Lower School Program of Studies 24-25

First Grade

Second Grade

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

EXPRESSIONS OF QUAKERISM

A core belief of Quakerism is that “there is that of God in everyone.” Teachers value the individuality and voice of each child and create classroom environments where six testimonies are explored in ways appropriate to the age of the students: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship.

student has classes each week in art, music, physical education, and Spanish; students are also introduced to STEM Lab activities starting in pre-kindergarten. Our librarians work with preschool and pre-kindergarten teachers to arrange visits to the classroom or for students to visit the library to check out books consistently.

Progress Reports and Conferences

Meeting for Worship is a time of quiet reflection, largely defined by each individual and informed by each person’s own religious/spiritual tradition and identity.

All lower school students gather weekly in Meeting for Worship, the center of Quaker expression. This time of quiet reflection is largely defined by each individual and informed by each person’s own religious tradition and identity. Sometimes a student or teacher may feel inspired to stand and speak, sharing a thought that is formed during worship. An example of a young child’s message might be, “I love my school because you get to have so many friends,” or, “I’m really sad that my dog is sick.” Meeting for Worship can look differently depending on the age of the children in a classroom, and the format in which it is set. For example, students meet for worship as a whole lower school division, with another class or within their own classroom.

Teachers also carry the tenets of Quakerism into our conflict resolution program as children are supported in working toward independence in solving problems with peers.

PRESCHOOL AND PREKINDERGARTEN LOGISTICAL OVERVIEW

The Preschool Day School begins at 8:00am, with dismissal options at noon and at 3:00pm. Early morning care is available at no extra charge, beginning at 7:30am. Families may enroll in the After-School Program, with a choice of 4:45 or 6:00pm pick-up, either by contract (for the same days each week) or as needed on a dropin basis. Childcare is available during designated school vacations and on designated noon dismissal days.

Two Teachers in Each Classroom

In each preschool and pre-kindergarten classroom, there are two full-time teachers - a lead teacher and an assistant teacher. There is also another early years assistant available to help out in classrooms throughout the school day as needed.

“Specials”

Preschool and pre-k students have the opportunity to take part in classes with specialists each week. Preschoolers join music and movement class twice a week and have a dedicated art time with our early years art teacher once each week. In pre-k, every

Preschool and pre-k parent-teacher conferences are scheduled three times a year: mid-October, late January, and mid-April. Written reports are provided to parents in January and June. Communication between teachers and parents is always encouraged through personal conversation at drop off or pick up, or by email.

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH FIFTH GRADE LOGISTICAL OVERVIEW

The School day

Lower school begins at 8:00 am each morning and ends at 3:00. While no “special” classes begin in kindergarten before 9:00 am, “special” classes (see below) may start at 8:20 am in grades one through five. Early morning care is available, at no extra charge, beginning at 7:30 am. Families may enroll in the AfterSchool Program, with a choice of 4:45 or 6:00 pm pick-up, either by contract (for the same days each week) or as needed on a drop-in basis. Childcare is also available during designated school vacations and on designated noon dismissal days.

Teacher/Student Ratio in Classrooms

Kindergarten classrooms each have lead teachers with full day associate teachers. In grades one through four, associate teachers are assigned as needed, according to class size and the developmental needs of the students in those grades. This approach allows for greater flexibility in small group work as well as for simultaneous individual and group instruction. This model gives Friends a low student-teacher ratio, ensuring attention to each child.

Interdisciplinary Themes

Much of the lower school curriculum is integrated around themes, and teachers work in teams to coordinate projects across disciplines. For example, a first grader studying ants as part of an insect unit in the homebase classroom might also make a papier maché ant in art class and do internet research on ants with the support of the library media specialist.

Fifth Grade

Fifth graders continue to have a homebase and integrated curriculum, but in this last year of lower school, they have additional responsibilities and privileges, including participation in the fifth grade musical theater production. Fifth graders are grouped in both home base and color groups, which allows for increased interactions with their peers over the course of the day. Other distinctive features of fifth grade include an overnight community building trip that provides an experience away from home and campus.

“Specials”

Classes beyond the core subjects are known at lower school as “specials.” From kindergarten through fifth grade, every student has classes each week in art, music, physical education, science, Spanish, and technology. Student work with technology includes digital and information literacy, research, and coding. Librarians also work with home base teachers and specialists to integrate skills learned in multiple content areas.

Homework

Throughout lower school, reading is expected on a regular basis at home. For pre-readers and emerging readers, that might be in the form of listening to stories read to them by a parent or older sibling. The expectation for independent reading grows as the student matures. For our oldest students, the expectation is for independent reading of at least 120 minutes each week; students are encouraged to complete that reading in a way that works best for them. They might get engrossed in their book and read 120 minutes straight over the weekend or they might want to pace their reading throughout the week. Until they reach fifth grade, assigned homework is in the area of math and/or language arts, and occasionally in social studies. Just as the expectations for reading progress over time, so do the expectations for other homework. In first and second grade, for example, children have a variety of math and language arts hands-on activities to choose from at home that are extensions of their learning at school. In third and fourth grade, more specific work is assigned on a regular basis. By the time they reach fifth grade, their homework assignments are longer and often not due for several days in order to support the development of good time management skills.

Optional Activities

Choir and band are offered to fourth and fifth-grade students and no audition is required. Band sectionals occur once a week before the school day begins, and the full band practices once a week during the school day. Choir practice may be scheduled before, after or during school, depending on interest and availability. Other after-school activities are also available through the After-School Program or in response to student interest.

Progress Reports and Conferences

Kindergarten through fifth grade conferences are scheduled three times a year: in mid-October, late January, and midApril. Written reports are provided to parents in January and June. Communication between teachers and parents is always encouraged, and is best arranged through email.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

LANGUAGE ARTS: OVERVIEW

Our lower school students engage in the expressive skills of writing and speaking and the receptive skills of listening and reading on a daily basis through an integrated approach. Students progress from learning to read in grades K-3, to reading to learn in grades 3-5. Our focus is on building skills in recep-

tive and expressive language by enhancing students’ conceptual understanding which allows for inference, prediction, and questioning on an increasingly abstract level. Throughout the program, students are immersed in a literature- and languagerich environment, exploring different genres, and learning to appreciate a variety of cultures and traditions through reading and research. Challenging students to meet high standards, while developing an enthusiasm for learning and a lifelong love of reading, are key objectives of the program.

We seek to provide students with a variety of skills and opportunities for self-expression that will allow for their fullest possible participation in the learning process and in the school and broader communities. In the language arts program, students are supported in expressing their ideas, feelings, and observations openly, effectively, and appropriately in both written and oral forms. Again, expectations rise steadily throughout the program, with high standards in the development and organization of ideas, the use of strong word choice and clear sentence structure, and the application of proper grammar and mechanics. Encouraging students to feel confident in expressing themselves and in presenting their work is also of great importance.

Our lower school students engage in the expressive skills of writing and speaking and the receptive skills of listening and reading on a daily basis through an integrated approach.

We acquire core materials that support the philosophy and objectives of our program, and that are aligned with Common Core State Standards and The Science of Reading research. As an innovative school, our curriculum and classroom tools are not limited to published materials. We value teacher-created materials aligned with best-practice in language-arts research and instruction. In language arts, our materials include but are not limited to: Wilson Language Program, Renaissance products, Megawords, Wordly Wise Vocabulary Program, and Words Their Way.

For assessments, we use a variety of formal and informal assessments to guide curriculum and instruction. Those include but are not limited to Renaissance products, Amplify, ERB, and unit assessments that accompany our language arts programs.

MATHEMATICS: OVERVIEW

In kindergarten, we use the Developing Roots curriculum which is aligned with the Common Core standards and incorporates guiding principles from NCTM. Lessons begin with an initial task (anchor task) which is designed to be open-ended to allow for multiple solutions and entry points for student exploration before formal discussion. Concept practice occurs through games, physical materials and prepared work. Students also have a reflection journal to record their thinking.

In grades 1-5, we use a “Singapore Math” based curriculum,

think!Mathematics, which was designed using various educational learning theories and with content aligned to the Common Core Standards. The “Singapore Math” approach is grounded in problem solving and emphasizes the development of strong number sense, excellent mental math skills, and a deep understanding of place value. Conceptual understanding is heavily emphasized in all topics presented. When approaching fluency instruction (basic fact fluency, broader computational fluency, or procedural fluency), we work with students to be efficient, flexible and accurate in their approach.

additional opportunities for students to apply math in realworld situations. Teachers in these disciplines work with homebase teachers to use common language and approaches.

SCIENCE: OVERVIEW

The “Singapore Math” approach is grounded in problem solving and progresses from the concrete to the abstract, ensuring that students have deep understanding of concepts and excellent mental math skills.

think!Mathematics lessons at all grade levels begin with an anchor task to introduce a given concept, a low-floor, high ceiling problem/task designed to provide opportunities for a range of student abilities. These anchor tasks provide access to a student beginning to understand a concept while simultaneously providing more advanced students an opportunity to explore more challenging solutions or approaches to the same problem. Students are allowed ample time to explore solutions to an anchor task informally and are encouraged to consider multiple solutions before formalized discussion begins.

In addition to anchor tasks, some other key instructional strategies include:

• Using the Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract or C-P-A approach to introduce concepts with concrete manipulatives, pictorial representations and lastly an abstract algorithm or representation. This progression gives students a solid understanding of basic mathematical concepts and relationships before they start working at an abstract level.

• Using visualization constructs such as ten-frames, number bonds and bar-modeling, a visual approach to solving word problems that emphasizes making representative drawings of a word problem before solving it. This helps students organize information and solve problems in a step-by-step manner.

• Providing opportunities for students to monitor their own thinking to encourage metacognition and develop attitudes of perseverance and confidence. You will often hear teachers asking students, “Are you sure; how do you know?” Whether an answer is correct or incorrect, students are encouraged to demonstrate and articulate their thinking verbally and through writing.

For assessments, we use a variety of formal and informal assessments to guide curriculum and instruction. Those include but are not limited to Renaissance products, ERB, and unit assessments that accompany our math programs.

Math is also experienced and applied beyond “math class,” often in computer science and in science activities which create

Lower School Science is an inquiry-based program that fosters all aspects of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and 21st century learning using the Next Generation Science Standards as a guide to student learning. Our program focuses on the three dimensions of science education: scientific and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. Through hands-on, collaborative learning, all students engage in the science and engineering design processes. The science process utilizes children’s natural curiosity. They are encouraged to ask questions, explore, and investigate to find the answers to their questions. Each year, students are exposed to a variety of topics across all science disciplines including life, earth, and physical sciences. The engineering design process focuses on the application of science concepts, critical thinking, and problem solving. Students look to identify a problem, ask questions, imagine, plan, and create solutions to the problem. Our science program uses a “spiral” approach in which concepts and skills are continually refined, strengthened, and expanded upon in successive grades.

These explorations benefit from facilities including a “traditional” science lab and the STEM Lab. The traditional science lab is equipped with materials, lab tables, and stools that provide students a more formal setting to study biology and chemistry topics. The STEM Lab provides students in Prekindergarten through 2nd grade with materials and space to explore physical science and engineering topics. For example, first grade students may use the loft in the STEM lab as a platform to drop parachutes they design and build. The more traditional science lab is utilized by 3rd and 4th grade students providing them with age appropriate space and materials. Both labs have SMART Boards, and the STEM Lab also has a SMART Table that allows students to interact and collaborate with each other.

Many science topics are part of cross-curricular units. In the past, some of these units have been “Beans” in pre-kindergarten, “Structures” in kindergarten, and “Monarch Butterflies” in first grade. These units were taught in collaboration with science, Spanish, art, and the homebase teacher.

SOCIAL STUDIES: OVERVIEW

In pre-kindergarten through fourth grade, the social studies curriculum is centered in the homebase classroom, coordinated with work in specials. Students study physical geography, culture, biographies, and history. The curriculum expands from the students’ own experiences (self, family) to larger communities of which they are members and in which they have responsibilities (school, city, state, country), with global connections throughout the progression. Skills in research and presentation are emphasized with increasing expectations at each level,

with both teacher-directed and student-selected topics. In fifth grade, social studies is taught by one of the fifth grade teachers to all students in the grade; it is a regular rotation along with science and reading. In all of our social studies units, we view social studies through the lens of diversity and allow the Quaker principles of stewardship, peace, integrity, community, equality and simplicity to provide a foundation for our learning.

SPANISH: OVERVIEW

The Spanish program is designed to introduce students to the Spanish language and to Hispanic cultures, both for their inherent value and to lay the foundation for future language learning and a lasting appreciation for diversity. Given demographic trends in our country, familiarity with this language and culture is especially valuable to students. The program revisits prior material to ensure that skills are reinforced annually, while new content is added to provide more variety and depth as students progress through the program. Students engage in activities that generate enthusiasm for the study of language and culture while learning basic communication skills in the target language. The program focuses on developing strong oral-aural skills while gradually introducing reading and writing in Spanish.

COMPUTER SCIENCE: OVERVIEW

(Please also see “Library Media Center/Information Literacy”)

The computer science curriculum is a critical thinking and problem-solving course designed to encourage active learning, creativity, and exploration. It is presented through the following five strands: computational thinking; collaboration; computing practice and programming; computers and communication devices; and community, global, and ethical impacts. Our curriculum is based on the National Standards set by the Computer Science Teachers Association. Beginning in fourth grade (and through 12th grade), students have school-issued laptops, as part of the “one-to-one” technology program at Friends.

Computational thinking is an approach to defining and then solving problems in ways that can be implemented with a computer. Our students experience collaboration most often in pair programming activities and in the collection and analysis of data. Computing practice and programming involve exploring the use of programming to solve problems. Topics under computers and communication devices include teaching about computing devices in everyday life and how to troubleshoot commonly encountered software and hardware issues. Whenever a new technology is introduced to students, we engage them in discussion around the impacts of that technology.

PERFORMING ARTS: OVERVIEW

Children’s play is the foundation of a performing arts education. Speech, song, movement, and dramatic play combine to actively engage learners with the elements of music, movement, and drama. As students create music by speaking, singing,

playing instruments and moving, they learn 21st century skills such as creative expression, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.

Through a sequential program encouraging active participation and self-expression, students develop musical understanding and appreciation. The music curriculum is coordinated with other classroom lessons--social science and geography studies, for example--so that students might learn music from cultural traditions they are studying, or so that composer biographies are timed to fit with other biographical studies. Skills in music are also related to other disciplines, such as the science of sound production and the math of musical notation.

Opportunities to participate in dramatic performance and dramatic play are woven throughout the curriculum, further developing creativity and selfexpression. Through lower school, students cultivate a sense of themselves as creative and expressive individuals with responsibilities to a larger community, grow increasingly comfortable with risk-taking, learn movement and drama skills, and develop critical and creative thinking skills.

Opportunities to participate in dramatic performance and dramatic play are woven throughout the curriculum, further developing creativity and self-expression.

All students perform in winter and spring concerts, and individual classes have the opportunity for smaller musical and dramatic group performances throughout the year. Every fifth grade student performs in a spring musical theater production. Students in fourth and fifth grade may choose to participate (no audition required) in band and/or choir.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION: OVERVIEW

The mission of the Physical Education Department at WFS is to promote lifelong learning through physical activity, exercise, and sport while supporting students in making health-conscious decisions, meeting challenges, and participating in mentally positive behaviors.

The lower school physical education curriculum offers children the opportunity to develop their physical and social emotional skills. The program is spiraling and sequential, offering ageappropriate games, activities, and fitness opportunities. Effort, empathy, cooperation, communication, and healthy risk-taking are emphasized and are considered essential components of a student’s growth as an athlete and community member.

VISUAL ARTS: OVERVIEW

All lower school students receive formal visual art instruction. Three art teachers lead the program at the lower school, teaching the core visual arts curriculum in an interdisciplinary

fashion. The visual arts program is designed to be a vehicle for creative and personal discovery, in which students learn about themselves, their environment, world cultures, and the history of the visual arts. The program provides an ongoing exploration of concepts, techniques, and materials designed to develop each student’s ability to create innovative visual solutions. Students are encouraged to express themselves with joy, imagination, clarity, responsibility, and skill, and at all grade levels are encouraged to explore personal solutions to assignments.

LIBRARY MEDIA CENTER/INFORMATION LITERACY: OVERVIEW

The Library Media Center (LMC) is an integral part of the lower school education program, fostering lifelong enthusiasm for the process of learning and for reading, developing an appreciation for different cultures through literature and non-fiction research, teaching specific learning skills, and developing students’ sense of responsibility in using a shared resource. We recognize that students retain skills best when our lessons are taught in the context of the classroom curriculum, so information-seeking strategies and other library-related skills are taught in various subject areas. Our program is based on the National Standards set by the American Association of School Librarians entitled Standards for the 21st Century Learner.

Web 2.0 tools like Voicethread, Glogster, and Google Docs. At age-appropriate levels, students are introduced to Internet safety and their role in becoming good digital citizens. We embrace opportunities to collaborate with other students as well as other communities and cultures with a firm belief that sharing increases opportunities for global learning.

Additionally, the Library hosts author/illustrator visits to further appreciation of literature. We have hosted Newbery authors Grace Lin and Rita Garcia-Williams, as well as Nick Bruel, Nancy Carol Willis, Kevin O’Malley, Peter Catalanotto, and Kate Klise; we have Skyped with other classrooms as well as with poet/author Debbie Levy. The library contracts for speakers from the Delaware Humanities Council to enhance the classroom curriculum. The Library also coordinates interactive webcasts to connect students with authors and other experts.

HUMAN DYNAMICS AND DEVELOPMENT

WFS offers a distinctive model in which information literacy is interwoven with technology so that students are practicing their skills in the most meaningful way possible.

Teaching units are planned closely with classroom teachers and lessons are integrated based on a unique combination of the Big Six Information Problem Solving Model as well as the I-Search model of inquiry. We have meshed the idea of the Big Six, which is a more linear approach to research, with I-Search to emphasize our interest in having students follow their interests. The Big Six addresses essential steps of research including task definition, locating and evaluating information, and presenting information. I-Search, originally developed by Macrorie for the collegiate level, has been successfully adapted to the elementary level and is an excellent construct for multi-disciplinary learning. I-Search is designed to recognize inquiry as a non-linear process. It spirals as learners adapt new perceptions and new queries. Students become immersed in the topic by constructing good questions. Students develop ownership of the topic because they choose it. They feel empowered and motivated to discover the answers. Journal writing is built into this model; students become more reflective and deepen their awareness of their topic and the process.

WFS offers a distinctive model in which information literacy is interwoven with technology so that students are practicing their skills in the most meaningful way possible. Students are introduced to many ways of organizing and presenting their ideas, from programs like Inspiration and Microsoft Office to

Human Dynamics and Development is a cross-divisional (lower, middle, and upper school) program at Wilmington Friends, encompassing social and emotional awareness, interpersonal relationships, and healthy living habits, including strategies and processes for making informed decisions. In lower school, the program has division objectives regarding the development of a child’s self-concept and relationships with others. Themes in lower school Human Dynamics and Development include treating others with respect, building community, peaceful resolution of conflict, appropriate expression of emotions, taking healthy risks, increasing independence and self-reliance, and making informed and healthy choices.

Preschool

Child-Centered Learning

Beyond its fidelity to best practices related to early childhood education, our preschool is guided by Quaker values and the understanding that young children can and should be at the forefront in decisions about what and how they learn. Our program emphasizes community and responsibility, with respect for each individual, through practices that encourage studentinitiated exploration. Recent research in neuroscience and longterm outcomes of early childhood programs has reinforced the value of this approach as a foundation for future learning and the development of 21st century skills. The programs that are most effective focus on developing young children’s capacity to construct knowledge, rather than on dispensing information with rigid instructions.

In our program, students’ interests and questions help determine the course of the learning process, with the teacher as a partner. Opportunities for self-expression are frequent and varied, and student work is documented regularly. Our program encourages students to reflect on and to inquire more deeply into what they are thinking and doing. An emphasis on play is

at the heart of our early learning program.

As is true of other learning spaces at lower school, the preschool classroom is designed to encourage creative thinking and collaboration, and there is significant focus on building a learning community with a sense of mutual respect and responsibility.

Language Arts

Preschool children are rapidly acquiring language, experimenting with verbal sounds and beginning to use language to solve problems and to learn concepts. The program seeks to make the most of the opportunity presented by this developmental stage. A key focus in the classroom is daily exposure to children’s literature, reciting poems and rhymes, singing songs, and “fingerplays.” Objectives for receptive language development include the skills to follow one-step directions and to engage in auditory and visual discrimination when recalling stories and songs. Children work with various manipulatives to develop fine motor skills; they utilize drawing and writing materials, and learn to cut with scissors. Children are encouraged and actively supported in the use of language skills to articulate their wants, needs, and thoughts throughout the day, in their communications with teachers and classmates.

Mathematics

Preschool students explore mathematical concepts each day. They are exposed to numbers, counting, shapes, and colors through hands-on activities, everyday routines, and interactions with their outdoor environment. Counting, sorting, and patterning are incorporated into daily transitions, small group activities, and gross motor activities. Additional mathematical activities include comparing objects by size, shape, and color. Math through literature is also a key element in exposing children to new concepts and language to help to support mathematical understanding.

Science

Preschool students are engaged in multi-sensory science experiences throughout the year. These activities encourage children to observe, predict, estimate, count, measure, record, discuss, and develop an appreciation for living things.

Social Studies

Appropriate to the age of our preschool students, social studies topics are examined through the children’s personal experience and the experiences of people around them. Students are encouraged to share their family traditions and celebrations with classmates, and teachers seek to provide additional resources, from within and outside of school, to help students to develop an appreciation of different cultures. Students are active members of their ELC community, taking on “jobs” that demonstrate a shared responsibility for classroom management, and they engage in service learning that contributes to the broader community as well.

Visual Arts

The preschool visual arts program respects the ability of each child and honors the belief that young children can construct meaningful knowledge and understanding. The goal of the visual arts program in these early years is to promote individual imagination and creativity, communication with others, and the joy of creating group projects together.

Performing Arts

Preschool students have many opportunities to sing, move, and listen to music. They participate in regular movement and music classes in support of daily exposure to music in the classroom. Students explore tone and rhythm, and elements of sound, silence, space, and time in children’s songs, traditional folk songs, seasonal music and with instruments.

Pre-Kindergarten Child-Centered Learning

As with our preschool program, the pre-k program is guided by Quaker values and draws best practices in early childhood education. Our program emphasizes community and responsibility, with respect for each individual, through practices that encourage student-initiated exploration.

Language Arts

Through immersion in a literature- and language-rich environment, pre-kindergarten students begin their journey to literacy. Our focus is on developing reading and writing readiness through multi-sensory experiences and direct and explicit phonemic awareness and phonics instruction, with an emphasis on auditory and visual discrimination, listening skills, and spoken language development. Sample objectives for pre-kindergarten students in receptive language include learning to recognize rhyming patterns, following multi-step directions, and engaging in auditory discrimination with phoneme units. In expressive language, objectives include students expressing feelings in an appropriate manner, and recalling and restating facts and sequence from stories read aloud. Students also begin to create and share their own stories through storytelling and illustration. Toward goals specific to reading readiness, students learn to identify letter sounds and to discriminate letters and words; they are introduced to beginning consonant sounds, and learn to recognize upper and lower case letters. They experience the functionality of written words in a variety of contexts, and are asked to demonstrate left to right directionality. Fine motor activities are also emphasized as children learn to write their upper case letters, refine their pencil grip, and explore small manipulatives.

Mathematics

Students in pre-kindergarten experience math through a variety of hands-on, everyday activities like taking attendance and learning to interpret the class calendar. They are exposed to math terminology and incorporate it into their own vocabulary. Students gain a foundation for number sense and mathematical operations by learning to count with one-to-one correspon-

dence, reading numerals, and developing an understanding of the value of numbers (e.g. by matching a number to a set). Prekindergarten students work extensively with patterns, space, shape, and measurement as foundations of algebra and geometry. Our pre-kindergarten mathematicians also learn to classify objects, to recognize patterns in data, to make graphs, and to estimate and hypothesize.

Science

Pre-kindergarten science focuses on hands-on, discoverybased experiences related to classroom themes and children’s interests. These activities, as well as field trips that support the lessons, provide students with the opportunity to develop an appreciation for the life cycles of living things and to discuss their observations about the world in which they live. Students learn to recognize similarities and differences, often recording characteristics like size, color, shape, and weight. Through guided instruction, pre-kindergarten students make observations using the five senses. Using appropriate tools, students are encouraged to communicate, classify, predict, and infer about the world around them.

Social Studies

Pre-kindergarten students first approach social studies by building self-awareness. They learn and communicate about themselves, their feelings and ideas, their responsibility for their actions independently and interactively (e.g. sharing), their capacity for self-reliance, and their uniqueness in identity and in what they can contribute. Students broaden their study to family, including a sharing of traditions and celebrations, and then to a more global view through an introduction to celebrations from around the world, fostering an early appreciation for a variety of cultures.

Spanish

In pre-kindergarten, students explore Spanish through songs, stories, and movement, and also by using the language in meaningful and familiar contexts. The Spanish teacher and homebase teachers work together to develop cross-curricular themes in which students’ learning in the homebase classroom is reinforced in the Spanish classroom and vice versa.

Performing Arts

The pre-kindergarten program offers a variety of experiences in singing, moving, listening, and playing, with activities that encourage both group cooperation and the expression of individuality and independence. Students explore the elements of sound, silence, space, and time. They echo tonal and rhythmic patterns, master the concept and production of a steady beat, and distinguish between sounds produced in different ways and by different sources. Dance activities emphasize following a rhythm, and interpreting tempo and dynamics through movement. Those and other activities help lay the foundation for more formal study of rhythm, melody, and musical notation and dynamics.

Physical Education

Using a variety of materials and activities, pre-kindergarten students are engaged in movement activities that develop foundation skills. Understanding and negotiating the physical environment and integrating locomotion with levels and pathways are fundamental principles during the pre-kindergarten year. Students also learn how to handle equipment safely and properly.

Visual Arts

The pre-kindergarten visual arts program respects the ability of each child and honors the belief that young children can construct meaningful knowledge and understanding. The goal of the visual arts program in these early years is to promote individual imagination and creativity, communication with others, and the joy of creating group projects together.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

Students are introduced to the idea that the materials in the LMC have a specific order. Children begin to use the borrowing and returning procedures of the LMC. They are also taught responsible library behavior, including care of, and responsibility for, shared resources. They learn the roles of author and illustrator; and when listening to literature, they are asked to predict outcomes and to relate stories to personal experiences. Respectful listening skills are emphasized, including focus on the person reading or telling the story. Pre-kindergarten students are also introduced to book selection, as they identify areas of interest and favorite authors. Recognizing that children of this age learn in kinesthetic ways, they engage in a variety of hands-on activities to engage this learning style. They participate in acting out stories, engaging in authentic experiences, and visiting/working in role-playing environments.

Kindergarten

Language Arts

In Kindergarten, students work on the specific reading and writing skills they need to become literate learners. Through a variety of approaches, students further develop their phonological awareness, learn the sound-symbol relationship, and increase their inventory of sight words. In reading readiness, skills include blending syllables and sounds orally into words. Students identify and separate words into beginning, medial, and ending sounds. Read-alouds from a broad selection of genres and authors heighten students’ pleasure in books and provide enhanced vocabulary as well as exposure to literature and information. Kindergarten students develop their ability to listen for content and to predict possible story outcomes. Students become more involved in the process of writing and develop a conceptual understanding of print as “talk written down.” Expressive language is emphasized, as students convey feelings, ideas, fantasies, and observations verbally and in drawing and writing. There is an increasing emphasis throughout the year on expressing ideas with text, which includes phonetic spellings and learned words. Handwriting strokes and writing conventions are taught concurrently throughout the year.

Mathematics

Kindergarten students explore four main topics: Number, Measurement, Geometry and Operations. Throughout the year they work on visualizing numbers as sets through a process called subitizing. In their number unit, they work on verbal counting, sorting and cardinal numbers. In measurement they focus on length and weight using non-standard measurement. Geometry focuses on spatial relationships, and shape and geometric attributes. Lastly, in operations they work on more number visualization, addition and subtraction stories, and developing fluency with addition and subtraction to 10.

Science

Kindergarten science focuses on students using their senses to make observations about the world around them. Practicing the skills that scientists use to construct meaning, students engage in a variety of hands-on activities. For example, as part of a structures unit, students learn to observe, describe, compare, and change different wood samples. Students continue to use these skills throughout the year, with topics including tree studies, magnet studies, and water studies.

Social Studies

clude learning to count from 1 to 20, and learning the names of colors, days of the week, body parts, and animals. Students also learn songs (for both language and culture learning), games, Spanish stories and tales, and develop a beginning appreciation for different Hispanic foods, celebrations, and holidays.

Computer Science

Students at this level are introduced to basic computer hardware and software terminology that is relevant to their work. Kindergarten students are introduced to programming using physical robots (Beebots and Roamer) and transition their programming skills using a graphical Logo programming environment. We emphasize at this early age the importance of planning and thinking about a program before attempting to execute it. Class discussions involve robots, how they are different from humans, and how they can be helpful to society. Math applications are also used, reinforcing concepts taught in the homebase classroom.

Performing Arts

As in pre-kindergarten, students in kindergarten continue to focus on their sense of identity as it relates to their family and their classroom, expanding to the school community and the idea of community responsibility more generally, with global parallels explored along the way. Through active participation, students are encouraged to develop responsibility and to make independent decisions while gaining an appreciation for the ways in which others contribute to classroom and school life. Conflict resolution skills are modeled, and students begin to assume independent responsibility for them. Students strengthen collaborative skills through work and play as partners, in small groups, and with their entire class. Stewardship and service learning play a formative role in this process. Students also continue to develop an appreciation for diversity among individuals and cultures. By engaging in the study of assigned topics, students develop observational skills and broaden their view of the world around them. The introduction of research skills enables students to develop an awareness of the range of available resources to find answers to their questions.

Spanish

As in pre-k, students in kindergarten continue to focus on their sense of identity as it relates to their family and their classroom, expanding to the school community and the idea of community responsibility more generally, with global parallels explored along the way.

Kindergarten students participate in activities with increasing attention to accuracy; where any thoughtful response might have been encouraged in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten students are guided toward an accurate musical response to help them develop a vocabulary of musical sounds and movements. Throughout the year students focus on patterns, rhymes, tempo and dynamics. Students continue to work with percussion instruments (pitched and unpitched), and begin to distinguish characteristics (e.g. ascending vs. descending) of melodic phrases.

Physical Education

Kindergarten students develop an understanding of the physical environment in which they move. Locomotion and nonlocomotor movements, in self-space and general space, allow children an opportunity to develop and explore their individual skills in a safe physical environment.

Visual Arts

Students in kindergarten develop basic skills of drawing, cutting, and use of attachment methods, while still focusing on self-expression and personal exploration in a process-centered environment. As concepts and new materials are introduced— including the elements of design, line, shape, color, texture, and pattern, which are revisited throughout the year—projects continue to be open-ended and process- rather than productdriven. Students explore both two- and three-dimensional materials. Units are coordinated with, and integrated into, the homebase classroom curriculum.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

Kindergarten students learn to follow oral directions in Spanish and to ask and answer simple questions. They interact with their teacher and peers using basic greetings, farewells, and expressions of courtesy. Other specific language objectives in-

Kindergarten students continue to use the borrowing and return procedures of the LMC. They also learn to name two possible sources of information to answer a question and begin to work more formally in groups to pursue and generate information. As part of the coordination of LMC teaching with classroom curricular goals, the students experience “authentic

learning” activities, such as acting out nursery rhymes. They continue to participate in both listening and interactive story times, drama groups, and individual consultations for book selection.

Kindergarten students learn basic terms and functions of the computer, and acquire foundation skills such as how to use the mouse, log on and off a network, open and close folders, and start and quit programs. They learn the basics of keyboarding (left hand versus right hand keys, space bar, delete key, and shift key). They also create artwork in graphics programs, and begin to transfer skills between programs. With careful teacher guidance, students begin to explore the Internet as a source of information and means of communication, viewing selected web pages. The i-SAFE curriculum is used to teach Internet safety topics.

First Grade

Language Arts

and the homebase classroom. In science, students observe the life cycle of a monarch, from egg to butterfly, wing coloring, and migration. The unit ends with students modeling monarchs as they travel the school “migrating” to Mexico as part of Day of the Dead celebration in Spanish class. Throughout the year, students continue to observe, explore, ask questions, and investigate other science topics. Past topics in first grade have included solids and liquids, plants, air, and parachute design.

Social Studies

First grade students continue to develop their decoding ability, reading fluency, and sight word recognition. Comprehension of written text develops through setting a purpose for reading, implementation of reading strategies, and discussion of story elements.

First grade students continue to develop their decoding ability, reading fluency, and sight word recognition. Comprehension of written text develops through setting a purpose for reading, implementation of reading strategies, and discussion of story elements. In addition, students’ understanding of new vocabulary words helps to strengthen their comprehension. Students are exposed to various genres, both through reading and in directed writing assignments. They also undertake their first research study, using library resources and preparing a final project. First grade is a year of tremendous progress in writing. First graders work on punctuation, grammar, and editing skills, as well as phonetic spelling and handwriting. Specific decoding objectives include using sound-syllable relationships, understanding word patterns and families, and a beginning structural analysis of words.

Mathematics

First graders focus on four critical areas: adding and subtracting numbers to 20; building understanding of the relationships between whole numbers and place value, with practice grouping into tens and ones; developing an understanding of linear measurement using non-traditional units; and exploring geometric shapes and their attributes. The use of ten frames, number bonds, and other pictorial tools is highlighted as a way to strengthen mental math skills.

Science

First graders continue to build on the science skills learned in kindergarten. Students start the year studying monarch butterflies as part of a cross-curricular unit with Spanish, art,

Students in first grade use the theme of “Wants vs. Needs” as the focus for social studies. The year begins with a unit on the wants and needs of the class, the individuals in the class, and the school community. Students also begin to learn about the services that enable neighborhoods and cities to function. Through the study of cities in the United States, including Wilmington, and in Spanish-speaking countries, the students are able to recognize how cities are organized to meet the wants and needs of their citizens. First graders also take a close look at more rural and suburban areas in the U.S. and abroad to understand some differences between urban, suburban, and rural settings, as well as the different ways in which wants and needs are met. Throughout this work, students develop map and citizenship skills and an awareness of similarities and differences among individuals and communities.

Spanish

In first grade, students build their Spanish language skills by practicing familiar vocabulary through games involving increased recognition and recall as well as activities that incorporate beginning reading in Spanish. They also learn specific content vocabulary such as shapes and features of the weather. They develop their skills in following oral directions and communicating in basic phrases with their teacher and peers. Using the first grade cultural focus on Mexico, students make comparisons and connections among various Hispanic cultures.

Computer Science

First grade students continue to build and transfer their programming knowledge using both physical and graphical programming environments. Math applications are also used to reinforce concepts taught in the homebase classroom.

Performing Arts

In first grade, students begin to understand the conceptual foundations of music, and they learn to identify symbols and terminology such as repeat sign, dynamics, forte, piano, tempo, meter, accent, bar line, time signature, and introduction. Through a variety of activities, students begin a more formal sequential study of rhythm and melody. For example, first graders listen to recorded music focusing on particular elements, such as distinguishing between duple (simple) and triple (compound) rhythms, and they perform more complex rhythmic and melodic exercises, like singing and playing rounds. First graders also continue to develop their ability for aural recognition of instruments (like violin and trumpet), and learn to identify the basic orchestral instruments and their families.

Physical Education

First graders engage in fitness activities while continuing to develop their foundation skills. Children are introduced to multi-step directions, while becoming more sophisticated in their knowledge and use of shuttle, relay, and line formations. Lead-up and tag games, utilizing concepts and skills that underlie team sports, are also introduced. First graders develop an understanding of fair play, safety, and cooperation through group play.

Visual Arts

The first grade visual arts experiences are connected to student interests, their environment, and other disciplines. Students explore concepts and topics that include the elements of design, and ways that artists use and organize them. They engage collaboratively to generate ideas and discover ways of using various tools and techniques. Some of the projects at this level may involve multiple sessions. Each project is designed to accommodate students at their own level of development. Open studio sessions have been interspersed between assignments to allow students investigative choices. They paint, print, draw, collage, weave, and sculpt. First graders also design portfolios that are kept in the studio as a way of organizing and storing their works in progress. They produce visual art journals that will be revisited periodically throughout their lower school experience. It is in these journals that students will document their learning using vocabulary that describes the concepts and their personal solutions to assignments. Students will contribute their own work to ongoing group displays.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

First graders become increasingly sophisticated in their approach to information sources, acquiring a conceptual understanding of citing sources and developing their ability to read for information and to take notes with adult assistance. In two different units, they work together to identify and categorize facts. They learn to approach a research topic by examining many different library books in a “book tasting.” First graders continue to participate in drama groups and increase their book selection skills through individual consultation with the library staff.

First grade students expand their understanding of computer terminology and function. They add skills in keyboarding and word processing and learn to highlight, edit, and proofread text. Since they begin to do more story writing in first grade, students use tools to assist them in planning and brainstorming. They also begin to use a greater variety of tools for creating and manipulating graphics, and increase their understanding of the Internet, and begin to define its place in information-seeking and problem-solving strategies they learn in the integrated curricula of the homebase classroom and the Library Media Center. Internet safety is woven into every topic that is taught.

Second Grade Language Arts

Second-grade students develop vocabulary, reading comprehension, and fluency through a variety of experiences, including reading independently, in pairs, and in small and large groups. They make more sophisticated inferences and predictions, draw conclusions, and differentiate between fiction and non-fiction. Second graders deepen their understanding of spelling patterns, phonics, and word structures. In their writing, students learn to organize their thoughts, improve their handwriting, and use proper writing mechanics. The basics of process writing are developed further, including writing narratives, opinion pieces, and non-fiction research projects. A growing awareness of parts of speech is also developed. There is a greater emphasis beginning in second grade on following written (as well as oral) directions, and on moving beyond phonetic spelling, as students proofread their work using tools such as a word wall, personal writing dictionary, and an editing checklist.

Mathematics

Second graders continue to develop their understanding of place value and number patterning, and to work on strengthening their mastery of addition and subtraction facts. Using a variety of strategies, including algorithms, students work with adding and subtracting three-digit numbers. Second graders apply addition and subtraction skills to real-world problem solving, and begin to use bar modeling to visualize word problems. Second graders are introduced to basic geometry concepts, and measurement. Students also begin working with basic multiplication facts and fractions.

Science

Second grade students continue to refine their skills of observation, exploration, questioning, and investigation. Students utilize these skills in the unit “Balance and Motion,” observing and exploring those concepts using various objects. These explorations lead to student questions that are then investigated as a class. Other second grade science topics have included a soil study, water cycle study, changes in matter, and various animal studies.

Social Studies

Highlights of the second-grade social studies curriculum include a study of how ideas, innovations and human choice impact communities. A hallmark of the year is the Second Grade Wax museum, where each student embodies a person who has made a positive impact on the world. Like other units, this study incorporates research, including the organization and synthesis of ideas. Second-graders also study the state of Delaware, as well as a study of inventors (problem-solvers) which leads to the research and development of their own invention.

Spanish

Second graders continue to develop their Spanish by learning and using more extensive vocabulary. As their vocabulary

increases, they engage in conversation to express and exchange feelings and personal information with their teacher and peers. They practice using familiar phrases through repeated class activities, such as short dialogs, songs, and cooperative group games. Students learn about Hispanic holidays and celebrations, with a focus on Puerto Rico.

Computer Science

In the second grade curriculum, students begin working through challenges using Logo programming. These challenges require students to look for repeating units within structures and decide how to program them most efficiently. Other programming challenges apply math concepts. Students also are introduced to a graphical programming environment called Blockly that they use to program a suite of Wonder Robots.

Performing Arts

Continuing the sequential study of the fundamentals of music, the rhythmic and melodic material gradually increases in complexity. Second graders are introduced to more involved exercises, and are required to master more challenging listening, instrument-playing, reading, and writing skills. Students learn both aural and visual recognition of repeated, similar, and different phrases in music, and begin to label them as A, B, and C to derive form. They practice recognition of material from notation (without hearing it), and compose and write notation for short songs and rhymes. Second graders continue to expand their musical vocabulary to include terms such as timbre, crescendo, and decrescendo.

Physical Education

Second graders participate in games with three or more rules, with a continued emphasis on fair play and safety issues related to movement. They integrate foundation skills with basic sport skills in simple lead-up games and cooperative activities.

Visual Arts

The second grade curriculum continues with concept-oriented projects which last for consecutive classes. The topics and themes continue to connect visual arts with student interests, their environment, and other disciplines. Works are created using a variety of visual arts concepts, tools, and techniques including drawing, painting, rubbing, printing, and sculpting. These students explore various elements of design in more depth introduced the previous year. Color, texture, shape and form are revisited in each assignment. During open studio sessions, students collaborate, work independently, generate and investigate personal ideas, and turn ideas into works of art. Using tools appropriately and with care, repurposing and fabricating forms needed for creations are also recurring themes. Students are encouraged to talk about their work, respond to the works of others and document each project in their ongoing journals. Throughout the year they will produce works for and curate several group displays.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

With assistance but evolving independence, second grade stu-

The second grade curriculum continues with concept-oriented projects which last for consecutive classes. The topics and themes continue to connect visual arts with student interests, their environment, and other disciplines.

dents continue to locate their own books on the library shelves. Gradually, they learn to pick a book that not only interests them but also is appropriate in reading level and size, no longer feeling that just carrying around a really big book means that you’re a good reader. They develop their research skills by practicing “skimming and scanning” to locate information and by extracting information from a variety of sources with assistance. Second graders learn to plan individual and group projects, and present more formal written and oral reports. Non-fiction is a focus; one in-depth unit highlights biography and how people change the world. The study culminates in an annual event at which students present biographical speeches to visitors, and in a web-based poster that includes their research and a video. Book tastings, book talks, and drama groups continue. Art, science, and literature are interwoven in a rich unit that includes outdoor observation and identification of birds in their natural habitat. Children then return to the Art Studio to create drawings of birds they have seen.

In addition to expanding their application of general computer skills, second grade students learn more about the role of servers and networks, and about saving, retrieving, and printing documents. They continue to use planning tools for writing and organizing information.

In keyboarding, second graders begin two-handed typing. They continue more advanced work in graphics and multimedia, and undertake longer-term projects. Students are also introduced to Web 2.0 technologies. Second graders become more sophisticated in their approach to the Internet, as they develop skills to navigate selected web pages. Internet safety is woven into all of our projects.

Third Grade

Language Arts

Third grade is the year when children transition from learning to read to reading to learn. They become readers with a purpose. Working with realistic fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and legends, students learn to use observations to make inferences and dig for deeper meaning in the text. They sharpen their decoding skills through word study and the use of context clues. Students learn techniques for finding, processing, and understanding information, and for explaining the information in their own words. In third grade, students immerse themselves in a writer’s workshop. They keep journals, create their own books during “free write,” and practice writing for different purposes and audiences. They learn to inform, persuade, entertain, and reflect. They become more adept at expressing and organizing their ideas clearly and sequentially in paragraphs. Revising and

editing skills enhance their final pieces. They participate in a hands-on grammar program and learn how to write in cursive.

Mathematics

Third graders continue to develop their mental math skills by deconstructing numbers with a focus on multiplication and division facts. They use these skills to add and subtract three-digit numbers with regrouping, and multiply and divide multiple-digit numbers. Students develop their ability to solve two-step word problems through the use of bar models. They work more extensively with fractions, learning to simplify, compare, and find equivalent fractions. Geometry becomes more sophisticated as vocabulary broadens to include types and properties of lines, angles, and polygons. Third graders are also introduced to parallel and perpendicular lines, and congruent and symmetric figures.

Science

Third graders start the year exploring earth materials. Using rocks and minerals, students continue to hone their skills. Students observe, perform various tests, and use keys to identify the rock or mineral. Building on the foundation of the younger grades, third graders are provided with scaffolding as they begin to identify testable questions and create their own investigations to find answers. In past years, third grade students have created investigations as they have learned about the behaviors and adaptations of worms, crayfish, plants, and humans.

Social Studies

Third graders explore North America, with a focus on the regions of the United States. Using the concept of “Stewardship” as the central theme for their studies, students learn the definition of stewardship and sustainability. They learn how to become stewards of each other, their communities, and the world, and the relationship between stewardship and Quakerism. Students develop their research skills as they learn about states, national parks, and the Native American cultures that have been present there. Using the same skills and concepts, students also explore important landmarks from around the world. The third grade physical geography studies include skills such as identifying various land formations and using different types of maps, depending on the information needed.

Spanish

Third grade Spanish conversational skills focus on interaction using vocabulary and memorized phrases to answer simple questions with complete sentences. Students learn adjectives, the concept of nouns having singular, plural, masculine, and feminine forms, and the concept of a verb infinitive and first person singular conjugation. They practice writing using content vocabulary and familiar phrases. Expanding their cultural knowledge, third graders focus on Guatemala.

Computer Science

Basic programming skills develop, as students are introduced to the Scratch graphical programming language and programming concepts such as sequencing, iteration, conditional statements,

event handling, variables, and synchronization. Third graders begin to program with LEGO WeDos using Scratch, which allows them to begin to build and experiment with Scratch, to turn on motors, and to manipulate gears and pulleys in their LEGO creations.

Performing Arts

By the end of third grade, students acquire a sound understanding of the musical notation system. The curriculum in music continues to be coordinated with classroom study, and math skills are reinforced as students learn note values and time signatures. Third graders begin instruction on the soprano recorder. They also continue to expand their musical knowledge and vocabulary-learning, for example, to distinguish between major and minor tonalities and to understand terms and concepts such as staccato, legato, and syncopation.

Physical Education

Third graders participate in a variety of team sports. Through team play and experience following the specific rules for each activity, students learn about positive social interaction, selfcontrol, self-discipline, and sportsmanship. Third graders use their conflict resolution skills in more competitive settings, and learn to understand increasingly complex class and game rules. Third graders engage in activities that combine locomotion, force, and time with manipulation skills.

Visual Arts

In third grade, assignments increase in depth and complexity. An overriding theme is realistic imagery, which involves observing the world around us with attention. Manipulative skills - such as drawing and painting, modeling, and three-dimensional construction - continue to develop. Design elements, principles, and multi-disciplinary themes are combined with visual arts concepts. At this level, craftsmanship and organizational skills become more important in the studio process. Students explore a variety of techniques, and displays are produced to present the learning outcomes. Students are given opportunities to respond to each other’s works, and to reflect on their own works in their ongoing art journals.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

In third grade, students learn to be more independent in many of the steps of the I-Search model. They work on evaluating their information needs, locating books by call number using the online catalog, taking notes from and citing a variety of sources, and using general reference materials such as online and print encyclopedias as well as databases and e-books. Work in the LMC is closely coordinated with third grade curricular themes that emphasize reading for information. In addition, as students become more advanced in using the computer as a tool, they also learn to recognize out-of-school information sources, such as the public library, museums, and human sources such as speeches and interviews. Book tastings continue to introduce them to the wealth of printed resources in the LMC. Book talks that focus on various genres--such as historical fiction, travel and history, mystery, and poetry--expand their interest in reading.

Third grade students have formal lessons in research and technology skills, including mind mapping, creating an outline, and using Web 2.0 tools to present their findings. Students at this age blog about books to share their enthusiasm and to learn from their peers about new books. At the third grade level, there is a significant change in applications, and students are guided to transfer prior knowledge and skills as they undertake new challenges with a great variety and sophistication of tools. Third graders begin to maneuver among open documents and learn to work between multiple applications simultaneously. Keyboarding continues as students are expected to use the “home row” routinely. In multimedia, they plan and design presentations using three or more slides, importing graphics, sounds, and text, and adding transitions between slides; they also evaluate the effectiveness of different presentations. Working on the Internet, students begin to understand keywords in using search engines effectively, and to compare the usefulness of different search strategies. They also begin to use online electronic databases. The “Big 6” information skills are introduced, and students are expected to use those skills when accessing electronic resources. Internet safety is woven into all of our projects. Students work with Web 2.0 technologies such as Google Docs and Glogster.

Fourth Grade Language Arts

Fourth grade students read from a number of genres, including a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts. They read both assigned materials and books that they choose, and are expected to report on their reading, both in writing and orally. Fourth graders use context clues more in their reading, with greater attention to cause and effect in a story. Within the variety of material, inferential comprehension becomes increasingly important. The development of a student’s vocabulary to increase understanding of text is also an important aspect of our program. Learning to analyze word patterns and structures adds to the students’ understanding of the English language. In developing their writing skills, students are expected, as they progress through fourth grade, to use correct punctuation and sentence structure, to demonstrate an increasing understanding of formal grammar as it applies to effective writing skills, and to develop ideas effectively into paragraphs. Fourth graders also grow more independent in the process of editing and revising.

Mathematics

The fourth grade math program focuses on number operations using multi-digit numbers, algebraic patterns, fractions, measurement and data, and geometry. Students learn how to recognize and extend algebraic patterns, find factors and multiples, and solve word problems involving the four basic operations, including multi-digit multiplication and long division. They also learn how to compare and order fractions, find equivalent fractions, and use decimal notation. Other key topics include measuring with metric units, drawing and interpreting graphs, and several different geometry topics. These topics cover measuring angles using a protractor, understanding the properties

of squares and rectangles, and calculating perimeter and area. Students are also asked to work collaboratively on open-ended problems where more than one solution may exist.

The fourth grade math program focuses on number operations using multi-digit numbers, algebraic patterns, fractions, measurement and data, and geometry.

A key component of our program is the use of models that are taught from three perspectives: the concrete, the pictorial, and the abstract. As students work through each of these models, they become proficient at representing their knowledge in multiple ways. They use manipulatives, both concrete and virtual, to explore topics when they are first introduced. They are then able to explain, both verbally and through writing, their thinking about different types of problems. In addition, students are taught to use the bar modeling approach to problem solving, an approach that emphasizes making representative drawings of a word problem before solving it. Mental math strategies are reinforced and encouraged throughout the year.

Science

Fourth grade students continue to refine their skills to ask testable questions and create investigations, as they require less support. One topic students explore and investigate is electricity. Using materials such as wires, bulbs, batteries, and motors, students explore circuits, conductors/insulators, and switches. As part of a design project, students are challenged to create an electrical invention that lights up or moves. Other fourth grade science topics have included studies on landforms, simple machines, and food chemistry.

Social Studies

The theme of “How Communities and Societies Organize Themselves” is emphasized throughout the social studies units of fourth grade. Students learn about the different systems by which people organize communities and societies, and about the role and function of government. Past units have included the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Ancient Greece and Rome, and a student-created Mini-society. Students develop research and information literacy skills in conjunction with technology such as google docs, databases, and websites. Their research is based on finding, evaluating, and synthesizing information to explore and express new understandings.

Spanish

Continuing the focus on classroom and personal interactions, fourth grade students become more fluent in their comprehension and oral expression in Spanish. They begin to use adjectives and verbs in a more focused way in their conversation. Through extended activities to build an understanding of Spain—including an introduction to Spanish stories, art, history, and architecture—students learn about the influence of

Computer Science

Students continue to work in the Scratch graphical programming environment; and partner programming is also a significant experience in fourth grade. Students experience learningby-design projects that incorporate a constructivist approach, which allows students to program something meaningful to themselves and/or their peers. They also program games and use external technology to control them. Students work with spreadsheets for data collection and graph analysis and begin to understand the comparative utility of bar, line, and pie graphs.

Performing Arts

As students progress in developing their musical understanding and skills, there is growing emphasis on accuracy, facility, and clarity. In addition to refining their singing and instrumental techniques and undertaking more challenging pieces, fourth graders also learn to recognize a greater variety of instruments by name and family and a greater variety of musical styles (jazz, folk, classical, etc.) and forms such as fugue. They also develop their knowledge and use of musical notation and structure, working in a greater variety of meters, key signatures, forms, and harmonic combinations and changes. Their vocabularies continue to grow with symbols and terms like natural, Allegro, Andante, and fermata. Fourth graders have the option of participating in band and/or Choir.

Physical Education

Fourth graders continue to participate in team sports with an emphasis on physical and social skills. Age-appropriate progressions allow fourth graders to develop accuracy while throwing, striking, and kicking from static and dynamic positions. They become more efficient in carrying and manipulating objects during skill and drill work and in lead-up games.

Visual Arts

Students in fourth grade continue working with multi-disciplinary themes for many of the studio projects. Working with both two and three-dimensional materials, students use their knowledge of visual arts structures and functions to compose works and communicate ideas. Students manipulate the elements of design in sculpture and on a picture plane, and organize the elements with thought given to the principles of unity, balance, scale, contrast, and rhythm. In fourth grade, students are beginning to recognize perspective drawing. Visual images of masterworks from a variety of cultures and time periods are used on an ongoing basis to inspire greater appreciation for artistic movements and techniques. This group of students also explores cultural symbols and patterns. All assignments are recorded in their student art journals while using proper vocabulary and terminology.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

Fourth graders become independent in their ability to compare and contrast sources for relevance, consistency, and comprehensiveness; and they begin to look for and recognize inconsis-

tencies in information sources. They also become increasingly independent and successful in locating materials and using information. The skill of reading for information is strongly developed, with lessons that emphasize highlighting keywords, citing sources, and paraphrasing. Genre book talks, as well as those highlighting books new to the LMC, continue. The ISearch Model is deeply entrenched in a non-fiction unit, which allows students to explore their particular interests. All of their skills are reinforced, and the focus on translating notes into original work is emphasized. Students have the opportunity to practice diverse note-taking skills based on their learning styles.

Fourth grade students continue to develop their skills through assigned projects, experimentation with different software, and a balance of individual and group work. They undertake more challenging projects in multimedia presentations, Internet and online database research, spreadsheet and graph work, and word processing and graphics. Fourth graders also have regularly scheduled keyboarding practice, in addition to their computer periods. They also work more independently at this level. Students use a wider range of electronic databases and the Internet more routinely, and their research is guided by the I-Search information skills.

By this level of the program, students are also asked to become more sophisticated in their critical evaluation of different computer tools and resources. Internet safety is again introduced with all apps and with an introduction specific to social media and how to use it responsibly. Students work more extensively with Web 2.0 technologies.

Fifth Grade Language Arts

Fifth grade is a culminating step in the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. Students use active reading skills when engaged in fiction and non-fiction texts. These skills include: summarizing material, self-monitoring, inferential thinking, using specific details from the text to support responses, and identifying and discussing literary elements. Fifth graders read both assigned materials and books that they choose.

Students are expected to communicate clearly, in both written and oral form, and to demonstrate their ability to draw inferences from both concrete and abstract materials. Our program also focuses on the development of a student’s vocabulary and word-attack skills in order to decode and understand the meaning of new words.

Fifth graders develop their writing skills by adding depth and breadth to its substance while still applying correct sentence structure and demonstrating an increased understanding of formal grammar as it applies to effective writing. Students use their writing skills to inform, to persuade, to entertain, and to express personal ideas. There is a continuing emphasis on peer review and active participation in classroom discussions, and particular emphasis on using newly acquired vocabulary in a variety of contexts and across academic disciplines.

Mathematics

In fifth grade, students explore relationships between numbers, focusing on place value and our base-ten system. They continue to improve their fact fluency and their ability to multiply and divide large numbers. They also spend a significant amount of time working with both decimals and fractions. Through the use of different problem-solving strategies, including bar models, tables, and computational algorithms, they develop strategies to find solutions in all three categories, allowing them to move more freely from one form of notation to another, and to better select the method most relevant to a given situation.

Fifth graders develop a variety of computational and estimation strategies for multiplication and division, such as using reasoning based on multiples, approximating and adjusting, or breaking large problems down into smaller, simpler ones. Estimation is reinforced as a way to check the validity of their answers.

Students also study topics in both geometry and statistics. Geometry topics include classifying two-dimensional shapes based on their properties and/or attributes. A knowledge of angle measure, parallel lines, lines of symmetry, and the relative length of sides of a polygon helps students categorize and recognize different types of triangles and quadrilaterals. Students learn the difference between perimeter and area, and how to calculate these values. They also practice different ways to represent and interpret statistical data, including making line plots and line graphs and using coordinate grids. Beginning topics in algebra are introduced, such as the difference between an expression and an equation, what a variable is, and how to solve simple equations for an unknown variable.

Throughout the year, students explore problems in-depth, devising their own strategies, using a variety of concrete materials, and often searching for multiple solutions. They work individually as well as in a variety of groupings as they express their thinking verbally, in writing, and through visual representation.

Science

Fifth-grade students utilize the claim/evidence/reasoning process to learn how to evaluate data and evidence in order to substantiate claims.. These skills support the development of conceptual understanding and foster the ability to use knowledge to make predictions and explain scientific phenomena. Students learn how to measure length, mass, volume, and capacity with the appropriate measurement tools. An understanding of the metric system and decimal notation is emphasized.

One unit of study focuses on the human brain. Topics include basic anatomy, neurons and their role in the learning process, and brain structures related to human emotions and sensory information. Students learn about the connection between executive functioning and the frontal lobe and executive functioning, as well as between short and long-term memory. Forms of neurodiversity, such as ADHD and autism, are discussed in terms of differences in brain pathways and/or chemistry. Stu-

dents construct a basic model of the human brain and pursue a variety of experiments and activities using the online resource Neuroscience for Kids.

A unit based on the structure of matter and its properties focuses on solids, liquids, and gases, and how they interact. Consideration of how matter can change from one form to another is also explored. The notion of the atom as the smallest unbreakable particle of unbreakable matter and the arrangement of elements in the periodic table of elements are discussed, together with the premise that all matter is composed of atoms and molecules.

This is followed by a unit on puberty and the female and male reproductive systems, using a nationally recognized curriculum designed for grades K - 12. Topics include changes during puberty, reproductive anatomy, stages of human reproduction, gender and sexual orientation, and safety from both abuse and disease.

A final unit relates to environmental science, as investigated through the lenses of preserving resources and wildlife ecology. Students explore the dangers of the accumulation of manmade materials like plastic, together with the need for biodiversity and the preservation of species. The tool found at iNaturalist. org allows students to see and record observations of both plant and animal life around the world. They are challenged to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of environmental problems, their causes, and potential solutions.

Social Studies

Fifth grade social studies is focused on particular aspects of United States history, with frequent comparative study of the history, culture, and geography of other countries around the world. Students examine how people have handled struggle and conflict, and how people stand up for what they believe and promote change in the face of injustice. Fifth graders study historical events and conflicts, making connections globally and to current events when relevant. Topics include branches of government, cultures of Western Africa, immigration, and the civil rights movement. The learning process emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, working efficiently and respectfully within a group, and informed decision making. There is an emphasis on skill development, including note taking, map skills, and research skills. Throughout the year, fifth graders produce research projects in a variety of styles, lengths, and manners of presentation.

Spanish

Students examine how people have handled struggle and conflict, and how people stand up for what they believe and promote change in the face of injustice.

By the end of fifth grade, students are increasingly proficient in their receptive and expressive language skills. They are able

to communicate feelings and personal information in complete sentences, and to describe objects and events using verbs, adjectives, and nouns. With their exposure to the sounds in the Spanish language, they are more comfortable writing familiar words and phrases as well as phonetically writing and spelling words. Students continue to expand their cultural understanding, with a focus on Cuban history, music, art, and literature.

Computer Science

Fifth grade computer science represents the culmination of a six-year, progressive course of study. In fifth grade, students transfer their programming skills from Scratch into a LEGO robotics environment. They build cars with touch sensors and light sensors and design programs that incorporate iteration/ looping and multitasking functionality. Scratch continues to be used to write programs to solve math problems. Students also begin to program Scratch in Spanish by converting the programming environment into Spanish. Students continue to explore the “why” behind technology. How are various data forms stored in binary? What is the derivation of the number 1024 in the computer world?

Performing Arts

There is special emphasis on the musical theatre, as fifth graders prepare for their own musical production in the spring. By the end of fifth grade, students are able to read, write, and perform melodies and accompaniments through singing and playing classroom instruments (including recorder). They are able to perform with independence and an understanding of a range of musical concepts, symbols, and terms. At this point in the program, many students have defined their own musical preferences, and take a more focused interest in musical expression and style. Fifth graders have the option of participating in band and/or Choir.

Physical Education

Fifth graders continue to participate in team sports, an approach that provides leadership opportunities and helps develop efficient locomotion skills. The mechanics of bouncing, dribbling, throwing, striking, and kicking are emphasized. Working with stationary and moving targets, students can improve visual tracking skills, while integrating balance, force, and time. Sportsmanship, cooperation, and responsibility are an integral part of the program. Fitness testing and participation in strength building and cardio-respiratory activities help students to develop the habits and mindset for a healthy lifestyle.

Visual Arts

The projects presented in fifth grade are planned in conjunction with cross-discipline areas of study. This program is designed to guide students to new visual expression territories that will facilitate their transition to middle school. Students are exposed to surveys of past and contemporary relevant interdisciplinary works and reflective writings. They learn to analyze their own work and the work of others, including learning how to meet targets. Students participate in discussions regarding the relationship between visual expression, creativity, and respon-

sibility, and are introduced to the potential of digital technology as an important tool of visual expression and inquiry. Technical objectives are achieved in the fields of drawing, two- and threedimensional design, painting, digital photography and photomontage. Key works investigate overarching interdisciplinary themes, and personal journals are used to record important ideas, reflections, and future goals in areas of interest.

Library Media Center/Information Literacy

Fifth graders continue to become more independent in their information-seeking skills, and in their understanding of the importance of following the I-Search model and making a plan when given a research assignment. By the end of fifth grade, students have had considerable practice formulating good research questions, locating and using information to solve problems independently, and organizing and presenting that information in an appropriate and interesting way. They are usually able to differentiate between fact and opinion in sources, to recognize inconsistencies in sources, and to evaluate the currency, authenticity, and objectivity of sources. All of these skills are integrated within each discipline through a variety of research projects. Fifth graders continue to explore different literary genres, and they write their own book reviews. Students create an e-portfolio which highlights their work. Based on their favorite picture books, fifth graders make selections to share with their buddies in the WFS early years program.

Fifth grade represents the culmination of a six-year, progressive course of study, supported by additional technology experiences in the homebase classroom and by participation in the one-to-one laptop program. During this year, students become prepared for the transition to middle school. Students refine their skills of critical evaluation of programs, presentations, and Internet resources. Their study goes beyond the acquisition of basic skills, to sophisticated application of technology for a purpose and higher-level thinking toward problem solving and creative expression. Students continue with regularly scheduled keyboarding practice. Their word processing documents are now multi-page products, created through a variety of tools and commands. Their graphics skills include applying a variety of tools to manipulate both original and inserted images. Using a variety of multimedia tools, they design multimedia presentations that include multiple slides, imported graphics, and sound. Their Internet skills include identifying different components in web sites, citing referenced websites, and identifying and modifying keywords to use search engines effectively (and an early understanding of how search engines work). Students use a variety of Web 2.0 tools. Additional online electronic databases are introduced, and I-Search information skills continue to play a significant role in research activities.