• Teaching genres determined by the Pennsylvania State Standards
• Your child will write:
  • Narratives
  • Reports on a state
  • Responses to literature
  • Procedural writings
  • Poetry
  • Prompt styles as needed for the PSSA testing
  • Persuasive attempts
• Explore opportunities to be published

Click on the link to view students reading respond to literature reports. 

SOCIAL STUDIES

• Social Studies Alive  published by TCI.
  • Reader friendly text with many hands-on activities.
  • Study of the regions of the United States
    • Map Skills
    • Social sciences
  • Culminating event of a USA Food Fair with recipes from each state.   

MATH

• Scott Foresman & Investigations
• Concepts taught include:
  • Place value
  • Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, & Division
  • Graphing
  • Geometry
  • Fractions
  • Measurement
  • Decimals

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW MATH PROGRAM

• Two-year implementation plan for new K-5 elementary program
• Mrs. Zajac is a pilot teacher and Wave I teacher for the New Math curriculum
• 2007-08 School year--approximately 25 teachers (referred to as WAVE I teachers) involved in the first year of implementation from all grade levels and all buildings; includes IST teachers, a librarian, an elementary math facilitator, an instructional technology specialist, and the K-12 math supervisor.
• All elementary teachers will be involved in year two of the implementation (WAVE 2)
• WAVE I teachers:
  • Wrote curriculum
  • Implemented new pedagogical resources
  • Developed as math teacher-leaders for their grade level and buildings to support WAVE 2 teachers

JOINT USAGE PLAN: USING SCOTT FORESMAN ADDISON-WESLEY TESTS AND INVESTIGATIONS UNITS

• SFAW
  • traditional text focusing on procedural understanding
  • Teacher-centered
  • Learn, check, Think about it, Practice learning cycle
  • Problem solving, technology, and manipulatives integrated into lessons
  • Technology piece--online usage
• INVESTIGATIONS
  • Organized into units that offer 3 to 8 weeks of mathematical work in number, data analysis and geometry (Students require time to build understanding.)
  • Four units are being used at each grade level.  Each unit is blended with corresponding SFWAS sections.
  • Activity-based program focusing on conceptual understanding
  • Teacher as facilitator
  • Student-centered to encourage creative thinking (students construct knowledge)
  • Students develop and articulate their own problem-solving strategies
  • Mathematical connections are inherent in the units
  • Students participate in engaging games that reinforce their understanding of important mathematical concepts and skills
  • Students work cooperatively with their classmates.

STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT GO BEYOND "WHAT IS THE ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM?" IN ORDER TO THINK, REASON, AND SHARE THEIR MATHEMATICAL IDEAS. 

• Communicating mathematically is emphasized both orally and in writing.
• Calculators are assumed to be standard classroom materials, available for student use in any unit.
• Family letters communicate essential information about the Investigations units being used at a particular grade level.  Each letter gives families an idea of what their children are doing in class, explains how this is connected to the rest of their children's lives, describes some of the homework children will be doing, and provides ideas for families about how to expand on the mathematics that is being done at school. 
• Homework on a nightly basis (worksheets, text book, supplemental activities)
• Timed tests
  • Pre-test on Monday and Post-tests on Friday
  • Students must know their facts.  (Math facts are not practiced in 4th grade.  Students are expected to practice these at home.)
  • Practice facts/concepts at home (flash cards, worksheets, etc.)
  • Hands-on manipulation/technology integration/review games and activities
  • Enrichment when appropriate
  • Study guides

  SCIENCE

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