Elementary Curriculum by Subject Area

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
The elementary visual arts curriculum helps students understand how media, technique and process are used to create works of art; how artworks are structured; how art has a variety of functions; how to identify, analyze and select subject matter, symbols and ideas for personal/cultural expression; how historical and cultural contexts provide meaning for works of art, and how to assess the merits of their own artworks and the artworks of others.

Kindergarten
Resource
Discover Art, Davis

Topics

• Different types of media such as crayon, pencil, paint, clay and paper
• Basic skills such as making marks, cutting and pasting
• Art created based on personal experiences and imagination
• Visual elements of line, shape and texture
• Color names and color mixing techniques
• Artworks and how images convey ideas
• People around the world make different kinds of art for many reasons
• How their own artwork reflects their experiences

First through Fifth Grade
Resources
Adventures in Art, Davis

Topics (first grade)

• Different types of media
• Using media for drawing, painting, collage, printmaking, sculpture and other three-dimensional art
• Media and techniques to communicate ideas
• Differences in material and techniques used in art and how they affect appearance
• Artworks created with different media and techniques
• Visual elements of line, shape and texture
• Warm, cool and neutral color families
• Ideas and themes in artwork
• Art from different times and places
• How their artwork reflects their experiences

Topics (second grade)

• Different types of media
• Using familiar media in new ways
• Viewing different media and techniques in artworks from around the world
• Visual elements of line, shape, texture, form and space
• Design principles of balance, emphasis, movement, pattern, proportion, rhythm, unity and variety
• Common functions of art
• Artworks, and how the elements and principles of design can elicit responses
• Creating artworks using a variety of subject matter and themes
• Ideas and symbols in the artworks of various cultures
• Viewing varied styles and types of art with greater emphasis on the cultural origin, function and style
• Explaining and comparing their own reasons for making art with the reasons of others

Topics (third grade)

• Flexibility and problem-solving in two-and three-dimensional artworks
• Different media and techniques in artworks from around the world
• Creating art which communicates ideas based on imagination, recall and observation
• How materials, techniques and processes used in artworks create different visual effects and affect viewer responses
• Color schemes
• Design principles
• Examining artworks and describing how images convey ideas
• Using the elements and principles of design to communicate ideas
• Different artistic interpretations and themes
• Creating artworks using a variety of subject matter, symbols and themes
• Ideas and symbols in artwork from various cultures
• Recognizing selected works of art as belonging to particular cultures and times
• Creating multidisciplinary works of art (for example, creating visuals for a poem)

Topics (fourth grade)

• Skills and flexibility in creating two and three-dimensional artworks
• Media and techniques in artworks from around the world
• How materials, techniques and processes in artworks create different visual effects and viewer responses
• Visual elements (line, space, forms and shapes) and color schemes
• Using the elements and principles of design to communicate personal ideas
• Analyzing different interpretations of ideas and themes from various cultures
• Cultural origins, functions, styles and relative ages of artwork from different times and places
• How a variety of artists' experiences influenced their artwork
• How their art reflects their experiences

Topics (fifth grade)

• Using media through multi-stepped techniques, problem-solving and planned experiments
• Effectiveness of choice of media and techniques to communicate intended ideas
• How characteristics of media and techniques communicate meaning in art around the world
• Visual structures of contrast, repetition, emphasis, movement, rhythm, illusions of depth, harmony and balance
• The functions of art (decorative, expressive, practical and persuasive)
• Using the elements and principles of design to communicate intended ideas
• Critiquing own artwork in terms of effective communication of intended ideas
• Drawing from sources such as experiences, trends in the news media or concepts in other subject areas for themes to incorporate into artwork
• Identifying and using subjects, themes and symbols in artworks
• How cultural contexts, values and aesthetics influence the meaning of artworks
• Subjects, themes and symbols of artwork from different cultures and eras
• The meaning of an artwork within its historical and cultural context
• Responding to other students' artworks in a clear and organized manner

Guidance

Guidance, which is integrated into other curriculum areas, helps to establish goals, expectations, support systems and experience for all students. It is designed to enhance student learning by helping students acquire and use lifelong learning skills in three broad areas of development: academic, career and personal/social. The curriculum employs developmentally appropriate strategies to enhance academics, provide career awareness, encourage self-awareness, foster interpersonal communication skills and convey life success skills for all students. The guidance and health curricula complement each other to provide knowledge and skills in the area of drug prevention.

Resources
Variety of district-selected materials

Topics
Students will acquire knowledge and skills in the following areas:

• Improved academic self-concept
• Improved learning
• Plan to achieve goals
• School success
• Career awareness
• Organization and time management
• Self-knowledge
• Interpersonal relations
• Personal safety

Kindergarten
Development of self-awareness (emotionally, socially and physically) and the best ways of keeping well (healthy decision-making) are emphasized. Topics introduced in the first years are reviewed and discussed in more depth each year along with new topics. The health and guidance curricula complement each other to provide knowledge and skills in the area of drug prevention.

Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.

Topics
Mental/Emotional/Social

• Conflict resolution
• Cooperation and respect
• Self management
• Feelings
• Responsibility

Chemical Health

• Medicines
• Drugs

Safety and First Aid

• Bus safety
• Fire safety
• Pedestrian/bike safety
• Playground safety
• Emergencies
• Personal safety
• Stranger

Growth and Development

• Five senses

Communicable/Chronic Diseases

• Cleanliness
• Handwashing

Consumer Health

• Identify helpful adults

Environmental Health

• Reuse

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

First through Third Grades
Development of self-awareness (emotionally, socially and physically) and the best ways of keeping well (healthy decision-making) are emphasized. Topics introduced in the first years are reviewed and discussed in more depth each year along with new topics. The health and guidance curricula complement each other to provide knowledge and skills in the area of drug prevention.

First Grade
Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.

Topics
Mental/Emotional/Social

• Why I am special
• Conflict resolution
• Feelings
• Friendship

Chemical Health

• Medicines
• Drugs

Safety and First Aid

• Bus Safety
• Water Safety
• Pedestrian/Bike Safety
• Playground Safety
• Emergencies
• Personal Safety

Growth and Development

• Teeth and their care

Communicable/Chronic Diseases

• Germs
• Handwashing
• Staying healthy

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

Second Grade
Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.

Topics
Mental/Emotional/Social

• Sharing feelings
• Conflict resolution
• Cooperation
• Respect
• Differences

Chemical Health

• Medicine
• Illegal drugs
• Say NO to drugs

Safety and First Aid

• Fire safety
• Bus safety
• Emergencies

Nutrition

• Food guide pyramid
• Reading a food label
• Healthy food choices

Environmental Health

• Protecting the environment
• Saving energy and resources
• Reduce, reuse, recycle
• Pollution

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

Third Grade
Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.

Topics
Mental/Emotional/Social

• Character
• Stress
• Feelings
• Conflict resolution
• Respect
• Friendship
• Cooperation

Chemical Health

• Ways to say NO
• Medicine
• Inhalants

Safety and First Aid

• Bus safety
• Pedestrian safety
• Playground safety
• Self-protection

Body Systems

• Muscular
• Nervous
• Digestive
• Circulatory
• Respiratory
• Organs

Environmental Health

• Pollution
• Ozone
• Components of a healthy community
• Health impact of pollutants
• Noise pollution
• Second-hand smoke
• Water pollution
• Skin and eye care

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

Fourth Grade
Students learn to take responsibility for aspects of their health. Healthful decision-making is emphasized in all aspects of the curriculum. Topics introduced in the early years are reviewed and discussed in more depth, along with new topics. The human growth and development curriculum covers basic information about reproductive anatomy, physical and emotional changes during puberty and proper hygiene. Parents are invited to attend one of several evening sessions to experience the program with their child. The health and guidance curricula complement each other to provide knowledge and skills in the area of drug prevention.

Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.
Just Around the Corner for Girls/Boys, March Productions

Topics
Mental/Emotional/Social

• Conflict resolution
• Cooperation
• Respect
• Self Management
• Responsibilities

Chemical Health

• Refusal skills
• Tobacco, alcohol and drugs
• Secondhand smoke
• Influence of media

Safety and First Aid

• Self protection skills
• Bike safety
• Water safety
• Bus safety
• Fire safety
• Gun safety
• Playground safety
• Poison prevention

Growth and Development

• Skeletal system
• Changes associated with puberty and their own gender
• Structure of their own reproductive system

Nutrition

• Food pyramid
• Balanced menu
• Nutrients, vitamins and minerals
• Food labels
• Media influences

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

Fifth Grade
Students learn to take responsibility for aspects of their health. Healthful decision-making is emphasized. Topics introduced in the early years are reviewed and discussed in more depth, along with new topics. The (D.A.R.E. Program) Drug Abuse Resistance Education brings a uniformed police officer into the classroom to help students understand laws and issues surrounding drugs, develop skills to say no to drugs and alcohol, and discuss the consequences and alternatives to these chemicals. The human growth and development curriculum covers basic information about reproductive anatomy, physical and emotional changes during puberty, and proper hygiene. Parents are invited to attend one of several evening sessions to experience the program with their child. The health and guidance curricula complement each other to provide knowledge and skills in the area of drug prevention.

Resources
Your Health, Harcourt, Inc.
Just Around the Corner for Girls/Boys, March Productions
D.A.R.E.

Topics
Mental/Emotional

• Communication skills
• Managing emotion
• Managing stress
• Managing grief
• Conflict resolution
• Time management

Social

• Decision-making
• Peer pressure
• Respecting differences

Chemical Health

• Responsible drug use
• Drug abuse
• Staying drug free
• Alcohol
• Smokeless tobacco
• Secondhand smoke

Safety

• Amusement park safety
• Equipment safety
• Bike/pedestrian safety
• Bus safety
• Severe weather safety
• Fire safety
• Intruder safety
• Violence prevention
• Internet safety

First Aid

• Injuries
• Hazards
• Emergencies
• First aid steps

Growth & Development

• Changes associated with puberty and the opposite gender
• Hygiene
• Reproductive systems

Communicable/Chronic Disease

• Pathogens
• Stages of a disease
• Body defenses
• Identification and causes of communicable diseases
• HIV/AIDS

Consumer Health

• Influence of advertisements
• Wise consumer choices
• Consumer protection agencies

Decision-Making

• Choosing healthy behaviors (decision-making model)
• Reinforcing healthy decisions (refusal skills)

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
Reading, writing, listening, speaking, spelling and handwriting are all important components of language arts. Skills and strategies in each area are modeled, taught and practiced, taking into account the unique needs of each learner. Knowledge and skills are acquired through connected experiences between home, school and community. Students read from a variety of texts, including fiction (short stories and whole books), poetry and nonfiction (textbooks, newspapers and magazines). Students read (or are read to) and write daily.

Kindergarten
Resources
Invitations to Literacy, Houghton Mifflin
Literacy 2000, Rigby
Handwriting - K-5, Zaner-Bloser

Topics
Reading

• Predicting before, during and after reading
• Summarizing information
• Relevant facts and details
• Main characters - plot and setting
• Similarities and differences in letters and words
• Letter/sound relationships (phonemic awareness)
• Rhyming words

Writing

• Using writing skills to plan, compare and write
• Print concepts, including upper and lower case letters, proper spacing, and writing left to right and top to bottom of the page

Speaking

• Complete sentences
• Responding to questions
• Relevant contributions to discussions

Spelling

• Spelling frequently used words correctly

Handwriting

• Legible printing of letters and numbers

First through Fifth Grade
Resources
Invitations to Literacy, Houghton Mifflin
Literacy 2000, Rigby
Handwriting - K-5, Zaner-Bloser
Spell-It Write!, Zaner-Bloser

Topics (first grade)
Reading

• Predicting before, during and after reading
• Compare/contrast
• Character, plot, setting (fiction)
• Beginning, middle and end of a story
• Topic, main idea and details (nonfiction)
• Letter-sound relationships (phonemic awareness)
• Picture cues
• Reading with fluency by using expression, phrasing and punctuation
• Use graphophonic (sounds), syntactic (language) and semantic (meaning) strategies to understand text

Writing

• Planning, composing, writing and editing

Speaking

• Discussing information from first-hand experiences
• Correct grammar
• Relevant contributions to discussions

Spelling

• Finding the correct spelling of an unknown word
• Patterns of spelling
• Spelling frequently used words correctly

Handwriting

• Legible printing of numbers and letters using uniform shape, size, placement and spacing
• Applying technology to writing activities

Topics (second grade)
Reading

• Main ideas and supporting details
• Main events or ideas in sequence
• New word pronunciation
• Reading aloud fluently with appropriate expression
• Appropriate techniques for learning new vocabulary
• Character traits, plot and setting
• Distinguishing between fact and opinion
• Using graphophonic (sounds), syntactic (language) and semantic (meaning) strategies to understand text

Writing

• Planning, composing and editing pieces of writing
• Editing to correct grammar, sentence construction, capitalization, punctuation and spelling
• Writing personal narratives, reports, instructions and a friendly letter

Speaking and Listening

• Correct grammar in speaking
• Oral presentation
• Identifying purpose and summarizing ideas of an oral presentation

Spelling

• Finding the correct spelling of an unknown word
• Spelling patterns
• Spelling frequently used words correctly in everyday writing

Handwriting

• Legible printing of numbers and letters
• Applying technology to writing activities

Topics (third grade)
Reading

• Fiction and nonfiction materials
• Using context clues to determine meaning of unknown words
• Understanding ideas not explicitly stated
• Making predictions and drawing conclusions based on information in the selection
• Distinguishing between fact and opinion
• Determining the author's purpose
• Identifying figurative language
• Using graphophonic (sounds), syntactic (language) and semantic (meaning) strategies to understand text

Writing

• Planning, composing and revising pieces of writing
• Editing written work for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure
• Writing narratives, persuasive and expository essays
• Writing letters and reports

Speaking and Listening

• Summarizing ideas and identifying tone
• Teaching someone how to perform an action or create a product
• Giving an informal presentation
• Listening to understand a presentation

Spelling

• Finding the correct spelling of an unknown word
• Recognizing misspelled words
• Patterns within words
• Spelling frequently used words correctly in everyday writing

Handwriting

• Using cursive writing to form upper and lower case letters
• Applying technology to appropriate writing activities

Topics (fourth grade)
Reading

• Fiction and nonfiction materials
• Main ideas and supporting details
• Main events or ideas in sequence
• Author's purpose
• Point of view
• Distinguishing between fact and opinion
• Making inferences
• Drawing conclusions
• Improving and expanding vocabulary
• Using graphophonic (sounds), syntactic (language) and semantic (meaning) strategies to understand text

Writing

• Planning, composing and revising pieces of writing
• Editing for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure
• Narratives, persuasive, descriptive and expository essays
• Business letter
• Poetry

Speaking and Listening

• Listening and discussing informational, firsthand experiences
• Preparing and giving a demonstration to an audience
• The use of persuasive language
• Predicting, comparing and analyzing what has been heard

Spelling

• Finding the correct spelling of an unknown word
• Patterns within words
• Spelling frequently used words correctly in everyday writing

Handwriting

• Cursive writing
• Applying technology to writing activities

Topics (fifth grade)
Reading

• Fiction and nonfiction materials
• Improving and expanding vocabulary
• Distinguishing between fact and opinion
• Understanding ideas not explicitly stated
• Interpreting figurative language
• Using graphophonic (sounds), syntactic (language) and semantic (meaning) strategies to understand text

Writing

• Planning, composing and revising pieces of writing
• Editing for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, spelling and sentence structure
• Narrative, persuasive, descriptive and expository essays
• A business letter to request an action

Speaking and Listening

• Summarizing ideas and information from visual presentations
• Planning and carrying out an event in a small group
• Listening to and discussing firsthand experiences
• Predicting, comparing and analyzing what has been heard

Spelling

• Finding the correct spelling of an unknown word
• Patterns within words
• Spelling frequently used words correctly in everyday writing

Handwriting

• Cursive writing
• Applying technology to writing activities

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
While connecting mathematical experiences to the world around them, young children are challenged to become increasingly sophisticated in dealing with mathematical concepts. The elementary mathematics curriculum builds on students' math understanding, skills, and proficiency at each grade level, as appropriate, by integrating concepts such as number and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis and probability. Students also engage in problem solving, reasoning, and communicating ideas while making connections to the world around them.

Resources
Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley Mathematics
Investigations in Number, Data, and Space - Dale Seymour Publishers

Topics (kindergarten)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Sense of numbers
• Basic counting techniques
• Size of numbers
• Number relationships
• Place value
• Addition and subtraction
• Computational fluency

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Classification, patterns and relations
• Operations with whole numbers
• Use of step-by-step processes

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Explore, investigate and discuss shapes and structures in the classroom
• Become proficient in describing and representing shapes in their environment
• Learn to represent two- and three-dimensional shapes
• Recognize and create shapes that have symmetry

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Attributes of length, volume, weight and time
• How to measure using standard and nonstandard units
• Select appropriate unit and tool for attribute being measured
• Use repetition of a single unit to measure something larger than the unit

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• Pose questions to investigate
• Organize responses
• Create representations of data
• Sort and classify objects according to their attributes
• Organize and display data through graphical displays using counts, tallies, pictures and graphs
• Analyze and describe data

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Develop and broaden range of problem-solving strategies
• Pose or formulate challenging problems
• Monitor and reflect on their own problem-solving ideas
• Solve problems from a variety of contexts, from daily routines to mathematical situations in stories
  

Topics (first grade)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Sense of numbers
• Basic counting techniques
• Size of numbers
• Number relationships
• Place value
• Addition and subtraction
• Computational fluency

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Classification, patterns and relations
• Operations with whole numbers
• Use of step-by-step processes

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Explore, investigate and discuss shapes and structures in the classroom
• Become proficient in describing and representing shapes in their environment
• Learn to represent two- and three-dimensional shapes
• Recognize and create shapes that have symmetry

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Attributes of length, volume, weight and time
• How to measure using standard and nonstandard units
• Select appropriate unit and tool for attribute being measured
• Use repetition of a single unit to measure something larger than the unit

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• Pose questions to investigate
• Organize responses
• Create representations of data
• Sort and classify objects according to their attributes
• Organize and display data through graphical displays using counts, tallies, pictures and graphs
• Analyze and describe data

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Develop and broaden range of problem-solving strategies
• Pose or formulate challenging problems
• Monitor and reflect on their own problem-solving ideas
• Solve problems from a variety of contexts, from daily routines to mathematical situations in stories

Topics (second grade)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Sense of numbers
• Basic counting techniques
• Size of numbers
• Number relationships
• Place value
• Addition and subtraction
• Computational fluency

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Classification, patterns and relations
• Operations with whole numbers
• Use of step-by-step processes

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Explore, investigate and discuss shapes and structures in the classroom
• Become proficient in describing and representing shapes in their environment
• Learn to represent two- and three-dimensional shapes
• Recognize and create shapes that have symmetry

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Attributes of length, volume, weight and time
• How to measure using standard and nonstandard units
• Select appropriate unit and tool for attribute being measured
• Use repetition of a single unit to measure something larger than the unit

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• Pose questions to investigate
• Organize responses
• Create representations of data
• Sort and classify objects according to their attributes
• Organize and display data through graphical displays using counts, tallies, pictures and graphs
• Analyze and describe data

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Develop and broaden range of problem-solving strategies
• Pose or formulate challenging problems
• Monitor and reflect on their own problem-solving ideas
• Solve problems from a variety of contexts, from daily routines to mathematical situations in stories

Topics (third grade)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Place value
• Multiplication and division
• Computational fluency
• Increased understanding of base-ten number system
• Fractions, decimals and percents
• Numbers less than zero

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Identify, build and represent numerical and geometric patterns with tables or symbols
• Make predictions based on relationships between varying quantities
• Use graphs to describe patterns and make predictions
• Explore number properties
• Use invented notation, standard symbols and variables to express a pattern, generalization or situation

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Properties and classification of geometric objects
• Relationships between geometric shapes
• Motion, location and orientation
• Increase capacity to visualize geometric relationships
• Make, test and justify conjectures about geometric relationships

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Use concepts and tools of measurement to collect data, and to describe and quantify the world
• Measure attributes such as area, perimeter and angle
• Increase focus on degree of accuracy and variety of measurement tools
• Begin to develop and use formulas for the measurement of certain attributes

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• See a set of data as a whole, describe its shape and compare data sets
• Describe similarities and differences between data sets
• Formulate conclusions and arguments based on data
• Consider data sets as samples from a larger population
• Use language and symbols to describe simple situations involving probability

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Solve problems that arise in mathematics and other contexts
• Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
• Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving
• Develop and carry out plans to solve mathematical problems
  

Topics (fourth grade)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Place value
• Multiplication and division
• Computational fluency
• Increased understanding of base-ten number system
• Fractions, decimals and percents
• Numbers less than zero

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Identify, build and represent numerical and geometric patterns with tables or symbols
• Make predictions based on relationships between varying quantities
• Use graphs to describe patterns and make predictions
• Explore number properties
• Use invented notation, standard symbols and variables to express a pattern, generalization or situation

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Properties and classification of geometric objects
• Relationships between geometric shapes
• Motion, location and orientation
• Increase capacity to visualize geometric relationships
• Make, test and justify conjectures about geometric relationships

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Use concepts and tools of measurement to collect data, and to describe and quantify the world
• Measure attributes such as area, perimeter and angle
• Increase focus on degree of accuracy and variety of measurement tools
• Begin to develop and use formulas for the measurement of certain attributes

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• See a set of data as a whole, describe its shape and compare data sets
• Describe similarities and differences between data sets
• Formulate conclusions and arguments based on data
• Consider data sets as samples from a larger population
• Use language and symbols to describe simple situations involving probability

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Solve problems that arise in mathematics and other contexts
• Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
• Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving
• Develop and carry out plans to solve mathematical problems

Topics (fifth grade)
NUMBERS AND OPERATIONS - Understanding of and proficiency with counting, numbers and arithmetic, as well as an understanding of number systems and their structures

• Place value
• Multiplication and division
• Computational fluency
• Increased understanding of base-ten number system
• Fractions, decimals and percents
• Numbers less than zero

ALGEBRA - Relationships among quantities, including ways of representing mathematical relationships and expression of relationships by using symbolic notation

• Identify, build and represent numerical and geometric patterns with tables or symbols
• Make predictions based on relationships between varying quantities
• Use graphs to describe patterns and make predictions
• Explore number properties
• Use invented notation, standard symbols and variables to express a pattern, generalization or situation

GEOMETRY - Geometric shapes and structures, and how to analyze their characteristics and relationships

• Properties and classification of geometric objects
• Relationships between geometric shapes
• Motion, location and orientation
• Increase capacity to visualize geometric relationships
• Make, test and justify conjectures about geometric relationships

MEASUREMENT - The assignment of a numerical value to an attribute of an object; understanding what a measurable attribute is, becoming familiar with the units and processes used in measuring attributes

• Use concepts and tools of measurement to collect data, and to describe and quantify the world
• Measure attributes such as area, perimeter and angle
• Increase focus on degree of accuracy and variety of measurement tools
• Begin to develop and use formulas for the measurement of certain attributes

DATA ANALYSIS AND PROBABILITY - How to collect, organize and display data in graphs and charts that will be useful in answering questions; methods of analyzing data, and of making inferences and conclusions from data

• See a set of data as a whole, describe its shape and compare data sets
• Describe similarities and differences between data sets
• Formulate conclusions and arguments based on data
• Consider data sets as samples from a larger population
• Use language and symbols to describe simple situations involving probability

PROBLEM SOLVING - Engaging in a task for which the solution method is not known in advance

• Solve problems that arise in mathematics and other contexts
• Apply and adapt a variety of appropriate strategies to solve problems
• Monitor and reflect on the process of mathematical problem solving
• Develop and carry out plans to solve mathematical problems

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
The music program focuses on making music, and listening to and responding to music others have produced. Students sing, play instruments, move and create music.

Topics (kindergarten)

• The singing voice through clear, light singing
• Vocal flexibility and expression
• Easy use of speaking, singing, whispering and calling voice qualities
• Moving to a steady beat while singing or listening to musical instruments

First through Fifth Grades
Resource
Making Music, Silver Burdett

Topics (first grade)

• Singing with healthy vocal technique
• Loud and soft in musical examples
• Distinguishing between high and low pitches
• Steady beat, simple rhythm patters and tempo
• Playing classroom instruments with correct technique and consistent tempo
• Improvising simple movement and instrument accompaniments
• Recognizing same and different sections

Topics (second grade)

• Matching pitches
• Singing in a group
• Playing simple rhythmic and melodic patterns
• Using a system to read basic music notations, rhythmically and melodically
• Improvising simple rhythms and melodies
• ABA forms and call and response form
• Recognizing the expressive qualities of dynamics

Topics (third grade)

• Singing partner songs, rounds and canons
• Singing a varied repertoire of songs with health vocal technique
• Playing simple melodies on classroom instruments
• Singing and identifying the pentatonic scale
• Improvising simple melodies
• Reading and writing more complex rhythms
• Classifying by family the most common orchestral instruments
• Identifying simple meters

Topics (fourth grade)

• Reading from a two-part song
• Singing countermelodies
• Singing alone with accurate pitch matching
• Recognizing theme and variations, rondo, and suite forms
• Performing melodic and rhythmic patterns, including syncopation
• Reading musical notation in the pentatonic scale
• Improvising a melody using classroom instruments
• Recognizing characteristics of orchestral instruments
• Proper playing techniques for classroom instruments, including the recorder

Topics (fifth grade)

• Singing part songs in a group
• Performing simple rhythmic and harmonic patterns on classroom instruments
• Improvising accompaniments using classroom instruments, voice or both
• Common symbols and terms of music
• Identifying aurally and visually lesser known instruments of the orchestra
• Responding to a variety of music

In band, students study instrumental music. Through the development of instrumental techniques, ensemble skills, theory and history studies, students learn to appreciate music and become able to express music appropriate for their developmental level.

First through Second Grade
Physical education is based on learning basic movements and skills, and refining these movements and skills into specific activities. Skills include locomotor movement, non-locomotor movement, perceptual movement and manipulatives.

Topics

• Physical activities that develop motor skills and physical fitness
• Rules, skills, strategies and team building associated with individual and team activities
• Age-appropriate physical fitness
• Safety and etiquette in physical activities
• Fitness planning

Third through Fifth Grades
Physical education is based on learning basic movements and skills, and refining these movements and skills into specific activities. Skills include locomotor movement, non-locomotor movement, perceptual movement and manipulatives. The movements and skills are incorporated into game situations. Examples of the core units are basketball, bowling, floor hockey, tumbling and stunts, rhythms, soccer, touch/flag football, track & field, volleyball and fitness.

Topics

• Physical activities that develop motor skills and physical fitness
• Rules, skills, strategies and team-building associated with individual and team activities
• Age-appropriate physical fitness
• Safety and etiquette in physical activities

Kindergarten through Third Grade
The science curriculum provides opportunities for students to learn science concepts through hands-on activities. Students learn to observe, compare, collect data, organize and analyze information, and communicate what they have learned. The investigations focus on physical and life science concepts.

Resources
Full Option Science System (FOSS) kits

Topics (kindergarten)
Paper, Wood or Fabric (physical science)

• How the material interacts with water
• The properties that make the material easy or difficult to cut
• Different ways to join the material
• Comparing the properties of the material to determine its best use

Trees (life science)

• Similarities and differences
• Seasonal changes
• Size, shape, texture and color of tree leaves
• Observations

Animals Two by Two (life science)

• Observe and describe the structures of a variety of common animals
• Compare structures and behaviors of animals
• Observe interactions of animals in their surroundings
• Communicate observations and comparisons

Topics (first grade)
Solids and Liquids (physical science)

• Properties of solid particles in closed bottles
• Appearance and behavior of different liquids in containers
• What happens when solids and liquids are mixed with water

New Plants (life science)

• Growth of seeds and plant development
• Development of roots on stems or bulbs
• Recording and communicating observations in words and drawings

Air and Weather (earth science)

• Observing and recording daily weather data
• Cloud types
• Effects of air on other materials such as soap bubbles, propellers and gliders

Topics (second grade)

Balance and Motion (physical science)
Stable and unstable systems, center of gravity and two classes of motion

• Observations of balanced systems
• Making a mobile
• Observing objects in rotational and linear motion
• Recording and communicating observations

Insects (life science)

• Differences in the life cycle and behavior of insects
• Organizing and communicating observations

Pebbles, Sand and Silt (earth science)

• Sorting rocks into groups by properties including color, shape and texture
• Properties of different rocks
• Separating and grouping river rocks based on particle size
• Observing and comparing soil samples from different locations

Topics (third grade)
Magnetism and Electricity (physical science)

• Permanent magnetism, electrical circuits and electromagnetism
• Interactions of a magnet with different objects and materials
• The force of attraction between magnets and different objects
• Testing objects for the ability to conduct electricity
• Electromagnets
• Recording and communicating observations and investigations

Structures of Life (life science)

• Properties of seeds and fruits, and the structures and behavior of crayfish
• Sorting and comparing seeds, and investigating the effect of water on seeds over time
• Comparing crayfish to other animals

Earth Materials (earth science)

• Observations about rocks
• How rock materials separate and settle in water
• Separating one ingredient from a mixture
• Sorting objects according to properties, recording and comparing observations

Measurement (scientific reasoning)

• Measuring length, mass and capacity
• Recording, comparing and communicating measurements of a variety of objects

Fourth and Fifth Grades
The curriculum provides opportunities for students to learn science concepts through hands-on activities. Students learn to observe, compare, collect data, organize and analyze information, and communicate what they have learned. The investigations focus on physical, earth, life science and scientific reasoning concepts.

Topics (fourth grade)
Physics of Sound (physical science)

• Sound as a property of a vibrating object
• How sound waves travel through water, air and solids
• Comparing the ability of different things to conduct sound
• How pitch of a sound can be changed

Human Body (life science)

• Human skeletal and muscle systems
• The bones and muscles in their body
• How muscles and bones work together

Water (earth science)

• Observing and comparing water on a variety of surfaces
• Observing and describing water as a liquid and as a solid
• Evaporation and condensation
• Comparing water samples

Ideas and Inventions (scientific reasoning)

• Using techniques to see details about the world that would otherwise be difficult to observe
• Color writing, a rubbing record and carbon printing
• Reflection through the use of mirrors

Topics (fifth grade)
Mixtures and Solutions (physical science)

• Solids and liquids
• Interactions that result from experiments with solutions

Environments (life science)

• Data from cause and effect experiments and investigations with plants
• Data from cause and effect experiments and investigations with animals

Landforms (earth science)

• Using stream tables to investigate the variables that influence erosion and deposition of earth materials, and the subsequent creation of landforms
• The effects of different amounts of water on erosion
• The effects of steepness of slope on erosion
• Maps and models of different land forms

Variables (scientific reasoning)

• Relationships between independent and dependent variables, and predictions
• Conducting a controlled experiment using one variable and organizing the data gathered
• Variables that affect the outcome of an experiment

Social Studies

Kindergarten through Fifth Grade
The social studies curriculum provides the opportunity for each student to acquire knowledge and develop skills necessary for social, political and economic participation in a diverse, interdependent and changing world.

Resources (kindergarten through third grade)
District-created units of study
Variety of district-selected books

Topics (kindergarten)
A Healthy Self in a Healthy World (understanding self and others in social settings)

• Emotions
• Community environment and the people who occupy it
• Similarities and differences between cultures
• Classroom environment and others within that environment
• School environment

Topics (first grade)
All About Me

• Expressing their ideas about what makes them unique

Home is Where the Heart Is

• Roles and responsibilities of individual family members
• Ways families change over time

Mapping Our Way through First Grade

• Concepts of left, right, up, down, next to and in between
• The four cardinal directions - north, south, east and west
• Labeling and using a map of the school
• Constructing a simple map of the classroom
• Using maps and globes to find locations

Our Global Community

• Beginning to view self as part of an international community
• Language, holidays and literature of China, Mexico and Nigeria

Topics (second grade)
Neighborhoods

• Components of a neighborhood and reasons for location or features of communities
• Comparing and contrasting their neighborhood/community with others
• How wants and needs are responsibly met in the home, school and community
• How people define, build and name places and develop a sense of place
• How neighborhoods change over time
• Accessing information from maps, globes, charts and pictures
• Identifying cardinal directions (north, south, east, west) and using them on a globe and desk map
• Major geographical features and regions of the earth's surface

We Are Earth (environmental awareness)

• Positive and negative consequences of environmental situations
• How people have adapted to and modified their environments, and how personal choices or behavior are related to conditions of people in other places
• How the personal use of materials, energy and water impacts the environment
• How American Indians adapted their way of living to their environment
• How places can be damaged, destroyed or improved through human actions or natural processes
• How different people may respond differently to the same event
• Taking informed actions about issues by planning on how to improve the school, community or environment

On the Move - Transportation

• Community interaction in terms of transportation
• Ways in which people move themselves, their products and their ideas around the world
• How changes in transportation technology influence the rates at which people, goods and ideas move from place to place

Communications

• community interaction in terms of communication
• Interpersonal communications and social participation
• How changes in communication technology influence the rates at which people, products and ideas move from place to place

Economics

• Economic terms
• The interdependent and dynamic nature of humans and their social, economic and political communities across cultures, time and space

Neighbors Around the World

• Comparing and contrasting the traditions of the countries studied

Topics (third grade)
Where Am I? Our Local Community

• How people depend on each other in communities
• Economic terms: scarcity, needs, wants, production, interdependence, goods and services, opportunity cost
• How a region changes over time (research survey, observation of community, and compare and contrast chart)
• Comparing rural and urban environments by defining and identifying natural resources
• How human alterations of physical environments have had positive and negative consequences
• Interpreting pictures and using charts, graphs and tables to display data
• Environmental issues in the local community

A Long Time Ago is a Lot Like Today - The Ojibway

• How the process to achieve harmony and balance plays a vital role in American Indian philosophy and in the daily lives of American Indians
• How human beings from different cultures have adapted to and modified their environment
• Unique features of family structures and relationships of American Indians in Minnesota
• How institutions such as family and religion help meet basic needs, today and in the past

Origins and Immigration

• A global perspective of the world as ethnically and culturally diverse
• Individual and group differences locally and nationally
• How human beings from diverse cultures have migrated, adapted to and modified their environments
• Individual rights, freedoms and responsibilities that protect human dignity

Farming

• Immigrant migration to farmland
• Comparison of farms past and present
• Crops grown on Minnesota farms
• Production of corn from farm to processing
• What makes a cheeseburger
• African Americans in agriculture

Fourth Grade
Resources
District developed units of study
Minnesota (From Sea to Shining Sea), Children's Press
Exploring Regions Near and Far, D.C. Heath

Topics
Physical Geography

• The five themes of geography: location, place, interaction, movement and regions
• Geographic terms and abbreviations used to name and describe landforms and bodies of water
• Maps, globes, almanacs, charts, pictures, graphs and tables
• Geographical locations of regions of the United States and selected regions of the world
• Climates on earth and factors that cause differences
• How people from different cultures deal with their physical environment

Geography of the United States and Canada

• Regions in the United States and Canada
• Location, place, region, movement and human/environmental interaction
• How the people of the United States use and modify their physical environment
• Geographic features, economic activities, food, clothing, crafts and rituals of two or more regions of the United States

Minnesota

• Absolute and relative location of cities and waterways within the state
• How regions are defined and regions within Minnesota
• The origins of groups represented in Minnesota
• How Minnesota's in the past and present use, modify or adapt to the physical geography
• Categorizing the state resources as natural, human or capital
• Contributing to the improvement of the community

Fifth Grade
Resources
District-developed units of study
Exploring Our World Past and Present, DC Heath
District-selected biographies

Topics
Introduction to Historical and Geographic Thought

• Describing historical events using the five W's - who, what, where, when and why
• Organizing historical events sequentially using a timeline
• Locating, organizing and presenting information
• Reconstructing an historical account of an event using primary and secondary sources

The Ancient World

• Differences between hunters/gatherers and farmers
• Characteristics of culture and examples of the components of a specific civilization
• Locating, organizing and presenting information
• Contributions of ancient civilizations to their own time and the modern world
• Describing a past event from the point of view of a local community member
• Examples of conflict, cooperation and interdependence among individuals, groups and nations

European History to the 15th Century

• Factors that contributed to the decline, restoration and enhancement of civilization during the Middle Ages and Renaissance
• How technology has changed peoples' lives in home, work, transportation and communication
• Locating, organizing and presenting information

Europe Today

• Maps, globes, charts, graphs and tables
• Geographic terms, symbols and places
• Understanding current events