Grades 1-3 at Hamlin follow STEMscopes Math Curriculum

 

Each lesson is built by chunking information into bite-size pieces. Our units (called “scopes”) are digestible and engaging. On average, a scope takes one to two weeks to complete. Pillars to STEMscopes include:

Engagement 

The Engage section is all about laying the foundation for learning. This section begins by pre-assessing students and filling knowledge gaps. The Hook then lays out a storyline narrative to establish a purpose for learning and captures students’ attention with real-world connections.

Exploration

This is where students dig into the meat of the content. The Explore section provides scaffolded hands-on activities that build toward mastery of the standards. Each lesson provides prompts for rich mathematical discourse and student reasoning; tying in with real-world examples.

Evaluation

From multiple choice-based assessments to open-ended reasoning prompts, there’s an evaluation for a range of different learning styles.

 

Our Mission to Build Confident Readers

Building the strong reading foundation every student deserves can be a struggle. Our curriculum is designed to provide targeted foundational skill instruction using interactive, multi-sensory approaches. It keeps students engaged, excited, and advancing.

Our approach to teaching phonics and spelling concepts is based on foundational research in science of reading and cognitive science.

Tools Our Teachers Use to Enable Success

- Letter tile activities allow students to practice spelling, alphabetizing, and recognizing letters.

- Explicit, systematic handwriting instruction follows the same alphabet sequence as the one used to teach letters and sounds.

- Engaging activities pertaining to alphabetical order, letter sounds, and proper letter formation.

Additionally, homework folders act as a mini skills reference guide for students to use at home.

For English Language Learners, our fluency masters complement the fluency readers and provide additional exposure to high-frequency words.

Real Science with Inquiry-Based, Hands-On Investigation

Our curriculum, STEMscopes Texas, creates a student-centric blended STEM learning environment where teachers are able to teach and accelerate their students.

Our teachers focus on student engagement, rigor, and achievement. The core principles are based on vast research with continuous teacher input/updates.

Our Core Teaching Principles 

- Results-Driven

- Engagement-Sparking

- Hands-on

- Feedback-Centered

- Assessments for Various Learning Styles

Topics Being Explored This Year

Matter

Energy

Force and Motion

Earth Materials and Natural Resources

Patterns in Weather and Appearance of the Moon

Organisms and Environments

Physical Characteristics and Behaviors of Organisms

Life Cycle

Our unique "workshop model" curriculum addresses literacy, content areas, and social-emotional learning through project-based inquiry.

Readers feature high-interest topics for both guided and independent reading. Students tackle social studies and science themes.

Each Unit of Study introduces the unit theme and essential question. The weekly sections build to the culminating project-based inquiry activity given at the end of each week. Each lesson features a reading workshop with an infographic, a foundational skill to focus on, a main reading selection in a specific genre (realistic fiction, informational text, poetry, etc.), a reading-writing bridge, and a writing workshop.

"MyTurn" questions give students a chance to answer questions about comprehension, vocabulary, and other Language Arts skills; "Turn and Talk" sections encourage working with a partner and build collaborative skills while encouraging self-directed learning. 

 

Reading sections include whole-group and small-group sections; Reading Bridge activities help students to study the author's craft, word study, spelling and language and conventions. 

Our curriculum covers:

short vowels, long vowels CVCe, consonant blends, inflected endings, r-controlled vowels, contractions, setting and plot, singular and plural nouns, possessive nouns, gathering relevant sources, collective nouns, reading comprehension, and more.