Curriculum and Instruction
Project Based Learning
Students at Steindorf STEAM School participate in Project Based Learning or PBL. PBL is a method of teaching that incorporates real-world and personally meaningful projects that develop deep content knowledge across multiple disciplines. Students use critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication skills throughout the PBL to inquire, investigate and solve a complex question or problem. PBL is highly engaging and gives students a sense of agency and purpose in their learning experiences. Student voice and choice is at the center of the learning process and creates meaningful learning opportunities for all.
K-8 Units of Study: Reader’s Workshop, Writer’s Workshop and Phonics Workshop
The Lucy Calkins Units of Study series includes lesson plans, mini-lessons, and small group work that supports development of reading and writing skills in all learners. It consists of three unique programs and supporting materials:
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Units of Study in Reading
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Units of Study in Writing
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Units of Study in Phonics
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Up the Ladder Reading Units
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Up the Ladder Writing Units
The Units of Study and workshop approach to instruction recognizes that “one size fits all” does not match the realities of the classrooms and schools in which they work. When you walk into a workshop classroom at any given moment, you’ll see instruction that is designed to help teachers address each child’s individual learning, explicitly teach strategies students will use not only the day they are taught, but whenever they need them. In addition, students receive support in small-group work and conferring, with multiple opportunities for personalizing instruction. The units of study build student voice in choice in their learning which allows for subject integration into other areas within our STEAM model. The routines and structures of reading and writing workshop are kept simple and predictable so that the teacher can focus on the complex work of teaching in a responsive manner to accelerate achievement for all learners.
K-5 Eureka Math
Thoughtfully constructed and designed like a story, Eureka Math is meticulously coherent, with an intense focus on key concepts that layer over time, creating enduring knowledge. Students gain a complete body of math knowledge, not just a discrete set of skills. They use the same models and problem-solving methods from grade to grade, so math concepts stay with them, year after year.
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EMBARC Online (Eureka Math Bay Area Regional Consortium) is an online repository of materials for Cambrian's TK-5 Math curriculum, Eureka. No login is required to access this resource.
6-8 CPM Math
CPM (College Preparatory Mathematics) is the Math curriculum for grades 6-8 and includes online resources.
Students work in study teams of 2-4 which provide for
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student discourse and sharing of ideas.
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students to take risks, question, and refine their ideas.
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Teaching strategies support effective study teams.
CPM is problem based: Problems are engaging, non-routine, thought-provoking tasks.
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Embedded questioning allows students to construct their knowledge.
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Teamwork creates safe productive struggle on challenging problems.
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Students make sense of the mathematics they are learning.
Math Letter from 6-8 Math Dept: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R7Yqp6u9y5krKxHmV3tE5JhXtYtgOrDu/view
Math Night Presentation, May 2023: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hMpKN2hEV0RBO_fUV15XTPFDdZ4lTezA/view
Building Thinking Classrooms- Creating rigor and getting students to think deeply in the mathematics classroom
K-5 NextGen Foss Science
Foss is a science curriculum for students with content in physical science, earth science, and life science. The curriculum consists of a series of 8- to 9-week modules in kindergarten to grade 5, including hands on opportunities for students explore a variety of scientific phenomenons.
K-5 Mystery Science
Mystery Science is an innovative, standards-aligned, hands-on curriculum that teaches children how to think like scientists. Phenomenon-driven instruction helps students better understand and communicate about the world around them through writing, discussion and exploration.
6-8 Amplify
Amplify Science blends hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools to empower students to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists and engineers.
Amplify Science was developed by the science education experts at UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science and the digital learning team at Amplify. As the Hall’s first curriculum designed to address the new science standards, Amplify Science reflects state-of-the-art practices in science teaching and learning.
Each unit of Amplify Science engages students in a relevant, real-world problem where they investigate scientific phenomena, engage in collaboration and discussion, and develop models or explanations in order to arrive at solutions.
NOTE: New science adoption for K-5 and 6-8 coming in 2024!
Health Connected
Health Connected is committed to providing effective and comprehensive puberty and sexuality education programs that meet government requirements and standards. Puberty Talk and Teen Talk Middle School have been designed to align with best practices in the field and comply with state and federal standards.
Puberty Talk (5th)
Teen Talk (7th)
K-5 Social Emotional Learning- Second Step
As a part of SEL programming, Cambrian School District supports the Second Step Curriculum to teach social skills to PreK - 5th-grade students.
WHAT IS THE SECOND STEP PROGRAM?
Second Step is a research-based developmentally appropriate and comprehensive curriculum for PreK-5th grade. Second Step is the highest-rated social skills curriculum, receiving a 5-star rating from the Federal Department of Education. It has been implemented in schools around the world for 20 years.
HOW IS SECOND STEP DELIVERED?
The Second Step program is taught one lesson per week by the classroom teacher to all students in the class. The goal of the Second Step program is to decrease risk factors while increasing protective factors focusing on building the strengths that students already have. The lessons are taught to every classroom in the school and reinforced throughout the school-with posters in hallways and the cafeteria and adults throughout the school fully trained in the program.
The Second Step program is broken down into three units in grades PreK-5. The units are:
HOW CAN PARENTS BE INVOLVED?
Second Step is a comprehensive program, so there are important elements that include parent, family, and community education and support. The Second Step curriculum includes letters that are sent home throughout the school year, informing parents and families of the topics that their students are learning in the lessons. Information is also sent home about skills that the students are taught: calming down strategies, problem-solving steps, anger management skills are just some examples.
Parents and families can use the information that is sent home to reinforce those same skills at home and in the community. For instance, when your children get into a fight at home, a parent can encourage them to take a deep breath and walk them through the problem-solving steps that are taught at school through the Second Step program and are sent home in parent letters or school newsletters. Caregivers can also attend Second Step Family Nights, where the entire family can experience Second Step lessons designed specifically for family relationships.
For more information about the Second Step Program, you can visit the following website: https://www.secondstep.org/
Habitudes for Social Emotional Learning for Middle School Students
The Habitudes for Social and Emotional Learning – Middle School Edition curriculum uses memorable imagery, real-life stories, and practical experiences to teach timeless emotional skills in a way that is relevant to students today. Students are constantly using images to communicate via emojis, Instagram, and Snapchat. Habitudes uses familiar language to bridge the gap between learning and real-life applications. Students will develop habits of self-discipline and initiative, learn time management skills, plan for personal growth outside the classroom and identify strengths and passions, plus more.
