Our teachers collaborate and in consult with the county curriculum specialists to ensure that our curriculum materials cover the Florida State Standards. Whenever possible, we incorporate the arts into the basic curriculum, and teachers have the freedom to develop and expand units to meet the needs of their students.
Overview
Language Arts: Expressions selected Florida Wonders (Mc Graw Hill), a Florida state adopted textbook series as the comprehensive English language arts program. In addition, classroom teachers add novel studies, literature circles, and independent reading projects to the reading instructional block. These ‘extra’ reading instructional sources allow arts infusion, such as informal Reader’s Theatre performances. Our focus on writing as a way to communicate begins in the lower grades, and culminates with powerful essay and creative writing from our oldest students.
Math: Our HMH GO Math! texts are heavily enriched with hands-on learning, additional practice sessions, and creative ways to get our students engaged in understanding math found in the world around them.
Science: McGraw-Hill’s Florida Science is the basic building block for our Science program. We add in frequent hands-on lessons, field trips to the Cade Museum, and classroom visits from UF’s Science Ambassadors to strengthen our scientific knowledge.
Social Studies: Social Studies Weekly is also used as a foundation for our social studies units. Our teachers add units on our community, the environment, Florida history, civics and government, caring for our neighbors, and our nation’s history. We also use Nystrom’s Young Citizens social studies curriculum.
Drama: Our drama program is the cornerstone of our Character Education curriculum. It requires firm commitment from our students, parents, and staff. Our yearly school-wide production involving collaboration between classes, development of production skills, and application of drama techniques. This production showcases our fifth grade class, who share major roles and responsibilities associated with the play. Past plays have included Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory, Carnival of the Animals, The Lion King, Madagascar, Peter Pan Jr., Space Pirates, and Annie. Our individual class productions allow each grade to independently perform a short theatre piece to the school and their parents. Works range from student-written material to excerpts from Macbeth. In both productions, attitude, commitment, cooperation, willingness to support others, and individual student interests determine the level of participation. We have found that as the the year evolves, the children set their own high expectations, and meet them every time! An after-school drama club is available to first through fifth graders who wish to expand their drama studies.
Music: All of our students have formal music classes twice a week. In addition to singing, learning music theory, and studying music history, all of our first, second, and third graders learn to play recorders. Our fourth and fifth graders spend their formal music classes in band, where they perform music from traditional holiday songs to current pop pieces arranged by our band teacher. Music Play Online comprehensive music curriculum is also used in the K-3 classes. Classroom teachers include music to enhance social studies skills and literature units by involving students as listeners and participants, and an after-school chorus club is offered to students in grades 1 through 5.
Movement and Dance: Movement and Dance instruction provided at Expressions provides opportunities to develop physical skills and memory enhancement. Social skills and cooperation are developed in student collaboration. Many dance genres are covered, including tap and hip-hop units. Our school-wide and class productions include significant choreography and often highlight specific dance numbers. Our teachers and students love to move, and might just throw an impromptu dance party to brighten up a lesson!
Visual Arts: Our teachers incorporate visual art into the core curriculum whenever possible. In particular, social studies units contain many opportunities for the students to produce drawings, paintings, sculpture, pottery, and to build architectural models. Twice a week, students participate in a formal art class, which includes art techniques and art history.
Physical Education/Health: Movement exercises and dance are large component of our physical education program. In addition, all classes participate in walking around our Dragon Track for additional cardio fitness. Health topics are covered in P.E. and in classroom science units.
Spanish: All children participate in a weekly Spanish Exposure class. These classes are an exciting mix of games, songs, conversation, and fun in Spanish. These classes are supplemented by other teachers who have many Spanish resources that they may incorporate into other units. Some examples are Spanish songs, Spanish calendars and Spanish versions of literature used in language arts units.