Marsh Elementary School

Marsh Elementary provides:

- A core academic curriculum for Grades K-6 which includes English Language Arts (reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language), Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Health, Art, Music, and PE;

- A core reading framework (Balanced Literacy Framework) includes the 5 components of reading, rich literacy and informational text, and strategy instruction for Grades K through Grade 6 that is aligned with the Indiana College and Career Ready Standards for ELA;

- A core math framework (including assessments) is supplemented with CARE Math in grades 3-6 and  is aligned with the Indiana CCR Standards for Mathematics;

- A core writing framework (Units of Study) advances writing through a Writer’s Workshop approach and  develops higher-order thinking through writing in all genres; and...

 - A curriculum aligned to Indiana CCR Standards for students who need supplemental support in reading,  writing and math. 

Teachers use the Indiana CCR Standards to ensure consistency in academic language and expectations in skills and application of practices at the end of each grade level, as well as focusing on coherence and rigor for transfer of those essential strategies necessary for successful achievement of the CCR Standards.  Teachers align instruction to Indiana CCR Standards by: 

- Accessing and using resources from IDOE Learning Connections

- Using IN Course Maps for ELA and the Continuum of Literacy Learning to align instruction, develop and update pacing guides, and develop/ revise common quarterly assessments

- Using IN Course Maps for Math, ISTEP+ Blueprints for Math and the EDM resources to align instruction, develop and update pacing guides and develop/ revise common quarterly assessments

- Using CCR Literacy Standards for Science and Social Studies to integrate Science and Social Studies in the Literacy Framework

- Monitoring pacing guides regularly during grade-level collaboration to review timelines, progression of instruction, learning objectives and student outcomes (student work samples).

Marsh Elementary provides a core framework of instruction to ensure that all students reach high levels of mastery as well as additional time for students having difficulty mastering proficient and advanced levels of academic achievement are provided with effective and timely assistance.  Marsh uses the Gradual Release of Responsibility model or framework (from Fielding and Pearson, 1994, adapted by Harvey and Goudvis 2005, The Comprehension Toolkit) to provide explicit instruction through purposeful planning and implementation:

   - Connect and engage (activate prior knowledge and connect to the learning objective)

   - Teacher modeling

   - Guided practice

   - Collaborative practice

   - Independent practice

   - Application of the strategy or procedure

Teachers provide engagement opportunities for students to work and interact in a variety of ways that provide students a chance to learn from each other and hear perspectives, thoughts and solve problems:

   -Large groups

   - Pairs

Teachers consistently model and use the following instructional practices or engagement tools to provide structure and support effective teaching and learning in grades K-6:

   - Use Think-aloud to teach a strategy or procedure

   - Code, mark or highlight text (leave tracks of our thinking on the text, use Post-its or in a notebook)

   - Lift text during Shared Reading

   - Construct purposeful Anchor Charts w/ students (i.e., strategy charts; process charts; content charts; genre charts)

   - Use Interactive read-aloud (i.e., model; guided practice; guided discussion; sharing)

   - Use Accountable/ Purposeful Talk (i.e., turn & talk; think-pair-share; read-pair-share; write-pair- share; heads-together)

Teachers assess during the GRR framework and use a recording/ note-taking process:

- Guided and collaborative practice, guiding discussion, listening to what students say, and having  conversations about what they understand and are processing about their thinking (about the text; about their use of the strategies; about where they are confused; about how they are monitoring their own comprehension)

- Independent work by conferring with students

- Read and examine students’ written responses

- Purposeful checks for understanding connected to the learning objective/ goal: whole-class sharing lets the teacher monitor students’ understanding when they discuss what they have learned; explain their think to each other (think-pair-share) and share out; or using Post-its arranged on clipboards so students can discuss what they have learned or what was confusing and then jot-it down to share (write-pair-share)

 Teachers use data/ on-going assessment at the end of the daily lesson to judge effectiveness of their lesson and guide what they need to teach next.

Tier I/ ELA: 

- Full-day Kindergarten

- 90 Minutes of Reading

- Balanced Literacy Framework (focus whole group/ interactive read-aloud; shared reading; guided reading; self-reading) (aligned to CCR Standards)

- Design lessons using the gradual release of responsibility model (grade level; instructional; independent)

- During the 90 minute Literacy Framework, teachers continuously embed strategies that promote proficiency in the types of questions students find on language arts sections of proficiency tests, such as ISTEP+ and Acuity. In the embedded strategies, students:

- Read and discuss a variety of genres.

- Use graphic organizers to understand the organization of texts and to plan his/her writing.

- Identify the genre and text structure of texts encountered during reading and writing workshop

- Provide evidence from text to support his/her thinking while writing about or discussing a text.

- Write frequently with opportunities to write to given prompts and topics of his/her choice.

- Revise and edit their work.

- Explore the rubrics and expectations of specific tests.

- Study testing as a genre and learn the format and expectations of this genre just as they would biography or poetry.

Daily math instruction will include the following components

- Explicit teacher instruction that uses think-alouds and the Gradual-Release of Responsibility model to scaffold student learning.

- Use of games and manipulatives to learn and apply math concepts and operations.

- Math strategies will be taught using the MCAS curriculum maps and assessments.

- Class dialogue and cooperative student groups will be used to discuss mathematical concepts and applications.  Students will be called on to justify their mathematical thinking.  An emphasis on drawing logical conclusions will be employed.

 Mathematical Connections

- Mathematical concepts and operations will be connected and practiced across subject areas and in real world applications consistently throughout the school year.

- Students will develop fluency with math facts through the use of games and manipulatives and hands-on math fact practice.

- Students will understand and use math vocabulary from the MCAS curriculum maps and ISTEP+

- Explicit modeling will be used to demonstrate justification of answers to problem solving questions.

-  Extended response items will be used to address Indiana CCR Mathematical Standards. 

 Tier I/ Math: 

- Full-day Kindergarten

- 60 Minutes of Math

- MCAS math curriculum

- CARE Math, grades 3-6

 Teachers will use relevant content:

- Gradual release of responsibility (grade level; instructional; independent)

- Genre of Textbook Reading

- Content Literacy: Mathematical Reading

- Current events related to problem solving and mathematical application (magazines and newspaper; math and science websites)

- Includes genre of test reading and taking

Tier I Behavior:

Marsh School uses Positive Behavior Supports (PBS) as a proactive approach to discipline. Common schoolwide behavior expectations have been established: P-Positive Attitude, A- Accept Responsibilty, W- Work Together, and S-Show Respect. Schoolwide procedures are also in place and classroom teachers develop rules and routines with students to promote ownership and accountability. PAWS cards are used as incentives