Page 6 - GRADE 5 Curriculum Guide

HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL?

• Assessment by evaluation of the student projects and productions (not testing)
• Student presentation of work for the community at the end of each learning set / Student articulation of
what they know and can do in individual/small group/class group learning celebrations.
• Compliance with Ministry mandates in order to use data to inform curriculum development, review,
teaching and learning.
o MAP to monitor student progress and attainment
o CAT 4 to identify student cognitive abilities

WHAT DOES A PROGRESSIVE CLASSROOM LOOK LIKE?
At Clarion, the children are given the tools, materials, opportunities and guidance to pursue their own interests
within the curriculum in deep ways. Students are taught how to think rather than being told what to think
about. Our students learn through experiencing, asking questions and exploring. Doing this means it will be
‘theirs forever’.

Furniture Arrangements
Our spaces are often defined by the work we do in each area. We have tables in clusters and a meeting area
in every room. Children learn as individuals, in small groups and as a whole group. Tables are arranges so
that children experience each other as resources and for inspiration – with an emphasis on the fact that
everyone has strengths and skills to work on. Collaborative work is encouraged, but boundaries are respected
so that children can feel ownership over their own work.

Classrooms are rich in resources and materials
Early Years classroom shave many open ended materials, Exploration is encouraged and designed to
support discovery and master in a range of domains. Didactic materials are also used to support skill
development
Elementary classrooms have print rich environments as well as defined areas to support Reading, Writing,
Math, Science and the Arts. Use of technology by children becomes a larger part of the curriculum in Grade
3 and continues to develop into the Middle School.

Rooms are deliberately organized
Areas are clearly defined according to function. Shelves are labeled with words and/or pictures and schedules
are prominently displayed so that children develop familiarity with the routines of school and feel in control of
the space, materials and the flow of time. Everyone in the classroom community contributes to the
appearance and organization of the environment and helps to develop and maintain it.

Our walls and bulletin boards
Pictures, charts, schedules and graphs tell a story for each classroom about the work that children are engage
in, the things they are wondering about, the social relationships they are developing. Art, Literacy Math and
Unit of study work is displayed both inside and outside the room and demonstrates the integration of
curriculum areas as well as the importance of all subjects that children participate in. The work displayed
represents all of the students in the class.

The Language you hear
Teachers use language to affirm, redirect correct, encourage, limit or elicit ideas from children. Adults are
often heard framing their observations and questions to affirm the behavior they would like to reinforce. Open
ended questions, space for the quiet thoughtful child in meeting, limiting an impulsive behavior are all done
from the foundation of respectful trusting relationships among adults and children. We expect that children
will learn from this model and engage with their peers similarly.

Classroom Structure in the Clarion Classroom
Classroom structure and curriculum take into account the developmental stage of students. The younger
children are in a self-contained classroom with a Master Educator and a Teaching Assistant, and often a
support member of staff. Their classroom is the center of all learning activities with Social Studies, Science,
Literacy and the Expressive Arts, Arabic, French and Technology integrated into the daily work and play of
the children. Although they leave their room for outdoor time, and time with specialists in Physical Education
skills and swimming. Their classroom life offers them the emotional security provided by a small stable
community and familiar environment. As students progress through school, informational demands increase
in the various subject areas and children see more specialist teachers. While subject areas are clearly defined
and studied, the concept of the self-contained classroom continue to influence the schedule and classroom
organization.

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