Curriculum
This year our curriculum will incorporate the current Common Core standards. You may view both of the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards by grade level at www.corestandards.org and www.cde.ca.gov.
Language Arts: Our language arts curriculum is the Benchmark Advance program. This curriculum consists of 10 themed units that guide the students through learning reading strategies, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and writing skills. The themed units alternate between fiction and non-fiction texts.
Mathematics: Our mathematics curriculum is from the Scott Foresman text, enVisionMATH Common Core. In addition, we use a program called IXL Math, which allows the students to work on the skills that align to our curriculum. I also supplement other enrichment, problem solving, and critical thinking activities throughout the school year. We will review concepts on a daily basis to increase retention.
A few times a month, the students will participate in math centers. The groups will rotate through the following four stations: (1) teacher instruction, (2) independent practice, (3) hands on learning, (4) problem solving/math skills.
Social Studies: Our social studies textbook is also published by Scott Foresman. This text is supplemented with study folders for various units. Our major themes include studying the development of communities, various aspects of citizenship within communities, landforms, and the three branches of U.S. Government. We will also study Dublin history and compare our own community with contrasting communities. Native American history is another focus, with an emphasis on the Ohlone Indians of the Tri-Valley area. Also, map skills will be developed through various Geography activities.
Science: Our school has adopted the Next Generation Science Standards. Units of studies include weather/natural disasters, the roles and adaptations of living things (plants and animals), forces/motion, and electric/magnetic relationships. Moving into Common Core, we will use many non-fictions texts and resources in our study of science.
Technology: This year our students will continue to have access to Chromebooks in the classroom multiple times a week. Students will learn keyboard typing skills, practice comprehension skills with the Accelerated Reader software, incorporate math standards through IXL.com, and type written assignments. Supervised Internet searches will be used for research projects. Our enVisionMATH program is online at pearsonrealize.com