Curriculum Matrix - Park Day School

What Students Learn

This interactive matrix reflects our planned curriculum across grades and subjects. It is a broad guide as our child-centered “responsive curriculum” adjusts to student needs, interests and current events to make the most of each learning moment. Click a grade, subject, or cell to learn more.

	K	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Math	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Science	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Social Justice	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Language Arts	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Social Studies	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Visual Arts	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Music	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Physical Education	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Spanish	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Social and Emotional Learning	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Design, Make, Engage	+	+	+	+	+	+	♦	♦	♦
Community Outreach and Service Learning	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+

Click a subject to view its curriculum across all grades. Click a grade to view its curriculum across all subjects. Click a (+) to view a single subject for a single grade.

Problem solving/Mathematical Process and Communication

Understanding goals:

How can talking about our own strategies help us further understand our mathematical thinking? How can talking and sharing math ideas with others help us discover a variety of useful ways to approach and solve problems? How do we listen to comprehend ideas that others are sharing?

Sample Concepts, Activities and Skills:

Making decisions about how to set up a problem using games. Sharing different ways to solve problems; creating and solving problems designed by students. Describing how to decide on which tools to use (such as manipulatives or sketches) to solve addition and subtraction problems. Sharing strategies to reach more favorable outcomes in math games. Working together to share ideas, engage in math-related discussions and to gain multiple perspectives on mathematical approaches; Group Solutions Puzzles.

Sample Resources:

Investigations in Number, Data and Space by TERC; Nimble with Numbers; Making Math Real; Marcy Cook; Marilyn Burns; Box It or Bag It; Groundworks: Algebraic Thinking; Mathland; teacher created materials.

Third Grade Math

Overarching Understanding Goals:

What does it mean to be mathematically literate? How can we find connections between the math strands to better understand a concept? How can using mental math and logical thinking develop my fluency and efficiency? What skills can I develop from seeing other students' problem solving strategies? How can setting goals and playing games help me memorize my basic facts?

Focus Points:

Number and Operations and Algebra: Developing understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for basic multiplication facts and related division facts.
Number and Operations: Developing an understanding of fractions and fraction equivalence.
Geometry: Describing and analyzing properties of two-dimensional shapes.

Number and Operations

Understanding goals:

How can I connect and use what I've learned in early grades to work with and understand larger numbers? How can I understand patterns to help me solve new problems? How is addition and subtraction related to multiplication and division? How can understanding landmark numbers help me make reasonable estimates and solve problems? How are common decimals and simple fractions related?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Applying understanding of number and place value to solve computation problems both mentally and with pencil and paper. With number lines and number charts, using landmark numbers to think about numbers efficiently, to estimate, and determine reasonableness of answers. Through games and number talks, understanding multiple strategies for computation with multi-digit numbers.

Building arrays, writing riddles, and playing games students view multiplication from several perspectives: geometric, numerical, and within real-world contexts. Timed tests, goal setting, observing number patterns, and playing games assists in learning of basic multiplication facts from 0-12. Building graduated cylinders and using scale models develops understanding of the connection between division and fractions. Building fraction kits and using them to solve problems develops understanding of fractions as unit parts of a whole and are used to add, subtract, order and compare fractions.

Statistics, Data Analysis and Probability

Understanding goals:

Where around me do I see examples of displayed data? How do data and probability in the world affect my decisions? How can I organize the data I collect and display it so someone else can understand? How can I use the information that I am gathering to help me strategize and make choices?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Designing investigations to answer a survey question. Collecting data using observations, surveys, and experiments. Making decisions about how to most clearly present their data collection. Representing data on a bar graph, line plot, pictograph, and simple pie chart. Comparing different representation of the same data. Developing familiarity with major concepts of probability: likely, unlikely, fairness, sampling, sample-size.

Geometry and Measurement

Understanding goals:

How can I build, draw and describe the geometric shapes that I see? What parts of shapes can be measured? How can I use what I know about common shapes to understand, measure and describe less common shapes? What tool makes sense to use while I am measuring? What are the units that I can measure with? How can I convert my measurement from feet to inches or inches to feet? How can I use measurement skills to deepen my understanding of fractions? How can my understanding of multiplication help me tell time?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Developing visual-spatial skills through building shapes, making rotations; drawing three-dimensional shapes; solving the 4-Triangle Problem; building and using Pentominos and Tangrams.

Describing relationships and comparing geometric figures; i.e. size, orientation, congruency, similarity, angle size and number. Exploring, identifying, and classifying two and three-dimensional shapes. Understanding that geometric shapes can be composed and broken down into other shapes.

Making decisions to choose appropriate units of measure for length, weight, volume, temperature and time. Using yard sticks, rulers, thermometers, measuring tapes, and scales during problem solving activities and to measure familiar objects. Making comparisons and developing use of estimation as a measurement tool. Exploring congruency and developing understanding of fractional parts through working with fractional parts of a ruler. Developing an internal sense of time passage/duration of time, and through use of stopwatches while performing tasks.

Algebra and Functions

Understanding goals:

How can I use patterns on the 100's chart to understand multiplication? How can I communicate my mathematical thinking with numbers and symbols? How can I explain in words the patterns and changes in numbers? How can I use equations to express equality?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Identifying and listing items that come in groups. Writing and solving multiplication and division riddles. Solving simple problems that include one variable. Developing the understanding of equality and recording mathematical expressions of equivalency while playing games and using online applets. Using and understanding the commutative and distributive properties to solve multiplication and division problems.

Problem solving/Mathematical Process and Communication

Understanding Goals:

Problem Solving/Mathematical Process and Communication

Understanding goals:

Problem solving/Mathematical Process and Communication

Understanding Goals:

Sample Resources:

Connected Mathematics 2; AIMS Historical Connections in Mathematics; AIMS Proportional Reasoning; Making Math Real; Projects from NCTM, BATDC, and CIT conference workshops; various manipulatives.

Eighth Grade: Algebra

Overarching Understanding Goals:

What is this mathematical language called algebra? What are its rules-its grammar and idioms? How can I interpret it and use it to communicate what I see and understand?

Focus Points:

Number and Operations: Equivalence. Developing fluency with the properties of equality and laws of exponents in order to solve equations and inequalities.
Algebra: Functions. Grasping the concept of a function and using functions to describe quantitative relationships.
Geometry and Measurement: Multiple Representations. Developing a concrete basis for understanding functions through the use of graphs, models, and manipulatives.

Number and Operations

Understanding Goals:

What does it mean to solve an equation? Do all equations have solutions? What is the first step? Is it always the same? Is there a set way to approach solving an equation? What are the properties of equality that allow us to restate an equation in simpler terms? How is it different to solve an inequality? What are exponents and the laws for working with them? What does it mean to factor a number or a polynomial? What is an irrational number? How do we know if a number is rational?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

After becoming familiar with number tricks that can be represented using boxes and circles, students are presented with balances that "weigh" known and unknown quantities. They apply an intuitive sense of equality, subtracting and dividing as necessary, to discover the unknown weight. This practice is followed by a more formal presentation of the properties of equality. The distributive property is demonstrated as sets of zip-lock bags through which you can "see" but not change the contents; you must remove the contents from all bags before proceeding to solve the equation. Solving equations is likened to playing chess, where moves are limited by rules, and strategy determines success. A challenge activity-the Four 9s-asks students to express all of the numbers from 1 to 100 using exactly four 9s, no other numbers, but whatever non-numerical symbols or operations they choose. Students learn to use square roots (? - the square root of 9 is 3), factorial (! - the square root of 9 factorial <3!> is 6), and point nine repeating (0.9... = 1), and in collaboration with classmates, arrive at finding all of these values. Students look for the error in a "proof" that if a=b, then 1=2.

Algebra and Functions

Understanding Goals:

What is a function? Are all functions linear? What are direct and inverse variations? Are there other kinds of functions? What does an equation tell us about the shape of a graph? How does a change in the equation affect the shape of the graph? What does it mean to solve an equation in two variables? What does it mean to solve simultaneous equations? Do all simultaneous equations have solutions? How many? Can we find the equation for a line if we know two points? If we know one point and the slope? Why or why not? How about an equation for a line parallel or perpendicular to a given line? What about inequalities in two variables? What do their solutions look like? Is it possible to use inequalities to define the interior of a polygon whose vertices have known coordinates? How cool is that? Besides being cool, what might these equations and graphs mean? What do they have to do with the real world?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

After many hands-on experiences making tables and graphs from equations in pre-algebra, students might tend to believe that all two-variable relationships are linear. In the fall we consider distance, rate, and time problems, where an increase in rate leads to a decrease in time for a given distance, and recognize an inverse variation. We refer back to area and volume patterns that we discovered in pre-algebra and find second and third degree equations. In the spring, we consider projectile motion, another opportunity to play with quadratic equations and their graphs as parabolas. A project is introduced in the fall as a goal for the term, and few students are convinced at that point that it is even possible: plot three points in distinct quadrants, connect them to form a triangle, and define the interior of that triangle by writing three inequalities. The second semester focuses on making sense of polynomials, with a particular emphasis on quadratics. While technology is used in whole class presentations, students do graphs by hand.

Geometry and Measurement

Understanding Goals:

How can polynomials be represented concretely? How can the distributive property be shown visually? What patterns are possible using pattern blocks and which are not? How can irrational numbers be found on a geo-board? How can the area of irregular shapes on the geo-board be found? What is the Pythagorean Theorem? How can it be proved geometrically? Algebraically? How can we use it to find the distance between any two points?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Geometry labs provide an opportunity for concrete application of algebraic concepts. Using Algebra Lab Gear, students internalize the difference between x and x-squared. They experience different ways of representing negative numbers and balancing equations. Geo-boards provide an opportunity to discover the Pythagorean Theorem and to recognize various irrational numbers represented as distances between pegs. A simple folding exercise leads students to find a square whose side is exactly ?2.

Mathematical Communication and Problem Solving

Understanding Goals:

Is there a right way to approach a problem? How can I visualize and represent a word problem mathematically? What does it mean to "show my work" when I did it in my head?

Sample Concepts, Activities, and Skills:

Middle school marks the end of "right-answer" math and the transfer to math reasoning. Students learn multiple forms for the equation of a line, and for each a technique for graphing efficiently. They practice solving simultaneous equations through graphing, adding or subtracting to remove a variable, or substituting. They learn strategies for representing word problems in diagrams or sketches as well as in mathematical symbols. As we progress into work with polynomials and multi-variable equations, students learn to appreciate the paper trail of a precise and systematic approach. They review their tests and describe the mathematical misconceptions leading to their errors. Answers to most homework assignments are given in the back of the text, so the emphasis is on process rather than answer.

Sample Resources:

Elementary Algebra by Harold R. Jacobs, Geometry Labs by Henri Picciotto, Projects from National Council of Mathematics (NCTM), Bay Area Teacher Development Collaborative (BATDC), and California Institute of Technology (CIT) conferences, workshops; various manipulatives.

Kindergarten Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

What are scientists? How are we scientists? How do scientists find out what they want to know?

Earth Science:

How are kites made? How do kites work? What makes a kite stay up in the air? What is a volcano? What makes a volcano erupt? What are the different kinds of volcanoes?

Physical Science:

Where does wood and paper come from? What are their attributes and properties? What can we do with wood and paper?

Life Science & Educating for Sustainability:

What is a seed? Where can we find seeds? Can we eat all seeds?

What makes a tree a tree? Why are trees important? How do we take care of trees? What trees grow in California? What are the parts of a tree and what do they do? How can we tell trees apart? What kinds of bugs are in our garden?

Skills and Processes:

Observing shapes of trees and leaves; recording how many acorns sprouted; sorting seeds and leaves, hypothesizing about forest care; predicting how many paper clips it will take to sink a small piece of wood; inferring the strength of particle board vs. plywood.

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Wood projects: making boats, planes, or animals using saws, drills and hammers. Making particleboard and plywood, making recycled paper and paper maché bowls. Collecting, sorting, growing and harvesting seeds in pots indoors and in garden beds. Constructions and play with natural objects in our Nature Zone.

Sample Resources:

FOSS: Trees, Wood and Paper, GEMS, Children's non-fiction and fiction literature, various online resources, teacher made resources, natural objects, field trip to Valle Vista Regional Park to plant tree seedlings.

First Grade Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How do we, as scientists, research? How do scientists experiment? How do scientists share findings? What are the cycles of the natural world?

Earth Science:

What are the seasons of the year? How do you know when the seasons change? What changes do you observe? What creates weather? What is a cycle? What is a system?

Physical Science:

What are the different states of matter? What are their different characteristics and properties? How can one state of matter change? What is the cycle of water?

Life Science and sustainability:

What is a habitat? What do plants and animals need to grow and thrive? How do plants and animals adapt to their specific habitat? What cycles are evident in nature? How do human beings impact the environment?

Skills and processes:

Investigating the water cycle and states of matter; using tools to measure temperature, evaporation, and solutions; study of animal and plant habitats and cycles of metamorphosis and photosynthesis

Sample projects and highlights:

Habitat installation; study and model construction of the four types of bridges; live insect and plant studies; harvesting and cooking from the garden; individual research projects; study of tadpoles and earthworms

Sample Resources:

Delta, FOSS: Air and Weather, Teacher created materials, field trips, research materials and books

Second Grade Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

What kinds of informed predictions can we make from observing patterns in science? Where can we find cycles in science? How does understanding different cycles help us see how the world is interconnected? How can we take care of our land so that our earth is healthy and clean?

Earth Science:

What materials make up the Earth's crust? What are the causes of weathering? How is weathering connected to the water cycle? How are rocks different? How can we classify rocks? What are natural resources? How can we conserve natural resources?

Physical Science:

How can understanding forces inform our predictions about balance and motion? How can we use evidence to inform our scientific understandings and conclusions?

Life Science & Educating for Sustainability:

What makes humans unique? How are our five senses connected to body parts, systems and functions? What are bats? How do bats help humans? How are megabats and microbats similar and different? What species are endangered and why? How do animals adapt to their habitat? What do plants need to grow?

Skills and Processes:

Sketches, journals, observations, sorting, classification with charts, hands-on projects and experiences

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Counting bones in the human body; experiential model of the digestive system; learn classic fingerprint systems and solve a simulated mystery; investigate balance and motion in paper objects and tops designed by students; classifying and observing rocks and minerals; research and create dioramas of endangered animals; comparing wingspans of bats; harvesting and planting in the garden; learning the botany of plants

Sample Resources:

Learning Garden Curriculum, FOSS: Balance and Motion, GEMS, AIMS, Field trips, various non-fiction science picture books, various on-line resources, educational films

Third Grade Science

Topics / focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How do scientists use observation and data collection to predict outcomes of investigations? What is the difference between evidence and opinion?

Earth Science:

How does the moon's appearance change and why? How does perspective relate to these changes? What are some tools that we can use to study astronomy? Why does the night sky appear to change with the seasons?

Physical Science:

What is energy? How does it travel? What is magnetism? What is electricity? How do batteries, wires, bulbs, motors and switches work? How can I use a complete circuit to create a project that shows my understanding?

Life Science and Educating for Sustainability:

What is adaptation? How do people, plants and animals adapt to their environment? How are habitat and adaptation related? How does a change in the environment affect how people, plants and animals live? How can we conserve electricity?

Skills and Processes:

Observation and data collection; predicting outcomes of scientific investigations, using a sound board to chart vibration, writing hypotheses.

Sample Projects and Highlights:

In depth study and research report on birds and adaptations; birdwatching and habitat restoration. Interdisciplinary projects involving land stewardship and native plant garden. Dyes, teas, food and weaving projects. Study of observable movements in the night sky: moon, stars and sun. Hands-on study of energy and electricity. Students use what they know to create a culminating project that requires construction of a complete circuit and switch.

Sample Resources:

AIMS, FOSS: Matter and Energy and Sun, Moon and Stars, GEMS, literature and books on birds, Chabot Space and Science Center, Astro Society, NASA website for educators, various online resources, National Center for Earth and Space Science Education.

Fourth Grade Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How does my hypothesis compare to my observations? How do scientists verify their data and share it with other scientists? How do we set up experiments that test what we want to test? Why is it important to keep accurate lab notes?

Earth Science:

What concepts and tools do geologists use to discover what the earth is made of? What are the processes that formed the earth? What is the earth made of? What are the different features of the earth?

Physical science:

How do people use the metric system? When and how do we use grams, liters, and meters?

How do scientists test for and discover unknowns? How do scientists develop predictions, and make and support conclusions?

What are the principles that govern how machines work? How can we use the concepts of friction, gravity, inertia, kinetic energy and potential energy to help explain the way things work?

Can we find out the contents of an unknown substance by comparing it to others we know?

Life Science and Educating for Sustainability:

In general, how toxic are popular commercial cleaners? What effect do some of the ingredients have on humans and the earth? What are the alternatives? What can we do to help our community reduce garbage? What is puberty? How do I change as I go through puberty?

Skills and Processes:

Measuring distance, weight and volume using the metric system; analyzing minerals as the components of rocks; using geologists tests and tools; using data from go-carts to determine friction and design improved go-cart; testing for indicators in powders to determine content of mystery mixture; researching commercial cleaners, measuring ingredients to create and replicate effective and safe cleaners.

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Designing and building mini go-carts; testing for indicators on five white powders and applying lab results in investigations of mystery mixtures; measuring liquid volume of assorted containers

Breaking apart rocks and investigating their components; using vinegar to test for the presence of calcite in a variety of rocks; making and marketing environmentally friendly cleaners; create and display signs for local businesses that encourage patrons to reduce napkin use; unit on puberty.

Sample Resources:

FOSS: Measurement, Solid Earth, Models and Designs, Delta's Mystery Powders, various online resources; literature; films.

Fifth Grade Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How can I write a testable question for investigation? What is a variable? What is a controlled experiment?

Earth Science:

How is the solar system organized? In what ways are the planets the same and in what ways are they different?

How does Earth's atmosphere work, and why is it important? What is the greenhouse effect? What is climate change?

Physical Science:

What elements make up Earth's and other planets' atmospheres? What is their molecular structure?

What are the effects of gravity on different planets?

How does carbon move from one system to another in the carbon cycle?

What is energy and where does it come from?

Life Science and Educating for Sustainability:

How does the human reproductive system work?

How do people, communities and industries impact their local watershed? How do pollutants in a watershed affect plant and animal life? What actions can people take to protect their watersheds?

What is the role of photosynthesis in the carbon cycle?

How does current human resource use affect the gases in Earth's atmosphere? In what ways will human behavior influence the future of Earth's atmosphere?

What is puberty? How do I change as I go through puberty?

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Building a model of the SF Bay; enacting a class tableau of the SF Bay watershed; engaging in a complex simulated aquatic environmental disaster investigation; studying stream and redwood forest ecology at Westminster Woods Environmental Education Program; calculating different results for jumping, throwing, and running challenges based on gravity on different planets; building models of atmospheric molecules; creating an investigation to show how carbon moves from one system to another; creating a simple generator, building wind turbines

Skills and Processes:

Using chemical indicators and bio-indicators to test water for acidity, phosphates, turbidity, and dissolved oxygen; investigating and exploring aquatic life; using photos and facts to classify planets by their various properties; using BTB solution to detect carbon dioxide in many systems; analyzing non-renewable and renewable energy sources

Sample Resources:

Kids for the Bay; FOSS: Water Planet; Lawrence Hall of Science Environmental Detectives; Chabot Observatory Climate/Energy materials

Sixth Grade Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How do scientists use the scientific method? Using all the senses, what tools do we use to observe? How is energy cycled in the Earth's systems? How is the Earth is a "living" system of interconnected influences?

Earth Science:

What does the theory of the Big Bang tell us? What is the dynamic relationship between volcanoes, earthquakes and crustal plates? How does heat flow under the Earth's crust? What happens where the plates meet? How are volcanoes identified? What are the main rock types? How does weather and climate create a biome?

Physical Science:

What is an atom? How are atoms arranged in the Periodic Table of Elements?

How are molecules arranged? How do molecules change motion in the four different states of matter? What is light? How do we describe and measure the light energy that comes from the sun?

Why and how does heated matter (high pressure) move toward cooler matter (low pressure)- thermodynamics?

Life Science and Educating for Sustainability:

How are biomes and their climates influenced by humans? What alternatives are there for conserving the Earth's biomes? Are we running out of fresh water? What type of scientist could I be when I grow up? How are female and male anatomies different and/or alike throughout development? What occurs during puberty? How is gender different from sexuality?

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Periodic Table & Element report; water/states of matter unit- oral reports; plate tectonics, volcanoes, & earthquakes videos; climate and biomes books; I-Search branch of science unit; sex and sexuality booklet.

Skills and Processes:

Use a sampling of tools to observe, such as: microscopes, sketching, measuring, dissecting, modeling; record & analyze data; inquiry cycle- post experiment questions; science notebooks

Sample Resources:

FOSS: Earth History, GEMS: Plate Tectonics; NASA 3-D View- Lithosphere, Hydrosphere

Seventh Grade: Life Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

What are scientific questions? What is the use of the scientific method? How can I use it to learn, discover and share information? What is the difference between a claim and evidence? How can I discuss and represent various viewpoints of an issue?

Life Science:

How does each of us learn? How can I identify what way I learn best? How does the human brain function?

What are the basic principles of ecology? What do adaptations to a specific ecosystem look like? What does deforestation of the tropical rain forest look like and whom does it affect?

What are systems? What is the skeletal system and what does it look like?

How does it function? What is human health? What are the parts of my body and how do they work? How does diet and nutrition affect the functioning of our bodies?

What is emotional health? How does my environment and choices affect it?

Educating for Sustainability:

What is the importance of diversity among living things on the planet? How is sustainability connected to diversity in an ecosystem? How are our choices affecting various ecosystems around the world? What is ecosystem restoration and what can we do to help/become involved? How can we sustain a "green" science classroom and school environment?

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Wetlands models; wetlands restoration field trip; Tropical Rain Forest debate; skeleton drawings; Peeps experiments; Leaf printing or plant design; ongoing laboratory investigations.

Skills and Processes:

Formulating questions in a variety of ways; recording observations in multiple ways; identifying and developing supporting evidence for claims; comparing data; using multiple forms of measurement; representing their ideas verbally and in writing; writing conclusions; using the scientific method as a tool in labs.

Sample Resources:

GEMS, Project Zero's ecosystem curriculum; current scientific articles; college level texts; literature; NSTA recommended books; Project NEED resources.

Eighth Grade: Physical Science

Topics / Focal Points and Understanding Goals:

How does the scientific method work as a tool for discovery? What is the difference between a claim and evidence? How do you write a question so that you can collect qualitative or quantitative data?

Physical Science:

What is matter? What are states of matter? What are chemical reactions?

What are acids (and bases) and how do they cause acid rain? What chemical reactions take place in the formation of acid rain?

What is climate change and how are chemical reactions reflected in the causes and solutions? What types of energy and transformations are there?

What is human health? What are the parts of my body and how do they work?

What is emotional health? How does my environment and choices affect it?

How do I create a safe place for myself, both physically and emotionally?

Educating for Sustainability:

What are sustainable practices? What are sustainable ways to create and use energy? What simple changes can we make in our use of resources? What is environmental justice and who is affected by it? Where do life science and physical science overlap when looking at environmental issues? How can we use our energy bike to meet our energy needs and collect data?

Sample Projects and Highlights:

Debates about climate change and/or acid rain; design and build models of either solar "cars" or passive solar buildings; build Rube Goldberg type machines to demonstrate different principles of physics; filed trip to either amusement park or ice rink to conduct physics experiments; use of an energy bike where students produce the electricity they need in the classroom.

Skills and Processes:

Formulating questions in a variety of ways, recording observations in at least three ways (writing, images, graphs and charts), identifying and developing supporting evidence for claims; comparing data; reflecting on learning in writing, using various forms of measurement, feel comfortable NOT answering all their questions, representing ideas verbally, using the scientific method as a tool in laboratory investigations; writing conclusions for investigations;

Sample Resources:

GEMS, Project Zero's ecosystem curriculum; current scientific articles; college level texts; literature; NSTA recommended books; Project NEED resources.

Kindergarten Social Justice

Themes and Understanding Goals:

Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Are We? How can we learn together? How can I be a friend in this community?

Key Concepts:

Developing a positive self-image; vocabulary of classmates as friends; how friends behave toward one another; expressing appreciation' acknowledging and celebrating similarities and differences; validation and appreciation for all differences and family structures; recognizing and expressing emotions appropriately; awareness of the community; listening to one another; taking turns; mutual respect; we all have needs, feelings, rights and responsibilities.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Student created book, "The Friends Book;" family project; classroom as community project; reading buddies with third graders; buddies with sixth grade mentors; allies as friends; self-portraits with accurate skin tone; role playing; learning I statements; learning to use statements of needs; generating classroom agreements; helper jobs to take responsibility for classroom and materials.

Sample Books and Resources:

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Jesse's Dream Skirt by Bruce Mack, King and King by Linda De Haan, And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson, The Colors of Us by Karen Katz.

First Grade Social Justice

Themes and Understanding Goals:

How can I recognize and solve problems in our community? How do my words show appreciation and respect? How can we build an inclusive community?

Key Concepts:

Learning how to handle success and disappointment responsibly;

Each person can make a difference; everybody matters; being aware of others' feelings and needs and taking initiative to act; becoming aware of individuals that make up the school community and their contributions; connect and empathize with children outside our immediate community; sharing and inclusion; awareness of religious and cultural differences through celebrations, food, speakers, and families; awareness of material resources and privilege; environmental responsibility; breaking down gender stereotypes.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Introduce class characters and puppets that model respectful, thoughtful and responsible behavior; daily appreciations; use of the "signal" - stop, focus, listen respectfully; "Dear Diary" - reflections on the day; UNICEF projects; self portraits; author's chair; recycling and compost monitors; hygiene kits for the homeless; Dr. Martin Luther King focus on black Americans who make/made a difference; family posters.

Sample Books and Resources:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, Uncle Willie's Soup Kitchen by DyAnne DiSalvo Ryan, Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen, The Hard Times Jar by Ethel Footman Smothers; We Are All Born Free (The Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures; At This Very Minute by Kathleen Rice Bowers, Peace Begins with Me by Katherine Scholes; Charlotte's Web by E.B. White; The Okay Card Game by Todd Parr.

Second Grade Social Justice

Themes and Understanding Goals:

What are our rights? Does everyone have equal access to rights?

What should be the rights and responsibilities for people? Does everyone have equal access to books? Who lives in America? Why do people immigrate to America?

Key Concepts:

Our community is made up of people from all over the world; awareness of literacy, privilege and resources; development of philanthropy; understanding reasons for immigration; awareness of contributions of immigrants and unwilling immigrants; awareness of interdependence and cooperation among cultural and racial groups; cooperation and interdependence among diverse groups of people can effect social change.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Rights: UN Declaration of Rights to the child; child labor studies; US constitution, citizenship, and civil rights; who we are and the meaning of our names; biography projects.

Immigration: immigration and migration awareness; ancestor mapping; symbolism of Statue of Liberty and its history; immigration guest speakers; felt board story of immigration; great depression; Ellis Island/Angel Island role plays and skits.

Literacy: book drive; library access unit; reading to preschoolers.

Sample Books and Resources:

Various biographies, including but not limited to: of Frederick Douglass, Ruby Bridges video, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Marion Anderson, Garrett Morgan, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Malcolm X; Sarah, Also Known as Hannah by Lillian Hammer Ross; Amelia's Road by Linda Jacobs Altman, Immigrant Kids by Russell Freedman; Hannah's Journal by Marissa Moss; Dreaming of America: An Ellis Island Story by Eve Bunting.

Third Grade Social Justice

Themes and understanding goals:

What role do I play in my classroom community? How can I help? How do I hurt?

How can I contribute and learn from others? What are my strengths and challenges?

How can we support one another as individuals?

How can I support my local community?

What kind of a learner am I, and what are my individual needs?

What are stereotypes?

Key Concepts:

Self-actualization though meeting challenges and public presentations and responsibilities; advocacy for and responsibility to peers and school-mates; greater awareness of global norms; understand evolution of global power inequities; with knowledge comes the responsibility to help; relationship of food, poverty and hunger; influences of religious and political leaders (Siddhartha and Mao); local, national and world current events; representation of perspectives in media; transition from childhood to adolescence; solidarity with and celebration of various cultures and family structures; stereotypes of mathematicians and scientists; white privilege; LGBTQ rights; gender variance; environmental justice.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Ropes Challenge Course; Kiva microloan activity; Global Schoolroom film making; study of ancient China and 20th Century China; contrasting capitalism and communism; study of ancient and 20th century India and caste system; sixth grade dramatic presentation for entire school community; preparation activities for pride day; family stories; history and current struggle for gay rights; memoir writing unit; 3-D view science curriculum (sponsored by NASA); green science night science fair projects; current events discussions (some focus on race/class/ethnicity); power over others vs. power with others simulation.

Sample Books and Resources:

The Pearl by John Steinbeck; House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros; Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang; Gandhi film; Skin I'm In by Sharon Flake; The Misfits by James Howe; One Teacher in Ten - Gay and Lesbian Educators Tell Their Stories edited by Kevin Jennings;
Two Teenages in 20 - Gay and Lesbian Youth edited by Ann Heron; Let's Get Real film and curriculum

Seventh Grade Social Justice (Year One Curriculum: samples from various disciplines)

Themes and Understanding Goals:

Who am I and what do I have to say? How does lens, experience and place in society effect bias? What does it mean to be an activist? How does an individual learn, how does a community learn and how do we measure learning? How can I contribute to my community and society? What kind of public impact can personal writing have?
How do we test drugs and cures on human beings fairly and accurately? What is environmental justice and injustice, and who is effected by it?

Key Concepts:

Development of feelings of safety to explore personal identity without judgment or decisions; explore how to be activists and challenge everyday language; understand the working of the human brain and diversity of learning styles; awareness of medical ethics and impact on life; analysis of the economic and political climate of early US History and the transformation through slavery; causes and legacies of Civil War; sociological examination of race relations in the US.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Examining stereotypes in literature; protest / persuasion letters; exploration of economic imperatives and inequities; pledges of resistance and pledges of allegiance; Filmigration unit: interviews and documentation of teenage immigrants in our community; Tuskagee experiment study; human mazes; tropical rainforest project.

Sample Books and Resources:

Noble Savage, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother by James McBride; My People Are film and lessons; Hungry Planet.

Eighth Grade Social Justice (Year Two Curriculum: samples from various disciplines)

Themes and Understanding Goals:

What do I value and why? What does it mean to be an activist? How does class, rank and privilege effect me and others? Where do ethics fit into scientific research? What does a just and equitable society look like? How does the past effect the present? What cultural biases exist in science? How does the media affect our perspective? How does learning another language and culture help me better understand my own identity? How does credit debt impact our economies?

Key Concepts:

Examining effects of a variety of stereotypes; awareness of the global norm, compared to the local norm; understand the depth of inequities of resource distribution; to understand the world, one must explore many perspectives; explore how our representation of the world through maps represent our bias; explore living conditions for people around the world; research how material wealth is generated and what effects resource distribution; understand the European expansion, the Renaissance and its impact on cultures worldwide; preliminary understanding of the conflicts in the middle east.

Sample Tools, Lessons and Activities:

Bias and perspective research on the internet; international current events; mapping; statistical tools and models; European expansion research project comparing regions, cultures, politics and economics; product production web; credit card project; reframing of data and graphing from the media; Day of Silence recognition; graduation project: multi-media presentation answering the question: who am I and what do I have to say?

Sample Books and Resources:

Noble Savage, The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother by James McBride; My People Are film and lessons; Hungry Planet.

Kindergarten Language Arts

Understanding Goals

How do we know ourselves to be "readers"? How do we know ourselves to be "writers"? How are reading and writing related? Why is good handwriting important? Can I write neatly and legibly? What can I learn from listening to a story or another's presentation? How do I show I am being a respectful listener? Why do I need to be a good listener? How can I say what I am thinking so that people can hear and understand me?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Learns what it means to be a member of the audience. Learns to express ideas in a clear, related and organized way. Learns to listen to others attentively and respectfully when they are speaking.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Enjoys and comprehends stories in many forms. Interprets stories through pictures and words. Recognizes print in the environment and learns the value of words and language. Learns letter names, sounds and word families. Understands that there are many ways to read, and many skills to help one read. Recognizes and begins to use picture cues, phonics skills and common sight words to read simple text. Begins to read one's own writing.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Understands that we use writing to communicate. Dictates ideas, thinking and stories to create finished works, such as patterned texts, thematic booklets, and fiction and nonfiction stories. Listens for sounds to help identify letters needed while writing. Uses "estimated spelling" and some conventional spelling. Understands that writing the "school way" (standardized manuscript) is necessary for others to be able to understand one's writing.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Write and publish writers' workshop and thematic stories, and create journals and booklets. Such writing features phonetic spelling, patterned text and high frequency words. These give the child the opportunity to read independently and to each other. Two such booklets are "My Ten Dot Book" and "My Rain Book."

Write, illustrate and publish group and individual books, like "Our Friendship Book," that are written by the children and/or taken by dictation. Children read their stories weekly from the class "Author's Chair." All works are read throughout the year and are celebrated at an end-of-the-year culminating event.

A signature project that crosses disciplines and combines reading, writing, listening and speaking is our "Partnered Block Building Project." Pairs of children build fantasy constructions for a week each using hardwood blocks, little animals and all kinds of other objects. The pairs make a major presentation to their parents and the class community where they get the opportunity to answer questions and listen to comments and appreciations. A booklet including photos of the stages of the construction and commentary by the builders is made for each child.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: Fountas and Pinnell, Launch a Primary Writing Workshopby Lucy Calkins, Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Programs, Fountas and Pinnell Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling and Word Study, Reading Revolution Judy Kranzler, Words Their Wayby Donald R. Bear, Handwriting Without Tears, The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Bishop Spalding and Mary Elizabeth North,

www.carlscorner.us.com

Student Literature: library books, assorted reading series and featured authors, such as Eric Carle, Patricia Polacco, and Mo Willems.

First Grade Language Arts

Understanding Goals

How can I demonstrate respectful listening and why is that important? How can I organize and express my thoughts and feelings clearly to other people? What types of books do I like to read and what types of books do I like to listen to? What tools and strategies can I use to become a more fluent reader? What was important and interesting about what I just read? What is my "just right" reading book? What are all the different ways we can communicate through our own writing? Why is good handwriting important? How do I spell the words I want to use when I am writing?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Listen to and make relevant, on-topic contributions to discussions. Listen to and follow multi-step directions. Listen attentively and give specific feedback, questions and comments when sharing writing with classmates.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Demonstrate interest in listening to and reading books. Use a variety of strategies to read. Recognize and read common sight words. Know the features of different types of informational and fiction books. Read individually in "just right" reading book with an adult two times each week. Participate in a balanced literacy program including guided reading, shared reading, individually as well as in small and large groups. Compare and contrast authors' techniques and styles.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Demonstrate interest in telling, dictating and or writing a story. Write independently and generate topics. Use reasonable estimated and conventional spelling. Learn to read and spell the first 100 high frequency spelling words.

Learn how to form upper and lowercase manuscript letters and to write neatly and legibly.

Re-read one's own writing to make revisions and edits, and take suggestions from others.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Weekly literacy centers that include word games, sorts, guided reading, word puzzles, and writing activities.

Research a topic of interest and share knowledge with a visual aid during an oral presentation to the class.

Write, illustrate and publish both fiction and informational books throughout the year and present them in a "meet the author" celebration at the end of the year.

Use writing and observational drawings to explain scientific thinking.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: Various works by educators and authors Lucy Calkins' Writer's Workshop model, Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Programs,Fountas and Pinnell Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling and Word Study, Explode the Codeby Nancy M. Hall from Educators Publishing Service. Clues to Meaningby Ann L. Staman. Words Their Way by Francine Johnston, Marcia Invernizzi, Donald R. Bear, and Shane Templeton. Handwriting Without Tears curriculum.

Student literature: library books, independent reading books, assorted reading series and featured authors.

Second Grade Language Arts

Understanding Goals

How can I use what I learn from book talks to help me discover new books/literature? How does empathizing with a character help me to understand a story better? What are my favorite genres of writing? How can I use what I know about myself and my experiences to craft and shape my writing? What makes a good story? What makes poetry "poetry?" How is poetry different from prose? How can I make my research project come to life? What editing skills can I use to make my writing clearer? How can I present my writing in a way that makes sense and communicates clearly to my audience?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Express thoughts in a clear and organized manner. Project voice clearly to classmates. Participate meaningfully in class discussions and stay on topic while speaking. Contribute thoughtful responses to student run literature discussions. Memorize and recite well-known poems by poets such as Maya Angelou, Robert Frost, Langston Hughes and Emma Lazarus. Share and collaborate on writing pieces. Listen attentively and give specific feedback, questions and comments when sharing writing with classmates.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Learn how to select a "just right" independent reading book. Participate in a balanced literacy program including guided reading, shared reading, individually as well as in small and large groups. Determine main ideas and significant details from literature. Summarize key elements of fiction and non-fiction pieces. Compare and analyze: styles, genres and a variety of authors. Study components and features of biographies through read-alouds and reader's workshop choices. Examine various genres of poetry and note figurative language, rhythms and techniques. Utilize reading strategies to make sense of content and to understand unknown words and new vocabulary.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Write and share weekly reflections and personal interests through journal time. Recall and describe weekend activities for use as a benchmark of writing and editing progress. Examine and write various genres of poetry inspired by timeless pieces. Explore and incorporate figurative language, such as simile and metaphor, into original works. Use reasonable estimated and conventional spelling. Learn to read and spell the second 200 high frequency spelling words. Learn how to form upper and lower case D'Nealian letters and to write neatly and legibly.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Select and research a historical figure who has made a difference to write about for biography project. Students prepare and perform in costume a first person oral presentation for parents and classmates after completing research project.

Create poetry throughout the year and recite/perform selected original works during spring Author's night. Contribute to published class anthology.

Select new vocabulary and present it to classmates for "word of the day" activity and class book.

Complete a name project by researching the meaning of one's name, writing a name story, and exploring name patterns through art, math and poetry.

Explore concept of time and milestones in one's life by documenting and projecting into the future creating a lifeline.

Use knowledge and learning gained from author or genre study to create a story "inspired by" or "in the manner of" that author/genre.

Write about personal everyday experiences, memories and "expert" stories to share with the class community.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: Bay Area Writers Project model. Various works by educators/authors Regie Routman and Lucy Calkins.

Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Programs

Fountas and Pinnell Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling and Word Study

The poetry of Langston Hughes, Robert Frost, Nikki Giovanni. Various poetry and biography books, teacher created materials.

Student literature: The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown, Quick as a Cricket by Audrey and Don Wood, Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold, My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits, Tikki Tikki Tembo by Arlene Mosel, The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi. Authors: Patricia Polacco, Tomie de Paola, Eric Carle, Lucille Clifton and various poets.

Third Grade Language Arts

Understanding goals:

How do I communicate my thinking and learning? How can I tell what this story is really all about? What do I like to read and why? How do I gather, sort and organize key information about my research topic and present it to an audience in an interesting way? What do I know about each genre and how do I use that information to write? What are the elements of a good story? How do authors craft a good story? How is writing a script or play unique from other genres of writing? What kind of feedback helps authors revise and improve their writing?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Share summaries and opinions during group reading. Make appropriate contributions to discussions and class meetings. Speak clearly using appropriate conventions, expression and volume. Orally share written work and solicit feedback during author's chair. Give pertinent feedback to peers in response to oral presentations.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Read grade-level text fluently. Demonstrate understanding of main idea and supporting details while reading. Use phonetic skills to read unfamiliar words. Generate questions and make connections between texts and other areas of study. Respond to literature orally and in writing. After reading literature, create 3-D models and other artforms to demonstrate their understanding of plot, character, setting and historical place in time. Read text in a variety of genres. Begin to read to learn and to gather information. Find relevant facts and rewrite them in their own words during their research.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Choose and research a topic of interest related to the third-grade science or social studies curriculum. Collaboratively write, edit and perform a play based on student-generated stories. Study and write memoirs, poems, book reviews, fiction, opinion pieces, and news articles. Edit, revise and practice spelling, conventions of print and grammar through mini-lessons and teacher conferences based on student writing. Write legibly in print and learn cursive writing.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Children write, edit and perform story plays.

Research, write, organize and illustrate three reports related to science or social studies.

Write, illustrate and publish group or individual books, and class magazines throughout the year.

Collaboratively read novels and engage in book talks and create related projects.

Listen to and discuss daily oral reading of class novels.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: The Reading Zoneand In the Middle by Nancie Atwell, The Art of Teaching Writing by Lucy Caulkins

Fountas and Pinnell Leveled Literacy Programs

Fountas and Pinnell Comprehensive Phonics, Spelling and Word Study, Writer's workshop model and teacher created materials.

Student literature: The Island of the Blue Dolphins andBlack Star Bright Dawnby Scott O'Dell,The Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth Speare,Truth Is a Bright Star by Joan Price, Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett, The Green Book by Jill Patton Walsh, Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Fourth Grade Language Arts

Understanding goals:

How can I keep in mind multiple perspectives of characters in a situation or event while I'm reading? How do authors show different perspectives? How can I share my life experience through oral and written storytelling? How do I choose and refine a research topic of interest so that it is productive and focused appropriately? What is expository writing? What are the structures, conventions and logic of expository writing that make it different from narrative writing? How can I organize and sequence information in my writing so that others can read and learn from me? How can I use multiple resources (books, internet) to learn, write and teach others? How can I use technology to present information to others? How can I incorporate information and research in my writing to persuade others?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Express thoughts in a clear and organized manner. Make appropriate and relevant contributions to activities and discussions. Participate thoughtfully and actively in literature discussions. Learn and integrate appropriate grade level vocabulary. Show effective presentation skills.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Read with accuracy and appropriate pacing, intonation and expression. Understand relationship between reading and thinking; utilize comprehension and metacognition strategies to make meaning from texts. Respond to literature orally and in writing. Demonstrate understanding of grade level expository texts. Navigate and read a variety of texts to research and gather information for expository writing. Read historical fiction to understand and think critically about historical events. Demonstrate understanding of California history; recognizing the way cultures in California were impacted by historical events. Use mentor texts to understand relationship between literature and student writing.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Write effective narrative pieces that include character description, setting, sequence of events, and sensory details. Write effective expository pieces of varying lengths, from informational paragraph to formal report. Use feedback and revise to clarify, elaborate, or improve meaning and focus; edit for spelling and common conventions of grammar and punctuation. Use typing program to develop proficiency in keyboarding skills. Use computers to draft and publish works.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Write and publish works in a variety of genres throughout the year including personal narrative, research report and perspective writing. Students write "fate cards" and perform skits during "gold rush simulation" game in social studies. Write individual personal narrative pieces starting from pre-writing organization through editing, revising and feedback discussions. Research and write a report on a self-chosen topic and prepares presentation including a handmade "visual aid" that culminates in a presentation to peers. Write and mail a "miner letter" from the point of view of a '49er. Write articles about aspects of overnight field trip to gold country, collaborating to publish a class newspaper. Research, write, and present information about various aspects of turn of the century historical events and social movements throughout California History.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: The Reading Zone and Lessons that Change Writers by Nancy Atwell, Writing Skills by Diana Hanbury King, Bay Area Writing Project, Words Their Wayby Bear and Ivernicci, Vocabulary from Classic Roots,Lee Mountain, Mosaic of Thought, Susan Zimmerman, Reasoning and Reading by Joanne Carlisle, teacher created materials. Student literature: Class assigned literature connected to social studies units: Zia by Scott O'dell, Valley of the Moon: The Diary of Maria of Rosalia de Milagrosby Sherry Garland, The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung: A Chinese Miner by Laurence Yep, By The Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman, Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida. Nonfiction books on topic of student's choice for research project and books chosen by student for independent reading at school and home.

Fifth Grade Language Arts

Understanding Goals

How can I express my thoughts in a clear and organized manner and make appropriate and relevant contributions to discussions? How can I most effectively present oral projects? How can I read aloud with accuracy and appropriate pacing, intonation and expression? Do I comprehend content area nonfiction texts and show my understanding through written and/or oral responses? Do I comprehend literature and show my understanding by participating thoughtfully and actively in literature discussions? What techniques do published writers use and what impact do they have on the audience? How can I use these techniques in my own writing? How do I make use of feedback to revise and improve on the content of my written pieces? How can I accurately use the mechanics of writing (grammar, punctuation, and spelling) to present my writing to my readers?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Participate by listening and contributing to student run book group discussions.

Learn to orally present current event summaries in a clear, organized and engaging manner. Improve ability to contribute relevant comments in discussion, focus attention on the speaker, and respond with depth and insight. Create and perform dramatic presentations for a variety of audiences.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Identify and analyze varying authors' styles and their impact on the reader.

Annotate texts to more effectively interact with them and to improve comprehension.

Determine main ideas and salient information in fiction and nonfiction texts. Use context and previous knowledge to infer meaning. Summarize text effectively. Use excerpts to illustrate points and derive meaning from fiction and nonfiction text. Trace and analyze character and plot development throughout a novel. Generate varying themes from text. Synthesize new information from fiction and nonfiction text. Sustain independent reading at or above grade level for 30-45 minutes.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Analyze different genres of writing, noticing the structure and techniques writers use and the effect they have on audience. Incorporate these techniques to enhance writing. Use prewriting strategies such as brainstorming, webbing, and outlining. Use feedback and revise written pieces to clarify, elaborate, or improve meaning and focus. Edit for capitalization, spelling, and common conventions of grammar and punctuation. Write well developed and logically sequenced expository pieces. Use research skills capably and incorporate facts and details in writing. Write effective creative writing pieces with voice, pacing, character and plot development. Write effective poetry with imagery, rhythm, form, and thoughtful word choice. Develop word processing skills using Google docs.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Create and publish an individual magazine focused on a self-chosen topic (as a year-long project). The magazine includes: an editorial, a profile (based on an interview of a subject), a research-based feature article, a short story, poetry, advertisements, and various other creative features. Prepare thoughtful questions and responses to literature to share and develop in a small group discussions (selections below). Create a script that conveys essential conflicts and themes involved in the historical interaction between the English and Algonquians on Roanoak island in the late 1500s (integrated with Social Studies). Perform vignettes before an audience.

Create original poems in various styles, including a self-portrait poem, an imagery poem, and

a poem based on significant excerpts from literature.

Sample Resources

Teacher Resources: Units of Study in Opinion, Information and Narrative Writing by Lucy Calkins, Poetry Everywhere by Collom and Noethe, Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School by Georgia Heard, Wondrous Words: Writers and Writing in Elementary School by Katie Wood Ray, Sentence Composing for Elementary School: A Worktext to Build Better Sentences by Don and Jenny Killgallon, Comprehension and Collaboration: Inquiry Circles in Action by Stephanie Harvey and Harvey Daniels

Student Literature: The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich,Shakespeare Stealer by Gary Blackwood, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor, Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Elijah by Christopher Paul Curtis, and My Brother Sam Is Dead by Collier and Collier.

Sixth Grade Language Arts

Understanding Goals:

How do I share my voice? How do I recognize and discuss themes in the books I read? What do I find provocative and profound in the world of text? How can I use mentor texts to develop my own creative voice in my writing? How can stream of consciousness writing help me develop ideas? How do I write an effective essay? How do I organize my research to write a solid research report?

Key Concepts/Skills Listening/Speaking:

Speak about essential messages that stir genuine insight and deep thought. Ask questions that further the conversation. Originate and evolve personal voice through speech. Identify major themes in literature. Prepare oral interpretation of written work to present to a variety of audiences in a various settings.

Key Concepts/Skills Reading:

Recognize "just right" books and find time to read every day. Relate literature to personal experience, other works and world events. Thoughtfully interpret and respond to literature. Share personal opinions of literature, and make effective recommendations to peers. Identify and discuss perspectives and elements of social justice and injustice in literature.

Key Concepts/Skills Writing:

Use previously taught and new conventions in writing accurately. Use clear organization and sequence to write complex essays and reports. Use mentor texts as models for writing. Recognize and incorporate effective writing techniques in original works. Rearrange early drafts to fully elaborate ideas in effective revision. Respond with specific and useful feedback to peers' writing and ideas. Develop original synthesis of concepts covered in the curriculum. Originate and evolve personal voice through writing.

Sample Projects:

Students write personal poems at the beginning of the year representing their personality and interests.

Each sixth grader is paired with a kindergarten buddy, and interviews that friend and writes and illustrates an adventure story with the buddy as the hero to present as a gift.

Writes and publishes five paragraph essays on various topics.

Students choose a social justice topic to explore in depth and conduct an I-Search. The I-Search (Macrorie, 1998) empowers students by making their self-selected questions about themselves, their lives, and their world the focus of the research and writing process. The strong focus on metacognition-paying attention to and writing about the research process methods and extensive reflection on the importance of the topic and findings-makes for meaningful and purposeful writing.

Students select and analyze profound passages and respond to them in journals.

Students write letters to each other and the teacher reflecting on and talking about themes, author's intent and connections they've made in books they have read.

Students create graphic novels based on their study of Hindu Mythology in their Ancient India social studies unit.

Sample Resources

Teacher Resources: The Reading Zone and Lessons That Change Writers by Nancie Atwell. In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading and Literature by Nancie Atwell.

Seventh Grade Language Arts

Understanding goals

Who am I and what I have to say? Why read? What makes culture? How do we code switch? What do I have to say as a critical reader? Why is the "essay" such an important form of academic writing? What can I imagine the world will be like in at least 20 years? How does a theme affect the impact of a novel for me as a reader? How is language a tool to look at our own culture and thinking? How does that change - with time, with context? How do the structures of culture build on the values shared by communities?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Describe ideas and opinions with clarity in classroom discussion. Choose communication styles appropriate to specific audiences. Argue effectively and civilly for your personal point of view. Respond with useful feedback to peers' writing and ideas. Speak and listen with focus and consideration, participating in the creation of a positive learning environment. Present regular book talks, sharing your reactions and opinions about literature with the class.

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Recognizes "just right" books and finds time to read every day from a wide variety of young adult and transitional novels and memoirs. Regularly finishes books, rates books, and abandons books that don't "fit." Reads independently, consistently, joyfully, accountably and fluently. Recognizes and locates pertinent facts and quotations for different purposes. Expands personal reading territories and reads critically. Explores personal understanding through detailed examination of text and reactions. Interprets facts, structures and styles in literature. Discovers themes and writes about the ideas about living that authors weave into literature.

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Recalls and uses previously taught writing structures and conventions. Explains the "why" and "how" underneath personal concepts and claims in non-fiction writing. Uses learned essay structures and strategies for different purposes: expository, persuasive, personal. Uses an effective "writing process" to fully develop writing with clear organization and sufficient detail. Develops strong opinions and claims, based on evidence. Reflects on personal progress to self-assess and guide future choices. Discovers personal reasons to create and finish original pieces of writing. Crafts and deepens personal voice in writing and speech.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Autobiography of a Learner: Students conduct research into their experiences as a learner, collecting evidence from years of school work, from learning experiences in arts, sports, family activities, travel, etc. Evidence is used to write a cumulative self-portrait, to illustrate moments of learning and personal learning styles, to present a fluency in class, and to take ownership of learning successes and challenges.

Convention Investigation: In groups, students identify punctuation and usage rules that they don't know yet, research one rule, create posters and mnemonics to share the rule, and then teach the class.

Forward Vision: Through excerpts from dystopian and utopian fiction, students consider the structures that support and create "culture." After reacting to different authors' visions, students imagine their own future, crafting a culture at least 50 years in the future, and deciding if their vision will be utopian, dystopian, a response to cataclysm, or a result of natural development. Students will use writing and an artifact to teach the class about their future vision.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: The Reading Zone, In The Middle, Lessons that Change Writers, and A Poem a Day: a Guide to Naming the World all by Nancy Atwell. Internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecombe, ME, Studio Habits of Mind by Lois Hetland, Project Zero curriculum planning guides, seminars, Summer Institute, Cambridge, MA

Student literature: A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare, Haroun and the Sea of Stories by Salmon Rushdie, Parrot in the Oven by Victor Martinez, The Color of Water by James McBride, The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, When Kambia Elaine Flew in from Neptune by Lori Aurelia Williams.

Excerpts from: 1984 by George Orwell, Always Coming Home by Ursula LeGuin, Ecotopia by Ernest Callenbach, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Gate to Women's Country by Sherri Tepper, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk.

Poetry study: Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, Pablo Neruda, Emily Dickinson, e.e. cummings, Richard Wright, June Jordan.

Eighth Grade Language Arts

Understanding goals

Who am I and what do I have to say? What is my writing process? When do I know what's true? Why - and how - do we tell stories? What is the power of poetry? How do "fantasy" and "make believe" teach "real-world" messages? How can symbol and metaphor deepen an author's message? What did I have to figure out to be able to read this story? Why did the author tell this story? How do bias and context affect an author's point of view? What impact does my audience have on my purpose when I create? When do my values affect my assumptions?

Key Concepts/Skills: Listening and Speaking

Key Concepts/Skills: Reading

Key Concepts/Skills: Writing

Sample Projects and Highlights

Shakespearean in the Garden: Alongside studies of cartography and primary sources in Social Studies, students dive into a project in both Language Arts and Drama with selected scenes from Shakespeare's plays - investigating the evolution of the English language and Shakespeare's poetry and prose. Cross-curricular studies will include perspective in Art, scoring songs from the plays in Music, deducing a chemical formula from Macbeth's 3 witches' potion, etc. This project culminates in an installation of written work and recordings, accompanying the production of student acted and directed scenes from the play, environmentally staged in the PDS garden.

A Nice Little Story: After reading and discussing bias, metaphor and intent in "A Nice Little Story" from Grace Llewelling's The Teenage Liberation Handbook, students develop criteria for an effective allegory, work individually to craft extended metaphors that express their own biases about education and the institutions of education.

Poetry Enmasked: Using plaster of paris, paper maché, paints and decorations, students create masks of themselves and companion poems that share a unifying symbol or theme. This project is a high point of a yearlong study of poetry. Masks and companion poems are displayed for the community after students present them in class.

Sample Resources

Teacher resources: The Reading Zone, In The Middle, Lessons that Change Writers, and A Poem a Day: a Guide to Naming the World all by Nancy Atwell. Internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning, Edgecombe, ME, Studio Habits of Mind by Lois Hetland, Project Zero curriculum planning guides, seminars, Summer Institute, Cambridge, MA

Poetry study: Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, Pablo Neruda, Emily Dickinson, e.e. cummings, Richard Wright, June Jordan.

Kindergarten Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understandings Goals

Who is this important changemaker? (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Wangari Mathai, Jr., Dolores Huerta, Harriet Tubman, etc.) Why do we learn about her/him/them? How and why do people celebrate various holidays around the world? How are people different and alike around the world and how can we celebrate that? What is community? Who makes up our community? How can I help to make our community a better place for everyone? How can I make a difference?

Key Concepts/Skills

Understand that every single person can make a big difference in people's lives, either acting on one's own or collectively. Recognize that people can make a difference in many ways, such as speaking, writing, protesting, or creating or doing things. I am a part of a class (and school) community and my words and actions affect those around me. Each individual has a responsibility to participate in making things good for everyone in our community through kind words and actions. People celebrate holidays to recognize something that is important to their community and/or culture and/or religion, such as historical and natural events. Holidays sometimes celebrate similar things and sometimes they are different.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Students tell stories, read books, role-play, sing and create representations to learn details about the lives of leaders and changemakers. Parents and community members come into the classroom to share their family celebrations. For some holidays children cook, make art, or engage in performances that are part of holiday traditions. We might bake gingerbread cookies, fry latkes, decorate the building with rangoli patterns, or perform the Lion dance. Students participate in spontaneous projects that focus on ways of being a responsible or helpful community member. For instance, after hearing the story Maddi's Fridgeby Lois Brandt, the children were inspired to collect food and donate it to the Alameda County Food bank. Every year we collect and germinate acorns, care for the seedlings and plant saplings in the Valle Vista EBMUD Staging Area to restore an oak woodland which will keep the air healthy and the watershed clean. We respond to situations in the world in which we creatively decide we can help.

Sample Resources

In a Nutshell by Joseph Anthony and Cris Arbo, Grandmother Oakby Rosi Daggit, Grandpa Tree by Mike Donahue, Trees (Eyewitness book and CD), Field trips to Valle Vista (EBMUD) Regional Park, local oak groves, and local Farmers' Market. Colors of Usby Karen Katz, All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka, Moses by Carole Boston Weatherford and Kadir Nelson, Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli, Barack Obama by Nikki Grimes and Bryan Collier, Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine and Kadir Nelson,I Have a Dreamby Martin Luther King, Jr., Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport, When Marian Sang by Pam Munoz Ryan, Sam and the Lucky Moneyby Karen Chinn.

First Grade Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understanding Goals

Where does my family come from? Who is in our community? What communities am I connected to? What are the different religious and cultural celebrations that are celebrated in our community? How are they similar to and different from one another? How do foods reflect the lives and culture of people throughout the world? How are they similar and different? Why is important to learn about cultures that are different from my own? Why are maps important and how are they used? How can I be an active agent in supporting the lives of people in our community? Who are some leaders who worked for justice and equality? How did they make a difference? How can I be a responsible citizen in my school community?

Key Concepts/Skills

Understand that one person can make a difference in another person's life.

Recognize that we live in a very diverse community and that we can appreciate and celebrate differences.

Take action to solve problems that we learn about in our community and our world.

Articulate the difference between "need" and "want."

Demonstrate respectful listening and participate in class discussions.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Students participate in a family potluck to celebrate our cultural heritage through foods and projects from our family study.

Students serve as ambassadors to other classes in the school as they explain the significance of a school wide project aimed at a larger social problem. Examples include UNICEF, recycling, Pride Day, social and community issues, playground issues and homelessness.

Students identify a problem in the larger community and work together to find ways to make a difference in the lives of others. Examples include hygiene kits for Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless and a food drive at Thanksgiving.

Sample Resources

Collected biographies, histories and folktales; field trip to Oakland Museum for Black History Month; guest speakers for Pride Day; CARE week speakers and visitors; Family Support Services of the Bay Area social workers visit; Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless speakers and van visit; UNICEF literature.

Second Grade Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understanding Goals

Why do people immigrate to America? How do immigrants influence and shape our nation? How does studying about immigration help me connect with and understand the lives and cultures of people around me and in the world? How does my knowledge about maps and their use help me understand my world? How does understanding and learning about the past help me think about the present and the future? How can I use what I learn about from famous leaders who have worked for justice and equality to inspire me to act? What are rights and responsibilities? Does everyone have equal access to rights? How can I use my rights and responsibilities to be an active, supportive member of my community? How can I use my rights and responsibilities to change my world in a positive way?

Key Concepts/Skills

Distinguish that each one of us has a unique ancestry and family history that influences and shapes who we are. Understand that the United States of America is comprised of people from all over the world with diverse cultures and beliefs.

Can give examples of ways that immigrants contribute to our country and culture. Understand and value that we are members of a diverse community and that differences and similarities are worthy of celebration. Expand on map skills by reading and creating maps. Collaborate together to work toward sharing resources. Explore how to reuse and repurpose existing materials. Begin to understand the differences between cities, states, countries and continents. Understand that each of us is a unique person with rights, responsibilities and needs, and every choice we make has a cause and an effect.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Students research where their families have immigrated from and use this knowledge for a variety of school projects, such as helping to create a second-grade immigration garden, creating ancestry boxes, and writing stories and poems. Students enhance their understandings about immigration with guest speaker visits, including members of our immediate school community and visits from nearby International High School students who share about their lives.

Students collaborate together to create a school-wide book drive campaign, then find ways to promote the book drive within our school community before sorting and delivering books. Students integrate their studies by exploring related ties to reading and literacy, such as delving into a hands-on exploration about the history of books and writing.

Students participate in weekly all-second grade social studies discussions and activities, such as making milagros and learning about Dias de Los Meurtos; hearing about the immigration history of the United States via presentations, stories and guest speakers, and celebrating important cultural days and festivals.

Students research and present a biography report highlighting the accomplishments of an African American or woman to share with classmates.

Sample Resources

Collected biographies, histories, folktales. Field trip to Oakland Museum for Dia de Los Muertos. Guest speakers for Pride Day. CARE week speakers and visitors. CAL performances field trip.

Third Grade Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Themes and Understanding goals:

How do people and animals adapt to their environments? What are the major environmental regions in California? What geographical elements make them unique? How can understanding geographic regions help me to understand why people and animals live and adapt the way that they do? Who are the indigenous peoples of our region? What did they value and how did they live? What resources were available to them? How can I begin to understand Ohlone life by thinking about what is around me? What stereotypes do I hold about Native people? Where did those stereotypes come from? How did Native Californians think about land and animal resources? How did they preserve resources for future people? What began to change when Europeans came here? How can I use what I have learned about the way Native Californians cared for the land and animal resources to inform how I live?

Key Concepts and Skills

Explore books, artifacts, pictures, and short films to develop an understanding of the life and culture of Native Bay Area people. Research and report the history a North American Indigenous culture. Compare and contrast our modern lives here with the lives of the original people of this land. Make deductions about why people of this land have changed and adapted. Develop appreciation and value for another culture through the creation of a first person journal chronicling the life an Ohlone child. Study California and US maps and identify elements of a map including scale, compass rose, and a key. Locate and describe the major environmental regions, landforms and cities in California.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Spend a day in an Ohlone cultural immersion program at Coyote Hills Regional Park. Read Island of the Blue Dolphin and recreate a scale model of the island, including elements of the Tongva tribe described in the novel. Gather and grind acorns, prepare acorn mush in the traditional California Native American way. Create and label a relief map of California that includes the major geographic regions. Steward and cultivate a Native plant garden for use in Ohlone studies.

Sample Resources

I sland of the Blue Dolphin by Scott O'Dell, The Ohlone Way by Malcom Margolin and Map Skills by Catherine M Tamblyn. East Bay Regional Parks Teacher Resources. Teacher created materials.

Fourth Grade Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understanding Goals

What are the major events in California history that made California what it is today? What was the impact of the Spanish missions systems on the different groups of people in California? How did the missions, ranchos, and gold rush change the natural environment of California? Who were some of the major groups to immigrate to California and what was their experience? How can I learn about and discuss current events? How can I think critically about how news and information is presented?

Key Concepts/Skills

Understand the impact of Spanish missionaries and missions on California and the lives of Californians. Explore and discuss many aspects of the development of California and the lives of Californians, including the three main routes to the gold fields, tremendous and historically rare opportunities created by the gold rush and the diversity of the gold rush population. Analyze prevalent racism of the times, xenophobia and inequality, and the legalized discrimination against Chinese immigrants as exemplified by the Exclusion Act, and the contributions and struggles of the builders of the transcontinental railroad. Investigate the xenophobia toward Japanese Americans during the WWII era and the resulting Japanese internment experience. Understand that there were multiple social movements in California working towards equality at the end of the twentieth century leading up to today.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Students go on a three day field trip to Coloma Outdoor Discovery School.

Gold rush simulation game with students as "miners", learning information about the gold rush to earn "gold nuggets" during mining rounds, and acting out "typical" miner scenes as short skits.

Students write from the perspective of a miner. They take on a miner identity and write and mail an authentic looking letter home based on their experiences.

Students participate in a Reader's theater performance of Gam Saan Haak, which dramatizes the experiences of Chinese railroad workers and the adversity they faced.

Using literature and research, students create multimedia presentations through a critical lense showing past and present action of social movements.

Sample Resources

California History for Kids: Missions, Miners, and Moviemakers in the Golden State by Katy Duffield, Oh California by Houghton-Mifflin, History of Us by Joy Hakim and Digger: The Tragic Fate of the California Indians from the Missions to the Gold Rush by Jerry Stanley. Oakland Museum "suitcase" exhibit for California Rancho period, simulation by Interact. Journey to Topaz by Yoshiko Uchida. Ziaby Scott O'dell The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, Gam Saan Haak

Fifth Grade Social Studies

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understanding Goals

What information about the Earth's land, water, climates, environments, populations, and human activities can be discovered by investigating various kinds of maps? How and why did European nations claim, invade, and conquer Native American lands in the Western Hemisphere? What information about European claims and conflicts can be inferred from historical maps? How and why did Algonquian and Elizabethan cultures clash in 16 ^th century America? What were the various trades in Colonial New England in the 17^th Century and what was their importance in the communities? How did differing political and economic ideas and interests lead to the American Revolution? What are the origins of the institution of slavery in America and how did it develop? How did enslaved people respond to their condition? What was the ongoing struggle to resist and overturn the institution of slavery? What significant work did young people engage in during the Civil Rights Movement and how did their actions pave the way for more equality for marginalized groups in our society today? How can the brave actions of young people in the past inspire us take action in our world today? What can we learn from summaries of current events in the areas of the environment, civil rights, the presidential realm, and profiles of people? How do significant current events impact our community, and us, as individuals?

Key Concepts/Skills

Read and create a map using symbols and a key. Use primary and secondary source reference materials resourcefully and effectively. Understand elements of maps such as key, compass, scale, and coordinates. Understand varied formats and purposes of different maps such as political, physical, vegetation, demographic, and climate.

Use maps as a resource to draw conclusions about historical and current events. Demonstrate understanding of pre-Columbian and Algonquian cultures. Use critical thinking to analyze early interactions between European and Algonquian peoples in 16^th Century North America. Research a colonial trade or an aspect of Algonquian daily work. Explore the origins and development of slavery in America, the responses of enslaved people to their condition, and struggles to resist and overturn the institution of slavery. Extrapolate from historical fiction to better understand the complexities of historical phenomena, such as slavery and the American Revolution. Study differing political and economic ideas and interests that led to the American Revolution, considering the contributions of a wide range of people. Research, analyze and summarize a current event using reliable periodical sources and present the information orally.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Map a three-dimensional model that shows land and water features of the Earth, use geography vocabulary in a thematic context. Using an overlay create another kind of map using the same physical contours.

Create a dramatic vignette that brings to life a meaningful moment of conflict in the story of Roanoak Island. Link together the series of class vignettes, to convey the historical significance of the clash of cultures, Elizabethan and Algonquian, in 16th century America.

Design a simple, authentic Colonial costume and enact chores of Colonial American daily life, during "Colonial Day."

Research a Colonial American trade or an aspect of Algonquian daily work. Recreate an authentic scene of the trade/work in a diorama. Write historical journal entries from the perspective of a character in the diorama scene, and teach others about the trade through an exhibition event.

Learn the stories of some distinctive Americans who were enslaved, who resisted and successfully escaped.

Learn about individuals and groups involved in the American Revolution whose voices are not often heard.

Sample Resources

Boston Children's Museum kits -Native American Games and Colonial New England Farm Life. Explorers simulation from Interact. The Royal Diaries: Elizabeth I by Kathryn Lasky. Roanoak, PBS video. Elijah of Buxton, by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Teaching Hard History: A Framework for Teaching American Slavery by Teaching Tolerance. Slavery and the Making of America, PBS video. Your Travel Guide to Colonial America by Nancy Day.Cobblestone Magazine. Seeds of Change The Story of Cultural Exchange after 1492by Sharryl Davis Hawke and James E. Davis.Brown Paper School US Kids Historyseries.Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis. My Brother Sam is Dead, by Collier and Collier.

Sixth Grade Social Studies

Sixth graders begin the year with a unit on identity and independent reading before focusing on ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia, China, Egypt, India and Greece.

History/Geography/Cultural Studies/Current Events

Understanding Goals

What makes us human? What can we learn from the people and civilizations who preceded us? Why do we uncover our past? How can I/we make a difference? What is mindfulness? How can I be mindful? Why be mindful?

How do we know about our ancient past? What do archaeologists do? What do we know about our first civilizations?

How do the ideals and values of Ancient China affect us in today's society? How did Confucianism address the problems that plagued the Chinese society? Why was the Silk Road so beneficial to the Chinese Civilization? What are the common geographical features in ancient civilizations and how do they impact the development of agriculture? What common factors serve to unite people with different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds?

Why is the study of ancient Egypt so enduring? What do we know about ancient Egyptian society?

What is satyagraha? What is efficacy? What does it mean to be Indian? How has India's diversity affected its history and vice versa? What is happiness? What are the similarities and differences between the religions that originated in ancient India?

Key Concepts/Skills

Understand the basic building blocks of a civilization and the roles archaeologists, anthropologists and historians play in constructing history. Examine the Silk Road and its impact on the region of Ancient China. Compare and contrast the ancient philosophies of Daoism, Confucianism and Legalism. Complete diagrams that compare and contrast Confucianism, Daoism & Legalism. Write artistic responses to excerpts from the Tao Te Ching. Research and write a report on a topic from Ancient Egypt. Explore and study the origins of non-violent resistance.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Conduct a mock archaeological dig and create board games that reflect learning about Mesopotamia. Compare and contrast Confucianism, Daoism & Legalism through self made diagrams. Create artistic responses to excerpts from the Tao Te Ching. Visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, write research reports and create a project using the design think framework to illustrate what they've learned in their report. Read and analyze graphic novels based on Hindu Mythology and tour the SF Asian Art Museum. Create "satyagraha" social justice project, including research on a topic students feel passionate about where they want to make a difference.

Egypt night is an annual event culminating the study of ancient Egypt. Students engage in the design thinking process (discovery, interpretation, ideation, experimentation, and evolution) which bolsters their creativity and deepens their higher order thinking skills to produce final projects ranging from a scale model of the great pyramid, a mummy, or a journey through the Egyptian after life.

Sample Resources

World History: Ancient Civilizations, McDougal Littell
Red Scarf Girl by Ji-li Jiang
Various novels, plays, and myths
Library reference and periodical materials
Internet research
To Live (film)
National Geographic Egypt Series
Junior Scholastic Egypt Edition
Gandhi: A Manga Biography
Gandhi Film
Liquid Comics

Seventh Grade Social Studies

Because seventh and eighth graders are in classes together much of the time, the 7/8 social studies curriculum is taught on a two year cycle. One year's focus is World History, and the other year's focus is US History.

World History: Medieval Africa and Eurasia.
Understanding Goals

How do maps achieve different aims? How do two dimensional maps compromise accuracy to represent the globe? How do historians study and evaluate primary sources to piece together an understanding of the past? How do primary, secondary and tertiary sources, including maps, reflect the perspective and bias of their creators?

How do cities, kingdoms, and empires emerge from family groups and villages? What makes a civilization "Great?" What makes them "good for people?" How can we measure this? What regional patterns emerge when we compare data like Gross Domestic Product, life expectancy and literacy, and how might we explain these patterns? How did geography and trade routes affect the development of African empires such as Ghana, Mali and Songhai? What are the major stereotypes about Africa, what are their impacts, and what can we do about them?

How have humans adapted to the geography of the Arabian Peninsula? How did Islam originate and how did it spread? What are the main beliefs and practices of Islam? How wide is the range of how Islam is practiced today? What are the major misconceptions about Islam, where do they come from, and what can we do about them? How is Islam connected to Judaism and Christianity? What were the major contributions made during the Golden Age of Islam? What is feudalism, and why did people participate in it? How did the bubonic plague spread and what were its impacts? How did the Golden Age of Islam pave the way for the European Renaissance?

What is going on right now in the news? What is race? What is racism? What is socio-economic class? What is cultural humility? What is justice?

Key Concepts/Skills

Create and evaluate maps for different purposes. Evaluate primary sources. Recognize perspective and bias in secondary and tertiary sources. Read secondary and tertiary sources for information. Summarize, pull out key ideas and synthesize information. Pursue effective web based research, and evaluate sources for credibility. Prepare an effective presentation. Work collaboratively with a group. Study for, and show understanding on tests. Ask questions that further class discussion and personal inquiry. Write an effective persuasive essay using historical evidence. Cite sources using a standard format.

Sample Projects and Highlights

Create useful maps of the Park Day School campus. Create a color-coded infographic map that compares one set of data such as GDP or literacy rate. Find patterns and make inferences about regional similarities and differences. Create informative signs for our classroom's Mercator world map projection. Gold/Salt trade simulation. Write a brief biography based on primary sources. Write a persuasive essay about the Shakespeare authorship controversy. Research important "firsts" in human history and add images with explanation to our classroom's time-line. Research current events topics that speak to you and present them to the class. Prepare power point presentations to teach the class about a new topic. Design a quiz to assess your teaching and the class's understanding after your presentation.

Sample Resources

History Alive! The Medieval World.
Current events articles from Jr. Scholastic and Upfront: The New York Times for Teens.
Seeing Through Maps: The Power of Images to Shape our World View by Kaiser and Wood.
Eyewitness to History edited by John Carey
A Little History of The World by E. H. Gombrich
Through African Eyes by Leon E. Clark
Africa in World History by Gilbert and Reynolds
Africa's Discovery of Europe by Northrup
Many resources from Boston University's African Studies Center Outreach Program
Out of Bounds Seven Stories of Conflict and Hope by Beverley Naidoo
Material World: A Global Family Portrait by Peter Menzel
Women in the Material World by Faith D'Aluisio and Peter Menzel
Harper Collins Student World Atlas
The Atlas of Human Rights by Andrew Fagan
The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farm Workers' Struggle PBS documentary
Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin by Bennett Singer and Nancy Kates
Miss Representation a documentary by Jennifer Newsom

Eighth Grade Social Studies

The Americas and United States History
Understanding Goals

What are civil rights? What are human rights? What rights are protected under the constitution? How does the constitution change and how has it changed? What rights of indigenous peoples have the U.S. government recognized, and what rights have been abused?

How do historians study and evaluate primary sources to piece together an understanding of the past? How do historians write secondary and tertiary sources? How do primary, secondary, and tertiary sources, including art, reflect the perspective and bias of their creators?

How did the many peoples that currently inhabit the Americas come to be here? How did geography affect the indigenous cultures, economies, trade and urban development of Central and South America? How were the Aztec and Incan empires defeated by the Spanish? What were the driving factors behind European colonization, the revolutionary war, and the creation of the union? What inner conflicts have threatened this union? What happened to other lands in the Americas that were colonized by Britain, France or Spain? How did the United States expand from 13 original colonies to 50 states? What drove this expansion, and what ideas justified it? How did racism develop to justify race-based slavery? How have people throughout history organized to make changes and to protect civil and human rights? (Women's suffrage, feminism, abolition, civil rights, gay pride, workers and labor unions, education reform, prison reform) Has it always "gotten better" in the U.S.? What happened during and after the period of Reconstruction? Why do humans go to war? How has changing military technology changed what it means to go to war? What drove the U.S. to fight the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I and II, the Vietnam War and the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? What is "the American dream" and is it real?

If only lines are used to draw a face, how can I achieve realism and a sense of 3-dimension? What effect does using shadow give to a face? What steps do I need to take to transfer my thumbnail sketch into a 3-D mobile? How can I make the brim and the centerpiece of a paper hat come together with a strong connection? What do I learn about a master artist's style when I use it as inspiration for my own work? How can my work reflect elements of the artist's style and still show my style?

Key Concepts:

Fourth graders come to the art studio ready to challenge themselves and the project. By now, they have developed a strong identity as an artist regardless of skill level. They have skills to interpret the lessons personally while still following steps and guidelines. Students learn to use a chart for accuracy in creating the correct proportions of the face. Learning how to utilize previous techniques within an open choice format empowers students to problem solve. Learning how to achieve 3-D with values of light and dark opens students to explore realism. Exploring master artists who challenged the norm and broke rules (The Fauves) while finding their own style encourages young artists to find themselves through the creative arts. The projects alternate between free interpretation and controlled acc, uracy. Respect for traditions is balanced with the exciting freedom that comes from finding a new, personal, approach. Many projects interface with their social studies focus.

Fourth graders have a longer art class. Classes begin with ten minutes of silent sketchbook meditation. This meditation allows time to focus, warm up and provides freedom to pursue individual interests and ideas before working with a structured lesson. Student discussion provides time to share inspirations and make connections to previous lessons and projects.

Sample Projects, Media and Skills:

Painting in the style of Aboriginal artists. Using dot build up, telling a story with a symbol, illustrating lightning and thunder, rolling paint instead of brush stroking it.

Paper cut out forms in the style of Matisse; fabric collage self portraits in the style of The Fauves; Japanese shrines with the "three wise monkeys". Exploring elongation of the figure with Giacometti sculpture and Kenyan batiks. Charcoal portraits wearing hats of many cultures; still life drawing that get disassembled and reassembled with intentional negative space. Aerial views of Japanese food. Dia De Los Muertos skulls and hat mobiles. Using Sonia Delaunay's "geometric abstract " style to inspire watercolor compositions.

Fifth Grade Visual Arts

What statement does my artwork make? Is my sense of humor and playful presentation a way to offer the viewer a flip on tradition, or is it intended to make us laugh? What new techniques do I discover when I take time, add layers and develop my ideas? Can I teach this to friends and pass on new ideas? Should artists strive for a realistically perfect image? What happens to the subject when the color is enhanced, unrealistic or if the proportions are unrealistic? Why do you think younger students incorporate outlines in their drawings? What are the differences between true form and outlines? When are outlines useful? How can outlines help describe a 3-D form? Does my color fill the form completely, or is it sketchy? Does an animal's color fill its form? How can I depict an animal in motion? How do I react to unfamiliar art styles? How can I withhold judgment and view art with an open mind?

Key Concepts:

Fifth grade students are interested in exploring how and why art has a powerful impact on people. They learn new techniques to enhance their art, such as distortion and realism. Looking deeper means studying subject matter in a more refined way. Lessons force artists to compare different cultural art techniques by trying to do them with respect for that culture. Fifth grade art curriculum develops skills for accurate body proportions. Students draw figures prior to instruction in proportion and contract those with drawings completed using an accurate body chart. Fifth graders pull from their foundation of skills fluidl. They make choices independently and further refine and reflect upon their own style. Children of this age are keenly aware of social justice and there are many opportunities to apply it to the working group. Individual expression comes with a responsibility to speak your mind and heart appropriately.

Stories are added to illustrations to connect the power of art and words. Group critiques encourage students to use their art vocabulary as a communication tool and give opportunities to reference master artists. The intention of enlightening others, making social change, or inviting alternative perspectives through art comes into play in this grade.

Sample Projects, Media and Skills:

Using distortion, drawing with sand and glue in Black history portraits. Fashion designs, building a theatrical headdress; logos in black and white; art frames. Indian and Arabic henna body art, hand studies. Proportions of the body. African doll statues with recycled materials. Writing about one's work. Using symmetry to draw the orangutan face. Non-traditional multicolored portraits, less dominant hand portraits, non-figurative paintings. Birds in flight, group mural, printmaking.

Sixth Grade Visual Arts

Understanding Goals

What are my strengths as an artist? What media do I feel most comfortable using? What techniques and skills have I developed? What explorations am I ready to take on next? What does art mean to me? Who is art for? What design principles can I use as a framework to express myself visually? What factors distinguish artistic styles? What is the role of an artist in American society? What is the role of the artist in cultures around the world? How are two and three dimensional art works alike and different? How do artists convey meaning through forms, media and symbols?

Key Concepts

Appreciation of the contributions of artists to society. Understand styles of art from prehistoric to contemporary. Utilize principles of design. Use elements of line, form, proportion, rhythm, texture. Understand the principles of one and two point perspective. Produce work that demonstrates skills in drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, crafts, ceramics and graphic design. Create work using tactile and visual textures. Demonstrate safe handling of tools, materials and equipment.

Sample Projects, Media and Skills

Students create one of a kind art books that were inspired by the Chauvet caves in southern France. Students were asked to search their imaginations, memories and personal history and create symbols that tell their individual stories in order to notice the connections between ancient art makers and contemporary artists.

In conjunction with the music teacher, students create a three dimensional "portrait" of a musical instrument of their choice. Plein air painting inspired by the Park Day campus and the works of Henri Rousseau and his Urban Jungle series. Assemblages inspired by Surrealists.

Seventh Grade Visual Arts

Understanding Goals

How can I approach this project with "outside of the box" thinking? How are ideas connected and expressed in works of art? How can I create the illusion of depth in two-dimensional works of art? How has art been changed by technology? How is art persuasive? What principles of design are evident in this work of art? How does media influence meaning? What art vocabulary can I use to describe works of art? How does a work of art evolve as it is made and how can I decide when it is done?

Key Concepts

Solve design problems using color relationships selected from the color wheel and use principles of design to express ideas and create images, including proportion, rhythm, balance, emphasis, variety, and unity. Understand and master one-point and two-point perspective to create the illusion of depth in a two-dimensional drawing. Use appropriate art media and techniques to create both visual and tactile textures in works of art. Utilize fantasy as a means of expression in works of art. Identify the components of an artist's style, including materials, design, methods, and subject matter. Identify major art movements and relate to changes in science and technology. Examine and discuss the elements of art, the principles of design, art techniques, and art media as they influence meaning in works of art. Identify the relationship between art processes and final solutions. Demonstrate inquiry skills and appropriate art vocabulary for describing, responding to, interpreting and evaluating works of art.

Sample Projects, Media and Skills

In conjunction with language arts teachers, create three dimensional illustration inspired by a line of text from their favorite novel. Create art as social protest through a mixed media collage. Render a realistic value study inspired by iconic heroes of the 21st century. Paint an interpretation of Edvard Munch's "The Scream" utilizing color theory, perspective and painting techniques. Using collographic printmaking creates a series of images inspired by the flora found on the Park Day campus.

Eighth Grade Visual Arts

Understanding Goals

How is my sense of self-identity changing? How is this represented in my art? How can different people interpret messages in art at different times of their life? How can messages of art be interpreted differently among differing cultures? What does art convey about culture? How is the perception and interpretation of art changed by the viewer? How is art a reflection of a historical period or event? What my artistic problem solving style? Who is the target audience for specific works of art? Can art represent complex contradictions? What abstract concepts can I incorporate into my art? What kinds of art do I appreciate?

As a Seventh Grade musician, I begin to formalize my musical understanding, having been exposed to a variety of music across cultures. Now I start to analyze the rhythms, melodies and harmonies of more familiar music from the Jazz, Blues, Funk, Rock, Hip Hop and R&B traditions. I begin the practice of "ear training", learning to hear syncopated rhythms, the distance ("interval") between notes, the difference between major and minor harmonies. I also begin a serious exploration of music notation, as a critical skill for advanced study and a necessity for high school band programs.

Sample Projects:

As a practical application of my new music skills and understanding, I focus on performing a several pieces of culturally important music with my class - in particular, songs of social justice. By studying these songs deeply, and performing them in class, I learn how their particular use of rhythm, melody and harmony creates a deep emotional impact. In this way, I begin to explore music as a practical vehicle to express my feelings about the world in which we live, and my hope for a better world.

Why do we learn Spanish? Will learning Spanish be fun?
What is my learning style for listening and speaking? What is my learning style for understanding? What Spanish vocabulary can I use to communicate?

Skills and Vocabulary:

Develop listening and speaking comprehensions skills by observing and speaking abut physical cues or movements. Students are lead t, o answer simple and complex yes / no questions about studied vocabulary. Spanish vocabulary: days of the week, food, emotions, greetings, colors and numerals, animals, contextualized phrases.

Sample Lessons and Activities:

Episodes #3&4, Hola Niños, TPRS® methodology (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) includes dialogues, written exercises and storytelling. Latin roots; history, race, and music of Mexico. Indigenous observances of Aztec people (Dias de los Muertos). Latino civil rights activists (Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta).

Sample Resources:

Eighth Grade Spanish

Skills and Vocabulary:

Focus on conversation and reading and writing comprehension. Write continually for 10 minutes in Spanish every week and count progress including the number and types of words written. Read Casí me muero and ¿Dónde está Eduardo? With Realidades 1B, Prentice Hall, students learn vocabulary centered on time, shopping and travel in preparation for an international trip (see Signature Projects under Learning at Park). Review the mechanics of conjugating regular verbs, irregular verbs in present, imperfect and, preterite tense. Reflective tense is introduced. Learn the traditions celebrated in Mexico about Día de los Muertos, including making papel picado, cempasuchiles, and ofrendas.

Sample Lessons and Activities:

Every Monday, students have a conversation about their weekend in Spanish and are asked and answer questions in Spanish. Ongoing pen-pal project with the Chumpepokes School in Peru--a Quechua speaking community. Letters are written in Spanish about school life, learning a new language and things shared in common among the students. While on a field trip to the Fruitvale district, students take Spanish lessons in making Mexican artisan ice cream and making Mexican bread. Students create their own Spanish lesson plans and teach in Spanish through the Paso a Paso (step by step) project. Student use presentation boards, powerpoints and props to outline the materials, ingredients, and instructions in Spanish. Examples of past projects include lessons in origami, making chocolate cake, cartoon drawing and making a salad. Cross-disciplinary collaboration with drama, art, and language arts teachers to create an interactive Ofrenda. Students dramatize and describe people they choose to honor during the Día de los Muertos / Days of the Dead. Geography project to research three Spanish-speaking countries and create postcards from each city with detailed Spanish descriptions of their travels. Research is shared through an oral presentation and Spanish travel brochure. Students answer questions orally on topics such as population, currency, history, culture and food.

Sample Resources:

Casi me muero, Blain Ray. TPR® methodology. Donde esté Eduardo, , Blain Ray. TPR® methodology. Realidades 1B, Prentice Hall.

Kindergarten Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self Awareness:

How does my body feel? (hungry, thirsty, tired, etc.?) What feelings have I experienced? What feelings can I name? How am I feeling now? What "picks me up?" What is easy/hard for me?

Self Management / regulation:

Do I take care of my belongings? What do I need to stay in my "bubble space?" What do I need to do my work? (Headphones? Visual timer? Sit alone spot?) Can I state my needs?

Social Awareness:

Can I "read my friend's face?" Can I include a friend? How are we alike and different? How can I help my class community? (jobs, helpers, friends, allies) How can I show appreciation of my friend(s)?

Responsible Decision Making:

Do I notice what is happening around me? How do the choices I make affect those around me? How do I problem-solve with friends? (I statements. . . ) Do I stretch myself to include others in play and new ideas in learning? Do I "stretch my brain and heart?"

Key concepts and Shared Language

We are all friends. We can be allies to each other. We greet each other and make eye contact with the people we are talking to. We use "I" statements to solve problems. We practice "mindfulness" and take "mindful" moments. We share appreciations. If we see a problem, we can do something about it.

Sample Activities & Lessons

Weekly job as daily "Greeter," mindfulness daily, playground debriefs daily, "Feelings" vocabulary development (writing about our experience with different feelings; happy, sad, lonely, frustrated, proud, excited, nervous, content or peaceful, etc.), book readings and discussions relating to social emotional topics and "changemakers," our Family unit for getting to know each other, examining "Needs" versus "Wants" in conjunction with Empty Bowls Day,

Sample Books & Resources:

Mindfulness Curriculum (Mindful Schools), Omnibus Guidelines K-5, Yardsticks by Chip Wood, Belonging by Mona Halaby, Various trade books ( Bad Case of Stripes, Franklin in the Dark, Badger's Bad Mood, How to Be a Friend, A Quiet Place, Madie's Fridge , "Changemaker" biographies and more)

First Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self Awareness:

How am I feeling? What things do I have a lot of experience with? What are some things I am working on and need help with? Do I think before I act? What are the consequences for my actions?

Self Management / regulation:

What are some things I can do when I feel frustrated or have a problem? What can I do to help my community? What steps can I take when I have a need, a goal or a task to complete? What is happening around me? Do I take care of my belongings?

Social Awareness:

How is my friend feeling? Can I read a friend's face and body language? How am I the same as my friends, and how am I different? What do I appreciate about my friends?

Responsible Decision Making:

Do I participate in problem solving with my classmates? If so, how do I help friends in my community? Do I take what I have learned about others, and apply it in other situations? Do I try my best to solve problems with friends?

Key concepts and Shared Language

If you see a problem, DO something about it! Use "I" statements-- how are you feeling and what do you need? Sharing appreciations with one another. There are many different ways to repair a problem.

Sample Activities & Lessons

Class meetings once a week. Daily mindfulness practice. Book readings and discussions relating to social emotional topics. Family unit for getting to know each other and appreciating family traditions and make up. Examining "Needs" versus "Wants" and donation of food items to local families in need.

Sample Books & Resources

Tight Times by Barbara Shookhazen, Yardsticks by Chip Wood, Belonging by Mona Halaby

Second Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self-awareness:

How do I identify and communicate how I am feeling? How can I be a friend and ally? How can I use my words and actions to be more inclusive?

Self-management / regulation:

What are the ways I can handle conflicts constructively? What tools and strategies can I use to help with self-regulation? What can I do to take responsibility for my actions, even when it's hard?

Social awareness:

In what ways do I demonstrate an understanding that everyone is different and has different needs? How do I show patience when waiting my turn? How can I work with others and listen to their ideas? Do I know how to "read" the room?

Responsible Decision-making:

How can I contribute thoughtfully and positively to my community? How am I aware of my tone and voice when I communicate my thoughts and ideas? How am I mindful of the impact of my actions, words and body language?

Relationship skills:

How do I handle conflicts: Do I know how to get help from my friends, or help them when they need it? How can I use class meetings to help me use my voice, help me build more empathy, and to listen attentively? How can I show gratitude and appreciation when others share their skills, stories and talents with my community?

Key concepts and shared language

Ally, Friendship, I-message, Inclusion/Exclusion, Respect, Appreciation, Attentive listening,

Empathy

Sample activities & lessons

Class meeting, Morning Meeting routines, daily mindful moment, student-generated role-plays to teach social skills, appreciations as a routine for building self-esteem and for developing empathy/gratitude skills

Sample Books and Resources

Responsive Classroom, Belonging: Creating Community in the Classroom by Mona Halaby, MOSAIC Project, various picture books such as A Bad Case of Stripes, How Full is Your Bucket?, Master of Mindfulness, Weslandia, Last Stop on Market Street, Tight Times

Third Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self Awareness:

What space and tools support my learning? How can I be aware of my needs as a learner/friend? Can I identify a range of emotions? Can I learn from mistakes and trusts that they help me grow?

Self Management / regulation:

How can I practice self-control in my relationships and my learning? What tools do I need to help me reflect on areas for future growth? What can I use to help me keep track of, and care for my personal belongings? How do I recover from adversity? How can I demonstrate impulse control?

Social Awareness:

What do I do to show empathy for others? How can I demonstrate my ability to compromise? How do I show a genuine appreciation? In what ways do I practice inclusion?

Responsible Decision Making:

How do I accept responsibility for my actions? What strategies can I use to solve conflicts constructively? What can I do to maximize my participation in classroom activities by making good choices? How can I work collaboratively on a project and take everyone's opinion into account?

Relationship Skills:

In what ways do I treat others with consideration and respect? How do I solve my interpersonal conflicts? What tools do I use? How can I be a leader to model mature behavior to those younger than us at school? What can I do to notice the emotions of others around me?

Key concepts and Shared Language

Inclusion, Respect, Appreciation, Empathy, Flexibility, Self-control, Perspective taking, "Do you want to solve it?"

Sample Activities & Lessons

Class meetings, Self-evaluations, Written reflections, Classroom discussions

Sample Books & Resources

Positive Discipline, Responsive Classroom, Belonging: Creating Community in the Classroom by Mona Halaby

Fourth Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching understanding goals:

Self-awareness:

How do I identify what I am feeling and needing? How can I be aware when I am using a fixed mindset as opposed to a growth mindset? How can I approach my learning with a growth mindset? Can I identify when I am in my comfort, stretch, or rip zone? What tools do I need to do my best learning?

Self-management / regulation:

What strategies can I use to be an independent problem solver? Do I remember to raise my hand before sharing an idea? Can I practice stopping, cooling off, and taking a deep breath when I'm starting to feel frustrated or angry?

Social awareness:

How can I practice using my I-statements independently? How can I honor all diverse voices, ideas, and perspectives? How can I empathize with differing ideas, perspectives, and emotions?

Responsible Decision-making

How can I attempt to compromise in a calm and respectful manner? How can I take responsibility for my actions and be aware that my actions impact others?

Relationship skills:

Do I try to independently resolve a conflict with others? Do I practice attentive listening while working in small groups? Do I engage cooperatively in order to complete a task in groups?

Key concepts and shared language

Recognizing and naming feelings and needs. What does it mean to be an ally? Friendship, I-statements, inclusion/exclusion, mutual respect, gratitude, attentive listening, empathy, communication skills, assertiveness, self-advocacy, character strengths/life skills, growth and development, racial identity, gender Identity

Sample activities & lessons

Growth Mindset videos, Growth Mindset language sorts, Growth Mindset art activity, class meetings/whole 4th grade meetings, Morning Meeting routines, mindfulness, mindfulness of Competition lesson, mindfulness games, role-plays, Periodic Table of Character Strengths, Non Violent Communication cards, Non Violent Communication worksheets, Non Violent Communication modeling and examples in whole class novels, character strength & life skills modeling through picture books, I-statements, Mosaic values, Mosaic songs/lyrics, Comfort/Stretch/Rip Zone lessons, Music/Art Feeling activity, Quick Writes, Internal/External Identity Lesson, Internal/External Identity Partner Portraits

Sample books & resources

Teacher Resources

Non Violent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg; Non Violent Communication GROK cards; MOSAIC Project; Carol Dwek & Jo Bowler Growth Mindset Resources;Claiming Face by Maya Christina Gonzalez; Responsive Classroom; Tribes; Yardsticks by Chip Wood; various picture books, The Field Guide to Human-Centered Design Thinking, IDEO

Fifth Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self-awareness:

How can I recognize, communicate, and understand my emotions? How are my emotions linked my behavior? Can I recognize when I need to "reset" to help regulate my emotions? What are the personal qualities and skills that I can contribute to build a stronger class community? What personal skills and interests would I like to work to develop, and what steps do I need to take to achieve my goals?

Self-management / regulation:

How can I recognize the intensity of my emotions and impulses what tools help me regulate them? How can I use emotional awareness to make a positive choice with regard to resolving a problem? How does a positive attitude contribute to my level of engagement and success?

Social awareness:

How can I show empathy and be an ally for my peers? What message does my tone, body language, and facial expression send to others? How can I work cooperatively with others to accomplish a goal?

Responsible Decision-making:

How can I participate in effective group decision making? How can I balance my personal opinion with the ideas of others to come to a group decision?

Relationship skills:

How can I give authentic and specific appreciation to others? How can I handle conflicts using the five tools for conflict resolution (stop, listen, talk, empathize, plan)? How can I use class meeting discussions to address issues affecting the class and the school community?

Do I show genuine encouragement and appreciation to others? Do I recognize and respond to relational aggression, with myself or others?

Key concepts and shared language

Five Tools for Conflict Resolution - Stop, listen, talk, empathize, plan; ally; I-message; inclusion; respect; appreciation; passive; assertive; aggressive (differentiation); relational aggression; attentive listening; empathy; stereotype; prejudice; discrimination

Sample activities & lessons

Class management jobs, personal goal setting and review, daily mindful moment, five-fingers consensus gauge for decision-making, student-generated role-plays to teach social skills, student-led class meetings following a predictable format with agenda topics submitted by students, regular personal written reflections, rubrics for evaluating effective and responsible group work, appreciations as a routine part of class meetings

Sample Books & Resources (student and teacher resources)

Positive Discipline in the Classroom, Responsive Classroom, MOSAIC Project

Sixth Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self-Awareness:

How can I describe a range of emotions and the situations that cause them? How can I describe and demonstrate ways to express emotions in a socially acceptable manner? How can I notice when I am using a fixed mindset as opposed to a growth mindset? How can I approach my learning with a growth mindset?

Self-Management:

How can I describe personal skills and interests that I want to develop? How can I explain how the adults around me can support school success and responsible behavior? How can I set goals and work towards achieving them? How can I monitor my progress on achieving a short-term personal goal? How can I respond productively to the feelings and needs of myself and my schoolmates?

Social Awareness:

How can I identify verbal, physical, and situational cues that indicate how others may feel? How can I describe and honor the expressed feelings and perspectives of others?

Responsible Decision-Making

How can I demonstrate the ability to respect the rights of self and others? How can I demonstrate knowledge of how social norms affect decision-making and behavior? How can I identify and apply the steps of systematic decision-making? How can I generate alternative solutions and evaluate the consequences for a range of academic and social situations? How can I identify and perform roles that contribute to the school community?

Relationship Skills:

How can I identify differences among and contributions of various social and cultural groups? How can I demonstrate how to work effectively with those who are different from myself? How can I describe approaches for making and keeping friends? How can I contribute to and work effectively in groups? How can I describe causes and consequences of conflicts? How can I apply constructive approaches to resolving conflicts?

Key Concepts and Shared Language

A Park Day graduate is a Changemaker who is curious, has integrity, is engaged, is kind, is courageous. Reset, resilience, Growth Mindset, decision-making, planning ahead, values, relationships, boundaries, perspective taking, stress management, thoughts and emotions, conflict, inclusivity, cause and effect, bullying and upstanding, harassment, consent.

Sample Activities and Lessons

Advisory program, daily greetings, circles of power and trust, scaffolded advisory shares and discussions, group building and group growth activities within advisory program, scaffolded public peer acknowledgements, personal goal setting and review, sign language letters as silent communication tools so that students can strategize and support uninterrrupted learning in the classroom environment, "New Eyes" appreciations, ropes course, open workshop with student-chosen projects, regular personal and academic written reflections.

Sample Books and Resources (Student and Teacher Resources)

Developmental Designs Program, SEEDS, Soul Shoppe Program, The Advisory Book by Linda Crawford, Westminster Woods Challenge Course, Violence Prevention Educator Zephira Derblich-Milea

Seventh Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self-Awareness:

How can I analyze factors that create stress or motivate successful performance? How can I apply strategies to manage stress and to motivate successful performance ?

Self-Management:

How can I analyze how personal qualities influence choices and successes? How can I analyze how making use of adults can contribute to school and life success? How can I set a short-term goal and make a plan for achieving it? How can I analyze why I achieved or did not achieve a goal? How can I support the feelings and needs of my classmates?

Social Awareness:

How can I predict others' feelings and perspectives in a variety of situations? How can I analyze how my behavior may affect others?

Responsible Decision-Making

How can I evaluate how honesty, respect, fairness, and compassion enable me to take the needs of others into account when making decisions? How can I analyze reasons for school and societal rules? How can I analyze how decision-making skills improve study habits and academic performance? How can I evaluate strategies for resisting pressures to engage in unsafe or unethical activities? How can I evaluate my participation in efforts to address an identified school need? How can I evaluate my participation in efforts to address an identified need in the local community?

Relationship Skills:

How can I explain how individual, social, and cultural differences may increase vulnerability to bullying and identify ways to address it? How can I analyze the effects of taking action to oppose bullying based on individual and group differences? How can I analyze ways to establish positive relationships with others? How can I demonstrate cooperation and teamwork to promote group effectiveness? How can I evaluate strategies for preventing and resolving interpersonal problems? How can I define unhealthy peer pressure and evaluate strategies for resisting it?

Key Concepts and Shared Language

Sample Activities and Lessons

Sample Books and Resources (Student and Teacher Resources)

Developmental Designs Program, SEEDS, Soul Shoppe Program, The Advisory Book by Linda Crawford

Eighth Grade Social and Emotional Learning

Overarching Goals for Core Competencies

Self-Awareness:

How can I analyze how thoughts and emotions affect decision-making and responsible behavior? How can I generate ways to develop more positive attitudes?

Self-Management:

How can I set priorities in building on strengths and identifying areas for growth? How can I analyze how positive adult role models and support systems contribute to school and life success? How can I identify strategies to make use of resources and overcome obstacles to achieve goals? How can I apply strategies to overcome obstacles to goal achievement?

Social Awareness:

How can I analyze similarities and differences between my own and others' perspectives? How can I use conversation skills to understand others' feelings and perspectives?

Responsible Decision-Making

How can I demonstrate personal responsibility in making ethical decisions? How can I evaluate how social norms and the expectations of authority influence personal decisions and actions? How can I evaluate personal abilities to gather information, generate alternatives, and anticipate the consequences of decisions? How can I apply decision-making skills to establish social and work relationships? How can I plan, implement, and evaluate my participation in activities that improve school climate? How can I plan, implement, and evaluate my participation in a group effort to contribute to the local community?

Relationship Skills:

How can I analyze the origins and negative effects of stereotyping and prejudice? How can I demonstrate respect for individuals from different social and cultural groups? How can I evaluate the effects of requesting support from and providing support to others? How can I evaluate my contribution in groups as a member and leader? How can I analyze how listening and talking accurately help in resolving conflicts? How can I analyze how conflict-resolution skills contribute to work within a group?

Key Concepts and Shared Language

Sample Activities and Lessons

Advisory program, daily greetings, circles of power and trust, scaffolded advisory shares and discussions, group building and group growth activities within advisory program, Spanish immersion international trip, personal goal setting and review, regular personal and academic written reflections, high school preparation process, graduation preparation process.

Sample Books and Resources (Student and Teacher Resources)

Developmental Designs Program, SEEDS, Soul Shoppe Program, The Advisory Book by Linda Crawford

Kindergarten Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How can I use traditional technology to change and create with wood?

How is a plan a tool?

How do the properties of wood direct how it may be used?

Key Concepts:

Sensitivity to materials properties
Identifying parts to whole relationships
Peer collaboration and support

Workshop Skills:

Traditional woodworking tools, guided electric drill use, simple measurement using tape measures
Responsible materials use
Craftsmanship: finishing a project such that it is pleasing to the eye and hand.

Sample cross curricular connections:

How can I be safe with and supportive of my peers in the workshop?

What are the properties of materials that float and sink?

What are the properties of wood, and how do they affect how we use it?

How do we draw and write a plan for something we want to make?

How and why do we use measuring tools?

Sample project:

Students design and build a wooden boat model in order to demonstrate their understanding of making a plan; balance, symmetry and measurement;

the properties of wood and craftsmanship; foundational building skills.

First Grade Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How can I use traditional technology to change and create with different types of materials?

How is a plan a tool?

How does a material's properties direct how it may be used? How do I choose what material to use for a project?

How does taking something apart help me to understand how it works? How might its parts become something new?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How can I ask for and give support to my peers?

How can I learn about and understand others' needs in order to make something to support them?

Key Concepts:

Sensitivity to materials properties
Identifying parts to whole relationships
Peer collaboration and leadership
Repurposing materials to reduce environmental impact

Workshop Skills:

Tools: woodworking, common hand tools, electric drills, simple measurement using tape measures, micro screwdrivers
Responsible materials use
Craftsmanship

Curricular Connections:

What makes a community? Introduction to technology and how things are made: mechanical, electrical and electronic objects. What ideas do we have for solving a real world problem? How do designers, builders and engineers solve problems?

Sample Curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Explore the concept of community through designing and building a cardboard community.

"Open": Explore the parts, purposes, and materials of an everyday household object.

If you see a problem, do something about it!: Repurpose take apart parts and recycle materials into inventions addressing real world problems.

Second Grade Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

What kinds of thinking do designers incorporate into their work?

How can I listen for and address someone else's needs?

How do engineers approach design?

How can I use scientific information to inform my design?

How can I use my planning, design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How does building a physical model of something help me understand a scientific concept?

Key Concepts:

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Sensitivity to materials properties
Identifying parts to whole relationships
Peer collaboration and leadership

Workshop Skills:

Refined sawing and hammering, increased accuracy in measurement, pre-nailing and drilling
Introduction to the trisquare and the concept of "square"
Responsible materials use, How making a project plan helps to conserve materials
Craftsmanship

Sample Curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Community and individual needs: Interview, design and build a friendship space for two classmates.

Balancing Creatures: How might we build a sculpture that balances on one point, using our learnings about balance, center of gravity and counterweights?

Coasters: How might we build a roller coaster that demonstrates our understanding of the behaviors of rolling round objects?

Ancestry boxes: How may I build and add to a box such that it represents my family ancestry and my understanding of immigration?

Third Grade Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How can I physically interact with the computer using new technologies?

How does electricity work? How is electricity present in our world?

How can I use electrical engineering in a project?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

What is a system? How am I a part of systems that make up our world?

Key Concepts:

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Sensitivity to materials properties
Identifying parts to whole relationships
Peer collaboration and leadership
Introduction to coding and physical computing

Workshop Skills:

Tools: wire cutters and strippers
Materials organization
Responsible materials use, How making a project plan helps to conserve materials
Craftsmanship
Electricity: simple circuits and safety basics
Physical computing: Scratch + Makey Makey

Sample Curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Community: Who am I in our community? How can I make a physical representation of the things that are important to me?

Bird Studies: How might we use our understanding of birds and wetland ecosystems to address the problem of trash in the ocean?

Culminating science project: How can I demonstrate my expert knowledge about a bird through applying my understanding of electricity and physical computing?

(How can I build a three dimensional prototype to represent a given concept?)

Fourth Grade Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How can I share resources to help develop stronger communities?

How can I design and build something useful for my school community?

How can I use workshop technologies to demonstrate my learning?

How can I support my peers within the context of the workshop?

How can I use peer support to help achieve my project goals?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

Key Concepts:

Community Building, Equity and Access
Community care: watching out for and fixing problems in our physical environment.
Iteration

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Peer collaboration and leadership

Workshop Skills:

Power tools: Introduction to the compound miter saw, drill press, electric staple gun.
Introduction to two-dimensional design and digital fabrication: independent endeavors
Responsible materials use and materials organization

Sample Curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Students collaborate with student partners from Emerson Elementary, a public school from our neighborhood, to design and build something useful for both school communities. This partner build project is a collaboration between the Community Outreach and Service Learning program and the DesignME program.

Fifth Grade Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How can I contribute to the physical infrastructure of my community?

How does the Design Thinking process facilitate design solutions?

How does digital fabrication support design and manufacturing?

How does precision in measurement affect outcome?

Key Concepts:

Precision measurement and tolerance in manufacturing and design
Planning and Iteration

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Peer collaboration and leadership

Community care: watching out for and fixing problems in our physical environment.

Workshop Skills:

Continued development of hand tools usage
Power tools: compound miter saw, drill press, complex power drill moves
Introduction to 2-D computer design and fabrication: independent endeavors
Responsible materials use and materials organization

Sample Curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Science and math: Design and construct a solar house model which excels in addressing thermal energy. Model must meet specified dimensions within ⅛" tolerance.

Math, 2-D computer design and fabrication, environmental science: Identify, research and design tree signs for the campus.

MS Elective Program, Open Workshop, Curricular Collaborations Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How does a material's properties direct how it may be used? How do I choose what material to use for a project?

How is making a plan a tool?

How is engineering present in design and manufacturing?

What are some advantages and challenges of digital fabrication?

How does the Design Thinking process facilitate design solutions?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How can I contribute to the physical infrastructure of my community?

How can I be a leader in helping my team determine a vision and make and execute a plan?

Key Concepts:

Precision measurement
Planning and Iteration

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Leadership and support in the design-build process

Community contributions: designing and building to meet a community need

Workshop Skills:

Continued development of hand tools usage
Power tools: track saw, compound miter saw, drill press, complex power drill moves
2-D computer design and fabrication: CNC router, vinyl cutter
Simple electronics for fabrication
Responsible materials use and materials organization

Sample Cross curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Math and Science concepts: Average 6th Grader, Lissajous pendulum studies, music program boom pipes.

Electronics: Using harvested parts from appliances and other machines, and without applying any direct human force to it, move a ping pong ball 5+ feet across a plain.

Social studies: Ancient River Civilizations: design a museum exhibit that shares your expert knowledge and that is both interactive and educational for museum visitors.

Community and campus support: Design and build a middle school gathering space; Design, build, and process the materials for the Nerdy Derby East Bay Mini Maker Faire event experience.

MS Elective Program, Open Workshop, Curricular Collaborations Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How does a material's properties direct how it may be used? How do I choose what material to use for a project?

How is making a plan a tool?

How is engineering present in design and manufacturing?

What are some advantages and challenges of digital fabrication?

How does the Design Thinking process facilitate design solutions?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How can I contribute to the physical infrastructure of my community?

How can I be a leader in helping my team determine a vision and make and execute a plan?

Key Concepts:

Precision measurement
Planning and Iteration

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Leadership and support in the design-build process

Community contributions: designing and building to meet a community need

Workshop Skills:

Continued development of hand tools usage
Power tools: track saw, compound miter saw, drill press, complex power drill moves
2-D computer design and fabrication: CNC router, vinyl cutter
Simple electronics for fabrication
Responsible materials use and materials organization

Sample Cross curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Math and Science concepts: Average 6th Grader, Lissajous pendulum studies, music program boom pipes.

Electronics: Using harvested parts from appliances and other machines, and without applying any direct human force to it, move a ping pong ball 5+ feet across a plain.

Social studies: Ancient River Civilizations: design a museum exhibit that shares your expert knowledge and that is both interactive and educational for museum visitors.

Community and campus support: Design and build a middle school gathering space; Design, build, and process the materials for the Nerdy Derby East Bay Mini Maker Faire event experience.

MS Elective Program, Open Workshop, Curricular Collaborations Design, Make, Engage

Themes and Understandings:

How does a material's properties direct how it may be used? How do I choose what material to use for a project?

How is making a plan a tool?

How is engineering present in design and manufacturing?

What are some advantages and challenges of digital fabrication?

How does the Design Thinking process facilitate design solutions?

How can I use my design and build skills to prototype solutions to real world problems?

How can I contribute to the physical infrastructure of my community?

How can I be a leader in helping my team determine a vision and make and execute a plan?

Key Concepts:

Precision measurement
Planning and Iteration

Applying science understandings to design and build solutions.

Leadership and support in the design-build process

Community contributions: designing and building to meet a community need

Workshop Skills:

Continued development of hand tools usage
Power tools: track saw, compound miter saw, drill press, complex power drill moves
2-D computer design and fabrication: CNC router, vinyl cutter
Simple electronics for fabrication
Responsible materials use and materials organization

Sample Cross curricular Connections and Collaborations:

Math and Science concepts: Average 6th Grader, Lissajous pendulum studies, music program boom pipes.

Electronics: Using harvested parts from appliances and other machines, and without applying any direct human force to it, move a ping pong ball 5+ feet across a plain.

Social studies: Ancient River Civilizations: design a museum exhibit that shares your expert knowledge and that is both interactive and educational for museum visitors.

Community and campus support: Design and build a middle school gathering space; Design, build, and process the materials for the Nerdy Derby East Bay Mini Maker Faire event experience.

Kindergarten Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How do trees contribute to a healthy environment?

What can I do to help preserve and restore a watershed?

Cross curricular connections:

Science: oak woodland habitat study, watershed, properties and uses of wood

Social Studies: communities, interdependence, activism

Key Concepts:

Stewardship
Preservation
Restoration
Reforestation
Environmental Justice

Sample Community Engagement:

Students learn about the oak trees and their role within a watershed area.

Students collect acorns and raise oak saplings throughout the year.

Oak saplings are planted in habitat restoration areas in the East Bay and sometimes beyond.

Sample Community Partner:

EBMUD: Watershed Stewardship Program

First Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How can I be an active agent in supporting the lives of people in our community?

How can I be a responsible citizen in my community?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: families, communities, exploring needs vs. wants

Science: nutrition, hygiene

Key Concepts:

Activism
Agency
Basic Needs
Interdependence

Sample Community Engagement:

Students learn about and lead campaigns (Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, making Thanksgiving boxes, collecting items for hygiene kits for the homeless) in our school community for outside community organizations that support people in need.

Sample Community Partners:

UNICEF

Family Support Services of the Bay Area

Alameda County Health Care for the Homeless

Second Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How can I be an active agent in supporting literacy in my community?

How does the access to books impact literacy development?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: equity and access

Language Arts: reading and literacy, favorite books and authors

Science: reduce and reuse

Key Concepts:

Literacy
Access and Equity
Activism
Agency

Sample Community Engagement:

Students lead an annual school-wide book drive to collect books for a local school and/or literacy program.

Sample Community Partners:

Oakland Unified School District

Oakland Literacy Coalition

Emerson Elementary School

1951 Coffee Company

Third Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How do healthy bird habitats impact the health of an ecosystem?

How can I be an active agent in supporting healthy ecosystems?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: Bay Area environmental organizations, regional parks

Science: birds, ecosystems, habitats, food webs

Key Concepts:

Stewardship
Activism
Agency
Environmental Justice
Restoration
Preservation

Sample Community Engagement:

Students volunteer for community organizations that support birds and bird habitats.

Sample Community Partners:

Golden Gate Audubon Society

Save the Bay

East Bay Regional Parks

Fourth Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How can I share resources to help develop stronger communities?

How can I design and build something useful for my school community?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: Temescal neighborhood history, school communities

Math: measurement, estimation, balance

Key Concepts:

Community Building
Equity and Access
Design
Agency
Collaboration

Community Engagement:

Students collaborate with student partners from Emerson Elementary, a public school from the Temescal neighborhood, to design and build something useful for both school communities. This partner build project is a collaboration between the Community Outreach and Service Learning program and the Design ME program.

Sample Community Partners:

Emerson Elementary School

Fifth Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

What is food insecurity? How does food insecurity impact people in our community?

How do our volunteer efforts contribute to the fight against hunger and food insecurity?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: hunger in Alameda County, food insecurity

Science: nutrition

Key Concepts:

Food Justice
Equity and Access
Activism
Volunteerism

Sample Community Engagement:

Students volunteer every 8-10 weeks at the Alameda County Community Food Bank and help sort fresh produce for the various distribution sites.

Sample Community Partners:

Alameda County Community Food Bank

Sixth Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How do parks and green spaces contribute to a healthy community?

How can I help maintain a park/green space within our neighborhood community?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: neighborhood activism, community engagement, urban/open spaces, play

Science: greenbelts, native/invasive species,

Key Concepts:

Stewardship
Neighborhood Activism
Environmental Justice
Volunteerism

Sample Community Engagement:

Students volunteer at Frog Park in the Rockridge-Temescal greenbelt. Students help with park clean-up, ongoing playground equipment care and stewardship of a butterfly garden 3-4 times throughout the school year

Sample Community Partners:

Friends of Frog Park

Seventh Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How can I actively support systems and organizations that help the larger community?

How do my volunteer efforts contribute to the larger community?

Cross curricular connections:

Social Studies: local history, community activism, economic diversity, environmental justice, education

Science: ecosystems, estuary habitat, native/invasive species

Key Concepts:

Equity and Access
Activism
Restoration
Preservation
Systems
Literacy

Community Engagement:

Students volunteer with their advisory group at a community partner site 3-4 times over the course of the school year.

Sample Community Partners:

Lake Merritt Institute

Oakland Unified School District

Friends of the Cleveland Cascade

Eighth Grade Community Outreach and Service Learning

Themes and Understandings:

How can I actively support systems and organizations that help the larger community?

How do my volunteer efforts contribute to the larger community?

Cross curricular connections:

Social studies: social justice, economic diversity, racial justice, local history

Science : ecosystems, watershed, native/invasive species, habitats, aging, nutrition

Key Concepts:

Equity and Access
Privilege
Activism
Restoration
Preservation
Systems
Aging and Memory

Community Engagement:

Students volunteer with their advisory group at a community partner site 3-4 times over the course of the school year.

Sample Community Partners:

St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

East Bay Regional Parks

Merrill Gardens Senior Living