CURRICULUM
Overview of Kindergarten Curriculum
In Kindergarten, children experience the joy of learning and the excitement that comes from discovery. The children learn by using their hands and minds in a variety of activities. Lessons are geared toward capturing the children’s curiosity and developing it to its fullest potential.
Kindergartners are surrounded by language through reading, writing, speaking and listening. Saxon Phonics is taught in the Kindergarten classroom. As a part of the reading curriculum, children listen to books on tape, as well as acquire the skills to read books by themselves. Their vocabulary and reading skills are enhanced by weekly spelling tests. Among the many hands-on activities in reading are writing in shaving cream/paint and alphabet show and tell.
Kindergarten students learn math skills through the Saxon Math Program, which is often implemented by Sadlier-Oxford’s “Progress in Mathematics.” Manipulatives such as buttons, Cheerios, coins, and pattern blocks are integrated into the math lessons. Throughout the course of the year, children will learn such concepts as patterns, measurement, addition and subtraction, graphing and telling time.
First Grade Curriculum
Language Arts: Your child will learn to read and write independently, to listen carefully, and to share ideas. Saxon Phonics is a success-oriented program that enables students to develop a solid foundation in phonics and thus become successful readers. Saxon Phonics supplements the Macmillan Reading Program, which uses quality literature to further students’ desire to read. Learning to spell, to identify parts of speech, and to understand sentence structure, will be a part of our daily activities.
Math: Math is also a success-oriented program. It enables children to develop a solid foundation in the language and basic concepts of mathematics. Each day children participate in skills related to calendar, counting, patterning, weather, graphs, time and money. During each lesson a new objective is introduced through a carefully selected group activity. Children use manipulative, engage in discussions, and work in cooperative groups, to help each other learn.
Science: Units include – Life Science (plants, animals and ecology). Physical Science (matter and energy), Earth Science (earth, weather and space) and the human body. Each unit contains a skills feature that teachers students to collect, organize and interpret data to solve problems.
Social Studies: In Social Studies, the students learn the knowledge, skills, and values they need for a lifetime of full and productive citizenship. The twin cornerstones of social studies are history and geography. Our textbook covers units on School, Family, Needs and Wants, Work, Neighborhoods, Communities, and Our Community.
Second Grade Curriculum
In second grade, children solidify their educational experiences from kindergarten and first grade. During this year, they are able to internalize their skills so that they can participate in higher level learning.
The second grade language arts curriculum includes reading, skill development and writing. In reading, the children are exposed to a variety of literature – fiction and non-fiction – using trade books, social studies resource books and novels. The Macmillan Reading Program provides activities in comprehension, decoding skills, phonics skills and word meaning. The third part of the language art curriculum is creative writing.
The Sadler Oxford Math Program forms the basis for understanding fundamental concepts in addition and subtraction to 18. place value to 1.000. regrouping, and early mutilations. The hands-on approach also involves the children in patterns, measurement, and geometry. The children experience math through the use of consumable textbooks and practice books.
The Saxon Phonics Program combined with a basal reading program can help all children become better, stronger readers. Studies show that the explicit and systematic phonics instruction found in the Saxon series gives the teacher and students the additional tools they need to achieve success in the classroom. Saxon Phonics helps children master the essential foundational skills of phonemic awareness, alphabet, decoding, fluency and spelling.
The Social Studies curriculum combines literature and cooperative learning in the study of communities. Different cultures and ethnic groups are represented. Language, math and science are integrated into the social studies units.
Third Grade Curriculum
The third grade curriculum focuses on the developmental needs of the 8 and 9-year-old child. As in all the primary grades, children are involved in exciting projects.
The areas of language arts include reading with an emphasis on comprehension and fluency, but also including reference skills, elements of story, genre, vocabulary and study skills. English focuses on developing skills in the area of grammar, listening, speaking, reading and writing. In writing experience, children write stories and poems as well as write for different purposes, such as persuasion and entertainment. Students are introduced to and use the writing process including prewriting, proofreading, self- and peer- evaluations, revising, editing and publishing. Spelling is designed to enhance spelling skills, using phonetic and non – phonetic approaches and to increase vocabulary skills.
The math program enables all children to develop a solid foundation in language and basic concepts of all areas of mathematics through the use of manipulative and varied activities. They engage in discussion and work in cooperative groups. They practice skills related to time, temperature, money, calendar, counting, patterning, problem-solving, Roman numerals and computation.
The science program is based on thinking skills for gathering and recalling information, understanding and interpreting information/data, applying, analyzing, synthesizing and evaluation in the areas of physical, earth and life science and health.
The social studies curriculum is composed of units in which children are to explore the multicultural history about the past and present. Historical maps, time lines, graphs, diagrams, tables and other graphics are studied. Citizenship and American values enable students to understand the history of democracy. Cooperative learning activities enable all students to practice social participation skills, think critically, experience positive interdependence and grow in self-esteem.
Fourth Grade Curriculum
The fourth grade curriculum reflects the changing development needs of children as they transcend from concrete thinking to higher level abstract thinking. Emphasis is placed on comprehension, interpretation, generalization, and integration of methods and knowledge.
Reading development continues to utilize the skill areas from third grade that emphasize comprehension, referencing, studying and vocabulary building. Classic and contemporary literature, and various reference resources will be used along with the Spotlight on Literacy Reading Series by Macmillan to motivate students to become lifelong readers.
English will consist of Standard English grammar and the mechanics of structured writing for a variety of audiences. Emphasis is placed on the writing process. Vocabulary will be drawn from the Macmillan reading series and from vocabulary workshop books.
The Sadler-Oxford Math Program will be used to integrate mathematical concepts into long-term memory by continual practice. Problem solving, chart and graph interpretation, computation and basic facts recall, geometry, and introduction to algebra will be presented. Fractions, decimals, measurement of time, space, and money will be included in the curriculum.
The science curriculum will consist of disciplines from the areas of Life, Physical and Earth Science and the human body. A major goal is to develop thinking skills that will serve our students in becoming better problems and intelligent decision makers. These thinking skills include skills people use to collect, understand, interpret, apply and evaluate information and ideas. The text is published by SRA/McGraw Hill.
The Social Studies curriculum will use Mississippi history and geography as the cornerstones of the program. Map skills, landforms, cultures, resources, government, and history will be explored. The Presidential election process, and American symbols will be included. The five themes of geography: location, place, human environment interactions, movement, and regions will promote geography literacy. Citizenship education and multicultural perspectives will be taught through literature, current events, and fine arts. The textbook, Mississippi: A Study of Our State is utilized.
Fifth Grade Curriculum
The Fifth Grade curriculum is based on state guidelines. The curriculum focuses on higher level thinking skills through interpretation, integration, and comprehension through individual and group observation and communication.
The reading program is strategy-based instruction that teaches students thinking skills through story comprehension, use of vocabulary, informative resources (dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, newspapers) and webbing to enhance learning. We also include our computer based “Accelerated Reader” and “Book Adventure” programs.
The Language Arts program places much emphasis on communication skills through group activities as well as individual presentations. Students develop writing skills by planning, revising, and editing reports to entertain, persuade, and explain. Poetry, award-winning books, and autobiographies are read to develop an appreciation for literature and enhance the literary experience.
The Sadlier Math provides students with the time and opportunities necessary to build a solid foundation in skillful problem solving through cohesive problem solving approaches. Reinforcement of prior knowledge is given through practice and review. The use of number lines, graphs, calculators, computation and basic facts recall, geometry and some algebra students continue to develop skills.
The Real Science program provides students with a solid foundation of knowledge concerning life, physical, health, and earth science. An understanding of how things work is further developed through observing accurately, analyzing data, and thinking critically.
Our Social Studies program promotes citizenship and builds students’ understanding of United States history, presented chronologically by interweaving social, cultural, economic, and geography strands within a well-told story. Students use resource materials in written and oral reports, and many hands-on activities to bring vitality and variety while motivating and developing concepts.
Sixth Grade Curriculum
Math-Sadlier-Oxford offers a balance of traditional teaching approaches with the NCTM standards. This series will be used in conjunction with a variety of resources (workbooks, online activities, manipulatives, etc.) to meet the following benchmarks:
The use of algebraic functions, patterns, sequences, and language ./ The exploration of geometric patterns and relationships
The use of probability and collecting, organizing, interpreting, and displaying types of data using manipulatives, paper and pencil, calculators and/or computers
The recognition and use of place and value, and order of whole and decimal numbers ./ The utilization of estimation and technology to perform the four basic operations
Determining multiple relationships among ratios, proportions, decimal numbers, percents, and fractions
The exploration of the relationships between fractions and mixed numerals
Reading-The MacMillan/McGraw-Hill series is designed to enable the student to: experience success in reading through high-interest, multilevel literature; become independent readers through phonics, skills, and strategy instruction; and increase knowledge through engaging and integrated technology. This series will be used in conjunction with a variety of other resources to meet the following benchmarks:
The application of strategies and skills to comprehend, respond to, interpret, or evaluate a variety of texts of increasing length, difficulty, and complexity
Social Studies-Using geography as a framework, focuses on the cultural and historical developments in the Western Hemisphere with emphasis on the neighbors of the United States. A variety of resources (textbook, workbooks, internet activities, videos, projects, presentations, etc.) will be utilized to meet the following benchmarks:
The application of spatial and ecological perspectives to people, places, and environment using social studies tools (e.g., timelines, graphs, globes, etc.) ./ Analyzing civic life, politics, and government in the Western Hemisphere ./ Examining the economic interactions of individuals, families, communities, businesses, and governments in the Western Hemisphere
Science- Builds upon Kindergarten through 5th grade concepts; will explore Structure and function in living systems, reproduction and heredity, regulation, behavior, populations and ecosystems, diversity and adaptations of organisms, properties and changes of properties in matter, motions, forces, transfer of energy, structure of the earth system, Earth's history, and Earth in the solar system. These concepts will be explored through the use of a variety of resources including textbooks, workbooks, videos, experiments, projects, computer activities, etc.
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