Curriculum
English Language Arts
The mission of the Todd Elementary School English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum is to engage all learners in rigorous, authentic learning that sets the groundwork for students to communicate effectively, write clearly, read deeply, and think critically. Student-centered learning in ELA revolves around fostering a growing enjoyment of reading and appreciation for lifelong learning. Students evaluate and synthesize information from digital and print sources to achieve determined objectives and personal goals. Through discourse, wide reading across genres, and research, students build the comprehension skills necessary to make meaning of a range of both print and digital media sources. Students are guided towards generating questions and seeking answers through a critical lens. Through opportunities for choice and collaboration, students read, write, listen, and speak across a variety of cross-curricular contexts, weaving technology throughout to enhance learning experiences. The ELA curriculum prepares students to become contributing, active citizens of a global society.
Fundations
Fundations is a phonics and word study program that provides a structured approach to literacy through multi-sensory learning experiences. Explicit instruction and practice take place in a systematic, cumulative, diagnostic, and integrated manner, which allows students to practice the skills required for independent reading and spelling. Fundations, a foundational prevention program, is implemented to help reduce reading and spelling by teaching the underlying structure of the English language by connecting current learning to previous skills in a spiraling scope and sequence. The program utilizes an effective approach that teaches decoding and spelling concurrently. It is aligned to the Next Generation Learnings Standards, specifically the reading standards: foundational skills strands for kindergarten through third grade.
Mathematics
At Todd Elementary we use Reveal Math, a comprehensive research based, standards aligned program designed to build conceptual understanding . We have a student-centered, inquiry approach to math instruction with an emphasis on problem-solving and discussion for students to explain their mathematical thinking to each other. Our rigorous program engages students through activity based exploration with use of concrete and pictorial representations that can be applied to solve real-world problems.
Social Studies
Todd School uses the Integrated Social Studies/ELA curriculum developed by teachers in the Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES Consortium and aligned to the New York State Social Studies Framework. Social Studies provides a coordinated approach to help our students develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good, as citizens of a culturally diverse society in an interdependent world. More specifically, the key ideas outlined by the framework include US and World History, Geography, Economics, Civics, Citizenship and Government. Critical thinking skills are developed as students learn and explore these concepts across grade levels.
Science
Science 21© is an integrated K-5 science curriculum developed locally and regionally at the Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES. It is a science program "Designed by Teachers for Teachers". It is aligned to the New York State Science Learning Standards and helps students to engage in the sense-making of disciplinary science phenomena by using the Science and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts.
The program's major emphasis is on investigations that are student-directed and relevant to students' everyday lives. The program's focus is to have students engage in minds-on and hands-on science tasks integrate practices of ELA, Math and Social Studies where they fit naturally. Science 21© is supported by kits and professional development specific for each grade and unit.
Science 21© is a K-5 vertically and horizontally articulated science sequence, developed at Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES, in which tasks build science conceptual development from unit to unit and grade to grade. There are three units at K-2 and four units 3-5. The science kits and sequence are specific for each grade level provides the teacher with the materials to conduct all the activities. Each grade level curriculum provides relevant, grade-appropriate experiences in physical science, earth/space science, life science, and engineering.