Our Language Arts curriculum combines traditional teaching methods with a student-centered workshop model.  We start every day with Readers Workshop.  I lead a mini-lesson and then students practice independently or in small groups while I conference with students.

We are also following a Phonics program called Full Circle Phonics to help build skills in decoding words and recognizing spelling patterns.  For spelling, we use the Spelling by Pattern curriculum, with weekly assessments. 

Instead of a traditional Word Wall, each student will be creating cards for important sight words.  Students will store their cards in their own boxes with the ability to sort these words as they learn them.

After lunch, we focus on our writing skills through the Handwriting without Tears curriculum and a Writer's Workshop. The Writers Workshop consists of mini-lessons followed by independent practice. Over the course of the year, we will be writing all kinds of pieces: narratives, biographies, how-to books and so much more! During Working with Words, we practice analyzing words for patterns and developing student spelling and vocabulary skills.