This page will give you information on the curriculum we use in the classroom everyday.
The Core Knowledge Sequence is predicated on the realization that what children are able to learn at any given moment depends on what they already know—and, equally important, that what they know is a function of previous experience and teaching. Although current events and technology are constantly changing, there is a body of lasting knowledge and skills that form the core of a strong preschool–grade 8 curriculum. Explicit identification of what children should learn at each grade level ensures a coherent approach to building knowledge across all grade levels. Every child should learn the fundamentals of science, basic principles of government, important events in world history, essential elements of mathematics, widely acknowledged masterpieces of art and music from around the world, and stories and poems passed down from generation to generation.
A Coherent, Cumulative, and Content-Specific Curriculum
The idea behind the Core Knowledge Sequence is simple and powerful: knowledge builds on knowledge. For the sake of academic excellence, greater fairness, and higher literacy, Core Knowledge provides a core curriculum that is coherent, cumulative, and content-specific in order to help children establish strong foundations of knowledge, grade by grade.
If all of our children are to be fully educated and participate equally in civic life, then we must provide each of them with the shared body of knowledge that makes literacy and communication possible. This concept, central to the Core Knowledge Foundation’s goal of excellence and equity in education, takes shape in the Sequence—a pioneering attempt to outline the specific core of shared knowledge that all children should learn in American schools.
SRA Imagine It! is a comprehensive core reading and language arts curriculum for grades Pre-K-6.
SRA Imagine It! is a core curriculum addressing all five areas of reading and writing. It has abundant curriculum links to science and social studies, and assessment that informs instruction. There are tools and support for differentiating instruction, which include materials for students who are Approaching Level, On Level, Above Level and English Learners. With SRA Imagine It! dreams become reality, the imagined comes alive, lives change-all through reading. By tapping into their imaginations, the program helps students unleash their potential. At all Levels, SRA Imagine It! delivers on the promise, “reading takes you places”.
Everyday Mathematics Philosophy
To guide curriculum development, the original Everyday Mathematics authors formulated a set of beliefs and principles based on previous research that showed which methods worked best in other countries and in the authors’ own field research.
Based on these principles, the original Everyday Mathematics authors identified guidelines for teaching to help children build a strong mathematical foundation in their elementary years:
- Move from nearly exclusive emphasis on number calculation to developing conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills in arithmetic, data, probability, geometry, algebra, and functions.
- Link mathematics to everyday situations.
- Link past experiences to new concepts and provide for ongoing, spaced review.
- Make considerable use of partner and small-group activities.
- Include hands-on activities and explorations throughout the K–6 program.
- Buildfact power through daily oral practice, conceptual activities, and games.
- Encourage use and sharing of multiple strategies.
- Provide a wide variety of assessment opportunities.
- Encourage home-school partnerships.
These principles led to the features that guide the Everyday Mathematics program and are a hallmark of its success today. Read more about Everyday Mathematics curriculum features.