CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Kindergarten
The Developmental Kindergarten Program at Clintonville Elementary School is designed to provide creative and enriching experiences that promote learning in young children. A strong emphasis is placed on each child's social-emotional development. The program is not intended to offer an academic, highly structured, pencil and paper curriculum. Hands-on, real-life experiences are the foundation of this program. Young children learn through play, exploration, and experimentation.
It is our belief that children develop at their own pace. Therefore, modifications in curriculm are made for each child, on a regular basis.
The kindergarten teachers seek an active partnership with parents. Parental involvement is critical to a child's success in school. It is encouraged that parents provide plenty of opportunities at home for reinforcing the skills developed in kindergarten.
Mr. O'Brien
Mrs. Smalley
Mrs. Verrillo
Transitional
Mrs. Patty McGovern
Grade 1
First grade is a critical year in the child's formal academic experience. It is in this grade that the foundation for successful educational experiences begin to develop. Teachers and parents are partners in this instructional process. A parent's involvement is crucial to the child's success in learning.
Commumication skills are essential to lifelong learning and success. Students need to become skilled readers, writers, listeners, speakers, and viewers. Language is basic to thinking and learning and is integrated into all of the areas taught in first grade. Parents should have writing and drawing materials available in the home to encourage writing and self-expression. Parents need to read to their child and listen to their stories daily. A successful first grader should be able to read with fluency and understand what they have read (comprehension) by the end of the school year. They should also be able to write in complete sentences and begin to write short stories with a beginning, middle, and an ending.
Listening skills can be encouraged at home by expecting the child to pay attention and follow directions.
Mathematics in the early years includes opportunities for students to explore mathematical problem solving as a way of interpreting their world. Children are encouraged to explore, develop, test, discuss, amd apply ideas. Manipulatives are used. Mathematical challenges are open-ended, so children may propose and discuss ideas.
Science helps children develop essential knowledge and skills. It challenges students to think independently, clearly, logically, critically and creatively. Science education nurtures and strengthens each child's natural curiosity and desire for life-long learning. First graders study living and non-living and weather as their main areas of concentration. The social studies program for Grade 1 encompasses the child's ever widening experiences in school, neighborhood and community. Parents can encourage the child's natural curiosity by exposing them to a variety of experiences and by talking and answering questions as they arise.
By working together, this extremely important year can be a great success for your child.
Mrs. Gambardella
Mrs. Pacelli
Mrs. Tammaro
Grade 2
The second graders enjoyed starting our year off with the Pet Show theme. We learned about a variety of different animals and the responsibilities that come with being a pet owner. We are now Nuts about Nature exploring the outdoor world. We are leaf peepers learning when and why leaves change color. We have gone on a scavenger hunt and have walked the Nature Trail. We continue to add and subtract with our basic facts. We encourage students to practice and review at home! We continue working on being responsible second graders who listen to directions, follow rules, help others, and treat people the way we want to be treated. We're off to a great start!
Mrs. Connellan
Ms. MacDonald
Mrs. Paradis
Mrs. Pedersen
Grade 3
"Wow! Third Grade is fun!"
These words are often heard in our third grade classes at Clintonville as our students begin to learn cursive letters, multiplication and division. Interest in reading grows as students work in exciting themes including Oink, Oink, Oink; Community Ties; Weather; What's Cooking? and What a Day!
Reading maps, traveling "cross country" with the pioneers, discovering many kinds of communities and learning about our government and how it works helps 3rd graders truly enjoy Social Studies time.
...3,2,1....students "Blast Off!" into a unit about space and then travel back to earth to study the water cycle. Mini units on wolves, the desert, bats, dogs, nutrition, and volcanos bring the science program to life.
Third graders are like sponges....soaking up knowledge and information while developing character traits of responsibility, self-discipline, perserverance and independence. And all the while, they are preparing for the CMT's in 4th grade.
WOW! Third graders are busy!!!!!
Mrs. Zoppi
Mr. Stoner
Mrs. Pomichter
Grade 4
Fourth grade involves many essential lifelong learning skills. Our goal is to help students become skilled readers, writers, speakers, and viewers in the Language Arts area.
Mathematics in the elementary years includes opportunities for students to explore, problem solve using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. Students also learn to gather data and organize it. Mathematical challenges tend to be open-ended, therefore, eliciting class discussions.
In grade four, Science Education helps students develop essential knowledge, skills, and habits of mind. It also prepares students to communicate thoughtfully and effectively in a scientific and technological society.
Fourth graders will study physical geography and the concept of regions. These skills are used as important tools to discover and describe how human beings adapt to their natural environment.
Students are expected to follow classroom rules. They will have both short- term and long-term homework assignments. Assignments will reinforce classroom learning. It is important to help students develop self-reliance and a sense of responsibility.
Ms. Alicia Adinolfi
Mrs. Mangles
Ms. Penton
Grade 5
Students are expected to grow in work and study habits. Students need to take a more active role in accepting responsibility for their own needs academic, social, and behavioral. Self discipline and responsibility for their behavior is fostered and encouraged.
Language Arts - communications skills are essential to lifelong learning and success. Students need to be skilled readers, writers, listeners, speakers, and viewers. Language is basic to all thinking and learning and it is integrated into all areas of learning. We presently use the Houghton Mifflin Invitation to Literacy Series. This gives a very positive infusion of literature into a reading - language curriculum. Writing particulary expository written is woven into much of the fifth grade curriculum.
Math includes developing many traditional skills to fifth grade. This is a very concerted effort to employ problemsolving to explore, discuss, test, and apply ideas to come to, solutions using mathematics.
Science deals with developing essential knowledge, skills and prepares students to communicate effectively in Science. The general areas of study are Biological Science, Earth and Space Science, Integrated Science and Physical Science.
Social Studies curriculum is based on U.S. History. The curriculum attempts to expand understanding of our common history, civic traditions and political history. We study geography, native americans, colonial america, Revolutionary War, and openning of the west.
Mrs. Madonna
Ms. McLaughlin
Ms. Lauren Thompson
Specials Teachers
Ms. Beckmann/music
Mr. Horn/library
Mr. Naples/physical education
Mrs. Snow/art
Instrumental Music
Mr. Jones
Special Education Teachers
Mrs. Barnabei-Helfman
Ms. Ashley Bernardo
Mrs. Santangelo
Mrs. Doyle
Language Arts Consultant
Mrs. Carew
Pupil Personnel
Mrs. Faherty
Mrs. Skedgell
Mrs. Stonoha
Reading Teacher
Mrs. Antonelli