Thaddeus Stevens School

     Thaddeus Stevens School

Lower Elementary K - 4 Curriculum 

We define the lower elementary school as grades K-4 and have designed programs and assessments that address both developmental growth as well as skills and content. 

The school encourages the curious child to become the exploring scholar. Gradually learning independence and academic skills, students acquire knowledge of the world beyond their town and their state situating themselves as members of a global community.

In determining the curricular offerings, we seek to ensure that students learn content knowledge as well as gain the skills of reading, writing, and computing. The school combines specific reading and math programs with the Core Knowledge curriculum. Core Knowledge schooling is based on the belief that building successful academic students requires shared knowledge as well as skills. The school-wide program is anchored in a spiral curriculum that introduces topics that will be viewed at increasingly complex levels. 

With our belief that service engenders empathy and responsibility, the lower school organizes and implements the school-wide Toy Drive to contribute to H.O.P.E during the holidays. 

KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SECOND GRADE

Kindergarten opens the world of words for students as they embark on the task of learning to read, write, and compute. The School uses the Wilson Language Foundations program, a multi-sensory, structured program designed to build reading and spelling extends from kindergarten to second grade. Leveled readers accompany their learning offering content-rich stories and information. 

Recognizing that learning is fluid in these early years, grades one and two are a combined class which moves students at rates that align with the individual student. There are benchmark requirements that students must meet by the end of the year, but the small class sizes allow students to progress according to their skills and understanding. 

Reading & Writing

The multi-sensory structured program is designed to build phonic awareness. Leveled readings are integrated with the program, as well as stories from around the world.

Math

KinderMath is a spiraled interactive math curriculum that introduces students to concepts and number sense and builds sequentially to second grade. Engaging students with hands-on activities, the program includes pre- and post-testing. Students acquire number sense and learn problem-solving with numbers.

Social Studies & Science
Social studies and science are supported by the Core Knowledge series that includes readings, activities, and assessments.
Art

Art projects improve the fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, sculpting, and painting. Students learn to respect their work and to view themselves as artists. Projects align with social studies, language arts, and science.

GRADES THREE TO FOUR

Third grade is the fundamental shift from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” It is a challenging and exciting time, when students actualize the skills they developed in their previous years. To assist in this important transition, students engage with the discrete areas of math, science, humanities, and Japanese with teachers who also teach in the upper grades, preparing students for the quality of work and thought necessary for academic success in the upper grades.

English

Students read a variety of genres. Students learn the different skills used according to the purposes of reading: reading for aesthetic and personal response, reading for critical analysis and evaluation, and reading for acquisition, interpretation, and application of information. Students build vocabulary that is specific to each discipline of academic study as well as general expressive vocabulary. They learn to write organized short paragraphs, practicing narration, description, and explanation. Students will begin to observe parts of speech such as nouns and action verbs. 

Math
 The text for third and fourth grades is EngageNY, however the third and fourth grades are not combined, given the sequential knowledge necessary to ensure a strong foundation in math. This level focuses on 1) developing an understanding of multiplication and division as well as strategies for multiplying and dividing within 100; 2) developing and understanding of fractions, especially unit fractions (fractions with numerator one); 3) developing understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area; and 4) describing and analyzing two-dimensional shapes.
Science

These grades set the stage for the outdoor field science program by introducing fundamental scientific laws and ideas through authentic science activities. Students delve into topics of earth science, biology, chemistry, and physics. They explore topics such as the solar system, the human body, and the national park system, as well as unseen forces and phenomena such as air pressure, electricity, plate tectonics, and potential energy. 

Social Studies

The course uses the text Our Country’s Regions as a backbone for the course. Students study regions of the United States, with a strong unit on Vermont, its geography, economy, and history. Students are introduced to government through the We the People text published by Center for Civic Education. The yearly focus alternates from regions of study to early American history. Both years explore the founding ideas of the US government.

Art
Grades three and four are designed around art media and connection to their academic studies. Art projects fully embrace cultural diversity and support the interconnectedness of art, literature, science, and the world around us. The focus is on fine art vocabulary, master artists, images of representational and abstract art, art genre, and art media.
Art

Grades three and four are designed around art media and connection to their academic studies. Art projects fully embrace cultural diversity and support the interconnectedness of art, literature, science, and the world around us. The focus is on fine art vocabulary, master artists, images of representational and abstract art, art genre, and art media.

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