Wilson Elementary School

• The standards establish a staircase of complexity for what students need to be able to read and comprehend.
• Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective.
• The standards mandate certain critical types of content for all students, including classic myths and stories from around the world, foundational U.S. documents, seminal works of American literature, and the writings of Shakespeare.

• The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence is a cornerstone of the writing standards, with opinion writing—a basic form of argument—extending down into the earliest grades.
• Research—both short, focused projects (such as those commonly required in the workplace) and longer term in depth research —is emphasized throughout the standards.

The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media.

• An important focus of the speaking and listening standards is academic discussion in one-on-one, small-group, and whole-class settings. Through formal presentations and informal discussion students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding and solve problems.

• Students grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading that steadily expands their repertoire of words, phrases and understanding of language.
• Vocabulary and conventions are treated in their own strand not because skills in these areas should be handled in isolation but because their use extends across reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• Just as media and technology are integrated in school and life in the twenty-first century, skills related to media use (both critical analysis and production of media) are integrated throughout the standards.

Standards for Mathematical Practice:

1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.

Math Curriculum:  Bridges in Mathematics

Each classroom will use Bridges in Mathematics, a comprehensive curriculum for grades K-5.  Bridges is a rigorous program designed to address the new math standards in a way that is enjoyable and accessible to all leaners.  The curriculum focuses on developing in students a deep understanding of math concepts, proficiency with key skills, and the ability to solve new complex problems.  Learning activities tap into the intelligence and strength all students have by presenting mathematically powerful materials alive with language, pictures, and movement.  Students in Bridges classrooms talk about math, describe observations, explain methods, as ask questions.  They are encouraged to find multiple ways to solve problems and show different ways of thinking. This is a vital way to help students build more flexible and efficient ways to solve increasingly complex problems.  Hands-on activities engage them in exploring, developing, testing, discussing, and applying mathematical concepts.

Our Science program reflects the core ideas that incorporate the next-generation science standards. The FOSS Program is based on learning progressions that provide students with opportunities to investigate core ideas in science in increasingly complex ways over time.  Students will learn to:

• Become familiar with the natural world, its diversity, and its interdependence.
   
• Understand the disciplinary core ideas and the cross-cutting concepts of science, such as patterns; cause and effect; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; energy and matter—flows, cycles, and conservation; structure and function; and stability and change.
   
• Have the ability to reason scientifically.
   
• Use their scientific knowledge and scientific and engineering practices for personal and social purposes.

Science Investigation Topics:

Christina School District’s Elementary Social Studies Program delivers well-balanced daily lessons that are aligned with Delaware’s standards. It combines the District’s required curriculum units with the state’s recommendations. Throughout the school year students participate in a wide range of activities that are taught through civics, economics, geography, and history.

Grade level Social Studies Units:

Kindergarten

• Unit 1: Follow the Rules-Citizenship
• Unit 2:  Looking At People-Culture
• Unit 3:  Long Ago and Today-Patterns
• Unit 4:  My Place on Earth-Patterns
• Unit 5:  Workers All Around-Wants
• Unit 6:  Supplemental Economic Lesson from the University of Delaware

First Grade

• Unit 1: Going to School-Citizenship                            
• Unit 2: Good Citizens-Citizenship & Government
• Unit 3: The Land Around Us-Resources                      
• Unit 4: All About People-Culture & Environment
• Unit 5: Looking Back-Patterns & Change
• Unit 6: Jobs People Do- Resources & Interdependence

Second Grade

• Unit 1: Living in a Community-Citizenship             
• Unit 2: Our Government-Citizenship & Government
• Unit 3: Looking at the Earth-Connections
• Unit 4: Learn About People-Culture
• Unit 5: Past and Present- Patterns                              
• Unit 6: People at Work-Resources

Third Grade

• Unit 1: Citizenship & Government-Respect               
• Unit 2: Citizenship-Citizenship
• Unit 3: Communities Are Everywhere-Patterns
• Unit 4: Working as a Historian-Culture
• Unit 5: Communities Over Time-Investigation         
• Unit 6: Resources & Production-Resources, Patterns, Connections

Fourth Grade

• Unit 1: Purposes of Government                                  
• Unit 2: Community Profiles-Diversity of Places & Connections           
• Unit 3: Liberty & Citizenship
• Unit 4: Democratic Methods-Citizenship & Participation
• Unit 5: Thinking Chronologically- Patterns, Chronology & Cause and Effect
• Unit 6: Economic Systems-Interdependence

Fifth Grade

• Unit 1: Hometown-Patterns & Culture
• Unit 2: Constitution & Bill of Rights-Citizenship
• Unit 3: Due Process-Government & Due Process
• Unit 4: Dueling Documents- Interpretation, Point of View & Evidence
• Unit 5: Reasons for Banks-Interdependence
• Unit 6: Thinking Economically-Trade, Interdependence, Specialization & Standard of Living
• BizTown (optional)-Community, Economy, Financial Literacy, Work Readiness

(Creating a Respectful Environment at Wilson)

Purpose: 

To act as a student advisory and task panel to provide consultation to the PBS committee, and to assist with the promotional and logistical aspects of PBS events at a student level.

Tasks:

• Give feedback to administrators and help select appropriate school wide rewards.
• Create posters to advertise PBS events
• Assist with lunch with the principal
• Give new families and new students tours of the building.

(In collaboration with AAA)

Purpose: 

To ensure the safety of all Wilson students while assisting adult staff with arrival & dismissal procedures.

Tasks:

• Walk Kindergarten students to and from class
• Monitor behavior in stairwells
• Check buses in during arrival
• Check classes out during dismissal
• Monitor lines in the bus circle, reminding students to stay in safe zones and walk at all times

(Maintain our Physical Environment)

Purpose:  

Assist our custodial staff with basic maintenance duties to ensure a positive environment that promotes learning.

Tasks:

• Assist staff with Lunch with the Principal or assemblies in cafeteria
• Collect recycling from classrooms and offices

Purpose: 

To provide younger students with a role model for PBS behavior or to provide educational support to younger students.

Tasks:

• Tutoring in reading & math during recess
• Assist with a younger grade during expressive arts classes
• May be paired with a younger student as a “bus buddy” to coach positive behavior on the school bus

Purpose:  

To provide pictures for the yearbook.

Tasks:

• Students attend school wide events and take photographs

Students are nominated by teachers and selected weekly by the counselor.  A description about the student’s positive behavior is given on Fridays, over the intercom.  Photo and description of behavior is featured on a bulletin board in our school lobby and is also sent home to parent or guardian.

Wilson is a No Place for Hate School.  Here are the promises that our students and staff follow:

• I promise to do my best to treat everyone fairly
• I promise to do my best to be kind to everyone-even if they are not like me
• If I see someone being hurt or bullied, I will tell a teacher
• Everyone should be able to feel safe and happy at school
• I want our school to be No Place for Hate