nonfiction texts. Independent reading is encouraged by learning to self-select “just right” books, partner reading, and home reading with an adult. Focus is placed on decoding, sight-word recognition, fluency, and comprehension. Written expression is practiced through daily journal writing, creative writing, compiling class books, and storytelling. Weekly phonics lessons explore the study of sounds, consonants, vowels, and rhyming. Proper handwriting formation of upper-case and lower-case manuscript letters is introduced. First Grade The first grade language arts curriculum includes phonics, reading, writing, poetry, handwriting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation activities. Through Reader’s Workshop, emphasis is placed on choosing “just right” books, exploring a variety of genres, and learning to read with accuracy and fluency. Comprehension skills are enhanced through instruction on story elements, vocabulary, predicting, making connections, and retelling. Writing lessons promote skills in both creative expression and the mechanics of writing. The primary goal is to write in complete sentences with sequential thoughts. Spelling is directly taught through a phonetic, rule-based approach. Proper handwriting formation of upper-case and lower-case manuscript letters is reviewed and practiced. Second Grade The second grade language arts curriculum includes reading, writing, handwriting, spelling, grammar, and punctuation activities. Readers work to move beyond learning to read and towards reading to learn. Lessons emphasize choosing “just right” books, reading with fluency and expression, and developing comprehension skills. Writing lessons promote skills in both creative expression and the mechanics of writing. The writing process of collecting ideas, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing is introduced. Genres of focus are personal narrative, fantasy, poetry, realistic fiction, and nonfiction research report writing. Spelling is directly taught through a phonetic, rule-based approach. Handwriting lessons review the proper formation of manuscript letters and introduce the formation of cursive letters. Third Grade The third grade language arts curriculum uses a workshop approach to teach and explore reading, writing, poetry, word study, grammar, and writing mechanics. Advanced reading comprehension skills are emphasized through peer and teacher conferences, the writing and sharing of responses to texts, and class discussions. A variety of literary genres such as memoir, realistic fiction, and biographies are examined. Writing mini-lessons promote skills in both creative expression and the mechanics of writing. The elements of different genres are explored, and the opportunity to experience the writing process through those genres is provided. Increasingly complex spelling rules are directly taught in interaction with reading and writing, and cursive handwriting lessons review the proper formation of the letters. Fourth grade The fourth grade language arts curriculum uses a workshop approach to teach and explore reading, writing, poetry, word study, grammar and writing mechanics. Reader’s Workshop strives to engender in young readers critical-thinking skills, strong comprehension skills, and a boundless love of reading. In Writer’s Workshop, students author narrative pieces. Using the writing process, they compose, edit, and publish works that demonstrate their mastery of creative ideas based upon a well-grounded understanding of the structure necessary for good writing. Word Study continues their ongoing, rulebased spelling instruction and expands upon it by introducing the study of Latin and Greek roots. 5
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