The day is filled with many experiences in the areas of reading, writing and math. We do our best to thoroughly prepare our students for the many testing challenges they will face in the 21st Century. During the month of October, we prepare students for the administration of the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. The children are introduced to the format, sample exercises, and test taking skills. We review concepts taught in 2nd grade and teach the skills of rounding, estimating and basic reference skills.
Most children feel confident and well-prepared when test week rolls around.
We study the Jewish, Black, Hispanic and Native American cultures through the wealth of literature within the classrooms. Comprehension, fluency and decoding skills are emphasized. Our focus for January is the writing of a three paragraph essay with a title, introduction and conclusion. Children really stretch their thinking skills as they learn how to write a good introduction and conclusion. This format really organizes and focuses their writing and helps prepare them for the intermediate grades.