2025-2026 Syllabus

The Special Education Multi.-Categorical classroom’s long-range plans are based on the student’s IEP goals. Students are put into groups with similar goals and ability levels to increase individualization of instruction for all students. Goals are based on student needs and the progression of grade-level standards.

Units of Instruction:

Reading/Writing/Phonics (ELA):

SPIRE is a reading intervention program that increases students’ reading skills through explicit teacher-led instruction, a 10-step lesson model, and multisensory teaching. Lessons consist of a review of letters and sounds, phonological awareness, word building, decoding and sentence reading, reading, sound dictation, spelling, and sentence dictation. Students complete workbook pages for comprehension and vocabulary. Students will be placement tested to determine where they place in the program and receive daily instruction through the SPIRE program.

Sounds Sensible is a program for beginning readers that builds foundational reading skills through listening, rhyming, segmentation, and dictation to teach the letters, sounds, and letter-sound relationships. Kindergarten students will receive daily instruction through the Sounds Sensible program.

Additional reading instruction is also provided based on general education standards and the student’s individual instructional levels. Kindergarten, 1st-grade, and 2nd-grade students will participate in guided reading groups. First and second-grade students will work on 3-5 spelling words and 1-word family per week. They will be tested each Friday. Spelling words are listed in the newsletter each week. Kindergarten focuses on one popcorn word per week and is tested on Fridays.

Kindergarten Popcorn Words: a; he; at; in; see; an; I; at; in; see; an; I; so; and; is; it; to; can; up; am; me; we; go; on; the; like; my; you; do; come; of; for; that; was; are.

Additional reading and phonics instruction includes spelling, word families, and reading comprehension. We do a daily read-aloud, and writing is incorporated and integrated throughout all subjects, including multi-sensory and movement activities. In addition, we use i-Ready; Smarty Ants; Unique Learning.

The STAR Autism Supports curriculum provides units of study. The STAR curriculum is an online standards-based program that provides students with meaningful access to the general education curriculum. Students will be introduced to a new theme each month (listed below), with multiple lessons and activities that reinforce foundational skills across all academic and functional domains. The curriculum also provides leveled instruction depending on student needs. This includes leveled instruction in reading, math, and writing/fine motor skills. 

Math:

Students will receive a combination of math instruction from the state standards as well as the Saxon Math Curriculum. This scripted program includes concepts such as counting, one-to-one correspondence, addition, and subtraction, in which students complete a lesson and workbook page approximately every 2 days. There is constant review and repetition as we move through the lessons. In addition, we use i-Ready; Unique Learning; multi-sensory activities; movement activities.

Kindergarten Math Units:

Identifying and Describing 2-D Shapes

Classifying 2 and 3-Dimensional Shapes

Rote counting/Understanding amount counted

Writing and representing numbers 1-10

Classifying and Counting Objects

Rote Counting to 50 and representing 20 objects

Comparing numbers

Understanding and Representing Addition and Subtraction to 5

Adding and Subtracting within 5

Describing/Comparing measurable attributes

Composing 10

Understanding Adding and Subtracting within 10

Counting to 100 by ones and tens

Developing Foundations of Place Value

Modeling Shapes

Solving Problems and Demonstrating Fluency

1st Grade Math Units:

Ten Ones Make a Ten

Developing Addition/Subtraction Strategies

Exploring Quantities to 100

Measuring, Ordering, and Comparing Lengths

Using Data to Add/Subtract within 20

Telling Time to the Hour and Half Hour

Distinguishing Attributes of Shapes and Patterns

Extending Addition and Subtraction Strategies to 20 and Story Problems

Place Value

Adding Multiples of 10

Composing Shapes

Understanding the Equal Sign

Understanding Place Value to Add/Subtract

Applying Properties of Operations to Add 3 Addends

Finding Equal Shares of Shapes

Identifying Coins

2nd and 3rd Grade Math Units:

Fluency to 20/Exploring Even and Odd Numbers

Using Place Value to Add/Subtract within 100

Exploring Standard Units in Length

Relating Addition/Subtraction to Length

Relating Skip Counting to Time

Solving Problems with Money

Place Value to 999

Expressing/Comparing Three-Digit Numbers

Skip Counting to Add/Subtract

Reasoning with Shapes and their Attributes

Applying Strategies to Add/Subtract within 1000

Social-Emotional-Learning Skills:

We integrate social-emotional-learning skills throughout our daily routines, but we also focus on a new social skill each week through video modeling, teacher modeling, peer role playing, literature, and personal experiences. The intention of focusing on specific social-emotional-learning skills is to assist students with generalizing these behaviors and appropriate interactions to their own personal experiences and self-regulation. The skills we will focus on include but are not limited to: Being a kind friend, using personal space, asking for help, understanding feelings/emotions, starting a conversation with friends, being a respectful listener, greetings and goodbyes, playing appropriately with friends: Sharing, taking turns, not interrupting, waiting our turn. We use “Zones of Regulation”; Social Thinking; CHAMPS (Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success).

Social Studies/Science/Themes:

Social studies and science are integrated throughout each day through read-aloud and group discussions, and they follow a theme each week. We incorporate the Kindergarten themes/units as our weekly areas of focus. In addition, we use Unique Learning.

Students will participate in general education classroom inclusion for science/social studies if indicated on their IEP.

School-Wide Positive Behavior System (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, PBIS)

Purpose

The Purpose of ENSA of Mathematics and Science Academy is to develop inquisitive learners through the engagement of every child by an elementary curriculum that makes students aware of real world connections to math and science. 

Mission

We will create a culture of excellence where our students exceed state standards through an engaging, proven curriculum and individualized instruction from excellent teachers in collaboration with home and community partnerships. 

Beliefs