Elementary Curriculum Overview
Grade 5 Curriculum Overview
Learning standards in English Language Arts are organized into five strands: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening, and Language strands for conceptual clarity. Each strand is one aspect of the processes of communication and is closely connected to the others.
Reading Informational TextThe MA ELA Frameworks (2011) call for students to do a substantial percentage of reading of informational text. In Grades K-5, the reading of informational text is integrated into the Science, Technology, Engineering curriculum and the Social Studies curriculum in an effort to build students vocabulary and concept knowledge and their understanding of the content being studied.
Reading Foundational SkillsFoundational skills, including phonics, word recognition and fluency, provide the backbone of Newton’s comprehensive reading program designed to develop proficient readers with the capacity to comprehend texts across a range of types and disciplines. In fifth grade, fluency and word work are woven into differentiated group instruction.
Literary Text Units of Study
Launching Reading Workshop
Overview: Students are introduced to the routines, procedures, and processes of reading workshop. In addition they define and practice academic strategies, including: analyzing, evaluating, summarizing, comparing and contrasting, predicting, explaining, and inferring.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Readers grow stronger by thinking,
talking and writing about reading. Readers develop and sustain independent
reading lives.
What skills does a good reader need to use?
What habits does a good reader need to develop?
How do readers set goals and plan for independent reading lives?
English Language Arts Grade 5
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Point of View Unit
Overview: Literature provides a lens through which readers view the world. Skillful authors can fix readers’ attention on exact details, opinions or emotions by manipulating the points of view in stories. In this unit, students investigate the concept of point of view -- both the narrator’s perspective and the perspectives of different characters.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Characters/people have different points
of view. Characters can change their points of
view over time. The narrator’s point of view influences
the description of events. Readers develop empathy by trying to
understand the perspectives of others in dealing with a variety of challenges.
How do readers find out what a character is thinking or feeling?
How does a character’s point of view change over time?
How do authors express their own opinions through the characters, main plot, and/or theme of their books?
Resilience and Survival Unit
Overview: Students learn to identify survival as a theme in books, enabling them to compare and contrast the themes of two books using text citations to support a claim. Students learn how fictional characters and real people have overcome obstacles in their lives and consider how these lessons might apply to their own lives.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Books teach readers about life and its
challenges. Novelists often provide insights about
human experience through fictional means.
Resilience is important to surviving physical, psychological, or social challenges.
Human beings can develop physical, psychological or social resilience by responding flexibly and intelligently to challenges.
The themes in fiction/novels correspond to themes people experience in real life.
Why are books important to our lives? How do humans survive challenges? How do people develop resilience? How do themes in books compare to
themes in our lives?
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Memoir
Overview: Students learn the characteristics of memoir, understand that readers learn something about life by reading about the lives and reflections of others, and reflect on the memoirists’ messages. The unit is designed to complement the memoir writing unit.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Authors write memoirs to bring meaning
to their memories. Memoir authors share feelings, insights
or experiences prompted by memories of people, places, events or objects in their lives.
Authors’ unique perspectives shape the way they write about their memories.
Readers can learn something about life by reading memoir.
Why do authors write memoirs? How does an author’s reflection and
interpretation of memories influence a memoir?
Why do people read memoirs?
Historical Fiction of the American Revolution
Overview: Students learn that historical fiction is a window into understanding the causal relationships of historical events.Readers must attend closely to the setting (location and time period) as well as the historical tensions of the period and the characters’ relationship to that tension.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Historical fiction influences how people
living in the past are viewed today. The settings in historical fiction provide
a window into significant historical events.
Historical fiction often features shifting power relations among characters, which mirror real shifts of power in history.
Historical fiction can give voice to some groups (e.g., people of color, women) whose voices are less present in historical accounts.
Historical fiction provides a lens into the daily life and culture of people living in the past.
How does reading historical fiction deepen or change readers’ understanding of past events?
How can historical fiction readers distinguish fact from fiction?
How do historical fiction writers portray the daily life and culture of people living in the past?
How are the same historical events interpreted by different writers/speaker/characters?
Elementary Curriculum Overview
“Poems to Keep”
Overview: In this year-long study, students read a variety of poems, and identify poetic voice, imagery and figures of speech. They discuss and respond to the poems and present them through recitation, dramatic reading, performance or visual art. In addition, they write their own poetry using voice, figures of speech, imagery and sound elements.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Poetry is a special way of
communicating that uses imagery, figurative language, sound, and rhythm.
Poetry speaks to our minds (intelligence) and our hearts (emotions).
Poems are open to interpretation and invite a personal response.
What makes a poem a poem? How do readers read, relate and
respond to poems? How do readers share poems with
others? How do writers use published poems as
springboards for writing their own poetry?
Writing Units of Study
Narrative Craft
Overview: Students draw on all they have learned about narrative writing to self-evaluate and set goals as they create personal narratives. They work to communicate point of view and to build their writing volume, writing several pieces. Studying a mentor text helps to develop their skills of analyzing, annotating and emulating the craft moves of a published author.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Narrative writers work to keep a
consistent point of view throughout a piece.
Narrative writers grow by building velocity, volume and stamina.
Narrative writers can be inspired by mentor authors to try new craft moves.
How do narrative writers make their writing powerful and meaningful to readers?
How do narrative writers become stronger?
The Lens of History: Research Reports (Information)
Overview: This unit supports students’ research and informational text writing within the Social Studies unit about Colonial America. Students write several drafts of research reports, learning how to make effective choices about structure. They next write individual reports about focused Colonial America sub-topics (people, places or events), incorporating research from other informational texts.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Information writers choose text
structures and features that match their purpose.
History writers pay attention to
How does our purpose impact the format of our writing?
How do information writers research their topics and share information and
Elementary Curriculum Overview
geography and timelines. Information writers find out more about
topics through research. Information writing should both teach
and engage readers.
ideas with readers?
Shaping Texts: From Essay and Narrative to Memoir (Opinion and Narrative)
Overview: Students practice writing memoirs using two different structures – personal narrative and opinion essay. They research and reflect on their own experiences as they consolidate skills and strategies learned in previous units. They incorporate sophisticated techniques, considering language, structural choices and perspective.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Memoir writers combine genres to both
tell stories and explain ideas. Memoir writers write about both small
moments and big ideas. Memoir writers interpret their own
stories.
What makes a memoir? How do memoirs help us to make
meaning of our lives? How do writers use reflection to make
sense of prior experience?
The Research-Based Argument Essay (Opinion/Argument)
Overview: Students begin by investigating and writing persuasive letters about an assigned class topic, relevant to fifth graders. They learn to research both sides of the issue, look critically at sources, plan, draft, and revise persuasive letters. Next they apply this learning to independent essays on topics of their choice.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Writers can take a position on an issue
and effectively argue that position. Opinion and argument writers and
persuasive speakers organize their ideas to make their meanings clear and convincing to an audience.
How do writers compose compelling evidence-based arguments to persuade an audience about issues that affect their lives and the lives of others?
How do writers learn to gather, weigh, evaluate, and incorporate evidence that logically supports an argument?
Speaking and Listening
Overview: The speaking and listening standards require students to develop a range of oral communication and interpersonal skills. Students develop these skills by participating in numerous opportunities to listen to, speak about, and present ideas throughout the school day.
Elementary Curriculum Overview
In Grade 5, students learn how to draw on reading to prepare for discussions, carry out assigned roles, and pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others. Students also learn how to review the key ideas expressed, draw conclusions from discussions, summarize speakers and texts presented in a variety of media, and explain how claims are supported by reasons and evidence. They report on topics and texts and present opinions, sequencing ideas logically and using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes.
Language: Conventions, Use, and Vocabulary
The Language standards include the essential rules of standard written and spoken English, and they also approach language as a craft that involves making choices about the variety of ways language can be used to communicate our ideas and understandings. The vocabulary standards focus on expanding students’ knowledge of their world by understanding words and concepts. Students learn about the layers of meaning in words and learn to use words to communicate clearly and effectively.Fifth graders in Newton Public Schools learn vocabulary throughout the reading units of study and spelling through the Newton spelling program.
Handwriting and Keyboarding
Efficient, correct, legible formation of letters develops pathways in the brain that over time build automaticity in letter recognition and production. Developing correct letter formation early on helps the writer approach writing with ease. Fluent writing allows the writer to focus on idea development and organization. Students in grade 5 continue to practice cursive writing based on the Newton Alphabet Soup Handwriting program.Fifth graders in Newton practice keyboarding in order to develop proficiency in using computers for reading and research.
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Mathematics Grade 5
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Overview: Students apply their understanding of fractions and fraction models to represent
addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators as equivalent calculations with like denominators. They develop fluency in calculating sums and differences of fractions, and make reasonable estimates. Students also use the meaning of fractions, of multiplication and division, and the relationship between multiplication and division to understand and explain why the procedures for multiplying and dividing fractions make sense.
Students develop understanding of why division procedures work based on the meaning of base-ten numerals and properties of operations. They finalize fluency with multi-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and make reasonable estimates. They apply their understanding of models for decimals, decimal notation, and properties of operations to add and subtract decimals to hundredths. Students use the relationship between fractions and decimals to understand and explain why the procedures for multiplying and dividing finite decimals make sense. They compute products and quotients of decimals to hundredths efficiently and accurately.
Students recognize volume as an attribute of three-dimensional space. They understand that volume can be measured by finding the total number of same-size units of volume required to fill the space without gaps or overlaps. They select appropriate units, strategies, and tools for solving problems that involve estimating and measuring volume. They decompose three-dimensional shapes and find volumes of right rectangular prisms. They measure necessary attributes of shapes in order to determine volumes to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
In fifth grade, students will be working throughout the year on:
Mathematical Content Mathematical PracticesOperations and Algebraic Thinking
Using computation of fractions to solve word problems
Analyzing mathematical patterns and relationships
Number and Operations Adding and subtracting whole numbers
quickly and accurately Multiplying whole numbers quickly and
accurately, and dividing multi-digit whole numbers in simple cases
Understanding and applying equivalent fractions
Adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, and solving related word problems
Multiplying fractions, dividing fractions in simple cases, and solving related word problems
Making sense of problems and persevering in solving them
Reasoning abstractly and quantitatively
Constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others
Modeling with mathematics
Using appropriate tools strategically
Attending to precision
Looking for and making use of structure
Looking for and expressing regularity and repeated reasoning
Generalizing the place-value system to include decimals, and calculating with decimals to the hundredths place
Measurement and Data Understanding the concept of volume,
and solving word problems that involve volume
Converting like measurement units within a given measurement system
Representing and interpreting dataGeometry
Graphing points in the coordinate plane to solve problems
Classifying two-dimensional figures into categories based on their properties
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Elementary Curriculum Overview
English Language Arts Grade 5
English Language Arts Grade 5
Overview: In grade 5,students model, provide evidence to support arguments, and obtain and display data about relationships and interactions among observable components of different systems. Students investigate ponds as an ecosystem, learn to use microscopes, dissect owl pellets and investigate the food web in the ecosystem. By studying systems, grade 5 students learn that objects and organisms do not exist in isolation and that animals, plants and their environments are connected to, interact with, and are influenced by each other.Students use their knowledge and evidence to construct explanation for the movement and change in air and water that result in weather on Earth. Students explore ideas about the particulate nature of matter, changes of state, and heat transfer prior to investigating air masses, fronts, and winds.Students explore the properties of electricity in simple circuits. They use motors, batteries, wire, bulbs and switches to explore the concepts of a circuit, contact points and multiple pathways.An ability to describe, analyze, and model connections and relationships of observable components of different systems is key to understanding the natural and designed world.
Science and Engineering Content Science and Engineering Practices Organisms and populations of organisms
are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
Ecosystems are dynamic and change over time.
The interdependent relationships that organisms engage in enable acquiring their food and energy needs.
The weather and climate have properties that can be observed and quantified.
Earth’s climate and human activities affect each other.
Energy and fuels that humans use are derived from natural sources, and the use affects the environment in various ways.
Some resources are renewable and others are not.
Use a particle model of matter to explain common phenomena involving gases, and phase changes between gas and liquid and between liquid and solid.
Measure and graph the weights of
Ask questions (for science) and define problems (for engineering)
Develop and use models Plan and carry out investigations Analyze and interpret data Use mathematics and computational
thinking Construct explanations (for science) and
design solutions (for engineering) Engage in argument from evidence Obtain, evaluate, and communicate
information
Science and Engineering Grade 5
Elementary Curriculum Overview
substances before and after a reaction or phase change to provide evidence that regardless of the type of change that occurs when heating, cooling, or combining substances, the total weight of matter is conserved.
Building devices to illuminate that use circuits, drawing diagrams of these electric circuits, and predicting whether electricity flows or will not flow through the circuit
All interactions between objects arise from a few types of forces.
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Unit 1: Pre-Columbian Native Americans
Overview: Students begin the year with a brief recap of human geography by learning about how Pre-Columbian Native Americans’ culture was shaped by the environment of their region within North America.Key Understandings: Essential Questions:
There were sophisticated civilizations populating the North American landmass prior to the arrival of the Europeans.
Environment affects culture (where you live affects how you live)
How does where you live impact how you live?
Unit 2: European Exploration
Overview: This unit provides the opportunity for students to understand the perspectives of both the European explorers and the native people living on the land. It also helps students understand why in the modern day French is spoken in Canada and Spanish is spoken in Mexico and in the border region.Key Understandings: Essential Questions:
Geographic, economic and religious reasons brought European explorers to the Americas
Cooperation and conflict often result when people of different cultures come into contact with each other
Why do people explore? What are the positive and negative
results of an encounter between groups of people?
Unit 3: Colonial Period
Overview: Students learn about how early government was formed and will have the opportunity to explore an event, person or place deeply as they research in preparation for an informational writing piece.Key Understandings: Essential Questions: Societies establish and use systems of
government to establish and maintain order and provide for their people.
Cooperation and conflict often result when people of different cultures come into contact with each other
How does a colony work? What political and economic needs
shaped this colony? How was the colony influenced by its
environment?
Unit 4: Events Leading to the American Revolution
History and Social Studies Grade 5
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Overview: As students learn about the causes and effects of each event that led to the war, they develop an understanding of the multiple perspectives of Loyalists and Patriots.Key Understandings: Essential Questions:
Economic, political and social differences may lead to rebellion and war.
Societies establish and use systems of government to maintain order and provide for their people.
There are many ways to interpret any event and the way one interprets the event determines the meaning he or she gets from it.
How do economic, social and political differences contribute to conflict?
Unit 5: Founding Documents
Overview: Students will explore the founding documents and develop a beginning understanding of the foundation of the American Democratic system.Key Understandings: Essential Questions:
Governments are created to address the concerns of the dominant group of citizens.
Why do people need government?
Elementary Curriculum Overview
To succeed academically and become empathic, engaged, and ethical citizens, students need opportunities to develop social and emotional competence. NPS’s social and emotional (SEL) approach fosters resiliency, responsibility, supportive relationships, and reflection and provides opportunities for students to develop and practice important social and emotional competencies. Social and emotional competence includes the knowledge, skills, attitudes and beliefs that allow students to
Set and achieve goals Regulate and manage emotions and have self-compassion Take the perspective of another and feel empathy Establish and sustain positive and mutually satisfying relationships Make responsible decisions
Reflection and Resilience: Self-Awareness and Self-Management
Overview: Central to social and emotional competence is the ability to recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior and to have strategies for managing emotions and expressing them constructively. These self-awareness and self-management skills strengthen one’s ability to handle stress, control impulses, feel empathy for self and others, and motivate oneself to persevere in overcoming challenges to achieving goals. Related self awareness skills include being able to accurately assess one’s strengths, interests, and limitations, build on strengths and effectively connect with family, school, and community resources when needed. Self-management skills also include the ability to create hopes and goals and monitor progress toward achieving academic and personal goals.Key Understandings:
Identify and manage emotions and behavior Describe a range of emotions and the situations that might cause these emotions Identify observed emotions in self and others Describe and demonstrate ways to cope with strong emotions and express emotions
in constructive manner Tolerate failure or frustration and persevere with efforts Cease to use emotional expressions that cause upset in or conflict with others
Recognize personal qualities and external supports Describe personal skills and interests that one wants to develop Explain how family, school and community members can support school success and
achievement of goalsDemonstrate skills related to achieving personal and academic goals
Describe the steps in setting and working toward goals Recognize connection between school-wide and classroom expectations and goal
achievement Monitor progress on achieving a short-term personal goal Exhibit growth mindset and persevere in face of challenge
Social and Emotional Learning Upper Elementary Grades
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Relationships: Social Awareness and Interpersonal Skills
Overview: Building and maintaining positive and rewarding relationships with others are central to success in school and life. Specific skills include the ability to recognize the thoughts, feelings and perspective of others, including those different from one’s own. In addition, establishing positive peer, family and work relationships requires skills in active listening, cooperating, communicating respectively, and constructively resolving conflict with others, and seeking and offering help when needed.Key Understandings:
Recognize the feelings and perspectives of others Identify verbal, physical, and situational cues that indicate how others may feel Describe the expressed feelings and perspectives of others Listen actively and carefully
Recognize individual and group similarities and differences Identify differences among and contributions of various social and cultural groups Demonstrate how to effectively work with those who are different from oneself
Use communication and social skills to interact effectively with others Follow school and classroom rules and expectations Describe approaches for making and keeping friends Demonstrate skills for making friends Analyze ways to work effectively in groups Demonstrate ability to be an effective group member, including negotiating,
encouraging others and taking on different roles Able to speak up for oneself and demonstrate assertiveness skills Demonstrate skills for dealing with challenging social situations
Demonstrate ability to prevent, manage and resolve interpersonal conflicts in constructive ways
Describe causes and consequences of conflicts Apply constructive approaches and problem solving models in resolving conflicts Negotiate disputes to de-escalate conflicts Admit mistakes and apologize with words and actions
Responsibility: Decision-Making and Responsible Behavior
Overview: Promoting one’s own health, avoiding risky behavior, dealing honestly and fairly with others and positively contributing to classroom, school, family, community and environment are critical aspects of citizen engagement in a democratic society. Becoming an effective citizen leader requires an ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions. This includes the ability to make decisions and solve problems on the basis of accurately defining what decisions need to be made, generating alternative solutions, anticipating the consequences of each on well-being of self and others, and evaluating and learning from one’s decision making.Key Understandings:
Consider ethical, safety and societal factors in making decisions Demonstrate the ability to respect the rights of self and others Demonstrate knowledge of how social norms affect decision making and behavior
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Identify risky behavior and destructive choicesApply decision making skills to deal responsibly with daily academic and social situations
Identify and apply problem solving models to decision making Generate alternative solutions and evaluate their consequences for a range of
situations Analyze problem situations to overcome obstacles Follow through on commitments
Contribute to the well-being of one’s school and community Identify and perform roles that contribute to one’s school community Identify and perform roles that contribute to one’s community
Music Literacy
Overview: Music has a unique language of symbols and vocabulary. Students will develop their music literacy through a broad range of music making activities.Key Understandings:Music literacy includes the ability to:
Assign age-appropriate musical notation for rhythmic and melodic sounds Read and perform from standard musical notation, including:
o Whole note, half notes, quarter note, double eighth notes, quadruple sixteenth notes, quarter rest.
o An ascending melody and a descending melodyo Tonal patterns that step and skipo Measures, bar lines, double bar lines, repeat signs, note values in bar lines.
Creating Music
Overview: Music can be created with the human voice, with traditional instruments and with non-traditional objects. Each is an application of music literacy.Key Understandings:Students create music by playing classroom instruments, demonstrating knowledge of:
• Keeping a steady beat• Keeping a steady tempo• Performing patterns on pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments• Playing instruments with proper technique: posture, hand position
Students create music by singing, demonstrating knowledge of: Matching pitch• Healthy vocal production• Solo and ensemble singing
Elementary Music
Elementary Curriculum Overview
• Rote repetition• Singing with appropriate expression
Creative Expression and Movement
Overview: Music is an expressive art form that allows individuals and groups to communicate emotions, ideas, cultural identity, and religious beliefs. Music inspires physical movement and accompanies traditional and contemporary dance and creative movement.Key Understandings:Music accompanies purposeful movement:
Choreography Imitation Responding to musical elements through appropriate movement, Creating formations with a group of fellow students
Music accompanies and inspires creative movement: Expressive response to music Improvised movement
Music expresses cultural identity: Composition Folk dances Play parties game songs
Performance Etiquette
Overview: Students learn to appreciate musical performance from multiple perspectives.
Key Understandings:As audience members, students demonstrate understanding of performance etiquette by:
Listening attentively Displaying respectful audience behavior
As active listeners, students demonstrate understanding of performance etiquette by: Describing an emotional experience of music Describing the elements of music using age-appropriate musical terminology
As performers, students demonstrate understanding of performance etiquette by: Displaying appropriate presentation Assessing the performance of self and others using age-appropriate musical
terminology Allowing mistakes to be learning experiences
Elementary Curriculum Overview
The Core Concepts of Skill Building, Art making, Envisioning and Reflecting, Connecting and Interacting remain constant throughout the students’ elementary experience. Lessons spiral and build on previous learning, cultivating development of craft and mastery of skills. The curricula are non-linear; units spiral with concepts and experiences repeating with greater variation and complexity each year.
Skill Building
Overview: Students will learn to use a variety of tools and materials and apply techniques through hands on creative exploration. Through these experiences students will discover the possibilities and limitations of different media, invent new techniques, and begin to formulate ideas about the creative potential inherent in each.Key Understandings:Artists use a variety of art tools, materials and techniques including Drawing: pencil, pen, marker, pastel, etc. Painting: tempera, watercolor, acrylic, etc. Ceramics: pinching, rolling, texturizing, attaching, glazing, etc. Collage: cutting, pasting, overlapping, contrast, composition, etc. Sculpture: wood, paper, cardboard, recycled materials, etc. Printmaking: stamping, relief printing, monoprinting, etc. Fiber Arts: weaving, sewing, felting, knitting, etc.
Art Making
Overview: Students will explore different approaches to art-making and discover how as artists they can develop and express their ideas applying the elements and principles of design through visual media.Key Understandings:Artists use a variety of approaches to art-making including
Observation Imagination Memory Improvisation Collaboration Abstraction
Artists use the elements and principles of design to communicate and express their ideas: Elements: Line, Shape, Form, Space, Color, Texture, Pattern Principles: Rhythm, Movement, Balance, Proportion, Emphasis, Contrast, Variety,
Unity
Elementary Visual Art
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Envisioning and Reflecting
Overview: Students will envision and reflect on their work within the context of both the classroom community and art world. Through sharing work with others, students will apply appropriate art vocabulary and discover ways to evaluate and revise their work to better express their ideasKey Understandings:
There are multiple solutions to a single visual problem. Art making is a creative process that incorporates envisioning, engaging,
reflecting, and revising that requires one to take risks and embrace uncertainty. Art is meant to be viewed and discussed.
Connecting
Overview: Students will explore how art has been made and valued throughout time and place and has brought about the visual culture in which they presently interact.Key Understandings:
Art is a universal visual language Art has been made by humans throughout time all over the world Art reflects the culture in which it is made incorporating unique systems of
symbols and artistic traditions Art is embedded in multiple disciplines Art and life are connected
Interacting
Overview: Students will learn to behave as artists and as part of an artistic community showing respect for art materials, peers, and themselves.Key Understandings:Artists show respect for materials, peers, and themselves by:
Providing proper care and maintenance of art materials Organizing space and materials in relation to fellow students Demonstrating proper etiquette in galleries and museums Using purposeful art critique and criticism methods
Elementary Curriculum Overview
The goal of Physical Education, Health & Wellness is to develop physically literate individuals who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.
Demonstrates Competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.Overview: The students will work on three skill areas: locomotor movements, nonlocomotor movements and manipulatives. These skills are developed over time and spiral through the physical education curriculum. Mature patterns in each area can only be achieved through practice.Key Understandings:Locomotor Movements
Demonstrates mature patterns of locomotor skills Combines locomotor & manipulative skills Uses appropriate pacing for running a variety of distances
Nonlocomotor Combines balance and transferring weight with a partner Performs curling, twisting & stretching actions with correct
application
Manipulative Throws for accuracy under and overhand using a mature pattern Catches a ball using a mature form at all levels Combines hand and foot dribbling with other skills Passes and receives with feet using a mature pattern to a partner as
they’re traveling Demonstrates mature patterns of kicking and punting Volleys a ball using two-hands Strikes an object consecutively, with a partner using a short handled
implement Combines manipulative skills and traveling for execution to a target Creates a jump rope routine
Movement and Performance
Overview: Students apply knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.Key Understandings:
Physical Education Health & WellnessBy the End of Grade 5
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Movement Concepts Combines spatial concepts with locomotor & nonlocomotor movements Demonstrates movement concepts and strategies in game situations Applies basic offense & defense strategies & tactics Recognizes the type of throw, volley or striking action needed for different
games & sports situations
Demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.Overview: The students will focus on fitness knowledge and engagement in physical activity.Key Understandings:Physical Activity Knowledge and Engagement
Charts and analyzes physical activity outside of PE class for fitness benefits Actively engages in all activities of PE
Fitness Knowledge Differentiates between skill-related & health-related fitness Identifies & understands the need for warm-up & cool down to various
physical activities
Assessment & Program Planning Designs a fitness plan Analyzes results of fitness assessment Analyzes the impact of food choices relative to physical activity, youth
sports & personal health
Exhibits responsible personal & social behavior that respects self & others.
Overview: The students learn to accept feedback from teachers and peers and interact positively with others.Key Understandings:Personal Responsibility
Engages in physical activity with responsible interpersonal behavior Gives corrective feedback to peers Accepts, recognizes and actively involves others with both higher and
lower skill abilities and group projects
Recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.Overview: The students learn to be responsible for personal behavior in physical
Elementary Curriculum Overview
activity environments inside and outside of school.Key Understandings:Health
Examines and compares the health benefits of participating in physical activities
Self-Expression & Enjoyment Analyzes different physical activities for enjoyment & challenge Describes social benefits gained from participating in physical activity
Office of Teaching & Learning617- 559- 6125
Elementary Curriculum Overview
Mary Eich Assistant Superintendent for Teaching & Learningwww.newton.k12.ma.us
Curriculum Coordinators and Directors:Dana Bennett Coordinator, Elementary and Middle School Physical Education, Health and
WellnessJenny Craddock Coordinator, Elementary and Middle School Science &
Technology/Engineering Sara Hamerla Assistant Director, English Language Learning, All LevelsElleen Keane Coordinator, Instructional Technology, All LevelsAmy Kelly District Leader, Social and Emotional Learning, All LevelsRichard King Coordinator, Elementary and Middle School Fine Arts and MusicLisa LaCava Project Leader, Social and Emotional Learning, All LevelsAllison Levit Director, English Language Learning, All LevelsDeana Lew Coordinator, Elementary English Language ArtsAnne Mikulski Coordinator, Middle School Literacy Alison Mulligan Coordinator, Middle School World LanguageAlan Ripp Coordinator, Elementary and Middle School History & Social SciencesMaricel Sheets Director, Newton METCO, All LevelsJennifer Shore Coordinator, Elementary and Middle School MathematicsChris Swerling Coordinator, Library Media, All Levels