Curriculum at Westside School
At all grade levels the curriculum is integrated, which means that one topic of study (social studies or science) may include reading, writing, spelling, art, public speaking, research skills, and math. The curriculum fosters critical thinking skills and encourages the expression of opinions both verbally and in writing, which helps students become life long learners. It also supports student inquiry and topic exploration.
Language Arts Curriculum
Students acquire and apply language skills in a wide variety of areas and applications. Our language arts program includes verbal communication, listening, reading, writing, grammar, phonics, spelling, and dictionary use. At Westside, we practice and apply the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Language Arts (NCTLA) and the International Reading Association.
Students are exposed to elements of literature and actively discuss each piece, delving beyond character, plot and setting. They use context cues, word identification strategies and sentence structure to read and understand a variety of texts. Through silent reading, guided reading and story time, students learn to become both active listeners and active readers, and demonstrate these skills both verbally and in writing.
Students at Westside write using a variety of forms. Sometimes, they write narrative pieces. At other times, their writing might be more expository or persuasive. But each style follows the careful editing process of drafting, re-writing, publishing and presenting, applying the rules of sentence and paragraph structure, voice, word choice, organization and writing convention. As students progress through Westside, they also begin to do research projects, using print resources and technology to conduct their investigation. They learn to ask questions, recognize problems, gather information and create reports that demonstrate their understanding and subject knowledge. This entire process helps students develop the strong writing skills they will need for the rest of their life.
Math Curriculum
Students learn math skills and apply their knowledge in “real world” problems. Students demonstrate their understanding through numbers, pictures, writing and speaking. At Westside, we practice and apply the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics in conjunction with The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM.) The strands of these mathematics standards include skill acquisition in:
Numbers and Operations
Algebraic Thinking
Geometry
Measurement
Data Analysis and Probability, and
Problem Solving
Students start their math exploration by using hands-on manipulatives, such as pattern blocks, tiles, and cubes. As they begin to understand concepts and acquire more math skills, they delve deeper into reasoning and problem solving. Throughout their time at Westside, students read, comprehend and communicate mathematical directions, problems, symbols, charts and graphs. By the time they graduate, they are able to understand mathematical processes, problem solve and explain how and why they arrived at the answer, discuss a variety of mathematical strategies and demonstrate their proficiency in each of the math strands.
Science Curriculum
Science incorporates hands-on exploration and experimentation, observation, research and investigation. Students learn to formulate questions, find answers, and present outcomes. This inquiry-based method of scientific study is recognized and outlined by the National Science Foundation, and it supports the standards set forth by the National Science Teachers’ Association (NSTA). At all grade levels, science topics are selected from the major science strands of physics, chemistry, life sciences and earth sciences.
Students understand that science is the result of investigation and theory. Topics are taught in grade level sequence, with basic scientific concepts introduced in preschool to selected, intensive, integrated topics introduced in fifth grade.
At all grade levels, students:
Formulate questions that can be answered through scientific investigations.
Understand relationship between explanation and evidence.
Gather evidence and design investigations and observations.
Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data.
Communicate process and results - describe, explain and predict using models as evidence.
Social Studies Curriculum
The social studies curriculum helps students understand the political, economic, historical, cultural and environmental aspects of societies in the past, present and future. Learning about different cultures develops an awareness of the larger world, and students stretch their own perceptions and attitudes as they learn about other traditions. The study of culture and making global connections helps students apply their knowledge of the past and present to build a future.
Students hear modern and historical cultural stories; they learn to locate themselves on maps and globes in relation to places they study; they develop a spatial sense of the world and an awareness of the physical properties and characteristics that shape life, culture and regions; they get a sense of interactions between humans and their environments; they gain an understanding of place and culture.
Our social studies curriculum follows the thematic strands outlined by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS).