Syllabus 

Breakdown of Science/Social Studies Monthly Units:

September:

·         We Have Leaders (Government)

o   Explores leaders in our school and community.

·         Apples-parts of an apple, life cycle, using 5 senses

·         Friendship (social development)

October:

·         Make it Move (Physical Science)

o   Students learn about motion and movement. Students learn that things move because someone or something gives them a push or a pull. Students will also describe speed as fast or slow.

·         Fire Safety

·         Hispanic Heritage Month (culture/traditions)

·         Pumpkins (plants/life cycle/5 senses)

·         Bats and Owls

November:

·         Moving and Exploring (History/Geography)  

o   Students will learn about different reasons people move and explore. They will also learn how to identify locations on a map using directions.

·         Veterans Day

·         Native American History and the first Thanksgiving 

December:

·         The Gift of Giving (Transition)

o   Students explore opportunities for civic participation during the holiday season by learning about ways they can help their local community.

·         Holidays Around the World

·         Gingerbread (history/stories)

·         Evergreen Trees

January:

·         Keeping My Body Healthy (Health/Life Science)

o   Students explore parts of the body and ways to keep different body parts healthy.

·         Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (American History)

·         What We do for New Years (growth, setting goals)

·         Artic Animals (habitats/animal adaptions)

·         Ice and Snow Science (states of matter/seasonal changes)

February:

·         Cultures Influence Communities (History)

o   Students explore different cultures and how they come together to form communities, states and nations.

·         Presidents’ Day (American History)

·         Black History Month (American History)

·         Dental Health Month (all about teeth and how to keep them healthy)

·         Valentine’s Day (writing/mailing letters)

·         Lunar New Year

March:

·         Our Changing Weather (Earth/Space Science)

o   Students explore the relationship between seasons and weather.

·         Baby Animals (animal parents & babies/life cycle)

·         Rainbows

·         St. Patrick’s Day (Ireland)

·         Women’s History Month

April:

·         Changes Helps, Changes Hurts (Geography)

o   Students investigate positive and negative changes people make to the environment. Students learn about ways to help the enviroemt.

·         Earth Day (environment/citizenship)

·         Plant Science (plants/life cycles)

·         Life Cycles (frogs and butterflies)

May:

·         By the Sea (Life Science/ Geography)

o   Students learn about plants and animals that live in and around the ocean.

·         American Symbols

 Programs/ Curriculum Used

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES:

·         UNIQUE Learning Systems Curriculum

·         News-2-You

·         Scholastic

READING:

·         SPIRE Reading Program (Level 1 & 11)

·         Edmark Reading Program

·         Making Connections Reading Comprehension

MATH:

·         Saxton Math (grade level K and 1st)

Class Rules

1.  Eyes are looking

2. Mouth is quiet

3.    Ears are listening

4.   Hands and feet are to myself

5.    Be kind

Behavior Plan

Behavior management will be individualized to best meet the needs of each individual student. Students will have positive reinforcers and prompts throughout the day to help with behavior. Students will be rewarded for good behavior and will have a chance to correct their behavior that does not follow the classroom's and school’s expectations. Parents will be notified of their child's behavior each day in their binder. Students who made green choices will have a green face in their binder for that day. Students who made 2 or more red choices will have a red face in their daily binder for that day.

Students will learn about green (good) choices and red (bad) choices. This will be part of the classroom daily social skills instruction. The schedule has built in brain breaks for students that require sensory or movement breaks. The schedule also has 2 built in “reward times”. If each student has completed their work before the reward time and made “green” choices they earn 10-15 minute reward time. There are two chances throughout the day (before lunch and before dismissal) to earn reward time.

Class Description

Classroom Title:  Special Education

                Self-contained Multi-categorical 3-5

Purpose:  Our purpose is to assist children who have a diagnosed disability reach their full potential. 

What does it look like:   The goal of the program is for each child to grow and be successful.  Students work not only on academics, but also social, behavior and functional skills. The overall goal for every student is to become more independent. Students receive modified instruction on their individual instructional levels within the special education classroom. Students will be mainstreamed daily for related arts classes.

E-Learning:

In the event of inclement weather, e-learning will be implemented. Specific directions, expectations and instructions will be provided directly from the school and teacher.