Departments » Educational Services Department » Curriculum

Curriculum

IUSD Book List:

English Language Arts - Book List Mathematics - Book List Science - Book List Social Studies - Book List

 

Elementary:

Kids in classroomLearn more about the academic journey your elementary school student will take during their time with us. Implementing an enthusiasm and curiosity for education at a young age is one of our main priorities.

 

Mathematics: Understanding Concepts

Our kindergarten through sixth-grade students focus on understanding concepts and achieving a deeper level of learning in their mathematics studies. They learn to “do math” through situations they might see in their everyday lives, and focus on a smaller number of topics that they will see again as they progress through grade levels.

During kindergarten through second grade, they focus on concepts and skills for addition and subtraction, emphasizing place value.

In third through fifth grade, they will focus on the concepts and skills for multiplication and division of whole numbers and understanding fractions.

By sixth grade, students will also incorporate geometry in solving real-world mathematical problems as well.
 

Science: Cause and Effect

Kindergarten: The effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.
 
First: the crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause and effect; structure and function; and influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world.
 
Second: stability and change; the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world.
 
Third: influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world.
 
Fourth: cause and effect; energy and matter; systems and system models; interdependence of science, and influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world.
 
Fifth: patterns of daily changes in length and direction of shadows, day and night, and the seasonal appearance of some stars in the night sky.
 

Literacy: Building Blocks Journeys – A Path to Balanced Literacy

We use Journeys as the guideline for our literacy curriculum in elementary school. This program allows our teachers to implement an effective reading and literacy method of instruction across a variety of different teaching styles.

Journeys supports the Common Core State Standards into daily classroom instruction through high-quality literature, informational texts, and content that offers our students a wealth of opportunities to learn and fall in love with literature.

Our goal is to ensure all students are highly engaged in literacy and reading comprehension, and that all students are reading fluently by 3rd grade.

Health and Physical Education: Starting Good Habits

Health: Our elementary school students learn about what different healthy food options are and why they are good for them. They will be able to identify healthy choices for both snack and meal time, learn the different food groups, and the importance of drinking water.

Fitness: Our younger students will demonstrate motor skills and movement patterns required to perform at a variety of physical activities, based on their age and level of development.
 

We teach what fitness is and why it is important to improve health and performance. Students participate in activities that are enjoyable and challenging and will be part of moderate to vigorous activity three to four days per week.


Social Studies: Introducing Our History

Elementary school students are introduced to the geographic and historical connections between the world today and the world long ago. We use the classroom as a reflection of our society and teach good sportsmanship and respect for the rights of others.

Students will also learn about historical figures who have shaped the world we live in today, and also the government’s role in both history and the modern day. They will explore the connections they have with the past, and also learn about the story of their home state.


Technology: Exposure To Tech

All schools have one or more computer and/or coding labs. We want to ensure that all students are prepared for the 21st century. At each of our schools, students utilize technology to research and build upon their knowledge of the world around them.
 
The sooner that children are exposed to technology, the easier it will be for them to catch on to new advances and innovations, which will set them up for a successful future in academics and as professionals.
 

Art: Young Artists

Arts programs in elementary school give the first key steps for children as they develop their ability to communicate their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in relation to the world around them. Be being exposed to the arts, students gain the knowledge and skills needed to express themselves creatively both verbally and nonverbally.

Teachers always remain sensitive to students’ self-expression and include activities and projects that the students can relate to and are interested in. There should be a balance of student-created work, and art directly curated by the teacher.
 

Music: Young Musicians

In a general music curriculum at the primary level, activities include singing, rhythmic speech, movement, playing of pitched and nonpitched percussion, and the use of instruments, recorders, or keyboards.

Music instruction according to the five strands allows young students to use a variety of instructional resources in exploring music experiences: singing, moving, playing an instrument, listening, responding, and reflecting.

Included among the resources are age-appropriate musical instruments, written literature on music, CDs, computer software, Internet resources, audiotapes, videos, DVDs, and photographs, all of which are often obtained through the school library.
 

World Language: Early Introduction

Our elementary school students who are learning a second language are mostly assessed orally until their writing skills improve and they can be evaluated through written assignments and tests.

Learning a foreign language is very important to our young learners because it can improve their education while also giving them the foundation for personal enrichment, academic achievement, and economic opportunities.