Program
Elementary Program
Kindergarten
A Time for Structure and Investigation
Kindergarten is a time when young students need to know they are cared for and valued as they begin more academic learning. Kindergarten teachers provide assurance and care for the child throughout the learning day. Students receive direct instruction and workshop time with hands-on activities that provide an opportunity to explore and integrate prior learning. Teachers encourage students to take risks in all curriculum areas, knowing it is a safe place to explore, make mistakes, and ultimately succeed.
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Kindergarten Program
Reading: 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?
Writing: 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?
Mathematics: 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?
Social Studies: 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?"
Social Emotional Learning: 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?
Grade 1
A Time for Transition
Students in Grade 1 enter a major cognitive transition where logic is more apparent in their thinking. Together teachers and children engage in the core work of literacy while exploring new horizons of knowledge and ways of organizing thinking and learning. Teachers challenge students with more sophisticated and symbolic math, structured writing activities, and a variety of reading concepts. Children’s dramatic change in physical, intellectual, and social growth is accommodated and supported in all curricular areas.
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Grade One Program
Reading: 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?
Writing: 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?
Mathematics: 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?
Social Studies: 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?
Social Emotional Learning: 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?
Grade 2
A Time for Differentiation
Differentiation is an important aspect for Grade 2 students. The core work of literacy continues and progresses according to each child's needs and abilities. Within the classroom context, differentiated instruction supports a variety of learning styles. The room design provides for children's need for movement and appropriate instructional periods. Teachers instruct using a variety of modalities to ensure the small and large successes that prepare Grade 2 students to continue learning with confidence and competence.
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Grade 3
A Time for Collaboration
As Grade 3 students value peer assessment, collaboration and group projects come into practice. Trinity teachers introduce students to a sensitive and reliable approach to judging peers' work. Ideas related to discrimination and justice occur in Grade 3 students. Teachers encourage discussion of differences and diversity. The teacher supports students as active participants in their community.
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Grade 4
A Time for Independence
A growing sense of independence requires teachers to respond with instruction that supports this new maturity. Grade 4 students have mastered many basic skills and are ready to delve deeper into all aspects of their learning. The classroom teacher maneuvers the curriculum focus from acquiring and solidifying literacy to using it as a primary form of education. Students expand their knowledge base and refine skill areas as they discuss and debate ideas, savoring opportunities to think critically and question why things happen the way they do.
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Grade 5
A Time for Integration and Accomplishment
Grade 5 students make learning connections. Before, knowledge and skills now come together to enhance and leverage student learning. This creates a growing sense of self-confidence and self-assurance. The classroom teacher facilitates the students' increased maturity in understanding through integrated projects that require and encourage applying skills, concerts, and knowledge across disciplines. As a result, grade 5 students are confident, well prepared, and ready for the challenges and opportunities of middle school.
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