The purpose of this page is to provide you with an overview of
the instructional approaches and programs that are being
employed to educate the children who attend Woodbury Heights
Elementary School. Each curriculum content area is reviewed
according to a five-year cycle and is aligned with the New
Jersey Core Curriculum Standards, which you may view at
www.state.nj.us/education
Language Arts Literacy
Current research in Language Arts Literacy stresses the
importance of providing a balanced literacy approach. This
approach includes systematic phonics at the early grades, guided
reading in small groups using leveled reading materials, whole
class instruction in reading strategies and skills, and ample
opportunities for students to read independently to apply the
learning.
A scope and sequence that is aligned to the state
standards is the driving force for the whole class lessons.
Assessment of students' abilities and areas of need drive the
small group instruction that takes place during guided reading.
Instructional materials from Rigby and Houghton Mifflin
Literacy series are being used in a variety of ways to provide a
balanced literacy program for all students.
Click
here to read about our Guided Reading program.
Mathematics
Extensive research was conducted by the University of
Chicago to determine the most effective methods for teaching
mathematics. The Everyday Mathematics program published by
Wright Group is an outgrowth of the aforementioned research.
Everyday Math was initially implemented at the primary grades in
the Gateway Group in 2001. The final implementation phase
occurred during the 2004-05 school year in grades 4 - 6.
Everyday Mathematics is an integrated,
investigation-based, comprehensive and balanced mathematics
program for grades K - 6. It is highly recommended by the
National Science Foundation, National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics and considered a Promising Math program by the US
Department of Education.
Students have multiple opportunities to practice math
skills and concepts in real life situations and in various ways
before they are expected to be "secure" in their knowledge.
Students are assessed according to the point at which they are
in their understanding of math concepts along the following
continuum - beginning, developing, and secure.
At the start of each new unit at each grade
level, parent letters are to be sent home to inform you of the
expectations of the unit of study.
Science
The current science curriculum for the Gateway Group
Consortium is aligned with the NJ Standards. In the NJCCCS
document for science, it states, "Students best learn science by
doing science. Science is not merely a collection of facts and
theories but a process, a way of thinking about and
investigating the world in which we live."
With this as a guiding principle, the science
curriculum is compromised of three or four units of study at
each grade level. The teaching materials include print materials
and supplies for experimentation.
The following is a listing of the topics addressed at
each grade level.
Kindergarten - Plants, Weather, and Myself and Others.
Grade 1 - New Plants, Solids and Liquids, and Comparing
and Measuring.
Grade 2 - Life Cycles, Pebbles, Sand and Silt, and
Balance and Motion.
Grade 3 - Structures of Life, Solar System, and
Electricity and Magnetism.
Grade 4 - Inventions, Investigating Weather, Landforms,
Environmental Awareness.
Grade 5 - Ecosystems, Motion and Design, and Earth, Moon
and Sun.
Grade 6 - Cell Structure/Heredity, Mixtures and
Solutions, and Energy
Social Studies
According to the state standards document, the goal of
social studies education is "to foster, for all students, the
ability to understand their world and to have an appreciation
for the heritage of America with a high degree of literacy in
civics, history, economics and geography."
Social Studies materials have been chosen with the goal
of social studies education in mind. Grades K - 3 is
currently using Social Studies Alive. Grade 4 is
implementing Macmillan McGraw Hill and grades 5 and 6 are using
Houghton Mifflin texts as the basis of their Social Studies
curriculum. All grade levels are enhancing the text with
related literature and simulations.
Current topics being addressed at each grade level are
as follows:
Kindergarten - Me and My World, National Heroes, Holidays
Around the World, US Symbols, and Geography.
Grade 1 - My School and Family, National Heroes, US
Symbols, and Geography.
Grade 2 - Communities: Citizenship and Geography,
Economy, and Mexico.
Grade 3 - Native Americans including Lenape Indians,
Economy, Government (Local and County), Immigration, and Map
Skills.
Grade 4 - 13 Colonies, Regions of State and Country,
Government (State and Federal), Tolerance, and Map Skills.
Grade 5 - Revolutionary War, Our Nation's Early Years,
Civil War to the Nation Expands.
Grade 6 - Early People, Civilizations, Ancient Egypt, Greek Civilizations,
and Roman Empire.
Special Subjects
The teachers of Art, Music, Physical Education, Health,
and Technology have all been engaged in the curriculum review
process when their content areas were due for revision. They
have also aligned their curriculum with the New Jersey's Core
Curriculum Content Standards for their specific subject area.
Gateway Group Curriculum documents for each of the
aforementioned subjects may be reviewed by contacting the
curriculum office.
