Reading & Writing The Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (Columbia University, NYC) The mission of the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project is to help young people become avid and skilled readers, writers, and inquirers. The curriculum boasts state-of-the-art tools and methods for teaching reading and writing, for using performance assessments and learning progressions to accelerate progress, and for literacy-rich content-area instruction.
Reading Units: Developing Agency & Independence, Interpretation Book Clubs (Analyzing Themes), Nonfiction Reading, Historical Fiction Book Clubs, Argument & Advocacy (Researching debatable issues), Poetry & 5th Grade Author Study
Math Everyday Mathematics Program (University of Chicago) A comprehensive, spiraling curriculum that focuses on the following: 1. Use of concrete, real-life examples that are meaningful and memorable as an introduction to key mathematical concepts. 2. Repeated exposure to mathematical concepts and skills to develop children’s ability to recall knowledge from long-term memory. 3. Frequent practice of basic computation skills to build mastery of procedures and quick recall of facts, often through games and verbal exercises. 4. Use of multiple methods and problem-solving strategies to foster true proficiency and accommodate different learning styles.
Science Foss Science (University of California, Berkeley) A science curriculum that fosters an appreciation for the scientific enterprise, and teaches students important scientific and engineering concepts, and helps them develop the ability to think well. The goal is to actively participate in scientific practices through their own investigations and analyses. The FOSS Program was created specifically to provide students and teachers with meaningful experiences through engaging with this active participation in scientific practices.
Science Units: Living Systems (biology), Mixtures & Solutions (chemistry) and Suns, Moons & Planets (astronomy)
Social Studies Various units organized around the Project AERO Standards for Social Studies Our Social Studies units, though not aligned with a particular instructional program, are a blend of units that seek to expand students' understanding of humans' interactions with each other and the world around them. Units fall into different "strands" that include: history, technology, culture, geography, government and conflict. The 5th Grade seeks to make our units of inquiry relevant, engaging and experiential to help students create meaning and transfer important skills and knowledge.
Social Studies Units: Age of Exploration (history/geography/technology), Civil Rights & Equality (culture, government, conflict), Economics (resources, economics and production/consumption).
Project Time & STEAM The 5th Grade will be using several periods each week to engage in inquiry projects related to the curriculum. Often times, these projects will complement other areas of the curriculum in unique and creative ways. The Elementary School will also have two STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) challenges this year, as we did last year. These are collaborative, problem-based days where the students use various thinking skills to design, build, revise and complete a creation challenge.