Schoenly Elementary School Curriculum Maps
English Language Arts
English Language Arts Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Spotswood Public Schools English Language Arts Department to provide a comprehensive curriculum that is based upon research and best practice, ensuring that students become critical thinkers, proficient readers, writers, and communicators in a global and technological society.
At the primary and elementary level, our goal is to ensure students master foundational literacy skills in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, listening and language. This includes reading, writing and speaking which is grounded in evidence from both literary and informational text, regular exposure and practice with increasingly complex texts including a focus on academic vocabulary/language, and, offering a 50-50 balance between informational and literary texts which supports students in developing knowledge about the world. To meet these goals, we have aligned our English Language Arts curriculum K-12 to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards define what students should understand and be able to do at each grade level. The PARCC assessment will be administered in grades 3-5, which helps us measure student progress and achievement. The chart below indicates how each grade level is organized by theme:
Kindergarten | First Grade | Second Grade | Third Grade | Fourth Grade | Fifth Grade |
Theme 1: Nursery Rhymes, Fairytales and Predictable Stories | Theme 1: Colors | Theme 1: Being Me | Theme 1: Something Special | Theme 1: You Can Do It | Theme 1: Passport to 5th Grade |
Theme 2: Autumn and Autumnal Holidays | Theme 2: Fun Monsters | Theme 2: Helping Hands | Theme 2: What a Team! | Theme 2: Side by Side | Theme 2: Look Inside |
Theme 3: All About Me and Winter | Themes 3 and 4: My, Myself, and I | Theme 3: Our World | Theme 3: Friends to Grow With | Themes 3 and 4: Pathways to Freedom | Theme 3: Literature Anthology |
Theme 4: Dinosaurs and Winter (part 2) | Theme 5: Snow, What Fun! | Theme 4: Imagine That | Theme 4: Tell Me a Story | Themes 5 and 6: Community Ties and New Lands | Theme 4: A Novel Approach (Holes) |
Theme 5: Spring, Space, and Summer | Theme 6: Caring and Sharing | Theme 5: Neighborhood News | Theme 5: Good Neighbors | Theme 5: Number the Stars | |
Theme 7: the World of Magic | Theme 6: Travel Time | Theme 6: Celebrate the World | Theme 6: Greek Mythology | ||
Theme 8: To Grow or Not to Grow | |||||
Theme 9: Wherefore Art Thou Animals? |
English Language Arts Best Practices
Teachers at Schoenly and Appleby Schools consistently apply research-based best practices for effective instruction including, but not limited to, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, discovery learning, cooperative learning, scaffolding, guided instruction, differentiated instruction, real-world applications, principles of brain-based learning and technology.
Performing Arts
Performing Arts Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Spotswood Public Schools Performing Arts Department to:
- Create a performing arts community that is rich with cultural, social, and intellectual diversity.
- Foster self-discipline and focus in solving problems creatively.
- Empower students to make informed aesthetic choices.
- Provide all students with the opportunity to succeed as individuals and within a group setting.
- Provide a productive and safe space for students to express themselves.
- Develop social skills that enable each student to engage with his or her peers in a responsible and respectful manner.
- Prepare students for active participaion in creating the culture of the present and future.
- Provide students with meaningful experiences to publicly perform and raise esteem of the performing arts in the local community.
Primary and elementary students complete courses that establish a comprehensive foundation in the performing arts. The course sequence promotes self-reflection and social growth as students investigate elements of music, including theory, appreciation and performance. Additionally, students in fourth and fifth grade are given the opportunity to join band and/or chorus as an extracurricular activity (band lessons are provided in small groups on a rotating schedule during the school day). Fifth graders also have the opportunity to participate in Drama as an extracurricular activity. Students are introduced to the many aspects of theatre production as they work collaboratively to produce and perform a spring musical. Through these experiences, students learn that performance is a creative process requiring perseverance, reflection, and collaboration.
The following chart indicates the performing arts course options for students in each grade level:
Kindergarten | First Grade | Second Grade | Third Grade | Fourth Grade | Fifth Grade |
Music | Music | Music | Music (Recorder) | Music | Music |
Band (Elective) | Band (Elective) | ||||
Drama (Elective) |
Performing Arts Best Practices
The Performing Arts faculty at Schoenly and Appleby School applies research-based best practices for effective instruction that includes, but is not limited to, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, discovery learning, cooperative learning, scaffolding, differentiated instruction, real-world applications, the selection of multicultural resources, and technology.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts Mission Statement
It is the mission of the Spotswood Public Schools Visual Arts Department to provide students with art experiences that develop and refine their art making techniques, problem solving skills, and cultural and historical artistic awareness.
Primary and elementary students in Spotswood Public Schools complete courses designed to provide them with a foundation and appreciation for the visual arts. The courses are sequenced in a way that supports the development of students’ analytical and evaluative skills. Students are introduced to diverse visual art forms and challenged to compare and contrast the many ways in which art conveys messages and emotions. While building a comprehensive understanding of the visual arts elements, students are taught to apply knowledge and creativity to their own works of art. The students realize that the creation of art is a rewarding process which helps promote social and intellectual growth.
Visual Arts Department Course Flow Chart
Kindergarten | First Grade | Second Grade | Third Grade | Fourth Grade | Fifth Grade |
Art | Art | Art | Art | Art | Art |
Visual Arts Best Practices
Visual Art teachers at Schoenly and Appleby School consistently apply research-based best practices for effective instruction including, but not limited to, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, discovery learning, cooperative learning, scaffolding, differentiated instruction, real-world applications, and technology.