Curriculum for Classrooms: K-5

HEALTH Kindergarten through Third ’Äì Children learn to practice safety and daily personal health care. They study the five senses and basic parts of the body. Students develop an awareness of nutrition and fitness and the role each plays in their health. The effect of drugs, alcohol and tobacco are presented in a manner appropriate to the children’Äôs level of understanding.
Fourth and Fifth ’Äì Family health, including human growth and development, is presented. The body systems and the effects that diseases and various substances have on them are taught. Concepts of fitness, nutrition, and personal safety are further developed.

MATHEMATICS
Goals:
1. Students will acquire mathematical skills, including the ability to perform routine computations and symbolic manipulation.
2. Students will develop an understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts.
3. Students will become mathematical problem solvers.
4. Students will learn to value mathematics and the qualitative nature of our world.
In Kindergarten through Fifth grade, mathematics is balanced with respect to curricular content and instructional approaches. In addition to traditional computational skills, topics from geometry, algebra, data analysis, and measurement are included at appropriate levels. The program utilizes concrete materials and experiences within the context of teacher-directed instruction to convey meaning and help motivate students to learn mathematics.

PERSONAL/SOCIAL SKILLS PROGRAM
Morley’Äôs Personal/Social Skills Program helps all students develop the behaviors, coping skills, and self-confidence needed to relate to themselves and others in a diverse and ever-changing world. The student goals in all grades are:
. Selects and uses age appropriate behavior.
. Selects and uses age appropriate coping skills.
. Demonstrates confidence in self.
. Interacts with others appropriately.
The goals are further defined by objectives, which are taught through integration into various curriculum areas. Early in the year, classroom routines and expectations are established. Time is spent creating a caring classroom environment that ensures all students feel respected and safe. Throughout the year, students learn the dynamics of cooperative learning by participation in group work. Problem solving skills are taught and practiced and all students receive information and resistance training regarding alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs. Each grade level also participates in service learning projects of their choice.

READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS
The ability to communicate ’Äì to read, write, listen, and speak well ’Äì is the key to success at Morley and in life. To ensure that all students read with meaning, write clearly, and speak and listen effectively, Morley provides a comprehensive, balanced and inclusive language arts program.
The following basic components are included in the Morley K-5 program:
. the curriculum is comprehensive in that it encompasses learning to read, personal reading, reading to learn, writing for multiple purposes, and speaking and listening both formally and informally.
. The instructional program focuses on direct, systematic instruction in basic skills including phonics. The skills, processes and strategies of phonics, vocabulary, and comprehension are emphasized.
. Students are provided a wide range of quality literature, both fiction and non-fiction that can nurture creative and logical thought, foster appreciation of cultures and history, and provide connections that enable students to build their view of the world.
. Students engage in abundant amounts of reading and writing daily to promote fluency and proficiency.
. All students are supported in the classroom through needs-based flexible groups that are taught daily at their instructional level using appropriate texts. These groups include special education students, high ability learners, English language learners, and students who profit from interventions such as Reading Recovery.
. Strategies such as trait-based writing and the writing process enable students to write to different audiences for a variety of purposes. Students advance from personal narratives using phonetic spellings to more advanced models of communication including creative writing, reports, and persuasion.
. The District literacy Objectives provide Morley teachers, students, and parents with a clear statement of what should be taught and learned at each grade level. Brochures outlining the objectives are available in the Morley office.

SCIENCE
The goal of the Morley science program is to help all students develop an understanding of the natural world and how humans utilize and impact the environment. The curriculum is based on Nebraska State Science Standards and the National Science Standards. The program stresses hands-on activities to develop inquiry and thinking skills, as well as science process skills. The program is structured to help students realize that science is part of every day life and affects all individuals. In all grades, the four themes studied are living things, the physical world, space/earth, and STS (science, technology, and society) environment. Students experiment and do hands-on-activities to learn to value curiosity, openness, inquiry, and critical thinking skills in science as part of every day living.

SOCIAL STUDIES
The primary purpose of Social Studies instruction is to develop capable citizens of a democratic society who are empowered with knowledge, skills and attitudes which enable them to make informed decisions in a culturally diverse and interdependent world. The scope of Social Studies content at Morley reflects State Social Studies Standards, and falls within the definition of Social Studies from National Council of Social Studies.

Social Studies is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the school program, social students provides coordinated, systematic instruction drawing upon such disciplines as anthropology, archaeology, economics, geography, history, law, philosophy, political science, psychology, religion, and sociology, as well as appropriate content from the humanities, mathematics, and natural sciences.

Social Studies in Kindergarten, first and second grades is taught through interdisciplinary units of study. K-1 students first begin to develop skills in geography, and learn about their families, their school, and the neighborhood. Second graders understand the meaning of and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Third graders study the Community of Lincoln. The downtown walking tour is a strong community link to the third grade classroom. Fourth grades study geographic regions of the United States, with a focus on Nebraska geography and settlements. A one-day, 1890 simulation at Heritage School is an integral part of the fourth grade curriculum. Fifth graders study the United States beginning with the establishment of indigenous people in North America through the events of the 1800s. Stories of the struggle for freedom and equality focus on multicultural, as well as historical knowledge.

MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION
Multicultural education is the identification, selection and infusion of specific knoweldge, skills and attitudes for the purpose of:
- Affirming the culture, history and contributions that shall include but not be limited to African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans.
- Challenging and eliminating racism, prejudice, bigotry, discrimination and stereotyping based on race;
- Valuing multiple cultural perspectives; and
-Providing all students with opportunities to "see themselves" in the educational environment in positive ways and on a continuing basis.
- To promote and support multicultural education at Morley, the district's plan to implement Rule 16/LB 922 is as follows:
1. Curriculum and instruction infusion.
2. Climate and Environment.
3. Staff Development.
4. Assessment.