Overview of Curriculum

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our Reading/Language Arts Curriculum is Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Reading. This program provides exactly what we need to connect students at every level to reading success. All components integrate nicely to build and reinforce critical skills — from lesson to lesson, unit to unit, and year to year. Award-winning literature ties directly to leveled instruction and practice. Research-based instruction connects to ongoing assessment. Spelling and grammar connects to writing.

Our reading program consists of six different thematic units, cross-curricular and integrated of study. The units are as follows:

Unit 1 – My World – Self-Portraits, The House, Nan
Unit 2 – All Kinds of Friends – Wild Animals, The ABC Street Fair, The Chick and the Duckling
Unit 3 – Time to Shine – Gardens, That Tam!,The Tan Cat
Unit 4 – I Wonder – Apples, Tap the Sap, Fun in the Sun
Unit 5 – Let’s Work It Out – Pet Care, Tom Is Sick, A Big Bug
Unit  6- Choices – Clean Up!,The Big Box, The Vet Van

Many other skills will be taught through the following activities:

• Guided Reading
• Leveled Reading
• Phonics Supplements
• Poetry
• My Word Books
• DEAR time
• Read-Alouds
• Letter Writing
• Songs
• Choral Readings
• Teacher lead reading groups
• Differentiated Instruction
• Handwriting Instruction and Practice
• Journal Writing
• Easy Readers
• Literature
• Story time
• Listening Center (with headphones)
• Chants
• Buddy Reading

Sharing

Each color group has a Sharing Day. Red Group is Monday (Friday if Monday is a holiday), Yellow Group is Tuesday, Green Group is Wednesday and Blue Group is Friday. A paper bag with handles (provided) will go home, which your child will then place his/her “sharing item” in. PLEASE have your child choose ONE item to share that begins with the letter we are learning that week. Next week we will begin with the letter C (I’ll send a letter schedule home next week). Sharing will begin in two weeks. Next week we’ll begin with “Me Bags”.

Phonics

MacMillan McGraw-Hill and Zoophonics

Math

Houghton Mifflin

• Sort and Classify
• Patterns
• Numbers/Counting
• Calendar/Clocks
• Geometry/Fractions
• Measurement
• Money
• Addition
• Subtraction

Science:

MacMillan/McGraw-Hill: California Science-Life Science

• Plants
• Animals (insects, reptiles, birds, fish, etc.)
• Earth Science
• Our Earth (water, land, resources, recycle)
• Weather
• Physical Science
• Exploring Matter (paper, cloth, wood, metal, etc.)
• Investigating Water (solid, liquid)
• Additional Topics Include: Seasons, Apples, Pumpkins, Weather, Rainforest, Plants, Butterflies, Animals, Insects

Social Studies

Scott Foresman: Learn And Work

• Unit 1 – Getting Along
• Unit 2 – Symbols
• Unit 3 – Work
• Unit 4 – Where We Are
• Unit 5 – Calendars
• Unit 6 – Times Past
• Special Units – Special Days (Columbus Day, Thanksgiving, Saints Days, etc.)

Religion

Silver Burdett Ginn: Blest Are We

Unit 1 - God’s Love Creates the Universe

Unit 1 is based on the book of Genesis. As the creation story gradually unfolds, the children are challenged to see and to recognize the wonders of creation that surround them.

Unit 2 - God’s Love Makes Me Who I Am

Unit 2 is based on the goodness of creation. Christians believe that the human body is a lovely creation of a loving God.

Unit 3- God’s Love Gives Me People to Love

Unit 3 is based on the realization that God gives children many people to love
- families, friends, teachers, neighbors, and community members.

Unit 4 - God’s Love Gives Me Jesus

Unit 4 is based on the realization that God gives children Jesus, who teaches them to love God, themselves, and others.

Unit 5 - God’s Love Teaches Me to Love

Unit 5 helps children realize that they can show their love for God, themselves, and Jesus.

Special Classes

Computer Lab, Library, P.E., Science Lab, Music, Spanish, Meditation (each class is attended once a week for 30 minutes)