CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Positive Discipline/
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Project Based Learning |
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
Positive Discipline In our classroom, we have class meetings several times a week. During our class meetings, students learn how to give and receive compliments before discussing strategies that develop social and problem solving skills. Students will learn and practice self-regulation and copying strategies.
FIVE CRITERIA FOR POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
1. Helps children feel a sense of connection. (Belonging and significance)
2. Is mutually respectful and encouraging. (Kind and firm at the same time.)
3. Is effective long-term. (Considers what the child is thinking, feeling, learning, and deciding about himself and his world–-and what to do in the future to survive or thrive.)
4. Teaches important social and life skills. (Respect, concern for others, problem solving, and cooperation as well as the skills to contribute to the home, school or larger community.)
5. Invites children to discover how capable they are. (Encourages the constructive use of personal power and autonomy)
Literacy Instruction: Based on the academic standards for reading and writing, we have a balanced literacy classroom which includes Reading and Writing Workshop, shared reading, interactive read-aloud with accountable talk (engaging peer discussion), word study, and interactive writing. Reading strategies are modeled and practiced during interactive read-aloud. Word Study will focus on phonics, spelling, and vocabulary. Throughout the year we will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres.
During Reading Workshop, I actively work with students at their individual level and teach them the strategies they need to advance as a reader.
As an overview, students:
· Read just-right books independently and with a partner every day
· Are given opportunities to talk about their books in genuine ways
· Don’t just read the words but also understand the story and build a relationship with what they read
Writing Workshop will include narrative writing, studying authors as mentors to craft our own writing, realistic fiction, persuasive reviews, poetry, adapted fairytales, and expository writing.
As an overview, students:
· Write independently and with partners
· Self-select topics to write about
· Publish their own writing and share it in a variety of ways
Mathematics: Our math block is an interactive and multifaceted learning time. We will incorporate the learning Common Core Standards through game playing, projects, whole-class, small-group, and independent work.
Standards:
· Operations and Algebraic Thinking
· Number and Operations in Base Ten
· Measurement and Data
· Geometry
Project Based Learning: We are excited to part of a Project Based Learning (PBL) school, a creative and student engaging approach of investigating a concept or posed theme that leads students to use critical thinking and reasoning skills. In PBL, students develop a plan, collect information from a variety of sources, analyze all data and information collected, carry out a plan, communicate findings and reflect on the project. They make interdisciplinary connections and real-world applications. It is hands-on, engaging, reaches a wide variety of learning styles and individual and collective talents.
Science: National Science Foundation :Students use inquiry skills such as observing, classifying, measuring, inferring, predicting, and conducting investigations to learn science concepts.
— Liquids
— Soils
Art: Ms. Meg is our fabulous art teacher! We have art every Wednesday and Friday.
Technology:Throughout the curriculum we will incorporate technology to enhance student learning. Our classroom computers, IPADs and flip-cams are just some of the technological tools we will be using to enhance and capture student learning.
Extra Activities:
- Library
· P.E.
· Art
· Reading Buddies (Reading with kindergarteners)
FIVE CRITERIA FOR POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
1. Helps children feel a sense of connection. (Belonging and significance)
2. Is mutually respectful and encouraging. (Kind and firm at the same time.)
3. Is effective long-term. (Considers what the child is thinking, feeling, learning, and deciding about himself and his world–-and what to do in the future to survive or thrive.)
4. Teaches important social and life skills. (Respect, concern for others, problem solving, and cooperation as well as the skills to contribute to the home, school or larger community.)
5. Invites children to discover how capable they are. (Encourages the constructive use of personal power and autonomy)
Literacy Instruction: Based on the academic standards for reading and writing, we have a balanced literacy classroom which includes Reading and Writing Workshop, shared reading, interactive read-aloud with accountable talk (engaging peer discussion), word study, and interactive writing. Reading strategies are modeled and practiced during interactive read-aloud. Word Study will focus on phonics, spelling, and vocabulary. Throughout the year we will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction genres.
During Reading Workshop, I actively work with students at their individual level and teach them the strategies they need to advance as a reader.
As an overview, students:
· Read just-right books independently and with a partner every day
· Are given opportunities to talk about their books in genuine ways
· Don’t just read the words but also understand the story and build a relationship with what they read
Writing Workshop will include narrative writing, studying authors as mentors to craft our own writing, realistic fiction, persuasive reviews, poetry, adapted fairytales, and expository writing.
As an overview, students:
· Write independently and with partners
· Self-select topics to write about
· Publish their own writing and share it in a variety of ways
Mathematics: Our math block is an interactive and multifaceted learning time. We will incorporate the learning Common Core Standards through game playing, projects, whole-class, small-group, and independent work.
Standards:
· Operations and Algebraic Thinking
· Number and Operations in Base Ten
· Measurement and Data
· Geometry
Project Based Learning: We are excited to part of a Project Based Learning (PBL) school, a creative and student engaging approach of investigating a concept or posed theme that leads students to use critical thinking and reasoning skills. In PBL, students develop a plan, collect information from a variety of sources, analyze all data and information collected, carry out a plan, communicate findings and reflect on the project. They make interdisciplinary connections and real-world applications. It is hands-on, engaging, reaches a wide variety of learning styles and individual and collective talents.
Science: National Science Foundation :Students use inquiry skills such as observing, classifying, measuring, inferring, predicting, and conducting investigations to learn science concepts.
— Liquids
— Soils
Art: Ms. Meg is our fabulous art teacher! We have art every Wednesday and Friday.
Technology:Throughout the curriculum we will incorporate technology to enhance student learning. Our classroom computers, IPADs and flip-cams are just some of the technological tools we will be using to enhance and capture student learning.
Extra Activities:
- Library
· P.E.
· Art
· Reading Buddies (Reading with kindergarteners)