Wilson Fundations is a multisensory structured language program that provides research-based materials and strategies to support strong foundational skill development. Fundations provides instruction in encoding, decoding and handwriting as part of our core Language Arts program in K-2. For more information, see the Fundations program overview. Teachers also have access to Funhub, the digital resource connected to Fundations to support instruction.

Supplemental Readables: Fundations Decodables and Geodes are used in grades K-2. Geodes are decodable texts that support students in reading to learn while learning to read. Students apply decoding skills while learning important ideas in science, history and the arts. These learning experiences combine foundational reading skills with development of content knowledge.

Authentic Reading: Students receive both Scholastic News and Scholastic Storyworks magazines to support reading both nonfiction current events and engaging multigenre stories. Let’s Find Out is the Kindergarten magazine edition. Learning A-Z is a digital supplemental resource to support differentiation in the classroom and access to various genres of leveled reading across all content areas.

Kindergarten Writing (Kid Writing) is designed to accelerate the reading and writing skills of young learners through structured activities that help teachers individualize instruction and develop students’ phonics, spelling, and writing skills. This writing approach includes three components: Writing for Children; Writing with Children; and Writing by Children.

Investigations is the core math resource being used to support the district math curriculum in grades K-5. All children have the opportunity to engage in rich, meaningful math tasks and be challenged at their appropriate level of instruction. Math instruction encourages students to think creatively and develop and articulate their own problem solving strategies. Elementary math instruction focuses on helping students to make sense of math and see themselves as mathematical thinkers.

Focus Areas

• Number & Operations in Base Ten

  • Identifying and writing numbers from 0 to 20
  • Counting by ones and tens to 100
  • Applying one-to-one correspondence to count the number of objects
  • Applying the concept of magnitude to compare numbers and quantities
  • Use place value to compose and decompose numbers within 19

• Measurement & Data

  • Describing and comparing measurable attributes of objects
  • Classifying objects and counting the number of objects in each category

• Operations & Algebraic Thinking

  • Extending the concepts of putting together and taking apart to add and subtract within 10

• Geometry

  • Identifying and describing two- and three-dimensional shapes
  • Analyzing, comparing, creating and composing two- and three-dimensional shapes
  • Describing and comparing measurable attributes of objects
  • Classifying objects and counting the number of objects in each category

FOSS - Full Option Science System (Third Edition) is the core resource being used to support the district science curriculum in grades K-5.

Problem-Based Learning Unit: Habitats

• Fall: Monarch Butterfly Habitat
• Winter: Animal Habitats
• Spring: Comparing Animal Habitats

Partnership with Riverbend Environmental Education Center

The District is currently in the process of aligning and integrating the PA STEELS Standards. Kindergarten students will experience integration of inquiry questions anchored in science phenomena. For example, What do living things need to survive? What happens when/if we push or pull an object? How does sunlight affect Earth? How can we predict and respond to weather? Science instruction will be embedded into purposeful play that creates a strong foundation in inquiry, wonder, exploration and problem-solving as part of science learning.

FOCUS AREAS

• Investigation

1. Make observations to collect data
2. Ask questions based on observations to find more information
3. With guidance, plan and conduct an investigation in collaboration with peers.
4. Use tools and materials provided to design and build a device that solves a specific problem
5. Analyze data from tests of an object or tool to determine if it works as intended

• Communication

1. Read grade-appropriate texts and/or use media to obtain scientific information
2. Construct an argument with evidence to support a claim.
3. Communicate solutions with others in oral and/or written forms using models and/or drawings that provide detail about scientific ideas.

• Scientific Thinking

1. Scientists look for patterns when making observations about the world.
2. Asking questions, making observations, and gathering information are helpful in thinking about problems.
3. Simple tests can be designed to gather evidence to support or refute student ideas
4. Systems in the natural and designed world have parts that work together.
5. People depend on various technologies in their lives; human life would be very different without technology

• Needs of Living Things

1. All animals need food in order to live and grow. They obtain their food from plants or from other animals.
2. Plants need water and light to live and grow.
3. Living things need water, air, and resources from the land, and they live in places that have the things they need.
4. Humans use natural resources for everything they do.

• Using Habitats Wisely

1. Plants and animals can change their environment.
2. Things that people do to live comfortably can affect the world around them. But they can make choices that reduce their impacts on the land, water, air, and other living things.

• Weather

1. Sunlight warms Earth’s surface.
2. Weather is the combination of sunlight, wind, snow or rain, and temperature in a particular region at a particular time.
3. People measure these conditions to describe and record the weather and to notice patterns over time.
4. Some kinds of severe weather are more likely than others in a given region.
5. Weather scientists forecast severe weather so that the communities can prepare for and respond to these events.

• Pushes and Pulls

1. Pushes and pulls can have different strengths and directions.
2. Pushing or pulling on an object can change the speed or direction of its motion and can start or stop it.
3. When objects touch or collide, they push on one another and can change motion.
4. A bigger push or pull makes things speed up or slow down more quickly.

• Humanities in the kindergarten classroom focuses on the concepts of community and building belonging. Through learning about roles in a community, different types of communities, and the people who comprise them, we emphasize the importance of empathy, kindness, giving, and understanding differences.
• Along with building a strong foundation in literacy we utilize mentor texts and interactive read-aloud lessons to focus upon the basic concepts of respect, citizenship, responsibility, fairness, trustworthiness, and caring.

Focus Areas: PA Core Civics Standards

• Civil Rights and Responsibilities: Identify responsibilities at school.
• Conflict and Resolution: Identify a problem and discuss possible solutions.
• Leadership and Public Service: Identify classroom projects and activities that support leadership and service.
• Competent and Responsible Citizens: Explain responsible classroom behavior.

Purposeful Play is teacher facilitated intentional experiences for student autonomy, choice, curiosity, self-direction, and enjoyment.

Students make playful and meaningful personal discoveries as they authentically connect with content, make real world connections, and progress toward standards-aligned academic, behavioral, and social emotional learning goals.

Students enjoy engaging introductions to musical rhythm, tempo, tone, form, melody, and harmony. Students have opportunity to use their voice, sing, use instruments, and expressive movement to enjoy and learn about music. Students will listen to and describe music, exploring creative and cooperative expressions of what they learn.

Our physical education program supports student development of motor skills which are a foundational part of child development and support the movements of everyday life. Kindergarten students explore safe movement through individual, partner and group activities. Additionally, students learn about safety, injury prevention and being part of a community that supports the safety of others as well as oneself. Students play organized games, learning rules, turn-taking, self-regulation, and sharing. Opportunities for collaboration, cooperation and social skill development make physical education an important experience for students learning how to communicate, as well as prevent, recognize, and resolve conflicts.

The STEM program focuses on design thinking, engineering design process,innovation, making, coding and robotics. The program embraces the 4 C’s - critical thinking, communication, collaboration and creativity as part of the learning process, and integrates the Habits of Mind.