LEHRMAN COMMUNITY DAY SCHOOL ELEMENTARY K–5
Second grade scientists at work.
The faculty of Lehrman Community Day School is dedicated to our mission of sparking our children’s natural curiosity and engaging their creativity each day as the students explore our challenging curriculum. LCDS looked to the Core Knowledge Foundation and its sequence as a guideline for the structure of its specific curricular content. That content, in turn, gives further structure to the skills taught at each level, reviewed and then built upon as your child grows in our school. Core Knowledge is a demanding, scoped and sequenced curriculum which is history-based. History, literature, visual arts and music content areas are integrated. The mathematics and science curricula are spiral. This curricular coherence educates children who have the basic building blocks of content and skills necessary for middle school and beyond. Our Hebrew and Jewish Studies curricula reflect a similar scope and sequence, and a similar challenge. Our Hebrew language curricula, Chalav u’D’vash in Kindergarten and TaL AM, an internationally recognized curriculum implemented in first grade and above, are both immersion programs. Current research supports the effectiveness of immersion programs in second language acquisition. TaL AM combines language learning with Jewish studies content, including prayer, the Torah portion of the week (parashat ha-shavua) and holidays and customs. The MaToK Bible curriculum, implemented in third grade, emphasizes literary analysis and critical thinking skills. Teachers in all classes differentiate instruction appropriately in each grade level, grouping and re-grouping, or working with students individually when appropriate. Our talented specialists, most of whom are practitioners as well as teachers in their fields, enrich our program. All our teachers are role models, understanding that their behavior teaches as much about values as the texts they teach; our faculty is, in every sense, our curriculum.
lcds Core Knowledge Curriculum • kindergarten / Kindergarten
■ Language Arts
■ World History/ Geography
■ American History/ Geography
■ Visual Arts
■ Language Arts/ English
■ World History/ Geography
■ American History/ Geography
■ Visual Arts
Second Grade ■ Language Arts/ English
■ World History/ Geography
■ American History/ Geography
■ Visual Arts
I. Reading and Writing: Phonemic Awareness/ Decoding/Encoding (Houghton Mifflin Series) II. Poetry: Nursey Rhymes/ Traditional Poetry III. Fiction: Folk Tales IV. Sayings and Phrases
First Grade
I. Reading and Writing A. Phonemic Awareness B. Decoding, Word Recognition, Oral Reading C. Reading comprehension and response D. Writing E. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage II. Poetry A. American (Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Lois Lenski) B. British (Robert Louis Stevenson, Edward Lear) III. Fiction A. Stories: Folktales & Fairy Tales B. Aesop’s Fables C. Folktales from other Lands IV. Literary Terms A. Characters, heroes & heroines B. Drama: actors, costumes, scenery, props, theater, stage, audience V. Sayings and phrases
I. Reading and Writing A. Decoding, Word Recognition, and Oral Reading B. Reading Comprehension and Response C. Writing D. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage II. Poetry A. American (Dickinson, Sandburg, Clement Clarke Moore, Shel Silverstein) B. British and others (Robert Louis Stevenson, Federico Garcia Lorca) III. Fiction A. Stories B. Greek Mythology C. American Folk Heroes and Tall Tales D. Literary Terms IV. Sayings and Phrases
I. Spatial sense: Working with maps & globes II. Overview of Seven Continents
I. Geography A. Spatial sense 1. My continent, country, state and community 2. Maps have keys 3. North, South, East & West 4. 7 Continents and special spots B. Geographical Terms: peninsula, bay, harbor, island II. Early Civilizations A. Mesopotamia: “The Cradle of Civilization.” B. Ancient Egypt C. History of World Religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam III. Modern Civilization and Culture: Mexico A. Geography B. Culture
I. Geography A. Spatial Sense B. Geographical Terms and Features (coast, valley, prairie, desert, oasis) II. Early Civilizations: Asia A. Geography of Asia B. India C. China III. Modern Civilization and Culture: Japan A. Geography B. Culture IV. Ancient Greece
I. Geography II. Native American Peoples, Past & Present III. Early Exploration & Settlement (Columbus, Pilgrims, Independence Day) IV. Presidents, Past and Present
I. Early People and Civilizations A. Hunters and Nomads B. Maya, Inca & Aztec Civilizations II. Early Exploration and Settlement A. Columbus B. The Conquistadors C. English Settlers III. From Colonies to Independence: The American Revolution IV. Early Exploration of the American West
I. American Government: The Constitution II. The War of 1812 III. Westward Expansion A. Pioneers Head West B. Native Americans IV. The Civil War V. Immigration and Citizenship VI. Civil Rights VII. Geography of the Americas A. North America B. South America
I. Elements of Art: Color & Line II. Sculpture III. Looking at and talking about works of Art
I. Art from Long Ago A. Cave Paintings B. Art of Ancient Egypt II. Elements of Art A. Color (primary colors) (Monet, Whistler, Rivera) B. Line (Jacob Lawrence, Matisse, O’Keefe) C. Shape (Jacob Lawrence, Grant Wood) D. Texture (American Indian masks, Degas, Dürer) E. Portrait, Self-Portrait, Still-Life and Mural
I. Elements of Art A. Lines: horizontal, vertical, or diagonal B. Picasso’s Mother and Child II. Sculpture A. Shape, mass and line B. Discus Thrower, Flying Horse (Wu-Wei, China), Rodin’s The Thinker III. Kinds of Pictures A. Landscapes B. Cole, El Greco, Rousseau, van Gogh IV. Abstract Art A. Compare lifelike & abstract animals B. Dürer vs. Klee V. Architecture A. Design of buildings B. Symmetry & a line of symmetry
■ Music
■ Mathematics
■ Science
■ Jewish Studies
■ Music
■ Mathematics
■ Science
■ Hebrew Language/ Jewish Studies
I. Elements of Music: rhythm, harmony, etc. II. Listening and Understanding III. Songs: Americana
I. Elements of Music: rhythm, harmony, notes. II. Musical Terms & Concepts III. American Musical Traditions
I. Patterns and Classification II. Numbers and Number sense III. Money IV. Computation V. Measurement VI. Geometry
I. Patterns and Classification II. Numbers and Number sense III. Money IV. Computation: Addition & Subtraction V. Measurement VI. Geometry
I. Plants & Plant Growth II. Animals and their Needs III. Human Body (5 Senses) IV. Introduction to Magnetism V. Seasons and Weather VI. Taking Care of the Earth VII. Science Biographies
I. Living Things & their Environments A. Habitats B. Oceans & Undersea Life II. The Human Body A. Body Systems B. Germs, Diseases, Preventing Illness III. Matter IV. Properties of Matter: Measurement V. Introduction to Electricity VI. Astronomy: The Solar System VII. The Earth A. The Surface B. What’s Inside the Earth VIII. Science Biographies: Carson, Edison, Jenner, Pasteur
I. Portion of the Week II. Holidays and Festivals III. The Jewish World A. Shabbat Project B. The Shema and the Mezuzah C. Blessings We Say D. Israel
■ Hebrew
Chalav U’Dvash, Israeli Curriculum I. Immersion language program A. Mascot Bentzi, a stuffed turtle, goes home every Shabbat for journal writing B. School-based vocabulary C. Multi-media II. Language of prayer, song & holidays
Kindergarten
For additional information on the Core Knowledge Curriculum, visit coreknowledge.org
Bentzi
TaL AM Alef I. Immersion language program II. Reading and writing skills III. Includes Jewish studies content in Hebrew A. Portion of the week B. Holiday material C. Jewish values
First Grade
first grade / second grade
■ Music
I. Elements of Music II. Listening and Understanding A. The Orchestra B. Keyboard Instruments C. Composers and their Music: Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven III. Songs
■ Mathematics
I. Numbers and Number sense II. Fractions III. Money IV. Computation A. Addition – timed mastery, three digit, etc. B. Subtraction C. Introduction to Multiplication D. Solving Problems and Equations V. Measurement A. Linear Measure B. Weight (Mass) C. Capacity (Volume) D. Temperature E. Time VI. Geometry
■ Science
I. Cycles in Nature A. Seasonal Cycles B. Life Cycles C. The Water Cycle II. Insects III. The Human Body A. Cells B. The Digestive and Excretory Systems C. A Healthy Diet IV. Magnetism V. Simple Machines VI. Science Biographies Leeuwenhoeck, McCoy, Nightingale, Daniel Hale Williams
■ Hebrew Language/Jewish Studies TaL AM Bet I. Immersion language program II. Reading and writing skills III. Jewish studies content in Hebrew A. Portion of the week B. Holiday material C. Jewish values D. Prayer
Second Grade
?okugc ah vn Mah yesh ba-olam? What’s in the world?
lcds Core Knowledge Curriculum • third grade / four Third Grade
Fourth Grade
Language Arts
I. Reading and Writing A. Reading Comprehension and Response B. Writing C. Spelling, Grammar, and Usage D. Vocabulary: Prefixes, Suffixes and Homophones II. Poetry A. American (Ogden Nash, Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, Shel Silverstein) B. British (Lewis Carroll) III. Fiction A. Stories (including Alice in Wonderland) B. Myths and Mythical Characters (Norse Mythology, More Greek and Roman Myths) C. Literary Terms IV. Sayings and Phrases
Language Arts/ English
I. Writing, Grammar and Usage A. Writing and Research B. Grammar and Usage II. Poetry III. Fiction A. Stories (including Treasure Island and excerpts from Gulliver’s Travels) B. Myths and Mythical Characters (Legends of King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table) C. Literary Terms IV. Speeches V. Sayings and Phrases
Fifth Grade
Language Arts/ English
I. Writing, Grammar and Usage A. Writing and Research B. Grammar and Usage C. Vocabulary (Latin prefixes and suffixes) II. Poetry A. British: Tennyson, Blake, Lewis Carroll. B. American: 19th Century: Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, Emerson, Whittier, Longfellow C. American: 20th Century: Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen. III. Fiction and Drama A. Stories (The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Don Quixote, Little Women, The Secret Garden, Sherlock Holmes.) B. Myths and Legends C. Drama (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) D. Literary Terms IV. Speeches: Gettysburg Address; Chief Joseph, “I will fight no more forever.” V. Sayings and Phrases
World History/ Geography
American History/ Geography
Visual Arts
World History/ Geography
American History/ Geography
Visual Arts
I. World Geography A. Spatial Sense B. Geographical Terms and Features (boundary, channel, delta, isthmus, plateau, reservoir, strait) C. Canada D. Important Rivers of the World II. Ancient Rome A. Geography of the Mediterranean Region B. Background C. The Empire D. The “Decline and Fall” of Rome E. The Eastern Roman Empire: Byzantine Civilization III. The Vikings
I. World Geography A. Spatial Sense B. Mountains and mountain ranges II. Europe in the Middle Ages A. 200CE-450CE: The Invasion of warring tribes B. Geography of Medieval Western Europe C. Early Development of the Christian Church D. Feudalism E. The Norman Conquest F. Growth of Towns G. England in the Middle Ages III. The Spread of Islam & the “Holy Wars” A. Development of Islamic Civilization B. Wars between Muslims and Christians IV. Early & Medieval African Kingdoms V. China: Dynasties & Conquerors
World History/ Geography
I. World Geography A. Spatial Sense B. Great Lakes of the World II. Meso-American Civilizations A. Geography B. Maya, Inca and Aztec Civilizations C. Spanish Conquerors III. European Exploration, Trade, Colonization and the Clash of Cultures A. Portugal B. Spain C. England and France D. Holland E. Trade and Slavery IV. The Renaissance and the Reformation V. England from the Golden Age to the Glorious Revolution VI. Russia: Early Growth and Expansion VII. Feudal Japan
I. The Earliest Americans A. Crossing the Land Bridge B. Native Americans 1. Southwest tribes 2. Eastern Woodland Indians II. Early Exploration of North America A. Early Spanish Exploration and Settlement 1. Florida 2. Geography: Caribbean, W. Indies, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Gulf of Mexico and Mississippi River B. The American Southwest C. Search for the Northwest Passage III. The 13 Colonies: Before the Revolution A. Southern Colonies B. New England Colonies C. Middle Atlantic Colonies
I. The American Revolution A. The French and Indian War B. Causes and Provocations C. The Revolution II. Making a Constitutional Government A. The Declaration of Independence B. The Constitution of the United States C. National, State, Local Government III. Early Presidents and Politics IV. Reformers: Abolitionists, Public Schools, Social Welfare; Women’s Rights.
I. Elements of Art A. Light: Chapin, Vermeer B. Space: two-dimensional, threedimensional C. Design: Figure and Ground; Pattern; Balance & Symmetry (Matisse, Munch, Cassatt) II. American Indian Art: Kachina dolls; Navajo blankets and rugs, sand paintings; Masks III. Art of Ancient Rome and Byzantine Civilization: Le Pont du Gard; The Pantheon; Byzantine mosaics; Hagia Sophia.
I. Art of the Middle Ages in Europe A. Religious nature of European Art in Middle Ages (Madonna and Child) B. Gothic Cathedrals - Notre Dame, Paris II. Islamic Art and Architecture III. Art of Africa IV. Art of China V. Art and Architecture of Colonial America (Copely, Stuart, Jefferson’s Monticello)
Navajo history blankets
American History/ Geography
I. Westward Expansion : Pre- and Post-Civil War A. Pioneers B. Indian resistance C. “Manifest Destiny” D. The Mexican War E. 1862 Homestead Act F. Transcontinental Railroad G. 1890: The closing of the American Frontier II. The Civil War: Causes, Conflicts, Consequences A. Toward the Civil War B. The Civil War C. Reconstruction III. Native Americans: Cultures and Conflicts A. Culture and life B. American Government Policies C. Conflicts IV. US Geography
Visual Arts
I. Art of the Renaissance A. Shift in World View B. Influence of Classical Art on Renaissance Artists (Botticelli, daVinci, Michaelangelo, Bruegel) II. American Art: 19th Century USA III. Art of Japan
rth grade / fifth grade
Music
I. Elements of Music II. Listening and Understanding A. The Orchestra: Benjamin Britten: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra B. Vocal Ranges C. Composers and their Music: Handel, Haydn, Mozart D. Musical Connections: Gregorian Chants. III. Songs
Music
I. Elements of Music II. Listening and Understanding A. Composers and their Music: Beethoven, Mussorgsky B. Musical Connections: Renaissance, Mendelssohn. III. American Musical Traditions IV. Songs
I. Numbers & Number sense II. Fractions & Decimals III. Money IV. Computation A. Addition – timed mastery, three digit, etc. B. Subtraction C. Multiplication D. Division E. Solving Problems & Equations V. Measurement VI. Geometry
Mathematics
I. Numbers & Number sense II. Fractions & Decimals A. Fractions – to 1/12 B. Decimals – to the nearest one thousandth III. Money IV. Computation A. Multiplication B. Division C. Solving Problems & Equations V. Measurement VI. Geometry
Mathematics
I. Numbers & Number Sense II. Ratios & Percent III. Fractions & Decimals A. Fractions: LCD B. Decimals: estimate by rounding IV. Computation A. Addition: commutative & associative properties B. Multiplication: by 2 factors C. Division D. Solving Problems & Equations V. Measurement VI. Geometry VII. Probability & Statistics VIII. Pre-Algebra
Science
I. Introduction to Classification of Animals II. The Human Body A. The Muscular System B. The Skeletal System C. The Nervous System D. Vision: How the Eye Works E. Hearing: How the Ear Works III. Light & Optics IV. Sound V. Ecology VI. Astronomy VII. Science Biographies: Bell; Copernicus; Jemison; Muir
Science
I. The Human Body A. The Circulatory System B. The Respiratory System II. Chemistry: Atoms; Properties of Matter; Elements; Solutions III. Electricity IV. Geology A. The Earth’s Layers B. How Mountains are Formed C. Rocks D. Weathering & Erosion V. Meteorology VI. Science Biographies: Banneker; Blackwell; Drew; Faraday
Science
I. Classifying Living Things II. Cells: Structures & Processes III. Plant Structures & Processes A. Structure: Non-Vascular & Vascular Plants B. Photosynthesis C. Reproduction IV. Life Cycles & Reproduction V. The Human Body A. Changes in Human Adolescence B. The Endocrine System C. The Reproductive System VI. Chemistry: Matter & Change A. Atoms, Molecules, & Compounds B. Elements C. Chemical & Physical Change VII. Science Biographies: Galileo; Percy Lavon Julian; Just; Linnaeus
Jewish Studies Bible:
Students study portions of Breishit (Genesis) using the MaToK curriculum, reading the text in the original Hebrew. Goals include: development of literary skills to study Torah independently, critical thinking, sensitivity to shades of meaning in the text, reading the text in an inquiring way and exploration of traditional commentaries. MaTok will bring student to: view Torah as kadosh (sacred text); see themselves as links in the chain of Torah interpretation; and connect Torah with their Jewish lives while they search for personal meaning, and grapple with moral issues that arise from the text. Jewish Tradition & Prayer: Study of the prayer service and blessings; Jewish Holidays and customs.
Jewish Studies
Bible: Portions of Breishit (Genesis) using MaToK curriculum, reading the text in the original Hebrew. (See grade 3 for more on MaToK.) Jewish History: Jewish Life in Ashkenaz & Sepharad in the Middle Ages. The Enlightenment & Emancipation American Jewish History Journey Through Jewish History by Seymour Rossel Jewish Tradition & Prayer: Study of the prayer service and blessings; Jewish Holidays and customs.
Jewish Studies
Bible: Portions of Breishit (Genesis) using MaToK (See grade 3 for more on MaToK.) 2009-2010 5th grade will study Shemot (Exodus). Rabbinics Pirkei Avot, Ethics of the Fathers. Rabbinical text focussed primarily on ethics and values. Text: Ichpat Lanu (We Care) Published by The TALI Education Fund, Israel
Hebrew
TaL AM Bet (cont’d from grade 2) IV. Immersion language program V. Reading and writing skills VI. Jewish studies content in Hebrew A. Holiday material B. Jewish values C. Prayer
Hebrew
The four skills of language (speaking, reading, writing and listening) are taught; vocabulary is introduced as Hebrew grammatical constructs are practiced and applied. Text: Alef-Bet by Irit Talmud, Part I
Hebrew
By the fifth grade, as skills are solidified, the pace and intensity of Hebrew instruction increases. Students speak in full Hebrew sentences in classes conducted entirely in Hebrew, and write Hebrew stories. The second volume of the Alef-Bet series is completed in preparation for Middle School and the introduction of the NETA curriculum, the internationally acclaimed program developed for day high schools, now being used in a number of middle schools nationwide. Text: Alef-Bet by Irit Talmud, Parts I & II
Jewish Tradition & Prayer: Study of the prayer service and blessings; Jewish Holidays and customs.
Third Grade
Mathematics
Fourth Grade
I. Elements of Music II. Listening and Understanding A. The Orchestra: add brass to strings, woodwinds and percussion. B. Composers and Their Music: Tchaikovsky, Sousa, Copland C. Musical Connections: RimskyKorsakov: Scheherazade, part one: “The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship.” III. Songs
Fifth Grade
Music
For additional information on the Core Knowledge Curriculum, visit coreknowledge.org
Please call or e-mail the Admissions Office with any questions about the admissions process or this Curriculum Guide. Linda K. Schaffzin
Director of Admissions
Lehrman Community Day School 727 Lehrman Drive / 77th Street Miami Beach FL 33141 Tel 305.866.2771x21 Fax 305.865.6575 lschaffzin@lehrmanschool.org
Visit us online at www.lehrmanschool.org
Lehrman Community Day School is a pluralistic, covenantal, academic community. Within a family ambiance, we celebrate each child’s whole uniqueness. It is our mission to prepare motivated young men and women to live heroically, as reflective Jews and responsible American citizens in a global economy. Our ideal graduate lives a life of purpose and heartfelt dreams, animated by moral character and intellectual discovery.
LCDS admits mission appropriate students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities made available to students at the school. LCDS does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational and admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs. Copyright Š 2008 by Lehrman Community Day School.
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