Curriculum Overview (K-5)

Literacy

We use a balanced literacy approach to teaching reading and writing. The various components of balanced literacy support varying abilities of students by promoting different levels of scaffolding in order to gradually release the responsibility to the students.

Our district follows the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project Units of Study in both reading and writing. The units planned are aligned to the standards and support individual student choice, growth, creativity, and stamina.

The workshop approach to teaching reading and writing helps to build a community of learners in which each student is supported by the teacher and by their peers. A main goal in both reading and writing workshop is to build students independence, stamina and volume.

Reading

We assess students formally using running records. These assessments help us to identify each child’s “just right” reading level, their strengths as a reader and the skills/strategies when support is needed.

While there may be some slight differences across classrooms both horizontally (within the same grade) and vertically (from grade to grade), the elements of balanced literacy and the units of study remain constant:

• Read Alouds

• Shared Reading

• Guided Reading

• Independent Reading (within Reading Workshop)

• Word Study

Writing

Students are assessed using writing on-demand assessments throughout the school year. These on-demand assessments are analyzed using a rubric to identify students’ strengths and areas of weakness.

In each grade, students engage in narrative writing, opinion writing, and informational writing. Each year the skills/strategies taught build on each other. Within each genre, students choose their own topics to write about and experiment with revision and editing.

Similarly to reading, some slight differences may be noticed, but the components of balanced literacy and units of study remain consistent:

• Shared Writing

• Interactive Writing

• Guided Writing

• Independent Writing (within Writing Workshop)

• Word Study

Literacy Assessments

Reading Formal Running Records: Students read 1:1 with a teacher. The teacher will assess for accuracy, fluency, and comprehension. The formal assessments take place in September, January and June. Students are informally assessed in reading during the in between months, regularly.

Writing On-Demand Assessments: Pre and Post On-Demands are given before and after a new genre. For example, at the start of a narrative unit, students will write a pre-on-demand narrative and at the end of that unit they will take a post-on-demand assessment. These assessments show student growth or provide us feedback for teachable areas based on the rubric.

Mathematics

Our mathematics program emphasizes understanding and real-life application over rote memorization. The mathematical standards were carefully constructed to build toward understanding. They repeat important concepts such as place value, algebra, measurement, and fractions, numerous times throughout a student’s education, adding a bit of complexity each time.

The Standards for Mathematical Practice describe varieties of expertise that all students are expected to develop. These practices rest on important “processes and proficiencies” with longstanding importance in mathematics education.

1. NEVER GIVE UP: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

2. THINK ABOUT IT: Reason abstractly and quantitatively

3. TALK ABOUT IT: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others

4. MODEL WITH MATH: Model with mathematics

5. USE MATH TOOLS: Use appropriate tools strategically

6. WORK CAREFULLY: Attend to precision

7. USE KNOWLEDGE: Look for and make use of structure

8. FIND PATTERNS: Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning

Science

Science is everywhere and our students are naturally curious, which makes them natural scientists. A strong science program helps them make sense of the physical world around them, it can explain the how and why things work, like complex systems, from the human body to our planet Earth. In our science classrooms, students can develop an understanding of the interdependence of living things as well as a respect for nature. Through inquiry approaches and project-based learning students can potentially address real-world problems in their communities and take action. Students engaged in scientific inquiry are keen observers and active explorers, who pose questions, theorize, hypothesize, predict, conduct experiments, reach conclusions, and communicate their discoveries. These skills will help them develop into scientifically literate and responsible adults.

Social Studies

Social Studies K-5, we have aligned our curriculum with the New York State Social Studies Framework. The commonality across all of the grades is the Social Studies Practices:

• Gathering, Interpreting and Using Evidence

• Chronological Reasoning and Causation

• Comparison and Contextualization

• Geographic Reasoning

• Economics and Economic Systems

• Civic Participation

There are also ten unifying themes across all of the units:

1. Individual Development and Cultural Identity

2. Development, Movement, and Interaction of Cultures

3. Time, Continuity, and Change

4. Geography, Humans, and the Environment

5. Development and Transformation of Social Structures

6. Power, Authority, and Governance

7. Civic Ideals and Practices

8. Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems

9. Science, Technology, and Innovation

10. Global Connections and Exchange

Within each of the units planned across all of the grades, these practices and themes are interwoven, utilized and expanded upon from grade to grade.

Specials

Our specials include Physical Education (Gym), Art, Library, and Music. The children have Physical Education two times per week and Art, Library, and Music one time per week.

Character Education

Students are empowered to: communicate, cooperate, connect, embrace diversity, and resolve conflict. These lessons, when used in tandem with the everyday practices of Meet-Up and Buddy-Up, create a positive and proactive environment that enhances peer relationships, and helps reduce incidents of teasing, aggression and bullying. Grade level lessons and activities are based on the five core themes.

Focus Themes

Unit 1: Diversity & Inclusion

Unit 2: Empathy & Critical Thinking

Unit 3: Communication

Unit 4: Problem Solving

Unit 5: Peer Relationships