Sarah Smith Elementary offers a consistent, rigorous instructional program for all students. The foundation for our programs is the Georgia Performance Standards required by the State Department of Education. But, the programs are enhanced and enriched far beyond the regular expectations. Common assessments offer us data to use in order to determine resource and material needs. Consistency is found class to class and grade to grade.

Features of our instructional programs are:

Reading

• Implementation of SMART phonics program in all K-2 classrooms
• Implementation of Junior Great Books program in all 3rd-5th grade classrooms
• Developmental Reading Assessment - K-2 (two-three times per year)
• DIBELS - Grades K-2 (3 times per year)
• IRI Assessments - Grades 3-5 (two-three times per year)
• Guided Reading - K-2
• Guided Reading/Literature Studies - Grades 3-5
• Integrate reading into the IB units of Inquiry

Language Arts/Writing

• Kindergarten - Phonetics/how language works; ideas down on paper; writing 2 sentences on a given topic; exposure to a variety of poetry
• First grade - getting ideas down on paper; writing 6 sentences on a topic; mechanics (sentence structure, capitalization, punctuation); friendly letter (introduction); identify and utilize the writing process; narrative writing (introduction); guided individual or guided group research - 1 source; poetry
• Second grade - personal narrative (mastery); individual research - 2 sources; poetry
• Third grade - friendly letter (mastery); expository (introduction); poetry; biography (introduction); autobiography (introduction); research - includes 2 or more sources
• Fourth grade - narrative writing; poetry; technical writing/expository (mastery); research - includes 3 or more sources; biography (review); autobiography (review)
• Fifth grade - autobiography (mastery); biography (mastery); research includes 4 or more resources; poetry
• Schoolwide - write daily (during class and home), keep journal or writer's notebook; Daily Language Review; modeling; peer editing; writing rubrics for each grade level; writing workshop mini-lessons; conferencing with students about writing; proofreading strategies which will be consistent (COPS); editing checklist per grade
• Deliberate grammar instruction (mini-lessons) schoolwide (McGraw-Hill materials)
• Spelling patterns/skills (McGraw-Hill)

Mathematics

• Full implementation of Everyday Mathematics - K-5
• Use of games as a part of the math program
• Schoolwide fact drills/contests
• Participation in the Georgia Math League competitions
• "Protected" math block - K: 45 minutes, Gr. 1-5: 60 minutes, minimum
• Everyday Counts Calendar Math in grades K-2 / Mountain Math in grades 3-5

Science

• Utilize curriculum map using the IB program of inquiry
• Implement more hands-on experiments throughout all grade levels
• Continue to use High Touch-High Tech at all grade levels (K-2 three times per year; Grades 3-5: once per year)
• Continue to utilize the ESEP kits available through APS when possible
• Science/Social Studies/Technology Fair-Grade 3: small groups done in school; Grade 4: individual or partners; Grade 5: Optional
• IB Exhibition - Required in 5th grade

Social Studies

• Utilize curriculum map using the IB program of inquiry
• Continue to use Time Travelers program
• Opportunity to participate in the National Geography Bee -4th and 5th Grade
• IB Exhibition - Required in 5th grade
• Science/Social Studies/Technology Fair-Grade 3: small groups done in school;Grade 4: individual or partners;Grade 5: Optional