Kindergarten
Kindergarten students will begin to learn to read by sounding out words, recognizing sight words, and following patterns and pictures. Students will learn about rhyming words, syllables, color and number words. They will use beginning, ending, and vowel sounds as they learn to write phonetically. In math, students will learn about measurement, patterns, graphing, addition, subtraction, recognizing and forming numerals, counting, money recognition, and shapes. Kindergarten science explores animals, plants, sun, moon, weather changes, living and nonliving, energy, forces and motion, recycling, five senses, and how to think scientifically. Social Studies shows Kindergarten students patterns of events, holidays, folktales, maps, wants and needs, goods and services, U.S. flag and symbols, and citizenship.
1st Grade
First graders will become self-directed in learning activities and in behaviors. They will learn to become independent readers and writers. In math, they will be instructed in math facts, math skills for daily use, and other foundational math concepts.
Science instruction builds upon the child's life experiences. Students explore living things, learn ways objects change their composition and recognize natural resources and their conservation.
The focus in Social Studies is on family life present and long ago. Beginning map skills are developed. Principles of government and citizenship are also explored.
2nd Grade
Reading
In second grade, children will be working on basic reading skills like hunks and chunks, vocabulary, and reading to punctuation. Also during reading, we will focus on comprehension, becoming an independent reader, and learning to predict what comes next in books based on what has happened so far.
Math
Math facts, math facts, math facts this year! We will be looking to complete addition and subtraction math facts through the year with an introduction to basic multiplication and division facts. Also, we will start the year with place value concepts up to 1,000, and then move to 2-3 digit addition and subtraction with borrowing, trading, and regrouping. Throughout the year we will learn about time and the different ways to say each time (like 11:15, 15 minutes after 11:00, and a quarter after 11:00). We will also learn about making different amounts of money (change) up to one dollar and making change back to a dollar after a purchase. Our curriculum also includes understanding and comparing simple fractions, measurements including centimeters, meters, feet, yards, quarts, and liters. We will also explore geometry and 2-D/3-D polygons as well as reading, making, and understanding all the different types of graphs.
Spelling and Writing
In second grade, students will work on transitioning their spelling to their writing in sentences, stories, and letters. We will work on grammar and vocabulary to understanding that some words sound the same but mean two different things like the words write and right. We will also look at verb tenses and other writing conventions that they will need for future grades.
Science
In science, we will learn what plants and animals need to survive. Along with animals, we will work with insects and their three body parts, to a basic introduction to light, sound, and the five senses. We will also talk about weather, seasons, and look at our world now compared to how it used to be with technology and engineering differences.
Social Studies
In social studies, we will learn about famous people and find out why they are famous. We will read biographies of famous people and create a biography as well. We will also explore famous inventions. Second graders will also find out about people around the world, what they eat, how they live, and landmarks for which their society is known. Geography will include learning different landforms, maps, continents, and oceans.
3rd Grade
Language Arts
Spelling
After pre-assessment, students are put into developmental groups of spelling and progress throughout the school year. Four sentences will be given weekly to help students master frequently used words.
Reading
Students will read independently for various purposes for extended periods of time. In third grade, students will be writing increasingly detailed responses to literature. Third graders will use comprehension strategies in explicit and implicit concepts of nonfiction and fiction. Through Word of the Week activities, students will learn to determine the meaning of words through the use of dictionaries and using context clues.
Writing
Students will be writing the structure of a paragraph in letters and nonfiction reports. Third graders will be writing fictional stories, literature responses and poetry. Through much practice, students will be able to proofread and edit rough drafts into final writing pieces.
Handwriting
Third graders will write legibly in cursive.
Grammar
In third grade, students will learn the difference between antonyms, synonyms, and homophones. Parts of speech will be learned in English class. During Daily Oral Language, students will correctly use editing marks. Third graders will also learn the correct use of possessives and quotation marks.
Science
Students will discover properties of rocks, how rocks form in layers and the effects of weathering. They will discover the properties of soil and soil formation. Through their studies of Ohio wetlands’ animals, students will learn survival adaptations and life cycles. In a unit on force and motion, students will discover the concepts of contact and non-contact forces such as gravity, friction, collision, and magnetism.
Social Studies
Third graders will learn about the local community by doing a local research project. This project will help them understand change over time. After they have completed the research, students will give an oral presentation. In third grade, students will use timelines to help understand change over time also. Students will learn geography through atlases and maps. The third graders will learn about citizenship rights and responsibilities by role-playing bullying and being informed about current events.
Math
Students will gain an understanding of numbers and expanded notation. They will master addition and subtraction to 10,000 with regrouping. Third graders will also master multiplication facts and division facts. They will study fractions and equivalent fractions along with decimals to 100ths. Every day students will work on problem-solving. Third graders will work first hand with geometry discovering how many sides, faces, angles, vertices and edges each shape has. Students will make accurate measurements using appropriate tools. Third graders will be able to read clocks and both Fahrenheit and Celsius thermometers. A simulation money game will allow students the first-hand opportunity to use money and count change using change and paper bills up to $10.00. Students will organize, graph and interpret data through first-hand experiments with probability.
4th Grade
Fourth grade is an exciting year as your child transitions to the intermediate level. Your child will work toward more independence and responsibility. The main focus of our curriculum, based on the ODE standards, is spiced with fun, creativity, exploration, and the modeling of skills.
Language Arts
Language Arts class consists of reading, writing, and spelling. Each day begins with DOL (Daily Oral Language), response to a journal topic, and choral reading of poetry. Students in fourth grade are expected to read at least 80 minutes a week outside the classroom. In reading class, the students read several class novels with the focus on:
- Vocabulary
- Predict and support predictions
- Compare and contrast information
- Summarize important information
- Identify cause and effect
- Make inferences or draw conclusions
- Select, create, and use graphic organizers
- Answer literal, inferential, and evaluative questions
- List questions and search for answers
- Independently read for enjoyment
In English and writing, the students continue to work on sentence structure, capitalization/punctuation, paragraphing, and other writing conventions. We introduce parts of speech this year: nouns, verbs, adjectives, and pronouns. Our writing activities would include:
- Journals/Learnals
- Personal and fictional narratives
- Project writing
- Friendly letters
- Informational reports
The spelling curriculum is based on the words from Spelling and Vocabulary workbook by Houghton Mifflin.
- 36 units of word study and spelling skills
- Annual Spelling Bee will be held in November or December
Math
Our math classes are placed in three sections to offer differentiated instruction and smaller class sizes. The areas of study will be:
- Number sense and operations
- Addition and subtraction review
- Multiplication and division
- Fractions and decimals
- Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
- Measurement
- Geometry
- Data analysis and probability
Students should know their addition and subtraction facts. They will learn their multiplication and division facts this year. The practice of math facts will continue throughout the year with a daily math fact practice.
Social Studies
The main areas of study in social studies can be classified as:
- Ohio History
- Geography
- Government
- Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities
Students will read from their text booklets, have class discussions, take notes, and participate in activities. Every week, the students will have Ohio State Dailies to complete that relate to many interesting facts about Ohio. There will be a Geography Bee in January.
Science
During science classes, the students will be reading from unit booklets, taking notes, involved in class discussions, and working in labs. Grades in this class are based on homework, projects, lab work, quizzes, and tests. Here are the following topics we will be covering in fourth grade:
- Slow/Fast Earth-Changing Processes
- Physical/Chemical Changes in Matter
- Water Cycle
- Observing Clouds
- Tracking Weather Patterns (Severe Weather)
- Classifying and Comparing Life Cycles of Plants
5th Grade
Fifth grade is filled with fun and educational experiences in both learning and social growth. Students are introduced to new materials, routines, and new ways of thinking that will help them achieve success throughout the year. All students will be encouraged to develop consistent study habits and to accept responsibility for themselves and their actions. Fifth grade is a year of physical, emotional, and intellectual growth for the students.
Language Arts
Language Arts class is devoted to reading, writing, and spelling. Each day begins with Daily Oral Language and responding to a journal prompt or working with poetry. Students in the fifth grade are expected to read at least 100 minutes a week outside the classroom. In reading class, the students read several class novels with the focus on:
- New vocabulary
- Learning how characterization, setting, plot, theme, and point of view affect a work of fiction
- Identifying the main incidents of a plot sequence
- Identify, distinguish between and explain examples of cause and effect in the informational text
- Identify and explain the use of figurative language in literary works (including idioms, similes, hyperboles, metaphors, and personification)
- Make critical comparisons across texts
- Summarize information in texts
- Point of view
- Making inferences
- Select, create, and use graphic organizers
In English and Writing, we continue working on the different parts of speech (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions & interjections) and their correct use. The students continue to work on sentence structures, capitalization/punctuation, and creating well-written paragraphs. Writing assignments include:
- Book shares
- Personal and fictional narratives
- Summaries
- Responses to literature
- Short essays
- Business and friendly letters
- Research reports
The 5th-grade spelling and vocabulary curriculum is based on the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop. Every week the students are introduced to 12 words. Students are expected to learn the correct spelling and definition of those words. Other vocabulary lessons include:
- Determine the meaning of synonyms, antonyms, homophones, homonyms, and homographs
- Identifying the connotation and denotation of new words
- Identifying and understanding the uses of similes and metaphors
Each of the 16 units in the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary book can be accessed at www.sadlier-oxford.com (we use the orange book and blue book).
Math
They will use a 3-subject notebook every day in class and will not take this home unless to study for a test.
- Daily Math Fact sheet every day (in class)
- Problem of the Day (in class)
- Vocabulary
There will be homework assigned every day from Monday through Thursday. We don’t give homework on the weekends. They will have at least 10-15 minutes to get started on their homework during math class. This is plenty of time for them to get most of their homework done. The areas of study in math will be the following:
- Operations with Whole Numbers
- Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
- Data Analysis and Statistics
- Decimal Place Value and Number Sense
- Operations with Decimals
- Number Theory and Fractions
- Geometry
- Measurements
- Ratio, Percent, and Probability
Math Facts - Students should know their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division math facts. We will do a daily math fact practice, but they should have their math facts down coming to fifth grade. There is always a possibility of a grade taken on a daily math fact sheet.
JET Banking will be a program in 5th grade that will be a part of their Economic unit and will also reinforce math skills. The students will participate in a class auction at the end of the year.
Science
The students will take notes, read from their text booklets, do lab investigations, and have class discussions in science. They will do a science lab at least once or twice a week. They will be graded on their lab performance and the questions that are asked on each lab sheet. Science labs will count as 20% of their grade. There will be a few big projects and activities that will be assigned in science. Some will be done in class and others at home.
We will be doing the WFM5 Weather Station. Each student will have the opportunity to broadcast the weather at the end of the day on the announcements.
The main areas of study in fifth-grade science are:
- Ecosystems
- Food Chains and Food Webs
- Renewable/Non-renewable Resources
- Matter (review)
- Solar System
- Light and Sound
- Electricity
- Extreme Weather (review)
Social Studies
Students will take notes, read from their text booklets, participate in activities, and have class discussions. Students will have a few big projects and several activities that they will work on in class and at home that go with the current topic of study. There will be a Geography Bee in January.
The main areas of study in fifth-grade Social Studies are:
- US Geography
- US History
- Native American Indians
- Map Skills
- US Government
- Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities
6th Grade
Language Arts
Language Arts class is devoted to reading, writing, and spelling. Each day begins with listening and responding to a read-aloud. During independent reading time, students select a book from a genre of their choice. In reading class, the focus is on:
- Learning how characterization, setting, plot, theme, and point of view affect a work of fiction
- New vocabulary
- Figurative language
- Context clues
- Main idea
- Recognizing a well-written summary
- Comparing and contrasting various elements of literature
- Cause and effect
- Distinguishing fact from opinion
- Recognizing how information is organized
In English and Writing, we learn how to compose well-written sentences. Sixth graders learn all eight parts of speech and their correct use. Students are expected to correctly use capital letters and punctuation. Writing assignments include personal narratives, fictional narratives, summaries, responses to literature, research reports, and others. In addition to these activities, we also:
- Learn the difference between clauses and phrases
- Learn how to write compound and complex sentences using clauses and phrases
- Study elements of poetry (rhyme, rhythm, alliteration, personification, simile, metaphor)
The 6th-grade Spelling and Vocabulary curriculum is based on the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop. Every other week students are introduced to a new unit of 20 words. Students are expected to learn the correct spelling and definition of those words. Tests are given bi-weekly. Other vocabulary lessons include:
- Learning the meaning of connotation and denotation and how those terms apply to vocabulary
- Synonyms and antonyms
- Using new words in sentences
- Reading and understanding a non-fiction article using the words from the vocabulary units
Each of the 15 units of the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop can be accessed at www.sadlier-oxford.com.
Just click on the link, and then choose the Vocabulary tab at the top of the page. Click on Student, and then Level A.
Math
Students will learn vocabulary for the concepts being taught. We also use Dynamath each month. Students have homework during the week and time to begin their homework after the lesson is taught. The following areas are studied:
- Numbers, Number Sense, and Operations
- Whole Numbers
- Decimals
- Fractions
- Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
- Data Analysis and Algebra
- Geometry and Spatial Sense
- Measurements
Sixth-grade students should know their addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts. We will not spend time learning them during math class.
Social Studies
In sixth-grade Social Studies, students learn about the history of early civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Huang Ho, and the Indus valleys. We also learn about the Maya, Inca, Aztec, and Mississippian civilizations. We study cultures and the interaction of the people and the religions of the areas.
The geography of the different areas is learned. We also look at how the environment affects places and regions. We study economics, government and citizenship rights, and responsibilities.
Time For Kids is used for current events. It is a weekly publication.
Science
In sixth-grade science, students will study Life, Physical, and Earth and Space. The students will do some labs to help understand concepts. The students make a hypothesis and do observations.
In Life Science, students study:
- Characteristics and structure of life
- Heredity
- Diversity and interdependence of life
In Physical Science, students study:
- Nature of matter
- Nature of energy
In Earth and Space Science, students study earth systems.
Library
Kindergarten through 2nd Grade
Students are taught the proper way to care for books. They are given instructions on procedures to check out and return books.
3rd and 4th Grades
Students are shown how to find a book by the author's last name. Several authors are introduced throughout the year. Fiction and non-fiction differences are explained. Fourth graders are given instructions on encyclopedias, dictionaries, and almanacs.
5th and 6th Grades
Using the Internet is a priority at these grade levels. Students are given instruction on Internet Safety. INFOhio, a free educational website, is introduced to the classes.
Music
Music + Learning = FUN! The Franklin Monroe Music curriculum provides many opportunities for students in kindergarten through grade 6. Based on Ohio and National music standards, the curriculum offers activities to learn basic music skills and reading, improve hand-eye coordination, enhance motor skills, build teamwork, and instill confidence in performances while promoting life-long participation and learning in music. Students receive music from a licensed music instructor weekly: 40 minutes per week for kindergarten and 80 minutes per week for grades 1 through 6. Music activities and opportunities offered:
- Opportunity to perform in musicals (kindergarten, grades 1 and 2, grades 3 and 4, grades 5 and 6)
- Performances at Grandparents Day, local Nursing Homes, annual Talent Show
- Participation in MENC's "World's Largest Concert" with activities promoting March's Music in Our Schools Month
- Cultural opportunities such as Dayton Orchestra, Dayton Ballet, Richmond Orchestra, Victoria Theatre shows
- Experience playing instruments: jumbie jams (steel drums), handbells/chimes, ukuleles, pianos, xylophones, drums, and various other instruments
- Technology: Wii Music (kindergarten through grade 6) and music computer centers (grade 1 through grade 6)
- Classroom activities involving singing, movement, listening, and games
- "Jumbie Jets" Steel Drum Band by audition (grade 6)
- Band class offered (grades 5 and 6)
Physical Education
The Franklin Monroe Elementary P.E. curriculum provides a comprehensive continuity program from kindergarten through grade 6, with a strong emphasis on the fitness component. It is based on sound education principles, research in motor learning, exercise physiology, and teaching methodology, and meets the requirements and resource for current P.E.
- To enhance motor skills
- Building muscle strength, muscle endurance, and heart and lung endurance
- Body flexibility
- To foster in children a love of physical activity and play
- To instill a need for physical fitness for lifetime wellness
- To develop coordination, grace, and control
- To provide opportunities for increased responsibility in planning, organizing, and leadership
- To give children as wide a level of skilled games as possible
- To present opportunities for children to belong to a group in which each child is accepted
- To provide experiences which will develop self-worth, loyalty, honesty, kindness to others, and a love of learning
- To develop of sense of fair play and cooperation in children and the ability to work in groups, leading to increased cultural understanding
- To provide opportunities for the integration of P.E. with other subject areas: language arts, math, social studies, science, health, music, and art
- To make awareness of health and wellness problems (heart disease, breast cancer, obesity)