Staff Resources
Curriculum & Instruction
CCAUE follows all state standards that students are expected to learn in the given grade throughout the year. With the new Common Core State Standards now in effect for all schools, teachers are integrating these standards into their monthly pacing guides and weekly lesson plans. To see what the new Common Core State Standards are, see below.
Pacing guides are a way for teachers to plan out the curriculum, instruction and assessments for the year. These pacing guides are updated monthly to ensure that all standards are being taught during the specified month. The SVSU (Saginaw Valley State University) curriculum website (SUPO) is available as an additional resource for common vocabulary, activities to reach
all learners and assessments to ensure understanding.
Another way for CCAUE to ensure effective instruction is teaching the SIOP (Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol) model. This was adopted to provide English Language Learners (ELL) with a type of instruction that allows teachers to use a
variety of techniques so they are able to interact and participate in grade-level classes.
Here are some strategies that the SIOP model uses in the classroom:
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Vocabulary with picture cards
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Language and Content objectives
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Hands-on materials
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Word Walls
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Clear expectations of academic tasks
WritingCity
Mission
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WritingCity is a K-5 writing and grammar curriculum that aligns with national and state standards and supports well-renowned best practices. Our mission: to grow proficient K-5 writers through our engaging and effective curriculum.
At WritingCity, we aim to innovate writing instruction in order to prepare students for the newfound era of digital writing. The complete WritingCity framework includes ready-to-use digital lessons, instructional videos, and an online student writing platform to facilitate blended learning.
Journey
WritingCity was created by teachers, for teachers. It was first developed by a Michigan elementary school teacher and writing consultant in response to frequent requests for her modeled lessons. The writing and grammar curriculum officially launched in 2007 as WriteSteps. Second and third grade writing lessons were initially piloted, and due to popular demand, other elementary grade level lessons were soon added.
By 2010, WriteSteps supported over 2,000 educators. As a result of its growing success, the WritingCity staff expanded to include a professional development team to help guide K-5 teachers.
A year later, in 2011, WriteSteps lessons were redesigned by master teachers to meet writing and grammar Common Core State Standards. WriteSteps Common Core launched nationally on the first day of school.
In late 2017, WriteSteps was acquired and renamed WritingCity, joining sister sites VocabularySpellingCity and Science4Us. Together, these three programs now form the LearningCity family of education technology products. LearningCity is an award-winning edtech company that provides curriculum and supplemental programs to elementary schools.
Promise
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WritingCity has grown from a one-school solution to a well-respected, international curriculum impacting over 10,000 teachers and 300,000 students. It is positioned to meet the growing demands of 21st century schools as they transition to blended learning instructional methods. With WritingCity, prepare your students for success on state standardized assessments and a lifetime of confident writing.
