OLE Charter Goals
At Optimum Learning Environments School our mission is to enable students to be 21st Century lifelong learners and workers who are prepared for the environmental, technological, and social challenges of an increasingly diverse and advancing society.
To achieve our mission we have high academic standards and goals in each domain area.
Civics Goals
Technology Goals:
Taken from ISTE’s (International Society for Technology in Education) Educational Technology Standards for Students
Environmental Goals
To achieve our mission we have high academic standards and goals in each domain area.
Civics Goals
- Students will study the democratic process and participate in a direct experience with representative democracy. Students attending 5 years would have experiences at each of the following levels; class, school, city, state, national.
- Students will study a local social service or community cause and participate in support of the effort.
- Students will study appropriate meaningful assets from the “40 Developmental Assets” and participate in a class activity to promote at least one asset.
- Students will examine current events through informational media.
Technology Goals:
Taken from ISTE’s (International Society for Technology in Education) Educational Technology Standards for Students
- Creativity and Innovation
Students will demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. - Communication and Collaboration
Students will use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual
learning and contribute to the learning of others. - Research and Information Fluency
Students will apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information - Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students will use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. - Digital Citizenship
Students will understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. - Technology Operations and Concepts
Students will demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations.
Environmental Goals
- Students will learn environmental citizenship and become environmentally literate through study, observation and direct experience in the following areas:
• Sustainability / Conservation Ethic
• Green School Practices - Students will study relationships between people, plants, animals and water in the classroom and school yard habitat, culminating in a school-wide, community-based environmental effort.
- Students will show care and concern for animals, the environment, and the human community through action projects.
- Students will share their knowledge learned through the above goals by educating others. Students attending 5 years would have experiences communicating information at each of the following levels; classroom, school, and public.
Classroom Curriculum
INSTRUCTION BASED ON COMMON CORE STANDARDS
LITERACY
Salem-Keizer School District’s literacy model reflects current research and best practices for teaching literacy. More information on each of the elements of the literacy model can be found at:
http://www.salemkeizer.org/content/common-literacy-model
Salem-Keizer School District’s literacy model reflects current research and best practices for teaching literacy. More information on each of the elements of the literacy model can be found at:
http://www.salemkeizer.org/content/common-literacy-model
READING
Purposeful instruction, modeled, shared; guided and independent reading and word study are essential to effective reading instruction and will be used daily in our classroom. Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary will be taught using the Making Meaning and CAFÉ curricula and Primary Comprehension Toolkit. CAFÉ provides a framework in the classroom that includes “I Can Learning Targets”. Small-group guided instruction is based on clusters of students with similar goals, and whole class instruction focuses on emerging student needs. Students also participate in Literacy Centers. This includes a series of literacy tasks which students complete daily while the teacher meets with small groups or confers with individuals. It is a structure that will help students develop the daily habits of reading, writing and working with peers that will lead to a lifetime of independent literacy. Making Meaning and Primary Comprehension Toolkit are reading comprehension programs for fiction and non-fiction skills and strategies that integrate academic achievement with social development. Through the use of read-alouds, partner work, discussions and daily independent reading, students learn comprehension strategies that help them make sense of texts.
SPELLING – Word Study
The Rebecca Sitton Spelling and Word Skills program will be used. Instead of a “spelling list” going home each Monday with a test to follow on Friday, in class there will be daily work and instruction which is research-based to ensure that students learn to spell for writing. That is, to spell words forever, not just for a test. Assessment will occur in class, and students will have weekly word studies based on the second grade spelling words. I will send home the list of second grade core words for parents. These words can be worked on at home and will continue to be used in the lessons at school.
WRITING
Writing instruction will be based upon Being a Writer and The Common Core Writing Book curricula. I use a Writer’s Workshop model that is divided into three main components: 1.) A mini-lesson that teaches a specific writing concept to the whole class. 2.) A writing and conferring portion that allows students to try out the previously learned concept in their own writing. 3.) A sharing time that gives students the opportunity to share and discuss how they used the particular strategy in their writing.
Often other content areas, especially science, are integrated into reading and writing that provides students with meaningful purpose to communicate well.
Purposeful instruction, modeled, shared; guided and independent reading and word study are essential to effective reading instruction and will be used daily in our classroom. Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary will be taught using the Making Meaning and CAFÉ curricula and Primary Comprehension Toolkit. CAFÉ provides a framework in the classroom that includes “I Can Learning Targets”. Small-group guided instruction is based on clusters of students with similar goals, and whole class instruction focuses on emerging student needs. Students also participate in Literacy Centers. This includes a series of literacy tasks which students complete daily while the teacher meets with small groups or confers with individuals. It is a structure that will help students develop the daily habits of reading, writing and working with peers that will lead to a lifetime of independent literacy. Making Meaning and Primary Comprehension Toolkit are reading comprehension programs for fiction and non-fiction skills and strategies that integrate academic achievement with social development. Through the use of read-alouds, partner work, discussions and daily independent reading, students learn comprehension strategies that help them make sense of texts.
- I encourage you to review 2nd grade Common Core Reading Standards located on Salem-Keizer District website - CIA (Curriculum Instruction Assessment).
SPELLING – Word Study
The Rebecca Sitton Spelling and Word Skills program will be used. Instead of a “spelling list” going home each Monday with a test to follow on Friday, in class there will be daily work and instruction which is research-based to ensure that students learn to spell for writing. That is, to spell words forever, not just for a test. Assessment will occur in class, and students will have weekly word studies based on the second grade spelling words. I will send home the list of second grade core words for parents. These words can be worked on at home and will continue to be used in the lessons at school.
WRITING
Writing instruction will be based upon Being a Writer and The Common Core Writing Book curricula. I use a Writer’s Workshop model that is divided into three main components: 1.) A mini-lesson that teaches a specific writing concept to the whole class. 2.) A writing and conferring portion that allows students to try out the previously learned concept in their own writing. 3.) A sharing time that gives students the opportunity to share and discuss how they used the particular strategy in their writing.
Often other content areas, especially science, are integrated into reading and writing that provides students with meaningful purpose to communicate well.
- I encourage you to review 2nd grade Common Core Writing Standards located on Salem-Keizer Distrct website - CIA (Curriculum Instruction Assessment).
MATH
Bridges math curriculum, Number Corner, Student Centered Math and other research based supplemental support will be utilized for math instruction. Bridges provides engaging, hands on approach to building math concepts. Number Corner gives students daily time to learn and practice math skills. Small group instruction will be used for students where specialized instruction is needed to enrich and assist. The current 2nd grade common core standards and student mathematical practices are VERY RIGOROUS. Your support at home will be necessary.
I encourage you to review 2nd grade Common Core Math Standards located on Salem-Keizer Distrct website - CIA (Curriculum Instruction Assessment).I am happy to provide them for you as well.
Bridges math curriculum, Number Corner, Student Centered Math and other research based supplemental support will be utilized for math instruction. Bridges provides engaging, hands on approach to building math concepts. Number Corner gives students daily time to learn and practice math skills. Small group instruction will be used for students where specialized instruction is needed to enrich and assist. The current 2nd grade common core standards and student mathematical practices are VERY RIGOROUS. Your support at home will be necessary.
I encourage you to review 2nd grade Common Core Math Standards located on Salem-Keizer Distrct website - CIA (Curriculum Instruction Assessment).I am happy to provide them for you as well.
SCIENCE
We will be using the National Geographic Science, Milmark Science as well as our Naturescape and other Charter developed curriculum. Students will be out in the Naturescape learning “hands on” especially during September & October, which provides a strong foundation for BIOLOGY – Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems – Biodiversity and Humans.
“Next Generation” Disciplinary Core also includes:
HEALTH
The Great Body Shop newsletters and activities will be used to teach health and safety: http://www.thegreatbodyshop.net/.
SOCIAL SCIENCE –SOCIAL SKILLS
Second Steps uses video and photographs to give children visuals of social situations similar to those they may face in their daily lives. Problem solving tools and making good decision are a focus for this curriculum. Counselor Ortman will be providing monthly guidance lessons to the students to establish social interaction norms.
We now have state standards in SOCIAL SCIENCE that include the following areas:
Click here for 2nd grade State Social Science Standards.
We will be using the National Geographic Science, Milmark Science as well as our Naturescape and other Charter developed curriculum. Students will be out in the Naturescape learning “hands on” especially during September & October, which provides a strong foundation for BIOLOGY – Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems – Biodiversity and Humans.
“Next Generation” Disciplinary Core also includes:
- PHYSICAL – Structure and Properties of Matter - Chemical Reactions
- EARTH-SPACE - History of the Planet Earth – Earth Materials and Systems – Plate Tectonics and Large-Scale System Interactions – Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes.
- Imbedded into content are Engineering Design and Science Inquiry.
- Click here for 2nd grade “Next Generation Core Discipline Science Standards”
HEALTH
The Great Body Shop newsletters and activities will be used to teach health and safety: http://www.thegreatbodyshop.net/.
SOCIAL SCIENCE –SOCIAL SKILLS
Second Steps uses video and photographs to give children visuals of social situations similar to those they may face in their daily lives. Problem solving tools and making good decision are a focus for this curriculum. Counselor Ortman will be providing monthly guidance lessons to the students to establish social interaction norms.
We now have state standards in SOCIAL SCIENCE that include the following areas:
- Historical Knowledge
- Historical Thinking
- Geography
- Civics and Government
- Economics/Financial Literacy
- Social Science Analysis
Click here for 2nd grade State Social Science Standards.
QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS
If you have any questions or concerns about your individual child, please contact me to make an appointment. I am available VERY early in the morning (I arrive at school most days by 6:20 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays I have 7:45 Professional Development and PLC meetings, so a Monday, Tuesday or Friday is better. I can also do after school with plenty of notice.
503-399-5548 (leave call back number)
or email [email protected]
(Allow one week for response.)
Laurie Aguirre
If you have any questions or concerns about your individual child, please contact me to make an appointment. I am available VERY early in the morning (I arrive at school most days by 6:20 a.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays I have 7:45 Professional Development and PLC meetings, so a Monday, Tuesday or Friday is better. I can also do after school with plenty of notice.
503-399-5548 (leave call back number)
or email [email protected]
(Allow one week for response.)
Laurie Aguirre