15. Grade 3-4

(by {Carolina Bodner)

I listen and I hear,

I look and I see,

I do and I understand.

Our classroom environment and curriculum are organized to give children the opportunity to learn as much as possible through direct experience while reinforcing academic skills and concepts. The activity areas are designed to stimulate an awareness of the exciting world around them and to integrate their learning of writing, reading, math, social studies, art and environmental science. We believe this learning atmosphere naturally encourages and promotes a curiosity for learning, self-discovery, and individual expression of ideas.

The writing process is used in daily work, through journals, reports, and all forms of creative writing including poetry, story-telling and fiction. Each child publishes a number of original manuscripts each year.

The Laidlaw reading series* is the foundation of our language arts program. We also use Curriculum Associates spelling language activities, including SRA individual reading cards, and read individually chosen books during Quiet Reading** each week. Children are encouraged to bring in books from home or the library to read at this time.

We use the Scott Foresman Math program supplemented with "hands on" activities and games as much as possible to assure the understanding of concepts such as fractions, graphing, measuring and metrics.

Children are encouraged to feel a sense of pride in their family heritage, their city, state and country and to develop a sense of responsibility to each other and their community. Through our study of Somersworth and New Hampshire*** history and present day government, we hope they will develop a beginning understanding of our participatory democracy. At home this is a good age to follow daily news and begin to read the newspaper. Discussing relevant issues, locating places on maps, and using encyclopaedias can be a great family activity, while reinforcing important research and study skills.

Assignments:

1. Look through the text and say what level of education is described in the article.

2. Speak on the main way of teaching children in this school.

3. Find the paragraph where children are taught patriotism and translate it into Russian.

4. Say what the author advises to do in families while children are out of school.

________________________

* Laidlaw reading series – пособие для обучения чтению

** Quiet Reading– уроки, посвященные чтению про себя

*** New Hampshire– штат в США

16. When your child counts to ten, does he have to use his fingers?

(by Carolyn Davis)

It's painful, watching children struggle to "make friends" with numbers. Especially today, when number knowledge is so vital to success in school, college, and the workaday world itself.

Yet this struggle to master math needn't be. Not with the wonder-working teaching aids on the market today.* And the best of these, according to many parents and educators, is the brand-new** set from Reader's Digest called "I Can Count."

What is it? Fun and games, really: 79 in all***. And once you put them in the hands of a child you love, you'll marvel at the sudden joy he finds in numbers.

Did I say "marvel"? Yes. Because before you know it, that child of yours will be counting to 100. He will have learned how to add... substract... tell time... keep a calendar ... measure... make change for a dollar... and so much more...

What others say about "I Can Count"?

Hundreds of educators and parents have written to us, praising "I Can Count." Typical of this comment from Mrs Joseph S. Caleagno, Jr, of Santa Cruz, California: " 'I Can Count' holds the interest of all three of my children. My 2 1/2-year-old son is fascinated with the Number Bars and the Tall Chart, Claire, my five-year-old, is learning about the value of money from the Supermarket Game, and 7-year-old Kristen enjoys everything in the Kit. If anything, all three are playing with it more than they were two weeks ago!" (From "Reader's Digest")

Assignments:

1. Look through the article and say what it is about.

2. Read the article again and say what skills children acquire with the help of the new book.

______________________

* Not with the wonder-working teaching aids on the market today. – He с теми чудесными учебными пособиями, которые продаются сегодня.

** brand-new – совершенно новый

*** in all – всего, в общей сложности