-directed inquiry as part of the process
• has an overarching open-ended question or problem
• integrates academic content and provides students with a purpose to learn material

What is Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS)?

MTSS, formerly called RtI, is a multi-step process that schools use to:

1. implement instruction and interventions to ensure that ALL children succeed. Ultimately, the goal of MTSS is to prevent failure so that all children are successful learners.
2. improve the early identification and support of children with learning and behavior needs.

Tier 1 is where all children receive high quality research-based core instruction and behavioral supports by the classroom teacher(s).

Tier 2 is where instructional and behavioral interventions are implemented to assist children who are not making adequate progress. These interventions are provided in addition to the core classroom instruction. PLC’s (Professional Learning Communities) determine the specifics of the interventions being provided such as how often they are being delivered and by whom.

Tier 3 level of service is used for students who continue to show lack of progress with Tier 2 instructional or behavioral supports. These interventions are more intensive and are provided in addition to the core classroom instruction and Tier 2 interventions.

If students do not respond to these targeted intensive interventions, they are considered for special education following the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The data collected during Tiers 1, 2 & 3 are included in the decision about a students’ need for special education or a 504 Plan.