Knowledge Based Interdisciplinary Units
Our Vision of Literacy
Rockville Centre School District is committed to supporting our learners to develop as skilled and knowledgeable readers, writers, and communicators. Our Kindergarten through Fifth-grade teachers crafted a literacy vision for the district based on the science of learning:
We are all teachers of literacy. Our vision is to support learners in developing a passion for reading and writing by cultivating the skills and dispositions necessary to become effective listeners, speakers, readers, and writers. Our ultimate goal is to empower learners to become independent, productive problem solvers and lifelong learners who can successfully meet the challenges of an ever-changing diverse and global society.
We believe:
All children have the ability to learn,
Learning is a lifelong process,
Literacy is at the core of all learning and each component of literacy is equally important,
Literacy can empower our ability to communicate,
Differences and successes are celebrated,
Incorporating learners’ histories, experiences, and identities into reading and writing experiences is crucial,
Teachers and students together set attainable goals to become proficient, confident learners that perform to their fullest potential
Knowledge-Based Interdisciplinary Units
These interdisciplinary inquiry units enrich and fortify the fourth-grade curriculum by seamlessly weaving together Science, Studies, English Language Arts, and The Habits of Mind. The focus is on nurturing effective thinking habits, promoting critical thought, adaptability, and collaboration. These inquiry units for our fourth-grade students center around the essential question:
"To What Extent Are We In Our World Constantly Changing?"
This question propels exploration, research, and collaborative learning. Real-world examples highlight practical applications and collaborative group work encourages the sharing of ideas. Performance assessments provides opportunities for our learners to dive deeply into an area of exploration while showcasing their understanding and integration of the various content areas, theme, and essential question. This approach fosters an interactive environment, empowering students to establish meaningful connections between subjects and extend their skills beyond the classroom. Explore the five inquiry units below to see how we are nurturing a passion for learning!
Word Study
*The word study curriculum is currently under review by teams of dedicated teachers, ensuring alignment with the Science of Reading and our designated units of study. Please note that content may undergo further revisions as we continue to prioritize evidence-based best practices in literacy instruction.
Our word study program is a comprehensive approach to enhance language skills, reading comprehension, and writing abilities. Students learn to decipher unfamiliar words through familiar elements like prefixes, suffixes, and root words by focusing on word structure and vocabulary. This approach improves reading fluency and comprehension, particularly with complex words. A strong grasp of word structure also enhances spelling by enabling effective application of spelling rules and patterns. Strategies such as previewing words, making connections, and focusing on specific target words are used to cultivate word consciousness and active participation, ultimately enriching students' language development.
Home-School Connection:
An interactive reading program that provides hundreds of interactive, leveled books in school, at home or on the go.
An engaging and safe digital research tool that provides multimedia informational articles and ready-made literacy activities for all abilities.
An interactive online reading platform with over 40K children's books that will build curiosity and reading confidence by letting kids freely explore their reading interests.
Comprehension
Our Fourth grade learners are taught comprehension through various strategies to enhance foundational reading skills, fluency, and cognitive processes. These learners engage in activities such as generating questions, monitoring understanding, summarizing, inferring text structure, building background knowledge, and expanding their vocabulary. Encouraging them to write about their reading experiences deepens understanding by encouraging personal reactions, analysis, interpretation, and summarization. Additional methods like top-down topic webs, column notes, and generating questions further amplify their comprehension skills.
Vocabulary
Strategically teaching vocabulary involves incidental and explicit learning, focusing on understanding word meanings, relationships, and contextual usage. Target words are introduced before encountering them in context, with multiple exposures in various situations. This approach fosters a deep understanding of word nuances, encourages meaningful usage, and promotes connections to prior knowledge and real-life applications.
