The Ellington curriculum develops children's knowledge and skills physically, socially, emotionally, and intellectually, while helping children to become independent learners.

Each child is viewed as a unique person with an individual pattern and pace of growth. Different levels of ability, development, and learning styles are expected, accepted, and used to design curriculum and instruction.

Curriculum areas are frequently combined to show relationships among different subjects. For example, language arts and math activities are combined with science and social studies as students find solutions to a challenging problem.

Language Arts

Reading

Using a thematic approach through the Houghton Mifflin Literature Experience program (1991), children learn to read The components include phonemic awareness, sight vocabulary, context clues, and comprehension strategies. Writing activities, shared reading and theme projects are the basis. Themes include Animal Friends, I Can Do It!, Wild Animals, Come Out, Good Friends, Good Times, Helping Out, Something Special, Surprise, Scared Silly, Cats, Family Treasures, Old Favorites.

Writing

Children use the writing process (prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) to do a variety of writing activities that extend literature experiences. Journal pages, descriptive sentences and writing center activities are used, along with demand writing exercises.

Spelling

The Cast A Spell program teaches students the strategies they need to become good spellers. With daily training, they learn to use the auditory, visual and kinesthetic process required to spell words. The students are required to master a core group of words.

Handwriting

Follows the Zaner-Bloser handwriting program.

Mathematics

With an emphasis on problem solving and thinking skills, children will work on strategies for: patterns and relationships (graphing), adding and subtracting, number sense, money, measurement, fractions, time and geometry. The math program Trailblazers is used for math instruction.

Social Studies

Children learn skills to build a school community that will prepare them for their role as citizens in a democratic society. Activities for building self concept continue through the year. They use literature and group activities to learn appropriate ways to express feelings. Map skills and components are introduced. Family celebrations and traditions are explored and compared and contrasted with Mexico.

Science/Health

The program uses projects and experiences that explore plants, the solar system, the ocean, properties, nutrition, and personal safety. Here's Looking At You 2000, a health program, is also used.

Art

The program develops an appreciation of art and gives opportunities to create art in a variety of media.

Music

This program develops an appreciation for various types of music, and skills such as melody and rhythm.

Physical Education

Physical Education engages students in carefully planned and sequenced movement experiences that teach them about themselves and their world.

Technology

Use of technology is an integrated part of most areas of the curriculum.

Homework

Homework is given on an occasional basis and contributes to classroom projects; e.g., cutting out pictures, bringing in materials such as leaves, rocks, etc. Students and parents read to each other on a regular basis, practice writing letters and engage in other activities which reinforce skill development.

Updated on 1 May 2002.