Elementary Curriculum
English Language Arts
The intuitive, systematic approach to instruction and rich, engaging texts draw students to the center of learning each and every day. Backed by science and the power of i-Ready Assessment, Magnetic Reading ensures every student gets the right support for succeeding as a grade-level reader.
Magnetic Reading Foundations teaches all foundational skills domains, including:
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Phonological Awareness
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Concepts of Print
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Phonics
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High-Frequency Words
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Word Analysis
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Letter Formation
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Fluency
Magnetic Reading (grade 3) engages readers and develops comprehension skills through a content-rich curriculum and rigorous data-informed instruction that is accessible to all learners.
Writing Resource: The Writing Revolution
The RACES writing strategy is an acronym that stands for the following components:
Restate
This refers to restating or rephrasing the question or prompt in your own words to ensure that you understand it correctly.
Answer
Provide a clear and concise answer to the question or prompt. This is the main part of your response and should directly address what is being asked.
Cite
Support your answer with evidence or examples. This could involve referencing specific facts, data, quotations, or other sources of information that support your response. Citing your sources helps to strengthen your argument and provide credibility to your writing.
Explain
Elaborate on your answer and provide further clarification or reasoning. Explain how your evidence or examples support your answer and demonstrate your understanding of the topic.
Summarize
Summarize your response by restating your main points and bringing your writing to a conclusion. This helps to reinforce your main argument and leave a lasting impression on the reader.
Integrated Language Arts skills
Using an integrated approach to teaching, students learn the skills in the context of quality literature. Reading books instead of basal stories makes reading more attractive to the student. This creates a deeper understanding and generates greater interest in grammar, writing, vocabulary, spelling, and other language skills.
Resources: Person REadyGen and Curriculum Associates (Magnetic Reading)
Writing Resource: The Writing Revolution
CSET - what is this?
CSET is an acronym to help students remember the components of a good response.
C - the claim - this is the answer to the prompt or question. In an essay, this would be your thesis or main idea.
S - the general support and transition to the evidence - this is where you briefly give the basic reason behind your claim. It is also where you lead into your quotations.
E - the evidence - in English, this is where you would use a quotation from the text which illustrates or shows from where you derived the claim in the text.
T - the tie-in - this is where you SPECIFICALLY talk about the quotation you just used and explain HOW it shows the claim.
Ready Common Core Mathematics (iReady) helps students at all levels to become active, real-world problem solvers. It encourages students to develop a deeper understanding of mathematics concepts through the embedded Standards for Mathematical Practice. It also builds on students’ prior knowledge with lessons that make connections within and across grade levels and directly address the major focus of the grade. Through teacher-led instruction, students develop mathematical reasoning, engage in discourse, and build strong mathematical habits. Ready Common Core Mathematics is designed to develop strong mathematical thinkers; through our programs’ focus on conceptual understanding using real-world problem solving and help students become active participants in their own learning.
Science
Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science. These dimensions are combined to form each standard—or performance expectation—and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.
Kindergarten:
Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Earth's Systems
Earth and Human Activity
Engineering Design
1st Grade:
Waves: Light and Sound
Structure, function, and Information Processing
Space Systems: Patterns and Cycles
Engineering Design
2nd Grade:
Structure and Properties of Matter
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Earth’s Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth
Engineering Design
3rd Grade:
Forces and Interactions
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits
Weather and Climate
Engineering Design
4th Grade:
Energy
Waves: Waves and Information
Earth’s Systems: Processes that Shape the Earth
Engineering Design
5th Grade:
Structures and Properties of Matter
Matter and Energy
Earth’s Systems
Space Systems: Stars and the Solar System
Engineering Design
Social Studies (Grades K-2)
The Social Studies program for our lower school students is based upon themed units in conjunction with ReadyGEN® curriculum and myWorld Social Studies™ . Students will explore themes of connecting to our world, being classroom citizens, planting for the future, the natural world, weather patterns, building new ideas, understanding the changing world and celebrating diversity. All grades will also learn through monthly Scholastic magazines. These themes help teach students to be contributing members of the school, environment and community.
Social Studies (Grades 3-5)
myWorld Social Studies™ for Grades 3-5; where learning comes alive through storytelling, literacy instruction, and flexible resources. Stories from our world engage students and help develop thoughtful, literate citizens. Lessons apply inquiry processes, practice reading, and writing, and involve collaboration and communication skills. Blended experiences include interactive digital courseware to make learning experiential. myWorld Social Studies motivates learners and connects them to the real world, where they may share the story of our democratic ideals, communities, and people!