Elementary (K-5)
Click to learn about our curricula:
RASA has created a customized, stimulating academic program drawn from the International Baccalaureate–Primary Years Program (IB-PYP), Minnesota state standards, and Common Core. There are six subject areas within the PYP:
Language arts
Math
Science
Social studies
Art
Personal, social, and physical education
Program of Inquiry
RASA’s Program of Inquiry organizes students’ in-depth exploration of six transdisciplinary themes throughout the year. These themes guide a classroom’s inquiry into topics that cover the breadth of subject areas, allowing RASA to not only meet but exceed state standards in science and social studies while simultaneously introducing a global context for the information. Students and teachers work together to identify the questions that are most compelling and thus student inquiry drives the focus of the learning, often in surprising and wonderful ways.
The six transdisciplinary themes are
Who We Are
Where We Are in Space and Time
How the World Works
How We Express Ourselves
How We Organize Ourselves
Sharing the Planet
Daily Schedule
Key Features:
Language arts instruction (90+ minutes/day) is emphasized in the younger grades.
Math instruction occurs daily (60+ minutes/day).
Transdisciplinary learning through the IB Program of Inquiry occurs daily.
Foreign language instruction is offered daily.
Physical education occurs daily.
Art and music are offered weekly.
IB assembly occurs biweekly.
Public library visits are biweekly for older grades.
Curricular Materials
Language Arts
Houghton Mifflin’s Journeys reading program supplemented by Words Their Way (spelling), Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop, and Handwriting Without Tears
Mathematics
Singapore Math
Science and Social Studies
IB Program of Inquiry
Foreign Language
Daily French and Spanish language instruction is provided.
Technology
RASA integrates technology instruction into daily learning. Keyboarding, online research, and use of iPad apps and instruction on use of computer applications is provided. Smart Board technology is utilized in all classrooms.
Physical Education
PE occurs inside and/or outside as weather allows. Students have opportunities for both structured activities and free play. RASA has an indoor space available with play equipment.
Art
Students receive weekly art instruction. Art lessons center on works of famous artists and connections to IB Units of Inquiry.
Music
Twice weekly music classes emphasize basic music instruction and appreciation/participation.
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary
Develop multiple approaches to working with numbers
Use a variety of concrete materials to demonstrate number relations
Count, recognize, write, order, and compare whole numbers and fractions
Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of addition and subtraction using multiple strategies
Model and discuss the concrete representations of less than, greater than, and equal to
Use ordinal numbers
Explore, discuss, and solve addition and subtraction problems using manipulatives, patterns, and numbers
Use manipulatives, coins, and numbers in number sense form
Algebraic Thinking
Identify, extend, and create patterns in many forms
Sort, classify, make comparisons, and search for patterns while working with manipulatives, data, and numbers
Skip count by 2s, 5s, and 10s
Use and make predictions about repeating patterns
Describe the relationship between addition and subtraction
Geometry and Measurement
Identify coins and know their values
Identify, describe, and discuss likeness/differences between objects and collections
Recognize shapes in different orientations
Identify patterns in geometrical objects, e.g., symmetry
Make and construct 2D shapes and models
Estimate and use non-standard and standard units to make measurements
Use real objects as examples of quantity, space, and shapes
Introduction to time-telling: hour, minute, and second hands
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Collect, display, sort, and interpret data
Use pictures and symbols to characterize and group objects and solve problems
Make predictions about an event happening
Science
Topics
Weather
Seasons
Habitats
Plants and Animals
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Sorting and classifying
Estimation
Cause and effect
Use of simple scientific equipment
Reflecting and action
Visual Arts
Complete art projects that are closely connected to the Units of Inquiry
Develop motor coordination
Enhance awareness of the basic art elements: color, shape, line, and texture
Explore materials and techniques for a greater understanding of the creative process
Study shapes by completing projects influenced by Henri Matisse and Alexander Calder
Complete projects connected to the history of art, e.g., Native American dream catchers
Study and create works in the style of famous artists
Social Studies
Topics
Communities
World Celebrations
Skills
Understand and follow rules
School and community civic skills
Appropriate ways to communicate
Making good choices
Map skills
Simple Economics: needs vs. wants and goods vs. services
Compare and contrast
Physical Education/Health
Units:
Locomotor and Balance
Throwing and Catching
Zumba, Yoga, Dance
Dribbling and Kicking
Parachute
Racquetball and Badminton
Volleyball
Track and Field
Jumprope
Health Focus
Safety in the gym and on the Playground
Cooperation and sharing
Healthy choices
Reading/Language Arts
Word-Level Work
Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Spelling
Be able to rhyme by
creating patterns
using new and invented words in speech and spelling
identifying alliteration
Know grapheme and phoneme correspondence by:
Sounding and naming identifying initial sounds in words
Reading letters that represent the sounds a–z, ch, sh, and th
Writing initial sounds in words that correspond to the sounds a–z, ch, sh, and th
Identifying and writing initial and final phonemes in consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words
Word Recognition, Graphic Knowledge, and Spelling
Read 45 sight words from the Dolch high-frequency word list
Read and write their own name
Recognize critical features of words, such as shape, height, and spelling patterns
Handwriting
Use a comfortable and efficient pencil grip
Write on a line
Write letters using the correct sequence of movements
Sentence-Level Work
Grammatical Awareness
Use awareness of grammatical conventions to predict a word when sharing or rereading familiar stories
Use a capital letter for the start of their name and at the beginning of a sentence
Use periods
Reading/Language Arts (Continued)
Text-Level Work
Reading
Correctly use terms about books and print: book, beginning, end, back, cover, page, line, word, letter, title, and author
Track text in the right order: page by page, left to right, and top to bottom
Reading Comprehension
Use a variety of cues to read words in a story, such as grammatical knowledge and context
Know the difference between a retold story and the story as it’s written
Frequently reread a variety of forms of text: lists, big books, captions, and their own and other children's writing
Reenact or retell stories, recounting the main points in order
Be aware of story structure: actions/reactions, consequences, build-up, and conclusion
Writing
Shared writing
Learn that writing can be used for many purposes, including sending messages, recording ideas, informing, or telling a story
Understand that writing is formed in the same direction one word at a time
Understand how letters are formed to make words
Help the teacher to scribe and reread what the class has written
Guided and independent writing
Write their name
Write labels and captions for pictures and drawings
Write sentences to match pictures or sequences of pictures in a story
See how their version of words matches or differs from conventional spelling (on their own and with the help of a teacher)
Think about and discuss what they want to write ahead of time
Use stories and poems as a basis for independent writing
Use writing to tell stories, write lists, send messages, recount their own experiences, write signs and greeting cards, and record and share information
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary, including number words
Name, count, recognize, and compare whole numbers up to 100
Understand our numeration system by relating, counting, and grouping, and using place value concepts
Develop various approaches to work with numbers
Use mental math to compute and solve problems
Know when to use addition and subtraction
Work with manipulatives in a variety of models
Use a variety of strategies and situations for estimating quantities, measurement, and computation
Write and solve addition and subtraction word problems
Explore discrete math by sorting and classifying sets by attributes
Find the sum of three or more single-digit addends
Relate the mathematical language and symbolism of operations to problem situations
Explore and understand the relationship among operations
Understand the language of numbers: more than, greater than, less than, before, between, and after
Algebraic Thinking: Patterns, Relations, and Functions
Recognize, describe, extend, and create a wide variety of patterns in mathematics and the real world
Demonstrate an understanding of the missing addend
Identify a missing piece of a pattern in a sequence or mathematical sentence
Write an equation to represent and solve a problem
Explore the use of variables and open sentences to express relationships
Match written symbols to objects, numbers, quantity, and words
Explore multiplication and recognize its relationship to repeated addition
Geometry and Measurement
Identify properties and attributes of shapes
Tell time to the quarter hour, half hour, and hour intervals
Identify coins and their equivalencies
Make and use estimates of a measurement
Apply, compare, and compute with measurement
Demonstrate attributes of length, weight, area, and volume
Recognize shapes from different perspectives to explore symmetry and transformations
Develop spatial sense
Use geometric ideas to develop numerical ideas
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Use a variety of methods and materials to manipulate and organize data
Interpret and discuss Venn diagrams using two or three sets
Use a chart or table to help solve a problem
Collect, tally, organize, record, and describe data
Formulate and solve problems that involve collecting and analyzing data
Explore the concept of chance
Science
Topics
Energy – Light/Sound/Heat
Engineering and Structures
Simple Machines (Force and Motion)
Parks
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Sorting and classifying
Identify and describe patterns
Estimation
Cause and effect
Use of simple scientific equipment
Planning and conducting experiments
Visual Arts
Complete art projects that are closely connected to the Units of Inquiry
Learn to communicate feelings and emotions through color (warm and cool colors)
Sculpt clay faces, mix colors with paints, and collage materials to explore line and shape
Complete projects connected to art history and culture
Ancient civilizations and architecture:
Great Pyramids of Giza
The Sphinx
Great Wall of China
Taj Majal
Study and create works in the style of famous artists
Social Studies
Topic
Communication
Parks
Heroes
Artistic Expression
Skills
Understand and follow rules
School and community civic skills
Appropriate ways to communicate
Making good choices
Ways we study history
Map skills
Simple economics: parks
Compare and contrast
Timeline
Physical Education/Health
Units:
Soccer
Basketball
Football
Floor Hockey
Running and Chasing Games
Gymnastics/Dance/Yoga
Bowling
Jump Rope
Net Based Sports
Track and Field
Health Focus
Safety in games and sports
Respectful communication
Teamwork
Healthy lifestyle choices
Reading/Language Arts
Word-Level Work
Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Spelling
Practice and secure rhyming skills from Kindergarten by
exploring rhyming patterns
generating rhyming groups (e.g., pat, sat, cat)
Practice and secure ability to hear initial and final phonemes in CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words
Discriminate and segment all three phonemes in CVC words
Blend phonemes to read CVC words
Represent in writing all three phonemes in CVC words
Read and spell words ending in ff, ll, ss, ch, and ng
Read and spell initial consonant clusters: bl, cr, tr, and str
Read and spell final consonant clusters: nd, lp, and st
Segment consonant clusters for spelling and writing
Blend phonemes for reading; segment phonemes for spelling
Read and spell long vowel phonemes: ee, ai, ie, oa, and oo
Word Recognition, Graphic Knowledge, and Spelling
Read on sight new, high-frequency words
Pluralize words by adding s to the end
Spell words from their weekly spelling lists
Learn new words from shared and individual reading experiences
Make a collection of personal words
Learn the meaning of vowel and consonant
Sentence-Level Work
Grammatical Awareness
Expect written text to make sense and check for sense if it does not
Use awareness of grammar to decipher new words within a sentence (e.g., read on, leaving a gap, then reread with a different word)
Read with expression
Reread to make sure their own writing makes sense
Predict words that fit in a sentence
Sentence Construction and Punctuation
Recognize and use periods and capital letters when reading and writing. Use capitalization for Mr., Mrs., Ms., and Miss
Reading/Language Arts (Continued)
Text-Level Work
Fiction and Poetry
Reading Comprehension
Reinforce and apply word-level skills in shared and guided reading
Use phonological, graphical, and grammatical cues to read texts and make sense from them
Read simple familiar stories and poetry independently
Reenact stories using puppets, pantomime, and plays
Retell stories giving the main points in sequence
Identify different genres of stories and discuss characters
Become aware of character dialogue
Writing
Apply phonological graphic knowledge and sight vocabulary to spell words accurately
Write about events they have personally experienced
Use rhymes and patterned stories as models for their own writing
Use elements of structure and language in their own stories
Write about significant incidents in stories
Compose their own poetry using repetitive patterns, carefully selected sentences, and imagery
Nonfiction
Reading Comprehension
Know the difference between fiction and nonfiction
Know the features of nonfiction texts: captions, indexes, tables of contents, and diagrams with labels
Understand that the reader can read selectively for information without reading the whole book
Use ordered sequences of events: first, next, and last
Use text to answer questions
Writing Composition
Write captions for their own works for display
Make simple lists for planning and reminding
Write and draw instructions and labels for classroom use
Write retellings of experiences
Make a class dictionary of special interest linked to Units of Inquiry
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary
Estimate to solve problems
Understand our numeration system by relating, counting, and grouping
Read, write, and identify place value
Count, compare, and order whole numbers and fractions
Use mental math
Use multiple strategies to solve problems
Write and solve a story problem involving operations
Recognize the patterns and relationship between decimal numbers and money
Explore discrete math concepts such as the cumulative property
Explore division and single-digit multiplication
Identify and compare fractional parts
Round to solve problems
Explore discrete math by determining and manipulating combinations and arrangements of objects
Explore and model the basic concepts of fractions, including equivalent fractions and operations
Algebraic Thinking
Identify and extend geometric and number patterns
Know fact families
Write an equation or rule that represents a numerical geometric relationship
Use concrete materials and charts to explore mathematical relationships and language
Geometry and Measurement
Determine elapsed time and compute with time
Tell time to the nearest minute
Use a calendar to solve problems
Know the value of coins and compute with money
Compute and compare measurements
Use drawings to develop spatial sense
Explore the concept of linear and distance measurement
Find, explain, and compare area and perimeter and multiplication and area
Use customary and metric units to measure, order, and compare capacity
Select and use the appropriate measurement units to report measurement data
Identify properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes
Describe and draw lines of symmetry
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Read and use data to predict patterns of outcome
Conduct a survey
Connect data to mathematical representations and operations
Use maps to explore networks and to solve problems
Make a plan to collect, record, and interpret data
Gather, sort, display, and interpret data in charts, tables, diagrams, and graphs
Use tally marks to collect, organize, and describe data
Explore the possible outcomes of an experiment
Science
Topics
Solar System and Space
Life Cycles
Water Cycle
Weather and Climate
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Identify and predict patterns
Estimation
Cause and effect
Use of simple scientific equipment
Planning and conducting experiments
Create diagrams and models to represent data
Analyze data
Visual Arts
Create art projects that are closely connected to the Units of Inquiry
Create and write stories to accompany their art
Recognize and use overlapping shapes to show depth
Interact in groups to encourage multiple perspectives and peer learning
Create projects connected to art history and culture
Study and create works in the style of famous artists
Social Studies
Topics
Civics and Citizenship
Ancient Civilizations
Maps
Skills
Participate in defining classroom rules
School and community civic skills
Service learning project
Appropriate ways to communicate
Making good choices
Ways we study history
Map skills
Compare and contrast
Physical Education/Health
Units
Soccer
Basketball
Football
Floor Hockey
Running and Chasing Games
Gymnastics/Dance/Yoga
Bowling
Jump Rope
Net Based Sports
Track and Field
Health Focus
Safety in games and sports
Respectful communication
Teamwork
Healthy lifestyle choices
Reading/Language Arts
Word-Level Work
Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Spelling
Identify, spell, and read long-vowel digraphs in simple word forms
Read and spell words containing different spellings of long-vowel phonemes
Spelling patterns of the vowel phonemes oo, ar, oy, ow, or, air, and er
Read and spell words containing the digraphs wh, ph, and ch
Split familiar compound words into their component parts
Word Recognition, Graphic Knowledge, and Spelling
Read on sight and spell words from Houghton Mifflin Spelling and Vocabulary
Spell words with common prefixes (e.g., un, dis) to indicate the negative
Spell words with common suffixes (e.g., ful, ly)
Understand and use the terms vowel and consonant
Vocabulary Extension
Use antonyms: collect, discuss differences or meaning, and know their spelling
Use synonyms and other alternative words/phrases that express the same or similar meanings
Sentence-Level Work
Grammatical Awareness
Use awareness of grammar to decipher new or unfamiliar words
Read aloud with intonation and expression
Reread their own writing to check for grammatical sense and accuracy
Match verbs to nouns/pronouns correctly; use simple gender forms
Use verb tenses with increasing accuracy in speaking and writing
Sentence Construction and Punctuation
Use commas to separate items in a list
Write in clear sentences using capital letters and periods accurately
Turn statements into questions and add question marks
Text-Level Work
Fiction and Poetry
Reading Comprehension
Reinforce and apply word-level skills in shared and guided reading
Understand time and sequential relationships in stories
Identify and discuss reasons for events in stories, linked to a plot
Discuss story settings and consider how settings influence events and behavior
Identify and describe characters
Reading/Language Arts (Continued)
Prepare and retell stories individually and through role-play in a group
Read, respond imaginatively, recommend, and collect examples of humorous stories, extracts, and poems
Identify and discuss aspects of patterns of rhyme and rhythm, alliterative patterns, and other features of sound in different poems
Identify and discuss favorite poems and poets, using appropriate terms and referring to the language of the poems
Writing Composition
Use story structure to write about their own experience in the same or similar form
Use language of time to structure a sequence of events
Use poems or parts of poems as models for their own writing
Compose their own poetic sentences
Write character profiles using key words and phrases that are in the text
Nonfiction
Reading Comprehension
Recognize that nonfiction books on similar themes can give different information and present similar information in different ways
Identify simple questions and use a text to find answers; locate parts of the text that give particular information, including labeled diagrams and charts
Read simple written instructions
Understand the distinction between fact and fiction
Use a contents page and index to find their way about a text
Use dictionaries and glossaries to locate words by using their initial letter
Read flow charts and cyclical diagrams that explain a process
Writing Composition
Write simple recounts linked to topics of interest/study or to personal experience using language of texts they’ve read as models
Make group/class books, e.g., Our Day at School, or Our Trip to…
Write simple instructions
Use diagrams as part of instructions
Use the language and features of nonfiction texts (e.g., labeled diagrams, picture captions) to make class books
Make class dictionaries and glossaries of special-interest words, giving explanations and definitions
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary
Compare and order whole numbers, fractions, and decimals
Recognize and compute equivalent fractions
Apply fractions to problem situations
Model multiplication
Use calculators in appropriate computation situations
Understand and appropriately use the division algorithms
Model, explain, and develop reasonable proficiency with basic facts and algorithms
Understand the concept of fractions and compute with fractions
Explore the relationship between decimals and fractions
Use mental math strategies to solve problems
Use estimation
Understand multiplication as repeated addition
Know basic multiplication facts
Use multiple strategies to solve a problem
Write an equation to represent or solve a problem
Algebraic Thinking
Recognize, describe, and create number and geometric patterns
Represent relationships with models, tables, graphs, and rules
Use manipulatives to model balancing in number sentences
Explore the concepts of variable and constant
Write a number sentence
Identify a missing piece in a mathematical sentence
Geometry and Measurement
Select and use the appropriate system of measurement in real-life problems
Compute with and compare money amounts; solve problems involving money
Apply estimation when working with measurement
Compare and compute with measurements
Properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes
Use visualization to solve problems
Find the area and perimeter of shapes and explore the relationship between these concepts
Use metric measurement
Recognize, draw, construct, and classify geometric shapes
Explore and understand similarity between shapes
Use a variety of methods of estimation when working with measurement
Understand the relationship between square and linear units
Develop spatial sense
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Collect, organize, and describe data
Construct, read, and interpret displays of data
Formulate and solve problems that involve collecting and analyzing data
Interpret results and make predictions and decisions based on data analysis
Find the average of a set of numbers
Graph data to show relationships
Explore probability activities using concrete materials
Record data by using a tally sheet
Science
Topics
Animal Migration
Ecosystems
Rocks and Earth’s Structure
Landforms
Science Fair
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Estimation
Use of scientific equipment
Planning and conducting controlled experiments
Create diagrams and models to represent data
Analyze data
Use evidence to construct an argument
Generate and compare solutions to problems
Read grade level science texts
Visual Arts
Complete art projects that are closely connected to the Units of Inquiry
Use the basic elements as vocabulary for art making
Study symbolism in art through color and line
Complete projects connected to art history and culture
Study and create works in the style of famous artists
Social Studies
Topics
Human Migration and US Immigration
Economics
Rights and Inequalities
Inventions of the Past
Skills
Participate in defining classroom rules
School and community civic skills
Financial Literacy
Appropriate ways to communicate
Making good choices
Ways we study history
Reading grade level social studies texts
Compare and contrast: two accounts of the same event
Physical Education/Health
Units
Soccer
Basketball
Football
Floor Hockey
Gymnastics/Dance/Yoga
Bowling
Jump Rope
Volleyball
Badminton and Tennis
Track and Field
Health Focus
Goal setting and healthy Communication
Media and health
Body systems and health
Healthy decision making
Community health
Reading/Language Arts
Word-Level Work
Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Spelling
Read and spell high-frequency words correctly
Discriminate between syllables in reading and spelling
Spelling Strategies
Identify misspelled words in their own writing
Use independent spelling strategies:
building from base words with similar patterns and meanings
using word banks, dictionaries, etc.
Spelling Conventions and Rules
Identify short words within longer words as an aid to spelling
Investigate, spell, and read words with silent letters, e.g., knee, wrinkle
Recognize and generate compound words and use this knowledge to support their spelling
Recognize and spell common prefixes and suffixes and learn how these influence word meanings
Use word knowledge of prefixes and suffixes to generate new words from root words and understand how they give clues to meaning
Use the terms prefix, suffix, and plural appropriately
Use the apostrophe to correctly form contractions
Vocabulary Extension
Collect new words from reading and work in other subjects and make use of them in reading and writing
Infer the meaning of unknown words from context and generate a range of possible meanings
Use dictionaries to learn or check the spellings and definitions of words
Organize words alphabetically using the first two letters
Generate synonyms for high-frequency words (e.g., big, little, like, good, nice, nasty)
Learn common vocabulary for introducing and concluding dialogue
Sentence-Level Work
Grammatical Awareness
Use awareness of grammar to decipher new or unfamiliar words (e.g., predict from the text, or read on, leaving a gap, and return later); use these strategies in conjunction with knowledge of phonemes, word recognition, and context when reading
Take account of grammar and punctuation when reading aloud
Know the function of verbs, adjectives, and pronouns in sentences
Use verb tenses with increasing accuracy in speaking and writing
Distinguish between the first-, second-, and third-person forms of pronouns
Sentence Construction and Punctuation
Secure knowledge of question marks and exclamation points
Know the basic conventions of speech punctuation
Use speech marks and other dialogue punctuation appropriately
Investigate how words and phrases can signal time sequences
Become aware of the use of commas in marking grammatical boundaries within sentences
Understand differences between verbs in the first-, second- and third-person
Understand the need for grammatical agreement in speech and in writing
Reading/Language Arts (Continued)
Text-Level Work
Fiction and Poetry
Reading Comprehension
Compare a range of story settings and select words and phrases that describe scenes
Retell main points of story in sequence, compare different stories, and evaluate stories and justify preferences
Discuss characters’ feelings and behaviors while referring to the text and making judgments
Compare and contrast works by the same author
Be aware of authors and discuss preferences and reasons for them
Learn how dialogue is presented in stories
Read, prepare, and present play scripts
Read aloud and recite poems
Distinguish between rhyming and non-rhyming poetry and comment on the impact of layout
Writing Composition
Write simple evaluations of books and discuss, giving reasons
Plan main points as a structure for story-writing, considering how to capture points in a few words that can be elaborated upon later
Describe and sequence key incidents in a variety of ways, i.e., by listening, charting, mapping, and making simple storyboards
Write sequels to traditional stories using the same characters and setting
Write new or extended verses for performance based on models of performance and oral poetry
Begin to organize stories into paragraphs, correctly formatting dialogue
Nonfiction
Reading Comprehension
Understand the distinction between fact and fiction; use the terms fact, fiction, and nonfiction appropriately
Notice differences in the style and structure of fiction and nonfiction writing
Identify the different purposes of instructional texts, i.e., recipes, route finders, timetables, instructions, plans, and rules
Read, write, and follow simple instructions
Read examples of letters written for a range of purposes
Locate books by classification in class or school libraries
Summarize orally in one sentence the content of a passage or text, and the main point it’s making
Writing Composition
Make a simple record of information from texts read
Explore ways of writing ideas and messages in shortened forms
Organize letters into simple paragraphs
Summarize in writing the content of a passage or text and the main point it is making
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary
Use computation and estimation to solve problems
Use mental math to solve computation problems
Represent numerical relationships in one- and two-dimensional graphs
Develop, analyze, and explain procedures for computing, estimating, and solving proportions
Know and understand place value, including in the context of money
Identify and demonstrate understanding of number theory
Compute with whole numbers, decimals, and fractions, including numbers having multiple digits
Use and describe different strategies for estimation
Use multiple strategies to solve problems
Investigate and describe relationships among fractions, decimals, and percentages
Understand and model fractional parts
Round fractions to the nearest whole number
Compare and order whole numbers, fractions, and decimals
Use operations involving integers (including negative numbers)
Algebraic Thinking
Represent situations and number patterns with tables and graphs
Analyze functional relationships to explain how a change in one quantity results in a change in another
Use patterns and functions to represent and solve problems
Identify patterns in the environment
Write an equation to represent a situation and solve problems
Demonstrate an ability to solve linear equations using concrete, informal, and formal methods
Explore number patterns using a calculator
Write number sentences using fractions and whole numbers
Use order of operations to solve problems mentally
Explore and describe a variety of ways of solving equations, including hands-on activities, trial-and-error, and numerical analysis
Apply algebraic methods to solve problems
Understand and apply the concepts of the variable, set, subset, and equation
Geometry and Measurement
Identify, draw, describe, compare, and classify geometric figures
Know values of money
Know and apply measurement equivalencies
Solve problems using area, perimeter, volume, and surface area
Use proportional reasoning to solve and create measurement problems
Select appropriate units and tools to measure to the degree of accuracy required in a particular situation
Calculate time intervals and use conversions to solve problems
Use tiling patterns to explore area
Use a coordinate grid to locate ordered pairs and interpret information
Use metric units to describe length
Identify types of angles, estimate their size, and name them by using letters
Use a compass, ruler, and protractor to construct simple plane figures, including angles and circles
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Devise a plan and collect, organize, and describe data systematically
Construct, read, and interpret tables, charts, and graphs
Find and describe the average of given data
Make predictions that are based on experimental or theoretical probabilities
Calculate and combine probabilities to solve real-life problems
Use logical reasoning to solve problems
Make inferences and convincing arguments that are based on data analysis
Science
Topics
Human Body Systems
Healthy Living
Energy: Magnetism and Electricity
Animal Adaptations and Biodiversity
Science Fair
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Estimation
Use of scientific equipment
Planning and conducting controlled experiments
Create diagrams and models to represent data
Analyze data
Use evidence to construct an argument
Generate and compare solutions to problems
Read grade level science texts
Visual Arts
Combine an increased understanding of abstract concepts with observational skills that integrate the Units of Inquiry
Learn to interpret their surroundings through direct and interpretive architectural studies
Learn more sophisticated concepts, such as perspective
Explore art elements and principles of design in advertising
Use art as a communication tool to relate to mass media, music, and various cultures
Complete projects connected to art history and culture
Study and create works in the style of famous artists
Social Studies
Topics
Media and Persuasive Techniques
Exploration
European Colonization of Americas
Revolution: American Revolution
States and Capitals
Skills
Participate in defining classroom rules
School and community civic skills
Appropriate ways to communicate
Digital citizenship
Decision making processes
Ways we study history
Primary vs. secondary sources
Reading grade level social studies texts
Compare and contrast: two accounts of the same event
Physical Education/Health
Units
Soccer
Basketball
Football
Floor Hockey
Gymnastics/Dance/Yoga
Bowling
Jump Rope
Volleyball
Badminton and Tennis
Track and Field
Health Focus
Goal setting and healthy Communication
Media and health
Body systems and health
Healthy decision making
Community health
Reading/Language Arts
Word-Level Work
Spelling Conventions and Rules
Distinguish between the spellings and meanings of common homophones, e.g., to/two/too, they're/there/their, and peace/piece
Spell irregular tense changes, e.g., go/went, can/could
Spell words within common letter strings but with different pronunciations, e.g., tough, though, hour, journey, could, route
Vocabulary Extension
Define familiar vocabulary and unit vocabulary in their own words, using alternative phrases or expressions
Use third- and fourth-place letters to sequence words in alphabetical order
Use a thesaurus for including a variety of interesting words in compositions, poetry, reflections, etc.
Explore and discuss the implications of words that imply gender, e.g., prince/princess, fox/vixen, or king/queen
Know a range of suffixes that can be added to nouns and verbs to make adjectives
Investigate compound words and recognize that they can aid spelling
Sentence-Level Work
Grammatical Awareness
Reread their own writing to check for grammatical sense and accuracy; identify errors and consider alternative constructions
Investigate verb tenses: past, present, and future
Identify adverbs and understand their functions in sentences
Understand that some words can be changed in particular ways and others cannot and that these are important clues for identifying word classes
Sentence Construction and Punctuation
Identify common punctuation marks, including commas, semicolons, colons, dashes, hyphens, and speech marks, and respond to them appropriately when reading
Work on editing and revising their own writing
Use the apostrophe accurately to mark possession
Understand the significance of word order
Edit their own as well as peers’ work
Text-Level Work
Fiction and Poetry
Reading Comprehension
Investigate how settings and characters are built up from small details and how readers respond to them
Identify the main characteristics of the key characters
Explore narrative order; identify and map out the main stages of the story
Prepare, read, and perform play scripts
Chart the build-up of a play scene
Compare and contrast poems with similar themes
Understand how writers create imaginary worlds and be able to explain how a writer evoked their world through detail
Understand setting as time and place in a story
Identify social, moral, and cultural issues in stories
Read stories from other cultures; identify and discuss recurring themes
Reading/Language Arts (Continued)
Recognize how certain types of texts are targeted toward particular readers
Write critically about an issue or dilemma raised in a story
Clap out and count the syllables in each line of regular poetry
Describe how a poet uses rhyme, e.g., every other line, rhyming couplets, no rhyme, or other patterns of rhyme
Describe and review their own reading habits through monthly reading goals and widen their reading experience beyond classroom requirements and books for pleasure
Writing Composition
Use different ways of planning stories
Plan a story identifying the stages of its telling
Write independently, linking their own experiences to situations in historical stories
Write play scripts using their own stories or stories they’ve read as the basis
Write poems based on personal or imagined experiences, linking them to poems they’ve read
Use paragraphs in story writing to organize and sequence the narrative
Develop settings in their own writing, making use of work on adjectives and figurative language to describe them effectively
Collaborate with others to write stories in chapters, using plans with particular audiences in mind
Write an alternative ending for a known story and discuss how this would change the reader's view of the characters and events of the original story
Write personal reflections on poetry, art, quotations, and other cultures discussed in class
Nonfiction
Reading Comprehension
Classify different types of text by identifying their content, structure, vocabulary, style, layout, and purpose
Understand and use the terms fact and opinion; begin to distinguish between the two in reading and other media
Identify the main features of newspapers, including layout, range of information, voice, level of formality, organization of articles, advertisements, and headlines
Investigate how reading strategies are adapted to suit the different properties of digital texts
Appraise a nonfiction book for its contents and usefulness by scanning body, headings, etc.
Identify how and why paragraphs are used to organize and sequence information
Read, compare, and evaluate examples of arguments and discussions
Evaluate advertisements for their impact, appeal, and honesty
Summarize a sentence or paragraph by identifying the most important elements and reworking it in a limited number of words
Writing Composition
Write newspaper-style reports
Write clear instructions using conventions learned from reading
Improve the cohesion of written instructions and directions through the use of linking phrases and organizational devices, such as subheadings and numbering
Write a non-chronological report including the use of organizational devices, e.g., numbered lists, headings for conciseness
Expand brief notes into connected prose
Collect information from a variety of sources and present it in one simple format
Mathematics
Number Sense
Use appropriate math vocabulary
Use computation and estimation to solve problems
Explore discrete mathematics by using and explaining Venn diagrams
Use mental math to solve computation problems
Represent numerical relationships in one- and two-dimensional graphs
Develop, analyze, and explain procedures for computing, estimating, and solving proportions
Identify and demonstrate understanding of number theory
Develop algorithms to solve problems
Compute with whole numbers, decimals, and fractions, including numbers having multiple digits
Use and describe different strategies to estimate quantities
Investigate and describe relationships among fractions and decimals and percents
Understand and explain how operations relate to one another
Understand and model fractional parts
Round fractions to the nearest whole number
Compare and order whole numbers, fractions, and decimals
Use operations involving integers, including negative numbers
Algebraic Thinking
Represent situations and number patterns with tables and graphs
Write and develop multistep word problems
Develop algebraic expressions to represent mathematical relationships in word problems
Demonstrate an ability to solve linear equations using concrete, informal, and formal methods
Explore number patterns using a calculator
Write equations to represent a situation and to solve problems
Write number sentences using fractions and whole numbers
Use order of operations to solve problems mentally
Apply algebraic methods to solve problems
Understand and apply the concepts of the variable, set, subset, and equation
Geometry and Measurement
Identify, draw, describe, compare, and classify geometric figures
Know values of money
Compute with measurements using both English and metric systems
Define and use length, perimeter, area, weight, mass, volume, and capacity
Solve problems using area, perimeter, volume, and surface area
Represent and solve problems using geometric models
Use mathematical relationships to determine degrees in angles of a triangle
Use pi as a numerical value in relation to work with circles
Use a coordinate grid to locate ordered pairs and interpret information
Use metric units to describe length
Convert values using the metric system
Use a compass, ruler, and protractor to construct simple plane figures, including angles and circles
Identify types of angles, measure them using a protractor, and name them by using letters
Draw and label congruent segments, angles, and figures
Data Analysis: Statistics and Probability
Devise a plan and collect, organize, and describe data systematically
Construct, read, and interpret tables, charts, and graphs
Evaluate arguments that are based on data analysis
Find and describe the average of given data
Make predictions that are based on experimental or theoretical probabilities
Calculate and combine probabilities to solve real-life problems
Make predictions from generalizations, hypotheses, rules, and conjectures based on data that are organized in tables, charts, or diagrams
Use logical reasoning to solve problems
Solve elimination-grid logic problems
Model situations by devising and carrying out experiments or simulations to determine probabilities
Make inferences and convincing
Science
Topic
Matter: atoms, molecules, elements, and compounds
Physical vs. Chemical Change
Earth’s Resources
Human’s Environmental Impacts
Skills
Scientific process
Observational skills
Record observations
Questioning
Estimation
Use of scientific equipment
Planning and conducting controlled experiments
Create diagrams and models to represent data
Analyze and interpret data
Use evidence to construct an argument
Generate and compare solutions to problems
Evaluate the merit of solutions to problems
Read grade level science texts
Visual Arts
Combine an increased understanding of abstract concepts with observational skills that integrate the Units of Inquiry
Learn to interpret their surroundings through direct and interpretive architectural studies
Learn more sophisticated concepts, such as perspective and value
Study symbolism in art through color and line (world religions unit)
Use art as a communication tool to relate to mass media, music, and various cultures
Complete projects connected to art history and culture
Study and create works in the style of famous artists