Math
At King ES, every elementary mathematician:
- Engages in mathematical fluency at least twice a week
- Engages in real-world application problems that bring math to life
- Participates data-driven small groups that focuses on areas of growth
- Participates in daily lesson debriefs that connects the procedural understanding to conceptual understanding by way of mathematical discourse
- Will use the appropriate tool strategically in order to model their mathematics accurately
In Kindergarten, instructional time should focus on two critical areas: (1.)representing and comparing whole numbers, initially within sets of objects;(2.) describing shapes and space. More learning time in kindergarten should be devoted to numbers than to other topics.
In Grade 1, instructional time should focus on five critical areas: (1) extend counting sequences; (2) representing and solving word problems involving addition and subtraction; (3) understanding place value; (4) using place value and properties of operations to add and subtract; and (5) measuring lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
In Grade 2, instructional time should focus on four critical areas: (1) extending understanding of base-ten notation; (2) building fluency with addition and subtraction; (3) using standard units of measure; and (4) describing and analyzing shapes.
In Grade 3, instructional time should focus on four critical areas: (1) developing understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for multiplication and division within 100; (2) developing understanding of fractions, especially unit fractions (fractions with numerator 1); (3) developing understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area; and (4) describing and analyzing two-dimensional shapes.
In Grade 4, instructional time should focus on three critical areas: (1) developing understanding and fluency with multi-digit multiplication; and developing understanding of dividing to find quotients involving multi-digit dividends; (2) developing an understanding of fraction equivalence, addition and subtraction of fractions with like denominators, and multiplication of fractions by whole numbers; (3) understanding that geometric figures can be analyzed and classified based on their properties, such as having parallel sides, perpendicular sides, particular angle measures, and symmetry.
In Grade 5, instructional time should focus on five critical areas: (1) understanding the place value system, (2) perform operations with multi-digit whole numbers and with decimals to hundredths, (3) use equivalent fractions as a strategy to add and subtract fractions, (4) apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division to multiply and divide fractions, and (5) geometric measurement: understand concepts of volume and relate volume to multiplication and addition.
English Language Arts
Our literacy program is designed to address a range of learning needs across a balanced programmatic experience — providing students the opportunity to develop foundational reading and writing skills, build automaticity and fluency, and develop critical thinking skills. Students have 120 minutes of literacy instruction each day. The literacy block includes Foundational Skills, Reading, Research and Writing, and Small Group Literacy. The literacy block is designed so that students have opportunities to engage in a wide variety of texts, write, and participate in speaking and listening activities.
Foundational Literacy Curriculum: Heggerty and Fundations
With Heggerty, students in early elementary receive daily Phonemic Awareness instruction. All activities are auditory and include the skills below aligned to Common Core State Standards:
- Rhyming
- Identifying beginning sounds
- Identifying ending sounds
- Identifying middle sounds
- Adding phonemes (or syllables, words, etc.)
- Deleting phonemes (or syllables, words, etc.)
- Substituting phonemes (or syllables, words, etc.)
- Blending phonemes
- Segmenting words
Fundations is a systematic phonics, spelling, and handwriting program that is facilitated in our kindergarten to second grade classrooms. Fundations is taught in the whole-class setting, but can also be taught in a small group or 1:1 setting, for students who may require additional time for learning in these areas.
Key features of this program include the following, and are presented from Unit to Unit and year to year:
- Instruction in Letter formation, using scripted language of “sky line, plane line, grass line, worm line”
- Instruction in Phonological Awareness
- Instruction in Sound-symbol Correspondence knowledge, teaching students a letter name, its key word, and its sound(s)
- Instruction in Phonics, word study, and advanced word study
- Irregular (trick) word instruction (for both reading and spelling)
- Vocabulary
- Fluency
- Comprehension strategies
- Written composition (spelling and handwriting)
Reading, Research, and Writing: Passport to Learning
We believe that we can build knowledge and vocabulary, through rich, culturally relevant and interesting units of study to provide students with a foundation of knowledge that is transferable and builds lifelong literacy skills. As such, we use Passport to Learning curriculum developed by DCPS.
Small Group Literacy
Students receive explicit targeted instruction in small groups based on children's observed and assessed needs in specific aspects of literacy development including decoding, vocabulary, comprehension skills, and more. During this component of the literacy block, students also engage independent literacy activities to support reading and writing skills previously taught. Students rotate through work stations such as Independent Reading, Writing, Word Work, Inquiry, Oral Language, and Fluency. Students are putting skills into practice through games and various activities.
Additional Resources:
Ensuring Student Success
Common Core and Your Child
Common Core State Standards in 30 Seconds - Video
Common Core State Standards en Trienta Segundos - Video en Español
Conceptos Básicos Sobre la Educación Bilingüe de Inmersión Recíproca
More About Common Core State Standards