childs globe by atomicShed CC
Over the last two years, a dedicated group of teachers and administrators analyzed our current social studies curriculum, identified gaps between our current frameworks and the skills and knowledge our students need as outlined in the new Colorado Academic Standards. One of the best attributes of the new Colorado standards is the strong connection and integration of 21st Century Skills. Critical thinking and creativity have been a long-standing goal within our current strategic plan.
Over the course of the next few months our team will be finalizing its recommendation to the Board of Education for the purchase of educational materials. The Social Studies Design Team noticed the greatest needs for grades 6th and 7th, which currently follow an ancient history and medieval history focus for the two respective grades. As we transfer to the new academic standards, we will have a Western Hemisphere focus in the 6th grade and an Eastern Hemisphere focus in the 7th grade. The team decided to target the majority of the curriculum adoption funds for these grade levels which have the highest level of impact. Middle school members of our team will work to complete their logic model for adoption this fall. At this time, it appears that the group is interested in proposing a strong technology integration for this adoption – more details to come as they solidify their recommendations – can you say netbooks for kids? iPads for kids? a technology-rich classroom for the 21st Century?
Day 294/365 - 21 Oct - Library by anushu_si CC
Library funds will help support our elementary schools build their collections in the area of social studies. Each school will receive $1,000 to use to purchase new materials from a preselected preview collection of fiction and nonfiction books that correlate to the new state standards.
The Social Studies Design Team is recommending that we use funds to support our elementaries embed social studies content into their literacy block. If approved by the Board of Education this fall, we will add to each elementary school’s guided reading collection with leveled text sets aligned with the new social studies standards.
Across all grade levels we are in design mode to create a plan to increase our use of online content subscriptions like Discovery Education and research databases like ProQuest CultureGrams and eLibrary, and other free tools like the Library of Congress and the World Digital Library. We believe that these tools can provide a rich foundation of content for our students and opportunities for critical thinking and creativity.
Personal Financial Literacy standards embedded in economics will be supported in P-8 social studies classes and in 9-12 applied arts classes via Career and Technical Education courses in business & finance, family & consumer studies and possibly industrial technology. These departments will continue to work this year in preparation for the integration of personal financial literacy standards implementation in fall 2011.
