See also Curriculum Integrated Programs
Literacy
P.S./I.S. 78Q students will be meeting the Next Generation Learning Standards using the ReadyGEN (Grades K-5) and Expeditionary Learning(Grades 6-8) Programs. Both programs define what students need to know in order to be college- and career-ready.
ReadyGEN: Grades K-5
- Engages students with complex text and its academic language through the use of units of study designed around text sets at each grade level.
- Asks students to extract and employ evidence from text, and use text sets to understand evidence within and across texts to support writing to sources.
- Builds content knowledge through theme based units of study that balance literary and informational text; exposes students to narrative, informative, and opinion/argument writing so that they can successfully cite evidence in all genres through Writing Workshop.
Expeditionary Learning- Grades 6-8
- Curriculum is built on rich and compelling topics that are supported by great books and worthy informational texts.
- Daily lessons are written at a level of detail that helps teachers envision and implement key instructional routines, such as scaffolding students toward high quality writing, or conferring with students to push them to cite evidence from text.
- Challenges students to think critically and take active roles in their classrooms and communities, resulting in higher achievement and greater engagement in schools.
Writing
As the year progresses, your child will learn to write in a variety of genres. Students in grades K-2 will write about fiction, non-fiction, poetry, letter writing, and project based writing. Students in grades 3-7 -students will write essays, realistic fiction, poetry, and memoir. Students will learn a variety of strategies to draw upon during each stage of the writing process. During the year, the students will be taught the conventions of good writing, which includes punctuation, grammar, and strategies for accurate spelling. Students’ writing will be celebrated throughout the year.
Reading
The students will learn to be better readers throughout the year by learning strategies and skills that good readers use while reading. The students will be assessed using the Teachers’ College Reading Assessment to identify their independent reading level. Each day student participates in Reading Workshop. Reading Workshop begins with a mini-lesson in which the students learn a strategy to assist them in becoming stronger readers. During workshop time, teachers confer with students individually and in small groups. As the teacher conferences with the students, they are learning new ways to become a better reader.As the year begins, the children will learn habits to aide them in becoming independent readers. Throughout the year they will be introduced to a variety of genres. Students will be exposed to fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. As the year progresses we will celebrate the great work they do as readers.
Word Study
K-2 will be using the Fundations Language Arts Program. This program is a phonological/phonemic awareness, phonics and spelling program. Fundations lessons focus on carefully sequenced skills that include print knowledge, alphabet awareness, phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, decoding, vocabulary, fluency, and spelling. Critical thinking, speaking and listening skills are practiced during story time activities.
Students in grades 3-8 will be assessed in their word study knowledge using the Words Their Way program. The word study activities are based upon each student’s developmental level. The program supports spelling, vocabulary, and phonics activities.
Read Aloud
Teachers read aloud books at the children’s appropriate level. Read Aloud supports the work that we do during Reading and Writing Workshop. Children are actively engaged in the text and participate in partner conversations about the book. Read Aloud supports vocabulary enrichment and accountable talk.
Mathematics
P.S./I.S. 78Q students will be meeting the NYS standards using the enVisionmath2.0 (Grades K-5) and Connected Math Program 3 Gr. 6-8 Programs. Both programs define what students need to know in order to be college and career-ready.
enVisionmath2.0 Grades K-5
- Supports Next Generation Learning Standards for Mathematics
- A comprehensive mathematics curriculum with superior focus, coherence, and rigor. Ensure success at every level with problem-based learning, embedded visual learning, and personalization to empower every teacher and student.
Connected Math Program 3 (CMP3)-Grades 6-8
- Engages students in active, personalized learning.
- Inquiry-based learning to the next level. New digital tools engage students while driving conceptual understanding, procedural skill, and real-world applications.
- Aligns to the Common Core State Standards and prepares students for college and careers.
- A research-proven instructional approach.
Algebra I Grade 8
Students who have met the requirements for this section will be meeting standards associated with Algebra I that are based on the NYS Standards for Mathematics. Algebra I is associated with high school content standards within four conceptual categories: Number & Quantity, Algebra, Functions, and Statistics & Probability.
Science
All grades receive science instruction. Students will be meeting the NYS Science Learning Standards. Students in Grades K-8 will be meeting the standards using the Amplify Science Program. The topics being addressed are as follows:
| Kindergarten | Solids and Liquids Weather Study Our Environment Our Weather |
| 1st Grade | Exploring Solar Patterns Light, Sound, and Waves Structures and Behaviors of Living Things |
| 2nd Grade | Properties and Patterns of Matter Changes to Land Over Time Plant and Animal Interactions |
| 3rd Grade | Inheritance and Variation Interdependence Change Over Time Interacting Forces |
| 4th Grade | Structure and Functions of Organisms Transfer of Energy and Information Energy, Motions and Collisions Changes on Earth’s Surface Impacts of Natural Processes |
| 5th Grade | Physical and Chemical Changes Matter and Energy in Eco-systems Earth Science Systems Stars and the Solar System |
| 6th Grade | Simple and Complex Machines Weather Diversity of Life Interdependence |
| 7th Grade | Geology Interactions between Matter and Energy Dynamic Equilibrium: The Human Animal Dynamic Equilibrium: Other Organisms |
| 8th Grade | Life Science Physical Science Earth Science |
Social Studies
All children receive Social Studies instruction. The units for social studies change throughout the year.
K-8 Program: Passport to Social Studies
The following information outlines what will be taught during the months of September through October 2020:
| Kindergarten | Theme: Self and Others Unit 1: My School and School Community |
| Grade 1 | Theme: My Family and Other Families: Now and Long Ago Unit 1: Family and Community Are Important |
| Grade 2 | Theme: My Community and other U.S. Communities Unit 1: Our Community’s Geography |
| Grade 3 | Theme: World Communities: Now and Long Ago Unit 1: Introduction to World Geography and World Communities |
| Grade 4 | Theme: Geography Unit 1: Native Americans: Geography of New York State |
| Grade 5 | Theme: The Western Hemisphere Unit 1: Geography and Early Societies of the Western Hemisphere |
| Grade 6 | Theme: The Eastern Hemisphere Unit 1: Geography of the Eastern Hemisphere |
| Grade 7 | Theme: United States and New York State History Unit 1: Native Americans, Early Encounters and Colonial Development |
| Grade 8 | Theme: The United States and New York State History Unit 1: Reconstruction |
The Arts
Music
All P.S./I.S. 78Q students receive instruction in music twice per week.
Kindergarten through grade two follows the Music and the Brain curriculum, a piano and general music program designed to demonstrate the link between early musical instruction and cognitive ability.
Beginning in grade 4, students are exposed to the traditional band and orchestra instruments and begin to learn the recorder. Grade 2 through grade 8 students are able to audition for the chorus. Students expand upon the skills that they have been developing through ensemble play.
Our middle school students expand further on the foundation built in the lower grades in the concert band.
A focus of the overall music curriculum is creation through, and employing, musical techniques and methods. Students develop their skills of musical reasoning and decision-making through activities such as improvisation, song writing and composition. Central to this is the Little Kids Rock method and approach, which is a contemporary music program built on a language acquisition model of music pedagogy and uses culturally relevant music while encouraging children to communicate and improvise using music as their language. The program was developed in consideration of language acquisition theory as well as traditional music education methods like Orff and Dalcroze. Little Kids Rock methods are designed to make instrumentation accessible and satisfying in the same way that the Suzuki method of violin instruction is structured and also incorporates many elements of the Kodaly and Orff methods, with a modern twist. Children build on the skills developed in the early grades through a natural progression based on the theory of language acquisition. Emphasis is given to development of personal expression to music and musical literacy.
Visual Arts
The arts curriculum for the our school follows the New York City Department of Education’s Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. The art curriculum encompasses the five strands of Arts Learning: Arts Learning, Literacy in the Arts, Making Connections, Community and Cultural Resources, Careers and Lifelong Learning. Students discover art movements, explore places, and learn about the people and cultures of the world.
Arts Residencies
Children in grades K-8 have the opportunity to work with professional artists brought to our school through an arts residency collaboration.
Physical Education
During physical education class students will engage in a variety of movement-based activities to enrich their overall health. Some of the topics included are team and individual sport skills, transfer of weight and balance, cooperative games, adventure education, chase and flee, and group problem solving. Focus is on sportsmanship and how to be a good teammate. Each day the students complete a set of exercises which can easily be implemented at home to promote healthy living. Students will participate in the Fitness Gram, which is a nationwide assessment of the child’s overall health. Students also learn about health and nutrition. They learn a muscle and bone of the month, discuss nutrition and label reading, and speak about stress management. Students are always encouraged to stay active and healthy at home.
Interventions
During the school day, children work in small groups on their instructional levels in an effort to build and reinforce reading and writing stamina, reading comprehension and vocabulary development. They work individually as needed one on one with an intervention teacher.
- Guided reading-strategy lessons
- Fundations K-2-Word Study
- enVision Math Games
- Differentiated math instruction
Library / Technology: K-8
Computers and technology are incorporated into daily lessons in the classroom and library. Students are taught research skills and learn strategies to support all content areas. Students are exposed to laptops, ipads, smartboards, video conferencing and many different types of software to enrich their learning.
Foreign Language
Students in all grades receive instruction in Spanish.