Elementary Campus

The Reading Workshop Model
Kindergarten facilitates each child's growth toward greater literacy through a Reading Workshop model. Components of reading instruction include phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, fluency, and comprehension. In addition, skills, strategies, and good reading habits are reinforced through a daily direct instruction lesson, individual teacher/student conferencing, students reading time, and a lesson reflection.

Over the year, Kindergarten students will acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• Why do we read? What do we need? What is in a book?
• How do I choose a "just right" book?
• How are letters, words, and sentences formed?
• What reading strategies can I use to figure out "tricky" words?
• What do I predict will happen next? How can I tell?
• Who are the characters? What is the setting? What is the problem? What is the solution?

The Writing Workshop Model
In Kindergarten, a Writing Workshop model is integrated closely with Reading Workshop. This model fosters the habits of lifelong writing. Some components include brainstorming, constructing ideas using various graphic organizers, and participating in the writing process.

Through the study of various writing units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• Why write? Who will read my writing? What do good writers look like?
• What do I do when I don't know how to spell a word?
• What details can I add to my story to make it more exciting or give the reader more information?

Promoting a Lifelong Love of Mathematical Theory
The Kindergarten Math program is centered around developing a lifelong love of math and meeting the learning needs of all students. Concepts are introduced and revisited throughout the year. Using both whole group and smaller differentiated group instruction, each student can explore hands-on manipulatives and cooperative math games.

Students begin to answer some of the following questions:

• What is a number sequence? How do we measure time?
• What is a pattern? How can I make or extend a design?
• What does it mean to add and subtract?
• What is sorting? What are the different ways I can sort items?
• What is the length of an object?

Our Community, Near and Far
In Kindergarten, we focus on learning and working individually and collectively within a community. Through units of study exploring concepts of community, the roles of community workers, our country, and its rules and laws.

Students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• What is a community? What is my role in that community?
• What does it mean to be a good citizen? What does it look like?
• What are our state and national symbols?
• What are holidays, and how do we celebrate them?
• What roles do workers play in our community?
• How do events, people, and places change over time?
• What is an "Upstander"? What is a "Changemaker?"

Using the Language of Emotion and Resolution
In Kindergarten, we develop an understanding of ourselves and others. Through literature, discussions, and role-playing activities, students expand upon their social skills and emotional intelligence. Students learn to recognize and express themselves and others, developing tools for conflict resolution, emotional regulation, and social interaction.

Students begin to answer some of the following questions:

• What are feelings?
• How am I feeling?
• How do I think that friend feels?
• How should we solve this problem?

Facilitating Growth Towards Richer Literacy
In Grade One, students continue to explore reading through the “Reading Workshop” model. Components of reading instruction include phonemic awareness, phonics, word study, fluency, and comprehension. Skills, strategies, good reading habits and a love for reading are reinforced through a daily direct instruction lesson, individual teacher/student conferences, student reading time, and lesson reflections.

Following the course of a variety of reading units, Grade 1 students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• What is a reading life and how do we develop it?
• Why is it important to share and talk about our reading experiences?
• What resources are available to make our reading experience richer?
• How can tech tools improve our spelling, phonics, and reading life?

Strengthening the Writing Base
Components of writing instruction in Grade One include journaling, handwriting, & documentation of individual student work in a portfolio. Skills, strategies & good writing habits are reinforced through direct instruction lessons, individual teacher/student conferences, & regular sharing of student writing samples.

Through the study of diverse writing units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How can we connect our handwriting practice to our everyday writing?
• Why is it important to communicate our thoughts and ideas through writing?
• Who is our audience? For whom are we writing?
• What resources are available to make our writing experience richer?
• Why is learning to write on a screen important?

Learning From the Mathematics That Surrounds Us
Mathematics in Grade One reinforces and extends prior learning to develop concepts such as a calendar, estimation, money, place value to 100, addition and subtraction, telling time, volume, mass, and area. In addition, online learning promotes personalized learning for each child.

Grade 1 students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• What can numbers show better than words?
• How does creating our math problems extend our thinking?
• Why is mat an essential part of our everyday life?
• Who are our critical helpers in building a math life?
• How can we play the role of a teacher in our online math learning?

The Art of Being a Whole Person in an Interconnected World
Grade One supports each child's curiosity about groups outside their own family. For example, students research our school mascot, the Timber Wolf, celebrate diversity in a festival of lights unit, play a core role in our school's litter initiative, and study the fundamental concepts of maps, gloves, and graphs.

Through the study of various Social Studies units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• Why is it important to have guidelines as a society/classroom member?
• How do map skills help us navigate through everyday life?
• What are some common themes throughout multiple cultures' celebrations?
• How can we work together to get involved and make a difference?
• How can we contribute to our class community so that we all feel safe and can learn?

Meeting the Emotional Needs of the First Grader
Through whole-class meetings, selected read-aloud, and a plethora of self-regulation tools, Grade One strives to meet the emotional needs of each child. We are intentional in our morning meeting time to set a tone of acceptance and well-being for our students as their day progresses.

We become accustomed to hearing these questions daily, woven into each subject:

• How can I help a friend who is upset?
• Why am I an essential member of our classroom community?
• Who are my 'go-to' adults when my heart is feeling hurt?
• What tools do I need to find success in a given activity?

Promoting Deeper Comprehension
Grade Two readers focus on developing both phonemic awareness and increasing lexical knowledge. They are encouraged to collectively apply their skills to decipher hard words, understand the author's craft, and build big ideas. There is a specific focus on improving fluency and understanding of figurative language. Students will have their first experience of book clubs and will focus on fiction as well as nonfiction. Diversity in literature selection helps expand exposure to text styles and types of reading materials.

By studying reading units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How do I tackle new and tricky vocabulary?
• How does rereading help me understand what I'm reading?
• How can I use my voice to get the most out of my book?
• How can I better understand the terminology in informational texts?
• How can I understand literary language?
• How can I find patterns across a series?

Practicing Throughout the Day
In Grade Two, students start by learning to craft powerful true stories based on their small moments. Next, they study nonfiction texts, incorporate text features into their chapter books, and craft persuasive arguments based on text evidence. Finally, students explore language by writing poetry and get to share their poetry through a "poetry cafe." Grade Two students are given numerous, rich avenues to express themselves in writing throughout the year, from student journals, news stories, expository writing about family treasures, and personal blogs.

Through the study of writing units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How do I choose a topic to write about?
• How can I write through the eyes of a poet?
• How can metaphors, repetition, and word choice strengthen my poem?
• How can I clearly state my opinion and support it with evidence?
• How can I write persuasive arguments that convince others to care also?
• How can I use mentor craft moves in my writing?

Fostering a Love of Number Sense
Grade Two is when we work on expanding our students' mathematical fluency and begin developing their reasoning skills. These skills are developed through small-group direct instruction, games, digital tools, and individual practice. In addition, math talks and collaborative tasks encourage mathematical thinking and creative problem-solving.

Through the study of math units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How can the use of lists help to enhance understanding of story problems?
• What are the strategies that we can use when we solve problems?
• How do I decide which unit of measurement to use?
• How do numbers and functions relate to one another?

From "I" to "We"
Students take a step back and take a broader view of the world. They take an in-depth look at the environment, government, and family and community traditions. These concepts are taught through Project-Based Learning activities, simulations, and hands-on group activities, allowing students to better understand the world around them.

Through the study of social studies units, students acquire content knowledge and begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How does the government help its citizens?
• How do supply and demand affect the price of goods and services?
• How are families similar and different?
• How do celebrations and community traditions change over time?
• How can I make responsible choices that help myself, others, and my surroundings?

Identifying and Regulating Our Emotions and Behaviors
In Grade Two, Social-Emotional Learning is an integral part of our program. We spend time each week learning how to understand ourselves and each other better. We do this through group discussions, class meetings, role-playing, literature, and other hands-on activities.

Through our progression of SEL lessons, students acquire content knowledge and strategies to begin to answer some of the following questions:

• How am I feeling?
• How can I express my emotions in helpful ways?
• How can I get back in the "green zone"?
• How can I help a friend?
• How can I make valuable learning choices?

Promoting Deeper Comprehension
In Grade Three, students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. These learners immerse themselves in "within-reach" fiction books and expository nonfiction as they work on vocabulary development, envisionment, ascertaining main ideas, recognizing text infrastructure, and thinking critically. The students will read and respond to various texts and genres, including folktales, biographies, poetry, information texts, and a robust selection of high-interest, high-quality picture and capture books. Using the "Reading Workshop" model, students strengthen their reading proficiency, allowing them to engage with more complex materials across the curriculum.

Through the study of a variety of reading units, Grade Three students will acquire content knowledge and begin to answer the following questions:

• How can I play an active role in creating a rich reading life at school and home?
• What comprehension skills help me understand a text's message and the author's purpose more meaningfully?
• How do the features of different literary genres contribute to their function and meaning?

Complexity and Personal Narrative
Grade Three is when students strengthen their writing skills and begin writing more extended and complex pieces. The students work on extending their already established knowledge and skills and building their narrative writing. In addition, they pay increased attention to the critical work of editing, drafting, and revising. Throughout the year, the students work individually with teachers and collaboratively with peer editors and small groups to refine their ideas, purpose, and written expression. Towards the end of the year, students write persuasive pieces about meaningful causes.

Through practice and targeted instruction, Grade Three students acquire a deeper understanding of writing and will begin to answer the following:

• How does the writing process help me become a better writer?
• How can I use robust vocabulary and different kinds of sentences to better express my message?

Practical Tools Applied to the World Around Us
In Grade Three, students strengthen their mathematical foundations and knowledge of numbers, operations, measurement, probability, and mathematical reasoning. We use a variety of direct instruction, collaborative projects, and hands-on activities to develop these concepts. There is a significant emphasis on ensuring the students connect the math they are learning at school and how it applies to real-life situations.

Throughout the year, students begin answering the following questions:

• How does mastering math facts help me solve more complex problems efficiently?
• What do I need to know before I can solve this problem?
• How can using estimation help me?
• What are the most appropriate tools or units to use to measure this?

California, Past, and Present
Grade Three students are curious about the world and eager to take on greater responsibilities as community citizens. Students use technology tools to help them understand, make connections, and produce various creative projects reflecting their growing knowledge and critical thinking skills.

Through the study of a variety of social studies units, Grade Three students gain content knowledge and begin to answer the following questions:

• What are my rights and responsibilities as a citizen of my class, school, local community, nation, and the world?
• Who are the different groups of people who have inhabited our region in the past?
• How have these different groups impacted the cultural and environmental landscape of California?
• Who lives here now?

Reflection, Restoration, Empathy, and Accountability
We seek to expand students' comprehension and application of social and emotional intelligence resulting in improved self-regulation, conflict mediation, and management. Morning Meetings are held daily and are a form of restorative practice and community building. Emotional safety, friendship, and open communication patterns are established and maintained to provide a positive learning environment.

Over the year, students will strengthen their abilities to:

• Learn to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others
• Manage their feelings and show empathy towards classmates
• Make sound decisions based on reason
• Take accountability for themselves and their actions

Promoting Deer Comprehension
Reading concepts and skills are essential factors in each subject area. Students are ready to delve into complex texts. The students study the complexity of characters and themes in fiction and nonfiction genres through the Reading Workshop model, book clubs, and independent reading. This exploration fosters students' interests, allowing their world views and knowledge to expand. Students also have the opportunity to develop research skills and explore history while augmenting their skills in cross-text synthesis, close reading, and evaluating multiple points of view.

While analyzing a variety of reading units, Grade Four students will acquire content knowledge and will begin to answer the following questions:

• How can we use various techniques to determine the meaning of words?
• What skills and strategies need to be applied to construct the importance of the text?
• How do we read literature from various eras, perspectives, and cultures while making personal connections about the world?
• How can we describe and analyze story elements to better internalize the story's value and meaning?

Creative Writing, Blogging, Reporting, Persuading, and More
In Grade Four, writing assignments recognize the need for students to express their beliefs and research more prominent topics discovered in reading non-fiction and fiction work. Students are on the verge of writing more academic texts. Their work includes creative writing, blogging, report drafting, expository writing, and persuasive writing. Students learn to structure essays by utilizing thesis statements and relevant paragraphs that enrich their arguments as they communicate through their increasing body of language.

Through the study of a variety of writing units, students will acquire content knowledge and will begin to answer the following questions:

• Share their unique thoughts, opinions, and critical thinking with a global audience?
• How do we apply the conventions of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing?
• How can I evaluate my writing and set goals to show growth in areas that are challenging for me?

Foundational Skills to Last a Lifetime
Grade Four math is critical for building foundational skills that endure the rest of the student's mathematical lives. Students learn to apply strategies, concepts, and procedures to find solutions. They learn to organize, represent and interpret numerical and categorical data. Students focus on using and interpreting variables, symbols, patterns, and properties to write and solve mathematical expressions.

Throughout the year, students begin answering the following questions:

• How do whole numbers, decimals, and fractions relate to a mathematical equation?
• How do I relate what I know about a math problem to problem-solving?
• How can I decipher the critical information and proceed to a solution?

Thinking Critically, Locally, and Globally
Students study topics in-depth, using online and hard copy resources in groups or individually. They learn to organize their research and ideas, cite sources, sequence information, and analysis in clear writing before creating engaging media presentations, dioramas, and posters. They are encouraged to think critically about local and global issues as they reflect on their place in the world.

Through the study of a variety of social studies units, Grade Four students gain content knowledge and begin to answer the following questions:

• Who are the people and significant events that have shaped California's rich history?
• How have Native Americans and the establishment of missions affected the history of California?
• How can I search effectively and research while giving credit to my sources?
• How can I interact with others in a way that protects my privacy and respectfully values communication?

From Managing Emotions to Mindfulness
Students learn skills that will help them manage emotions, express feelings, and focus on learning. In addition, students participate in a daily mindfulness practice that supplements our social-emotional learning program. The goal is to continue expanding their comprehension and application of skills built in prior years, which results in improved self-regulation, conflict mediation, and management.

Our aim is for the students to continue to strengthen their ability to:

• Learn to recognize their own emotions and the emotions of others
• Use mindfulness in their everyday life
• Develop positive communication and conflict resolution skills
• Enhance group trust and increase the respect for individual differences

Intellectual Independence and the Joy of Reading
The Reading Workshop in Grade Five focuses on guiding the students toward intellectual independence. Students practice close reading, noting how authors develop themes in fictional works. They work with higher-level nonfiction and emphasize strong foundation skills such as fluency and word solving, and reading complex nonfiction under the umbrella of argument and advocacy. Finally, students work on formulating questions from what they have read and practice looking for evidence to answer their questions by effectively using online resources.

Over the year, Grade Five students will acquire content knowledge and will begin to answer the following questions:

• What connections can I make between what I read and my life?
• How can I effectively share my favorite books with others?
• What are strategies for learning and understanding new vocabulary?
• What makes reading enjoyable? How do I choose books for my enjoyment?
• What are the essential components of a story? Why are stories important?

Conducting Research and Framing Narratives
Writing to communicate ideas and knowledge is integrated through all subjects in Grade Five. Students are consolidating skills learned in previous years through Writing Workshop and are being introduced to skills they will need to succeed in middle school. Students write purposefully, paying attention to the audience and the importance of organization and mechanics. In addition, students increasingly learn to use technology tools effectively to enhance their writing.

Essays, research reports, literature blogs, scripts, narrative stories, emails for information, and poems are some writing tasks that help Grade 5 students address the following essential questions:

• Why is clear writing important for mechanics, grammar, and sentence structure rules?
• What are the essential elements of a "good" story or essay?
• How can I effectively take and organize notes while reading or doing research? What information is essential and relevant?
• How can I effectively express personal ideas, feelings, or opinions in writing?

Differentiation for Challenge and Growth
Math is highly differentiated for Grade Five students. We ensure that each student is being challenged and stretched to ensure growth. We use a wide range of resources to build on their foundational skills and ensure that they have an in-depth understanding of concepts and solid computational skills. Applied math is integral to our program; students explore concepts more profoundly and see how math is relevant in their everyday lives.

Through the study of many math units, students will acquire content knowledge and begin to answer the following essential questions:

• Why is math important? Why is accurate measurement crucial?
• How is math used to analyze data, draw conclusions, and solve significant problems?
• What are the strategies for solving math problems in different ways? How can you show all the steps for your thinking?
• Why are mistakes valuable, and how can we learn from them?

U.S. History from Native American Lands to Present
Social Studies is focused on U.S... History and integrated with reading and writing, using online resources in exciting ways along with debates and role-playing. Grade five students study units such as Native American cultures, European exploration, settlement, and interactions, Revolutionary War, Constitution, the formation of the government, civil rights and social justice issues, and our legal system.

Through these units, students will acquire content knowledge and begin to answer the following essential questions:

• Why is it important to study history? What does it mean to be an "American"?
• What questions about history do I have? How can we research to understand more? Why can't we know the answers for sure?
• Why is it important to understand other different perspectives?
• Why are rules and laws important and necessary? How does our court system work?

Peacemaking and Organizing as Part of Learning
Social Emotional Learning permeates every aspect of Grade Five life at Trinity. Students start the year by creating community agreements for respectful behavior. They identify what it takes to demonstrate active respect for other students in the community, the school grounds, and themselves. Finally, they work to determine the difference between peacemaking and building peace from the personal, social, and organizational viewpoints, individually and globally.

In Grade Five, we encourage students to:

• Become more aware of personal choices that promote self-confidence and emotional intelligence.
• Develop positive communication and conflict resolution skills.
• Enhance group trust and increase the respect for individual differences.
• Become global citizens who will make a difference in the world.