The Foote School: Academic Programs



The Lower School curriculum describes the scope and sequence of Foote programs by grade. Because of the school's commitment to excellence, the curriculum is ever-evolving, thus specific content may be modified prior to updating the published curriculum.

KINDERGARTEN

LANGUAGE ARTS: Developing communication skills is an integral part of the kindergarten program.  Experiences in the language arts take place throughout the day and are integrated throughout the entire kindergarten curriculum.  Children are introduced to letter recognition, letter writing, and letter-sound correspondence through the Letterland Program.  In their journals, kindergartners use dictation and invented spelling to express their own ideas as authors and to reinforce their knowledge of sound-symbol relationships. They have an initial exposure to the editing process. 

Children participate in individual and small group activities to reinforce their growing knowledge and use of letter sounds, early reading, and handwriting.  Because reading and writing are experienced and celebrated throughout the day, students develop familiarity and comfort with the written word that provide a foundation for future growth in the language arts.

MATHEMATICS:  The mathematics curriculum, based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, is divided at each grade level into three parts:  1) topics introduced briefly in a concrete mode, usually within the context of another concept or skill; 2) topics worked on for a significant period of time in both concrete and symbolic modes; 3) topics formalized through abstract definition and generalization.

The core topics to be worked on in kindergarten are:
           •   Patterning and sorting
           •  Number Development (concept of quantity to 100; counting sequences – counting forward, counting on by 1's,
                concept underlying skip counting/counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's, counting by 5's and 10's greater than 0, counting
                backwards; money – coins/value, evaluate and assemble collections of coins; relationships between numbers –
                ordinal, odds/evens)
            • Operations (concepts underlying + and - ; one digit + and - facts)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (line symmetry)
            • Measurement (concept of measure – non-standard units of measure for length, weight, and volume; time – concept of
                time marking events and duration, calendar, analog and digital to hour and half-hour)
            • Graphing and Statistics (pictographs – prepare and interpret)
            • Logic (experience with general reasoning puzzles/logic puzzles)

The core topics to be formalized in kindergarten are:
            • Number Development (concept of quantity to 20)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (spatial awareness, perceptual relationships)
            • Measurement (choice of measure)
            • Graphing and Statistics (concept, role of graphs)
            • Logic (significant experience with general classification activities and sequences – pictorial, figural, numerical)

Topics within the introductory stage fall within the categories mentioned above.

Teachers use a wide variety of concrete materials in their instruction, taking ideas from everyday mathematical occurrences, from the children’s experiences, and from their work in other areas of the curriculum.  Resources for kindergarten mathematics include those developed by the University of Chicago, materials from Marilyn Burns, and teacher-produced games and materials.  Manipulatives include geoboards, pattern blocks, cuisenaire rods, and unifix cubes.

FRENCH:  The emphasis on aural training and oral communication makes maximum use of the child’s natural ability to mimic at this age.  Nursery rhymes, puppets, songs, stories, and games are used to teach elementary vocabulary such as salutations, colors, parts of the house, family, clothing, shapes, numbers one through 10, and some basic verbs (j’ouvre, je porte, etc.).  French is the language of instruction.

SCIENCE: Children’s curiosity about the world around them provides topics for the kindergarten science program.  Kindergartners explore their interests in the classroom and outdoors, using building materials, water, sand, soil, and stone.  They cook, build, plant, and explore through dramatic play.  They consult books and use scientific tools to enhance their explorations.  Field trips and visits from members of the community reinforce concepts being explored in the classroom.  The children make predictions and record their observations and conclusions.

SOCIAL STUDIES: In kindergarten, each child begins to develop an understanding of what it means to be a member of a community.  Exploring and celebrating similarities and differences between oneself and others foster a respect for diversity.  The themes of the social studies curriculum grow out of kindergarten interests and are integrated with other curricular areas.

ART:  The children’s art class provides a strong, systematic program of instruction.  It focuses on young children’s natural abilities to perceive, create and appreciate the visual arts, while developing a positive attitude and perhaps a lifelong interest in art.  The students explore and become familiar with a wide variety of media while developing fine motor skills and learning patience and concentration.  Projects are often motivated by the reading of stories or poetry.  The children are taught to care for and respect art materials.

Art is integrated into all areas of the classroom curriculum.  The children draw, paint, and construct, using a variety of materials and integrating their work with language arts, math, science, and social studies.

LIBRARY:  The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek.  To meet these goals the curriculum is separated into information skills (library and research skills) and literature skills, though the two are always very interdependent.  During their weekly visit kindergartners learn what a library is, library procedures (browsing, selecting and signing out books), how to care for books, and the parts of a book.  Every week we read at least one story, as well as poems and rhymes, with our friend Anansi (a spider puppet).  This introduces them to a wide variety of authors and illustrators over the course of the year.  During this time the children are also learning to listen carefully, to make predictions, to listen for details, to sequence by retelling stories, and to interpret illustrations.  An attempt is often made to choose stories in which the children can participate.  Each child chooses one book every week during this library period to take home.  Students, as well as their parents, are welcome in the library at any time to read or to find new books to read and enjoy at home.

MUSIC:  Music in the Lower School is based on the Kodaly Concept, a comprehensive program used to develop basic musical skills and teach the reading and writing of music.  The primary musical goal in Kindergarten is for children to develop a love of music through learning how to perform and listen to music.  We work toward this goal by finding the singing voice, moving our bodies freely and to the beat of songs and pieces of music and developing critical listening and creativity.  We learn a variety of folk songs, rhymes, dances and singing games and use them to develop each skill and concept.  Concepts on which we focus include: distinguishing high sounds from low, loud from soft, fast from slow, same from different and long from short. We learn the melodic elements so, mi and la and the rhythmic elements ta (quarter note) and ti-ti (eighth notes) and (quarter) rest, and practice them by echoing, audiating, using hand signs and reading phrases from the staff.  An emphasis is also placed on social skills such as taking turns, choosing partners and listening to what others have to say.  Most importantly, the goal is to foster independence, enjoyment and confidence in singing and moving to music. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  The three sections of kindergarten come together to the gym where they are split among the three physical education staff members for their various activities.  At this level, emphasis is placed on the development of large muscle groups, body awareness, and the concept of following directions.  Gymnastics, cooperative games and confidence-building activities are a big part of the students’ program.

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MIXED AGE GROUP

LANGUAGE ARTS:  The program includes oral and written language arts.  During morning meetings children talk together about ideas, thoughts, feelings, plans for the day’s work, or about events taking place in and out of school.  Developing the ability to listen attentively and to pull ideas together orally is an integral segment of the program.  Reading books aloud to the children is also an important daily activity in each classroom.

Reading instruction is taught both individual and small group.  Phonemic awareness, begun in kindergarten, continues throughout MAG.  The Phonetic approach is used with beginning reading, using Letterland stories to build upon the phonetic patterns that were learned in Kindergarten. Upon breaking the phonetic code, the children's texts are selected by both topic and reading level.  At this level, the groups focus on comprehension skills and the joy of sharing ideas through reading and discussion and making connections to their own lives.  They work on skills such as sequencing, recalling detail, and predicting the plot.  All the children have a daily quiet book time, and silent reading is encouraged as they are able.  Each team of teachers meets regularly with the Director of the Lower School and the Director of the Learning Support Program to discuss and plan for each child’s reading progress.

Children also learn to read through writing and sharing stories based on their interests and personal experiences.  Their creative and expository writing is done independently.  Children spell words the way they sound.  Their editing focuses on basic sentence structure, correct usage of punctuation, upper and lower case letters, and correct spelling. The D'Nealian handwriting system, begun in kindergarten, continues to be used.

Series used may include:
            • High-Use Word List Spelling Program
            • Letterland Programme
            • Practice Readers (McGraw-Hill)
            • Open Court (McGraw-Hill Wright)
            • Primary Phonics (Educators Publishing Service)
            • Structural Reading (Random House)
            • Individually chosen library and classroom books

MATHEMATICS:  The mathematics curriculum, based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, is divided at each grade level into three parts:  1) topics introduced briefly in a concrete mode, usually within the context of another concept or skill; 2) topics worked on for a significant period of time in both concrete and symbolic modes; 3) topics formalized through abstract definition and generalization.

The core topics to be worked on in Mixed Age Group are:
            • Number Development  (concept of quantity to 1000; counting sequences – concept of skip counting, counting by 5's
                and 10's greater than 100; place value; money – change)
            • Operations (concept underlying x; inverse relationship between + and - ; commutative property; multi-digit +
                  and - with and without regrouping)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (cube, cone, sphere, circle, square, triangle)
            • Measurement (length – standard units (in, ft, yd); ruler to 1/2"; perimeter; weight/mass; temperature;  time –
               calendar, analog and digital to quarter-hour and to any position)
            • Graphing and Statistics (bar graphs – vertical and horizontal – prepare and interpret)
            • Logic (experience with general reasoning puzzles/logic puzzles and intuitive functions)
            • Algebraic Development (linear inequalities; linear equations – concept and symbolism)

The core topics to be formalized in Mixed Age Group are:
            • Number Development (concept of quantity to 100; counting sequences – counting forward, counting on by 1's,
                counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's, counting backwards; place value; money – coins/values, evaluate and assemble
                 collections of coins; relationships between numbers – ordinal, odds/evens)
            • Operations (concepts underlying + and - ; one-digit + and - facts)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (spatial awareness; perceptual relationships; circle, square, triangle; line symmetry)
            • Measurement (concept of measurement; choice of measure; non-standard units of measure for length, weight, and volume; temperature; time – concept, analog and digital to hour and half-hour; ruler to 1")
            • Graphing and Statistics (pictographs)
            • Logic (significant experience with general classification activities and sequences – pictorial, figural, numerical)

Topics within the introductory stage fall within the categories mentioned above.

Resources for Mixed Age Group mathematics include those developed by the University of Chicago, materials from Marilyn Burns, and teacher-produced games and materials.  Manipulatives include geoboards, powers of ten blocks, cuisenaire rods, and pattern blocks.

SPANISH:  The emphasis on aural training and oral communication makes maximum use of the child’s natural ability to mimic at this age.  Nursery rhymes, songs, stories, role-playing, art projects and games are used to teach elementary vocabulary such as colors, days of the week, animals, seasons, weather and numbers.  Children are encouraged to speak in full sentences, and are exposed to simple grammar through a method called Symtalk (takling with symbols).  The new MUZZY program for Spanish in elementary school is used throughout the year. Spanish is the language of instruction.

SOCIAL STUDIES and SCIENCE:  The children study their world through a multicultural and multidisciplinary approach.  The social studies program usually serves as the basis of our curriculum.  This program provides the structure around which writing, art, music, drama, and literature are developed in the classroom.  Every day the children’s ever-expanding reading and mathematical skills are integrated into the curriculum.

In each two-year cycle we study a variety of topics.  In recent years, the MAGs have studied butterflies, Native Americans, whales, birds, the human body, Africa and celebrations around the world.  We have also made a short study about an aspect of New Haven. 

We have incorporated the annual school theme (poetry, colors, etc.) into our curriculum. Each theme is a focus for the integration of math, language arts, social studies, art and drama. Activities are intended to develop the children’s abilities to observe, classify, question, experiment, record, analyze and increase environmental awareness.

Class activities introduce concepts of living versus non-living things and of the interdependence of systems of all kinds, from those within the human body to those existing in the environments of plants and animals.

Throughout the MAG years, children use magnifying glasses, binoculars, and microscopes; they also work with magnets, mirrors, yard and meter sticks, non-standard balances, and calculators.

In each unit the teachers provide many hands-on experiences, opportunities for children to learn from and to teach each other.  Individual and group research projects are encouraged.  Guest speakers from the parent body and/or the community are frequently brought in to address the children.  Trips are also arranged to coincide with the unit of study.

COMPUTER: 

LIBRARY:  The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make our students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek.  To meet these goals the curriculum is separated into information skills (library and research skills) and literature skills, though the two are always very interdependent.  During their visits the MAG students review what a library is, library procedures (browsing, selecting and signing out books), how to care for books, and the parts of a book which were first introduced the previous year.  We also learn how a book is made and begin to understand how the picture books and fiction are arranged in the library as well as the difference between fiction and nonfiction books.  Every visit we read at least one story, and also quite often poems and rhymes as well.  This introduces the children to a wide variety of authors and illustrators over the course of the year.  During this time the children are also learning to listen carefully, to make predictions, to listen for details, to sequence by retelling stories, and to interpret illustrations.  They begin to identify the setting, plot and main characters in the stories, and to compare them with stories read earlier.  Units are done on such themes as tall tales, fables, tricksters and dragons.  Each student chooses two books each visit to take home, as well as one to read in the classroom.  Students, as well as their parents, are also welcome to come to read in the library or choose books to take home to read and enjoy at any time.

MUSIC: The Mixed Age group students continue using the Kodaly Concept, a comprehensive program to train basic musical skill and teach the reading and writing of music and develop a joy of singing, dancing and playing together.  We review the elements of music learned in Kindergarten and add do and re to our melodic repertoire.  Group and individual singing is practiced, focusing on the feel and placement of the singing voice, matching pitch and blending our voices to create a group sound.  Students further develop creativity through the use of vocal improvisation.  We continue to develop listening skills by comparing and moving to pieces by famous composers and performers and continue to work on movement skills through learning more complicated singing games and folk dances.  We connect to the MAG regular classroom curriculum by hearing and learning music of Native America and of different countries in Africa.  We also continue to develop social skills by working with partners and cooperating in groups.  As in Kindergarten music, the primary goal is to foster independence, enjoyment and confidence in singing and moving to music. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  Three sections of the MAG come to the gym at the same time and are split among the three physical education staff members for various activities.  At this level the children begin to experience activities with different types of equipment, such as scooters, parachutes, mats and hoops.  Balls of all sizes are used to aid eye-hand and eye-foot coordination.  Modified tee-ball and soccer games are played, as well as games that require listening skills and imagination.  Emphasis is placed on the development of big muscle groups, body mechanics and space awareness.  A gymnastic unit is taught in the winter term.  Competition is kept to a minimum, with emphasis on cooperation, fair play, encouragement, and patience with one’s peers.

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GRADE THREE

LANGUAGE ARTS:  Literature forms the basis for the language arts program in third grade.  The children are read to daily.  This exercise serves to foster students’ enjoyment of a variety of literary genres, aids them in choosing books for reading, develops their sensitivity to written expression and helps them generate topics for their writing.

Novels and nonfiction books are used for daily oral and silent reading practice, individually, in small groups, and by the entire class.  The students share and discuss with each other their book selections and their writing.  In reading, students develop fluency, consolidate word recognition and decoding skills, and develop literal comprehension skills.  Individualized work in phonics and comprehension and written and oral responses to books read provide reinforcement and skill building in specific areas.

Students write daily on topics of their own choosing as well as on assigned topics related to all areas of the curriculum.  Students are taught to conference with their peers and teachers, to edit their own work, to share their work with the class, and to respond to the work of others.  Students are given formal instruction in the mechanics of writing, including capitalization and punctuation, and formal instruction in spelling and cursive writing.

Materials include:
            • Classroom and library books
            • In-house spelling program

MATHEMATICS:  The mathematics curriculum, based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, is divided at each grade level into three parts:  1) topics introduced briefly in a concrete mode, usually within the context of another concept or skill; 2) topics worked on for a significant period of time in both concrete and symbolic modes; 3) topics formalized through abstract definition and generalization.

The core topics to be worked on in third grade are:
            • Number Development (concept of quantity to 10,000 and to 100,000; money – change; unit and non-unit fractions –
               concept, notation, comparisons, equivalences)
            • Operations (one-digit multiplication and division facts; multi-digit multiplication with a one-digit multiplier;
                inverse relationship between multiplication and division; decimal fractions +/- with like denominators - money only)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (cylinder, pyramid, polygons)
            • Measurement (weight/mass – standard units (oz, lb, ton), metric units (mg, g, kg), balance/scale; area of   polygons;
                ruler to 1/4" and 1/8"; metric units of length (cm, m, km))
            • Graphing and Statistics (charts/schedules; line graphs – prepare and interpret)
            • Logic (experience with intuitive functions)
            • Algebraic Development (linear equations; linear inequalities – concept and symbolism)

The core topics to be formalized in third grade are:
            • Number Development (concept of quantity to 1,000; counting sequences – concept underlying skip counting series;
                 counting by 10's and 5's greater than 100; place value; unit fractions)
            • Operations (concept underlying multiplication and division; multi-digit + and - with and without regrouping;
                inverse relationship between + and -; commutative property)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (spatial awareness; perceptual relationships; cube, cone, sphere)
            • Measurement (length – choice of measure, standard units (in, ft, yd), metric units (cm, m, km); ruler to 1/2";
                perimeter; time – calendar, analog/digital to quarter-hour and to any position)
            • Graphing and Statistics (bar graphs – vertical/horizontal – prepare and interpret)
            • Logic (significant experience with sequences – pictorial, figural, numerical, and general reasoning puzzles/logic puzzles)

Topics within the introductory stage fall within the categories mentioned above.

Resources for third grade mathematics include those developed by the University of Chicago, books from Dale Seymour, and Hands on Series, Grade 3 (Creative Publications).  Manipulatives used include color tiles, centimeter cubes, powers of ten blocks, cuisenaire rods, and pattern blocks.           

FRENCH:  The emphasis is on oral acquisition, aural discrimination, and cultural exposure.  Poems, songs, stories, puppets and games are used to teach elementary vocabulary such as weather, months, body parts, the alphabet, animals, many verbs and numbers.  Vocabulary reinforces the classroom curriculum where possible – for example, children learn the names of trees and many foods in French.  Simple grammar, such as the command form of verbs and negations, is introduced, and children are encouraged to speak in complete sentences.  Skits in costume and crêpe parties broaden the children’s appreciation of cultural differences.  French is the language of instruction.

SCIENCE:  In third grade students investigate plant life, earth science, oceans, sound, and gears.  These investigations present the students with problems whose solutions require hypothesizing, predicting, experimenting, observing, manipulating variables, handling equipment, recording and graphing data, and communicating with peers.

The plant life unit focuses on trees and other plants in our school environment.  Through experiments and observations, the students learn about plant structures and their functions, reproduction and seed germination, methods of classification, adaptation of plants to the environment, and conservation.  The earth science unit includes the study of the age, origin, and structure of the earth as well as plate theory and the correlation between continental drift and earthquakes and volcanoes.  Methods of observation and classification are practiced through a study of rocks.  Students perform the basic testing methods for identifying minerals.  A hands-on study of the physics of sound enhances the students’ understanding of seismic waves.  The oceans unit focuses on the properties of water and the water cycle, ocean structure, ocean plants and animals and their special adaptations, marine environments, and sea exploration.  The students perform experiments, dissect fish, raise and observe live aquatic creatures, and travel to Long Island Sound for a field trip.  A study of technology is incorporated into the grade's early America unit.  Through hands-on activities students explore gears and pulley systems to develop an understanding of the action of water-powered mills.  In addition, they build wooden models of mills at the Eli Whitney Museum. 

SOCIAL STUDIES:  Two major units are studied in third grade.  At the beginning of the year there is an investigation of life in a New England farming community of the 1830's, using Old Sturbridge Village as the model.  The study focuses on how one learns about life in the past through oral histories, journals and diaries, portraits, and other art forms and artifacts.  This life is compared and contrasted with that of today.  The students interview a relative or friend and write an oral history report based on the interview.  They also work on early American crafts, write a diary from the perspective of a person living in the 1830’s and read a work of historical fiction.  The students construct models of water-powered mills at the Eli Whitney Museum and spend a day at Old Sturbridge Village.  They also visit the Yale Art Gallery to study portraits and furniture.

In the spring they study Australia, starting with the geography, climate, landforms and unique flora and fauna.  The history and culture of the country are introduced through a study of the lives of the Aborigines and the impact of European settlement on their culture.  Maps, readings, videos, myths, and art and artifacts are included in this study.  Each student makes a relief map, writes a research report, a myth and a poem about an animal of Australia, and makes a diorama of the animal and its habitat.

ART:  The third grade art program continues to expose children to a wide variety of art materials and projects while incorporating the mastery of specific skills and disciplines.  The year begins with landscape drawing and leaf design in relation to the classroom study of trees.  The figure is introduced through paintings and sculptures of scarecrows.  The use of a printing press and the art of monotypes focus on their study of volcanoes and water.  Each week a sketchbook is used for quiet and reflective drawing; children begin and end the year with a self-portrait in this sketchbook.

COMPUTER:

LIBRARY:  The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make our students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek.  To meet these goals the curriculum is separated into information skills (library and research skills) and literature skills, though the two are always very interdependent.  Third graders review and add to the skills learned in the previous three years during their class visits.  They add identifying such things as the copyright dates, table of contents and index.  They also begin to use the resources of the library to do actual research on a subject related to their class curriculum during which they use encyclopedias and other reference and nonfiction books.  As a part of this process they are introduced to the importance of questioning, as well as to the use of keywords to find their information and the process of note taking.  They also begin to “booktalk” (recommend favorite books to each other) each time they come to the library, and a list of these books is produced and posted in the library periodically.  We continue to read a story during each visit to the library.  The majority of these are folk tales and variants from around the world are compared, especially during a long unit on Cinderella stories.  Third graders choose three books at a time to take home.  They also come to the library frequently to find books to read in the classroom.

MUSIC:  In third grade, we continue using the Kodaly Concept, a comprehensive program to train basic musical skill and teach the reading and writing of music and develop a joy of singing, dancing and playing together.  We build on all skills learned in Mixed Age Group, adding the melodic element high do to our melodic repertoire and half note and half rest to our rhythmic repertoire. We extend the vocal range by learning longer and  more difficult folk songs and focus on 2-part singing with rounds and partner songs.  We further develop our creativity by improvising not only with our voices but also on classroom instruments.  We also refine our listening and movement skills by learning and listening to music in 3/4 time as well as the traditional maypole dance.  As in Kindergarten and MAG music, the primary goal is to foster independence, enjoyment and confidence in singing and moving to music. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  The three sections of third grade come into gym together.  They are split among the three staff members in various ways (i.e., by sex, class, or random) for activities.  Games and activities selected for this level place emphasis on physical fitness, sportsmanship, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination.  Games become more advanced as students’ skills increase.  Lead up games as well as regular games of soccer, basketball, floor hockey, softball, kick ball, tee ball, volleyball, and track are introduced.  In addition, a physical best program is introduced to assess students’ optimum physical condition as well as units in gymnastics and tinikling (a rhythmic dance with bamboo poles) stressing tumbling, balance, coordination, strength, and timing.

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GRADE FOUR

LANGUAGE ARTS:  The emphasis in language arts is on building skills and confidence in reading, writing, listening and speaking.  Silent reading and/or oral reading takes place on a daily basis.  Reading comprehension exercises emphasize recalling details, getting the main idea, and language appreciation.  Students keep personal reading journals on their independent reading books.  Daily involvement in the writing process, with both teacher and peer feedback, guides the student toward writing with greater clarity, more specific detail, and an increased awareness of spelling and grammar.  Spelling, grammar and vocabulary lessons are incorporated into the overall program.  Listening and comprehension skills are strengthened formally during group lessons and the sharing of reading and writing projects.  The teacher reads aloud to the students frequently.

Novels read in recent years:
                 The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau
                 The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, Stephen Krensky
                 Dragonwings, Laurence Yep
                 Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli
                 From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg
                 Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt
                 See below for additional books that are coordinated with the social studies curriculum.

Materials:
                 Spell It-Write
                 Wordly Wise Book I

MATHEMATICS:  The mathematics curriculum, based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, is divided at each grade level into three parts:  1) topics introduced briefly in a concrete mode, usually within the context of another concept or skill; 2) topics worked on for a significant period of time in both concrete and symbolic modes; 3) topics formalized through abstract definition and generalization.

The core topics to be worked on in fourth grade are:
            • Number Development (relationships between numbers – multiples, factors, primes and
                composites;  multiplication and division by multiples and powers of 10; divisibility rules)
            • Operations (multi-digit division with a one-digit divisor; word problems – solving, creating,                 adapting  strategies)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (prisms, quadrilaterals)
            • Measurement (length – mile; ruler to 1/16"; liquid measure – standard units (cup, pint, quart,                gallon),  metric units (ml, liter); elapsed time)
            • Graphing and Statistics (averages/means)
            • Logic (experience with sequences – pictorial, figural, numerical; intuitive functions)
            • Algebraic Development (linear equations – missing addends/factors; linear inequalities –
                concept and symbolism; equations for word problems)

The core topics to be formalized in fourth grade are:
            • Number Development (concept of quantity to millions; money – change; non-unit fractions,                 equivalency,  ordering)
            • Operations (one-digit multiplication and divisor facts; one-digit divisors; multi-digit
                multiplication inverse relationship between multiplication and division; fractions and
               decimal fractions +/- with  like  denominators)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (spatial awareness; perceptual relationships; cylinder,
               pyramid,  polygons – pentagon, hexagon, heptagon, octagon)
            • Measurement (weight/mass – choice of measure, standard units (oz, ton), metric units
               (mg, kg), balance/scale; area of polygons; ruler to 1/4" and 1/8")
            • Graphing and Statistics (charts/schedules; line graphs – prepare and interpret)
            • Logic (significant experience with general reasoning puzzles/logic puzzles)

Topics within the introductory stage fall within the categories mentioned above.

Resources for fourth grade mathematics include A Collection of Math Lessons by Marilyn Burns, Strategies of Problem Solving (Dale Seymour), various materials published by Dale Seymour and Creative Publications, and teacher-generated materials.  Manipulatives used include tangrams, pentominoes, powers of ten blocks, pattern blocks, fraction bars, and cuisenaire rods.

FRENCH OR SPANISH:

French:  Our program is grounded in oral/aural acquisition, making maximum use of the verbal, mimicking, non-analytical nature of the child at this age.  We present the students with vocabulary, structures and situations that are relevant to their personal lives.  They are then motivated to use French to play a game, solve a puzzle or participate in an activity with a friend.  Activities are supplemented by nursery rhymes, videos, dialogues, puppets, and songs.  Topics include alphabet, numbers 1-10, family, colors, classroom objects, buildings, months, the weather, prepositions, and simple descriptive adjectives.  All students participate in the COLT Poster Contest.

Text:  Promenades I (Addison-Wesley) Book, Workbook

Spanish:  Students are introduced to Spanish this year using the lively “Symtalk” approach.  This method is designed to teach everyday life vocabulary that students use to communicate.  The use of symbols allows three key principles of short and long term memory to take place:  encoding, storage and retrieval.  Symbols represent people, pronouns, verbs, prepositions, adjectives, places, objects, etc.  A textbook and workbook are used to supplement and reinforce the work done in class.  Movement, rhythm, gestures, and visual aids such as posters, big books, picture cards, and masks combine to offer students a fun, yet effective way to improve their oral and aural skills in Spanish. Topics may include:  the alphabet, greetings, simple descriptive adjectives, numbers 1-12, time, family, seasons, commonly used reflexive verbs, body parts, ‘yo’ form of verbs, food and professions.  All students participate in the COLT Poster Contest.

SCIENCE:  The fourth grade science curriculum focuses on teaching basic science skills through a variety of activities aimed at helping the children extend, explore, and discover science.  The science program itself is a combination of science that is directly related to the social studies units and a more “hands on” approach that focuses on the process of science, including measurement, observation, prediction, hypothesis testing, and experimentation.  The children learn to write up experiments using scientific form and also keep a science journal.

Combined social studies and science units include Maps and Mapping. During the mapping unit, science activities include linear measurement, scale drawings, making compasses, magnetism as it relates to directionality, and orienteering activities.  The nine planets and their distances from the sun are mapped.  Also, a geological time line of the earth is made, leading into the unit on early humans.  In this unit, the geology, the natural history, and the plants and animals of each area are studied, as well as the techniques that archaeologists and anthropologists use in learning about early civilizations. Other specific units in science include studies of Mixtures and Solutions, Crystals, and Static and Current Electricity.

SOCIAL STUDIES: SOCIAL STUDIES: Our social studies curriculum in fourth grade involves a multidisciplinary approach.   Topics covered include world mapping with a focus on the China and identifying specific locations on a variety of maps. We also incorporate our Ambassabear program into our mapping program.  The postcards that the classes receive during the year provide us the unique opportunity to learn about various locations, cultures and people throughout the world.

At the start of the year the children read the novel, The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps that provides us with a literary perspective of the contributions the Chinese made during the construction of the transcontinental railroad.  

Fourth Grade is the first opportunity for the children to study China.  We focus on folktales, festivals and learning about what makes China unique.  With the help of our exchange teacher from the Yali Middle School the children are treated to first hand accounts about this far away land.

Books read in recent years:
                Lon Po Po, Ed Young
                Ten Suns, Eric A. Kimmel
                The Seven Chinese Brothers, Margaret Mahy
                The Seven Chinese Sisters, Kathy Tucker
                Coolies, Yin
                Made in China Ideas and Inventions from Ancient China, Suzanne Williams

PROJECT ADVENTURE: Once a cycle throughout the year the whole grade participates in a program we call Project Adventure which are team based activities.  These activities are led by the fourth grade teachers and our social worker. We use these fun activities as a springboard on how to work and treat others with respect and kindness.  The meetings also help the children learn how to build trust and work effectively as a team.  This unit culminates with our annual trip to YMCA Camp Ingersoll in Portland, CT.  This day is filled with fun activities for the children that require trust, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.

ART:  The fourth grade year starts with the construction of an autobiographical personality cube.  Other projects include a clay candle house, papier-mâché busts, leaf collages and a variety of oil crayon drawings.  With each material presented, students are encouraged to fully explore their creative potential through experimentation with techniques, references to art history, and expressions of personal experiences.  Self-evaluation, decision making and flexibility are encouraged.

COMPUTER:

DRAMA:  Plays are developed around the core subjects, e.g., China study.

LIBRARY:  The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make our students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek.  To meet these goals the curriculum is separated into information skills (library and research skills) and literature skills, though the two are always very interdependent.  Fourth graders begin to seriously use the online catalog in our library, learning to search by title, author, subject or keyword.  They also learn to find books of all kinds in the library by their call numbers and the use of our library map.  The idea of “keywords” is a continual topic this year.  They begin to understand how to find or come up with keywords to help them find the information they need in the online catalog, an index or table of contents, or on the Internet (which is available on all of the computers in the library).  We also spend a good deal of time learning to use an index with main topics and subtopics, first in an encyclopedia and then through the almanac, which is a reference source students this age particularly enjoy.  They continue to do research in the library, reinforcing the skills introduced in third grade.  We do “booktalk” and read stories, though not every time at this point, and we listen to storytellers on tape as well as in person which reinforces their listening skills.  They also participate in the Nutmeg Award (the Connecticut Children's Book Award), reading from a list of ten books chosen by librarians and voting for their favorite – and then waiting to see if it is the one chosen by all of the voters in grades 4-6 across the state.

MUSIC: The fourth grade students continue using the Kodaly Concept, a comprehensive program to train basic musical skill and teach the reading and writing of music and develop a joy of singing, dancing and playing together. We review the elements of music learned in the previous grades, adding the melodic elements low la and low so and sixteenth notes and dotted rhythms to our rhythmic repertoire. We expand on the students’ repertoire of part-singing with more difficult rounds and partner songs and reading in two parts. This is the year the students begin playing the soprano recorder using the absolute note naming system. We continue to develop listening skills by listening to symphonic, choral and folk examples. The dance program, begun in previous grades, continues with learning to square dance. We connect to the classroom curriculum by supplementing with listening examples and songs where appropriate. We also continue working on social skills by working in small dance groups and cooperating in small ensembles. As in the years prior to the fourth grade the primary goal is to foster independence, enjoyment and confidence in singing, moving, and playing music.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  All three sections of the fourth grade come to gym together.  Classes are split among the three staff members for their various activities.  This course stresses daily physical exercise and the further development of individual and team skills.  Such sports as soccer, field hockey, basketball, gymnastics, floor hockey, baseball, softball, volleyball, and track are introduced more thoroughly and extensively, stressing the basics in skill and team play.  Important parts of the program involve the physical best program, an individualized physical evaluation for each child, and tinikling (a rhythmic dance with bamboo poles).

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GRADE FIVE

LANGUAGE ARTS:  Reading and writing represent the core of the entire fifth grade program and integrate easily with all areas of study.  A great deal of time is devoted to helping children experience both the written and spoken word with a sense of adventure, excitement, appreciation, and comfort.

Two books are always in motion.  One is read aloud daily and leads to extensive discussions of detail, style, and theme.  The other is undertaken as a class book.  A variety of comprehension activities encourage reading with a purpose, interpretation, and clarity of detail in student responses.

Students are involved with writing daily.  While some of the process writing of earlier grades is continued, more time is devoted to the refinement of individual style through a variety of approaches that differ in scope, duration, and length.  Emphasis is placed on rewriting entire stories to improve fluidity, dialogue, setting and character development, as well as the overall plot.  Usually one major writing project is undertaken that involves theme development and illustrations.  Students experiment with a number of literary genres, including poetry, drama and fiction.  In social studies, the students learn how to express their opinions in writing.  Most writing is shared in class and discussed.  Formal and individualized instruction in mechanics includes use of capitals, complete sentences, and paragraphing.  Spelling, vocabulary, and grammar programs complement the English curriculum.

Readings Include:

          
            American Street, Anne Mazer
            Becoming Naomi Leon, Pam Munøz Ryan
            Casting the Gods Adrift, Geraldine McCaughrean
            Early Times: The Story of Ancient Egypt, Suzanne Strauss Art
            Early Times: The Story of Ancient Greece, Suzanne Strauss Art
            Greek Myths, D’Aulaire
            Kensuke's Kingdom, Michael Morpurgo
            Hatchet, Gary Paulson
            Hoot, Carl Hiassen
            Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell
            My Side of the Mountain, Jean Craighead George
            Search for the Shadowman, Joan Lowery
            Sees Behind Trees, Michael Dorris
            Sword of Egypt, Bert William
            The Adventures of Ulysses, Bernard Evslin
            The Art of Keeping Cool, Janet Taylor Lisle
            The Golden Goblet, Eloise McGraw
            The Cayl, Theodore Taylor
            The House of Dies Drear, Virginia Hamilton
            The Trojan War, Bernard Evslin
            The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi
             Windcatcher, Avi
            The Wish Giver, Bill Brittain
           
           

MATHEMATICS:  The mathematics curriculum, based on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards, is divided at each grade level into three parts:  1) topics introduced briefly in a concrete mode, usually within the context of another concept or skill; 2) topics worked on for a significant period of time in both concrete and symbolic modes; 3) topics formalized through abstract definition and generalization.

The core topics to be worked on in fifth grade are:
            • Number Development  (concept of quantity greater than millions; relationships between numbers –
                prime  factorization, common multiple, common factor, LCM, GCF; mixed numerals; conversion
               between fractions and decimals)
            • Operations (identities – 0 and 1; fractions, decimal fractions, mixed numerals – all four operations,
                +/- with  unlike denominators)
            • Spatial Relationships/Geometry (point, line, line segment, ray, angle; parallel and perpendicular;                 symmetry)
            • Graphing and Statistics (scales/intervals; number line graphs for solutions to equations; medians
                and modes; probability)
            • Logic (experience with general reasoning puzzles/logic puzzles)
            • Algebraic Development (variable; linear equations – missing addends/factors; linear
                inequalities – concept  and symbolism)

The core topics to be formalized in fifth grade are:
            • Number Development (relationships between numbers – multiples, factors, primes and composites;                         multiplication and division by multiples and powers of 10; divisibility rules)
            • Operations (multi-digit division with one-digit and multi-digit divisors)
            Spatial Relationships/Geometry (spatial awareness; perceptual relationships; prisms and quadrilaterals)
            • Measurement (length – mile; ruler to 1/16"; liquid measure – choice of measure; standard units (cup, pint,             quart, gallon), metric units (ml, liter)
            • Graphing and Statistics (bar graphs – advanced/multi-bar; averages/means; circle and line graphs)
            • Logic (significant experience with general classification activities and intuitive functions)

Topics within the introductory stage fall within the categories mentioned above.

Resources for fifth grade mathematics include Connections (D.C. Heath), materials published by Creative Publications, and teacher-generated activity sheets.  Manipulatives used include centimeter cubes, attribute blocks, cuisenaire rods, fraction bars, dice, cards, digit squares and spinners.

FRENCH OR SPANISH:

French:  Continuing the aural/oral training begun last year, students acquire more vocabulary and grammatical structures as a natural by-product of their desire to communicate in French to play a game, solve a puzzle or participate in an activity with a friend.  While the strong emphasis in this program remains oral/aural, there is a written component as well.  Activities are supplemented by nursery rhymes, videos, dialogues, puppets and songs.  Topics include sports, professions, days of the week, animals, numbers 0-31, adjectives, the verbs 'Avoir' and 'Être', and simple negation.  All students participate in the COLT Poster Contest.

Text:            Promenades II  (Addison-Wesley) Book, Workbook

Spanish:  Students continue to learn Spanish this year with a lively approach based on music, drama and games.  The content of this level revolves around five animals, each with four actions or verbs that distinguish him/her from the others.  Posters, big books, picture cards and masks are used to stimulate communicative skills as the linguistic and cultural content of Level I is reinforced.  Workbook exercises parallel oral/aural activities.  Topics include: expressions with the verb tener, numbers to 100, time, origin and nationality, colors, clothing, rooms of the house, days of the week, the verb gustar (to like), present progressive form of verbs, and immediate future of verbs.  All students participate in the COLT Poster Contest.

Text:            ¡Bravo, Bravo! – Level 2 – Animales (Santillana) Books 1, 2, 3; Workbooks 1, 2, 3

SCIENCE:  The fifth grade science program is integrated with the rest of the fifth grade curriculum.  During the first part of the year, we concentrate on environmental studies.  We start by studying habitats, environments, cycles in nature, and the interconnectedness of species.  To make these concepts more concrete, we visit a variety of natural habitat. Hands-on lessons in observation, experimentation, and manipulation of mini-environments also take place.  We end our studies with an overnight trip to Deer Lake in Killington where activities enhance and extend our classroom undertakings.  As a tangible and pragmatic application of their environmental awareness, the fifth graders collect recyclables from the entire Foote School each week throughout the year.

As our studies of ancient civilizations begin, the science curriculum investigates the principles and uses of simple machines.  Students experiment and become familiar with pulleys, inclined planes, and three classes of levers.  For an extended period throughout these endeavors, students create their own mechanical devices that incorporate new ideas in practical ways.  We continue to focus on variables, experimentation, and scientific method.  Students perform frequent experiments where they attempt to isolate and manipulate variables, then analyze and compare their data.

SOCIAL STUDIES:  The year begins with an interdisciplinary study involving English, science, and social studies.  Man’s impact on the natural world and his use of resources are examined, as are his attitudes and responsibilities in considering the future of our environment.  An overnight trip to Deer Lake in Killingworth provides an opportunity for the students to have a hands-on experience with the material they have been studying.  In addition, students coordinate the recycling program for the entire school, gathering from every office and classroom all recyclable products, which are then picked up by a recycling company.

A study of ancient Egypt follows, using Sword of Egypt, The Golden Goblet, Casting the gods Adrift and other sources to focus on an appreciation of the culture, its arts and its industry.  The next unit is a study of Ancient Greece, its society and its mythology.  Olympic Games, drama, and a banquet end this unit. 

Research work is undertaken in conjunction with projects.  In addition, current events, field trips, and spontaneous studies of special interests occur throughout the year.

ART:  In conjunction with the study of environmental issues in the classroom, a central theme in fifth grade art is the appreciation and perception of forms of beauty in nature and in man made creations.  Students closely observe the color and texture of food by creating a realistic colored pencil drawing of fruits and vegetables.  Their favorite meals are constructed in clay and served on a highly decorated clay plate.  Various Egyptian and Greek art projects are integrated into the classroom curriculum.  An extensive study of Japanese Sumi-e painting and Ikebana (flower arranging), as well as a tea ceremony, culminate the year.

COMPUTER

DRAMA:  Plays are developed around the core subjects, e.g., The Trojan War.

LIBRARY:  The overall goal of the library curriculum for every grade level is to make our students feel that libraries are wonderful places where they can find literature to feed their imaginations and locate whatever information they seek.  To meet these goals the curriculum is separated into information skills (library and research skills) and literature skills, though the two are always very interdependent.  Fifth grade is spent reinforcing and expanding upon the skills introduced in the earlier grades, especially fourth.  The students this year become more adept at finding the information they need in all kinds of sources using their questions and their lists of keywords.  They begin to learn the steps needed to produce a complete bibliography and the reasons that is important.  We spend additional time on using an index and ways to make that process more efficient, on utilizing headings and subheadings, on taking good notes, and on organizing and finally presenting our information.  We spend more time on understanding how and why libraries are organized, which also reinforces the idea that all subjects are related to many others.  We continue to read stories as often as possible, with the aim of making them familiar with the wonderful new books we are receiving.  The students continue to “booktalk” and the librarian booktalks new fiction to them regularly.  They also participate in the Nutmeg Award (the Connecticut Children's Book Award), reading from a list of ten books chosen by librarians and voting for their favorite – and then waiting to see if it is the one chosen by all of the voters in grades 4-6 across the state.

MUSIC:  The fifth grade students continue using the Kodaly Concept, a comprehensive program to train basic musical skill and teach the reading and writing of music and develop a joy of singing, dancing and playing together. We review the elements of music learned in the previous grades, adding syncopation to our rhythmic repertoire and solidifying the melodic concepts learned in previous years. We expand on the students’ repertoire of part-singing with longer and more difficult rounds and part songs. The students continue playing the soprano recorder using the absolute note naming system, playing duets and ensemble pieces. We continue to develop listening skills by listening to and analyzing various examples of symphonic, choral and world musics.  The students continue square dancing and moving expressively to music. We also continue working on social skills by working in dance groups and cooperating in small ensembles. We connect to the classroom curriculum by supplementing with listening examples and songs where appropriate. As in the years prior to the fifth grade the primary goal is to foster independence, enjoyment and confidence in singing, moving, and playing music.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  Our goal in physical education at this level is to provide strenuous exercise, develop athletic skills and promote team cooperation.  The fifth grade can be split in a number of ways among the three staff members.  Activities include field hockey, soccer, and football in the fall; basketball, volleyball, floor hockey, and gymnastics in the winter; baseball, softball, track, and badminton in the spring.  Other more recently added activities include tinikling (a rhythmic dance with bamboo poles), the physical best program, and Capture the Flag.

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