Curriculum and Instruction
Welcome to the web page of the Curriculum and Instruction in the Wynantskill Union Free School District. We are committed to providing a rigorous course of study that is rich and personalized for all students in grades K-8. As educators, the faculty and administration pursue the best that research offers to guide us in constructing a developmentally appropriate academic program that successfully prepares children with 21st century skills. We strive to provide a thorough foundation for students in all subject areas, including technology, and global literacies such as economics, health, the environment and world cultures. This goal is reflected in our district’s Curriculum Course Descriptions.
This structure to ensure oversight and accountability for our students’ performance on assessments meeting both New York State Standards and our own district standards for student achievement includes our Curriculum Coordinator, Mrs. Kristin Morrow, who oversees curriculum and program initiatives in Grades K – 8. Throughout the school year, please be informed that there will be periodic curriculum updates about our academic program which will be sent home and also posted on this site. In addition to curriculum development, the district provides an intense and well-articulated program of professional development for our talented faculty to support them in pursuing new research-based instructional practices and to provide teacher orientation, mentoring and instructional coaching for all teachers across grade levels and disciplines.
Throughout the year, parents and community members often have questions about our program and curriculum. We welcome your questions and comments about our work and will maintain an ongoing dialogue with our parent partners. You can e-mail the Curriculum Coordinator at kmorrow@wynantskillufsd.org. We are proud to work with the Wynantskill community in meeting the needs of our students and preparing for the future.
Common Core Standards (CCSS)
The CCSS is a set of national learning expectations developed by teachers, administrators, parents, and education experts from around the country. These standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn in K-12 Math and English Language Arts.
There is a great deal of similarity between New York State’s current standards and these national standards; however, in the coming years, there will be some changes in what your child will be taught. Some information will be new and some content will be taught in a different grade level than in the past. Implementation of CCSS will begin for our Kindergarten through Second Grade students for the 2011-2012 school year. Click here for more.
Standardized Testing
To provide schools, teachers, and parents with an assessment of student achievement, New York State has developed the New York State Testing Program. The New York State tests are designed to measure how well students have mastered necessary skills and to monitor the effectiveness of instructional programs. The testing helps assess both student achievement and the progress of our school.
The standardized test:
- Measure a student’s knowledge and overall achievement
- Measure a student’s mastery of specific skills
- Provide information to schools that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of instructional programs
- Monitor the performance of schools and school districts for the purpose of accountability to the public.
What kinds of responses are students asked to provide on these assessments?
The tests require students to show basic skills in English language arts and mathematics and to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned. Grades 5 and 8 take a Social Studies standardized test and Grades 4 and 8 take a Science Performance and Written standardized test. In some cases, students select the correct response from among four choices. At other times, students are required to write out an answer.
For the English Language Arts Test, students are tested on their reading, listening, and writing abilities by reading and listening to passages and answering questions based on those passages.
For the Mathematics Test, students solve problems and demonstrate an understanding of basic concepts and procedures. They must often support their answers by showing the steps they used to solve problems and by explaining the mathematics processes and concepts involved.
The Grade 4 Elementary-Level Science Test and the Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test, is designed to measure the content and skills contained in the Elementary-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades K–4 and the content and skills contained in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades 5–8. Both tests consist of two required components: a Written Test and a Performance Test. The Written Test consists of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The Performance Test consists of hands-on tasks set up at three stations.
The Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test is designed to measure
the content and skills contained in the Intermediate-Level Science Core Curriculum, Grades 5–8. The New York State Grade 8 Intermediate-Level Science Test consists of two required components: a Written Test and a Performance Test. The Written Test consists of multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The Performance Test (Form A) consists of hands-on tasks set up at three different stations.
New York State Testing Program |
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ELA |
The 2012 Grade 3-8 English Language Arts Tests are comprised of Three BOOKS per grade and will be administered over three consecutive days. |
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Grades 3-8 |
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*Make up days for ELA Tests will be Friday, April 20; Monday, April 23; and Tuesday, April 24. |
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Mathematics |
The 2012 Grades 3-8 Mathematics Tests are comprised of THREE books per grade and will also be administered over three consecutive days. |
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Grade 3-8 |
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*Make up days for the Mathematics Tests will be Monday, April 30; Tuesday, May 1; and Wednesday, May 2. |
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For more information about the new ELA and Math Testing Click here |
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Science |
Grade 4 |
May 23-June 1 Performance Test June 4-Written Test
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Science |
Grade 8 |
May 23-June 1 Performance Test June 4-Written Test
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