Grade Level Academic Course Descriptions

English Language Arts – Journeys Resource K-6^th, Into Literature 7-8^th

The K-12 English Language Arts program includes four Anchor Standards for learning:
Reading: Key ideas, craft and structure, integration of knowledge and ideas, and Range of reading and level of text complexity
Writing: Text types and purposes, production and distribution of writing, research to build and present knowledge, and range of writing
Speaking & Listening: Comprehension and collaboration, and presentation of knowledge and ideas
Language: Conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and vocabulary acquisition and use

Elementary Mathematics – Go Mathematics Resource

Our Elementary Mathematics Program aligns with Common Core Standards and supports students in engaging with the Standards for Mathematical Practice. Mathematics instruction that provides all students with equitable access to collaborative, engaging, inquiry-based instruction that is research-supported. BPS educators strive to develop mathematically proficient citizens ready to apply mathematics in their daily lives, college, and/or career.

Kindergarten: Understand numbers 1-10; explore 5-groups; teen numbers as tens and ones; partners, problem drawings, and tens; consolidation of concepts; money, time, measurement, and numbers.
1st Grade: Early number activities; operations and simple equations; story problem strategies; basic ten-structured concepts; ten-structured applications; comparisons and data formats; fractions, circle graphs, and clocks; money and 2-digit addition; analyze story problems; measurement, rounding, and shapes.
2nd Grade: Understanding addition and subtraction; solving story problems; addition to 200; tables and graphs; subtracting 2-digit numbers; 3-digit addition and subtraction; multiplication and fractions; measurement and shapes; quadrilaterals; time; diagonals and midpoints; shapes and patterns; metric measurement and 3-D shapes; non-standard and standard units of measure.
3rd Grade: Place value and multi-digit addition and subtraction; addition and subtraction word problems; multiplication and division, exploring fractions, probability, and division with remainders; measurement; lines, line segments, and quadrilaterals; figures, angles, and triangles; patterns; area and perimeter; time; three-dimensional figures; directions and locations.
4th Grade: Basic multiplication and division; place value and multi-digit addition and subtraction; multi-digit multiplication; multi-digit division; fractions; decimal numbers; quadrilaterals; lines, angles, and triangles; the metric measurement system; polygons and circles; three-dimensional figures; the U.S. customary system.
5th Grade: Basic multiplication and division; addition and subtraction with whole numbers and decimals; fraction concepts; multiplication and division with whole numbers and decimals; multiplication and division with fractions; ratio, proportion, and percent; perimeter and area; circles, polygons, and angles; volume, capacity, and weight; the coordinate plane; three-dimensional figures; proportion and measurement.

Middle School Mathematics – Go Mathematics Resource

Our Middle School Mathematics Program aligns with Common Core Standards and supports students in engaging with the Standards for Mathematical Practice:

6th Grade: Understand ratio concepts; use ratio reasoning; perform fraction and decimal operations; understand rational numbers; write, interpret, and use expressions, equations, and inequalities; solve problems involving area, surface area, and volume; summarize and describe distributions; understand variability.
7th Grade: Analyze proportional relationships; perform rational number operations; generate equivalent expressions; solve problems using linear equations and inequalities; understand geometric relationships; solve problems involving angles, surface area, and volume; analyze and compare populations; find probabilities of events.
8th Grade: Approximate real numbers; perform real number operations; use radicals and integer exponents; connect proportional relationships and lines; solve systems of linear equations define, evaluate, and compare functions; model relationships; understand congruence and similarity; apply the Pythagorean Theorem; apply volume formulas; analyze bivariate data.

Elementary Science – Science Dimensions Resource

Science is a central facet of the educational process through which students gain the knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes necessary to become scientifically and technologically literate citizens. All members of twenty-first century societies are greatly affected by the methods, theories, and products of science. The achievement of scientific literacy involves the nurturing and encouragement of curiosity, and of critical and innovative thinking. Students learn through the development of inquiry and process skills.

A science education is based on experiences gained through experimentation and the use and manipulation of materials. Applications of these skills should focus on enabling the learners to improve their ability in problem solving, to develop a greater understanding of scientific processes, to develop scientific attitudes and to formulate techniques appropriate to dealing with our changing environmental and societal demands. Science influences every aspect of our lives. It is central to our welfare as individuals and to the welfare of our society. The aim of a science education is, therefore, to develop scientific literacy for all students.

Learn by doing! Science at the elementary level explores with science kits for an experiential, hands-on approach to learning.

Kindergarten:

Materials and Motion provides kindergartners with integrated experiences with physical science, earth science, and engineering core ideas that relate to students’ interests and are teachable and learnable.
Animals 2×2 provides students with close and personal interaction with some common land and water animals.Students observe and care for the animals over time during this engaging unit of study.

1st Grade:

Sound and Light provides experiences that help students develop an understanding of how to observe and manipulate the phenomena of sound and light.
Plants and Animals engages students with the anchor phenomenon that young plants and animals have structures and behaviors that help them grow and survive.
Air and Weather encourages students to explore the natural world by using simple instruments and calendars to observe and monitor change.

2nd Grade:

Insects and Plants provides young students with in-depth opportunities to experience the biodiversity on Earth.
Pebbles, Sand and Silt engages students with the anchor phenomenon of earth materials that cover the planet’s surface.
Solids and Liquids provides students with core ideas dealing with matter and its interactions as well as with engineering design.

3rd Grade:

Water and Climate encourages students to explore the properties of water, the water cycle, and interactions between water and other earth materials.
Structures of Life allows students to experience that organisms exhibit a variety of strategies for life, have a variety of observable structures and behaviors, have varied put predictable life cycles, and reproduce their own kind by passing inherited characteristics to offspring.
Motion and Matter provides students with experiences around physical sciences core ideas dealing with forces and interactions, matter and its interactions, and with engineering design.

4th Grade:

Energy provides firsthand experiences in physical science dealing with the anchor phenomenon of energy.
Environments features investigations that focus on the anchor phenomenon that animals and plants interact with their environment and with each other.
Soils, Rocks and Landforms provides students with firsthand experiences with soils and rocks and modeling experiences using tools such as topographic maps and stream tables to engage with the anchor phenomenon of the surface of the Earth’s landscape.

5th Grade:

Energy and Sun encourages students to investigate patterns observed in the sky over a day, a month, a year, and more, and their effect on Earth.
Living Systems involves a close look at our planet through the interaction of four Earth systems or subsystems – the geosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the biosphere.
Mixtures and Solutions engages students with matter and its interactions in our everyday life – mixtures, solutions, solubility, concentration, and chemical reactions.

Middle School Science – Science Dimensions

Sixth Grade Science includes units in earth science, life science, and physical science. Science will be taught and reinforced with hands-on and minds-on projects and activities. Topics include: Scientific method, human impact; living resources; ecosystems and populations; geologic time; weathering and soil formation; erosion deposition mapping; plate tectonics; rocks; minerals; earthquakes and volcanoes.

Seventh grade science curriculum is aligned with the Michigan Curriculum Framework Science Content Benchmarks and includes units in earth, life, and physical sciences. Major topics include: Chemistry, weather factors and patterns, light and sound, elements and the periodic table, and basic biology discovering cells and cell processes…. and more. Science will be taught and reinforced with an emphasis in many hands-on and minds-on labs/projects/activities.

Eighth grade science follows the State of Michigan Earth Science high school objectives which focuses on Earth Systems Science. Major topics include the universe, weather, oceans, climate, natural resources, energy, earthquakes, volcanoes, and more. We focus a great deal on how a change in one of Earth’s systems can affect other areas as well. It is a comprehensive course that expands beyond the 6th and 7th grade content with lots of inquiry, technology, and in-depth investigations. Topics include: Our place in the universe; our dynamic geosphere; weather, water, and climate; depending on Earth.

Elementary Social Studies:

Social Studies is the integrated study of the social sciences (geography, history, civics, and economics) to prepare students to become responsible citizens. Current events are incorporated naturally as a way to connect present issues to the past

Grades K-2: Use HMH Social Studies trade books, big books, and mentor texts.
3rd Grade: Meet Michigan, supplemental trade books.
4th Grade: Regions of Our Country – presents five regions of the United States through the lens of economics, geography, political science, and history.
5th Grade: America’s Past – covers American history from the first migrations into the Americas through the 20th century.

Middle School Social Studies:

Our middle school Social Studies program uses HMH Western, Eastern Geography and The United States History

6th Grade: The Ancient World – topics include: The Ancient World, World Religions, The Middle East, Africa, Asia, Mayans, and Aztecs
7th Grade: Regions and People – topics include: The Core Democratic Values, Basic Economic Reasoning and Principals, South America, Europe, Russia, Canada, the United States, Oceania, Australia, and Career Planning
8th Grade: A History of the United States.