Journeys - Language Arts

• Weekly At A Glance Sheet

Reading & Writing Workshop

• Systematic, Explicit Phonemic Awareness & Phonics Instruction

• Structured Independent Workshop Time to allow for differentiated instruction.

• Students independently and authentically practice literacy skills.

• Teacher works with individuals and/or small reading groups, conducts conferences and/or mini-lessons.

• Student Choice + self direction = high motivation.

Spelling - Journeys aligned Ten Game Words

• Ten Game – students will be given a list of words to study.  Words are practiced daily in class with different letter/sounds deleted.  

  • Practice words via orthographic mapping.

  • Supports recognition of various spelling patterns.

  • Follows scope and sequence of Journeys phonics, but incorporates a variety of words that follow the weekly spelling pattern.

• Phonics – recognizing blends, digraphs, vowel spellings, and syllable patterns. 

• High Frequency Words

• Best Guess Spelling (Invented Spelling)

  • Circle words they are unsure of spelling.

  • Encourages students to use a wider array of vocabulary – (not limited only to words they can spell.)

Reading Progress Monitoring

• DIBELS - Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills

• It is not a contest or a race! The purpose of these tools is to help me make sure I know what your child needs to grow as a reader.

• EDM was developed by the University of Chicago and includes researched-based practices that ensure true, lasting depth of knowledge. It is the most field tested elementary math program available today. 

• EDM helps ensure students master key concepts by continually revisiting content in a variety of ways over time. It continually reinforces abstract math concepts and uses real world applications.

• Home Links & Parent Letters will be sent home at the beginning of a new unit. These are not homework.

• Focus on development of :

  • Number Sense & Operational Skills

  • Conceptual Understanding

  • Problem Solving

  • Mathematical Practices

  • Accuracy and Fluency

• This Is Why It's So Hard to Help With Your Kid's Math Homework - by Jessica Lahey, author of The Gift of Failure

  • • • Move from rote memorization to conceptual understanding.

      • Highest-achieving math students see math as interconnected ideas. Lowest achieving students see it as a series of steps to follow that they may not fully understand. 

      • Struggle can be part of the process of making sense of a concept. 

      • Questions to ask your child: 

        • • • Why or How do you know?

            • What if?

            • Does this make sense?

            • What's going on here?

• Thematic Units – Learning Across Disciplines

• Social Studies Curriculum - TCI Social Studies Alive!  - aligned with CA Content Standards for Social Studies

• National Geographic - Exploring Science Curriculum

• NGSS - Parent Q&A

If you have questions, please contact me!