Mathematics

The K-2 Mathematics program provides a challenging, developmentally appropriate, and joyful learning environment for children. Primary-age learners need opportunities, which include music, storytelling, and drama as they confront challenges of geometry, patterning, estimating and counting, measuring, adding and subtracting, money, place value counting, and extended number patterns. Our goal is to develop understanding and insight into the patterns of mathematics through the use of concrete materials. Activities are designed to help young children see relationships and interconnections in mathematics and to enable them to deal flexibly with mathematical concepts and skills. To this end we have aligned our curriculum with the state mathematics standards; and, additionally, have pinpointed a set of Power Standards at each of the primary grade levels. Our resources include the philosophy and materials of: Investigations in Number, Data, and Space, which is our core curriculum in Grades Kindergarten, First and Second.  It is designed to engage students in making sense of mathematical ideas.  The curriculum is designed to:

·         Support students to make sense of mathematics and learn that they can be mathematical thinkers.

·         Focus on computational fluency with whole numbers as a major goal of the elementary grades.

·         Provide substantive work in important areas of mathematics - - rational numbers, geometry, measurement, data, and early algebra - - and connections among them.

·         Emphasize reasoning about mathematical ideas.
Communicate mathematics content and pedagogy to teachers.

Language Arts

Davis Primary has developed a research-supported balanced literacy program.  Components include an emergent literacy curriculum in kindergarten, which focuses on phonemic awareness skills, phonics, vocabulary, and fluency instruction.  Guided reading and writing are the foundation of the first and second grade curriculum.  Kindergarten students begin this program as emergent skills are mastered.  Other pieces of the balanced literacy approach are listening skills, sequential and systemic phonics, spelling, block and cursive writing.  Children read from a wealth of available materials—reading books, take home books, trade books and guided reading books.  In addition, children may receive reinforcement and assistance through Reading Recovery, Title One Reading, instructional aides, and parental help.

Science

The Full Option Science System, or FOSS, is the core of the primary science curriculum.  It was selected after a two-year study of elementary science programs and carries the recommendation of the National Science Foundation.  This hands-on investigative approach to teaching to our primary Power Standards includes two units per grade level.  In Kindergarten children learn about trees, their identification through the use of keys, and their life cycles.  Their second unit is a natural extension of the tree study, allowing them to explore the many uses of wood and paper.  First grade units include “Balance and Motion” where students explore concepts such as “counterweight.”  They also study plant growth from seeds and cuttings.  In second grade they learn about “Air and Weather” and “Insects.”  Mealworms, silkworms, and butterflies are the subject of these investigations.

World Languages

All students receive forty minutes of Spanish instruction once in each five-day cycle.  This program is designed to introduce primary-age learners to use basic greetings, respond appropriately to simple questions and commands, use culturally appropriate expressions, and recognize everyday objects and use the Spanish names. 

Fine Arts

Children are naturally creative and curious.  Visual art classes allow them to pursue their own ideas while being guided and challenged.  New artistic techniques are investigated, then expanded and combined as the children progress throughout the grade levels.  Students are also exposed to artwork of people of other cultures and nations.  The goal is to furnish them with knowledge and experience that will benefit them as lifelong learners.

Physical Education 

All students have physical education classes twice in each five day cycle. The program for first and second grades provides activities that improve each child's aerobic capacity, loco-motor skills, moving in open space, and organized sports skill development.  Kindergarten students develop basic loco-motor skills through a game approach, including chase and fleeing games, hula hoop spinning, parachute activities, races, relays, ball handling skills, and jumping rope.  Students work individually, with partners, and in small and large groups, cooperating, developing teamwork and sharing equipment.  Appropriate equipment is adapted for each for each grade level. Some of the low organization activities include tag games, parachute activities, hula hoop spinning, jumping rope and tumbling. Basketball, soccer and floor hockey are adapted for each grade level.  Students earn toe tokens (small shaped feet made of plastic) by accumulating laps that add up to be a mile.  Families are encouraged to be active with their children through home-based extensions of the physical education program.