GARR ACADEMY OF...GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES vs. COMPARISON GROUPS' RECLASSIFICATION OF ENGLISH LEARNERS...

GARR ACADEMY of

MATHEMATICS AND

ENTREPRENEURIAL

STUDIES RENEWAL CHARTER PETITION

FINAL DRAFT TO BE SUBMITTED on

December 10, 2010

REQUEST for FIVE-YEAR TERM

July 2011 to June 2016

GAMES – Garr Academy of Mathematics 2 And Entrepreneurial Studies

GARR ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents 2

Introduction and Self Assessment 5

Assurance/Self Assessment 13

Element 1: EDUCATION PROGRAM 20

Mission Statement 23

Educated Persons of the 21st Century 23

The Curriculum 28

Entrepreneurial Curriculum 94

Element 2: MEASURABLE STUDENT OUTCOMES 117

Element 3:MEANS FOR ASSESS PUPIL PROGRES 119

Assessment Schedule 121

Assessment 123

Literacy Assessment 123

Grading Policy 124

Performance Assessment of Annual Project 125

Student Portfolios 126

Life-Long Learning Social/Interpersonal and Life-Skills Assessment 126

Evaluation of Inclusive Community 126

Specific Grade-Level Standards/Benchmarks 126

Student Retention and Promotion 131

Gifted and Talented Students 132

Element 4: GOVERANCE 134


The School Board 135

School Board Decisions 136

Terms of Office 136

Removal of Board Members 137

Principal 137

School Community 137

Process to Ensure Parent Involvement 137

Process to Ensure Student Involvement 139

Process to Ensure Teacher Involvement 139

Element 5: EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS AND RIGHTS 141

Qualifications for Employment 141

Hiring Process and Evaluation of Staff Performance 142

Preliminary Job Descriptions 143

Staff Development 144

Staff Evaluation and Accountability 148

Process for Resolving Complaints and Grievances 148

Child Abuse Reporting 149

Personnel Policy 149

Salaries and Benefits 149

Element 6: HEALTH AND SAFETY 151

Element 7: RACIAL AND ETHNIC BALANCE 159

Element 8: ADMISSIONS 161

Element 9: ANNAUL AUDIT 164


Element 10: STUDENT DISCIPLINE 170

Grounds for Suspension and Expulsion 170

Suspension Procedures 172

Expulsion Procedures 172

Appeal of Suspension/Expulsion 174

Discipline of Students with Disabilities or Section 504 Plans 175

Element 11: RETIREMENT SYSTEM 178

Element 12: ATTANDANCE ALTERNATIVES 179

Element 13: Employee Rights 180

Element 14: Dispute Resolution 181

Element 15: Collective Bargaining 183

Element 16: Charter School Closing Procedures 184

Attachments:

Appendix A- Professional Development

Appendix-B: Health and Safety Policy

Appendix C-Governance:

Articles of Incorporation

By Laws

Board of Directors Resumes

Organizational Chart

Conflict of Interest

Initial Screening

Resolution

Budget:

Start-up 3-year Business Plan 3-year Monthly Cash Flow


INTRODUCTION AND SELF ASSESSMENT

Garr Academy of Mathematics and Entrepreneurial Studies (GAMES) has been in operation

since September 2006; serving 180 students in grades k-5. The enrollment has grown

Tremendously since 2006. Today, it has increased its enrollment by 140; currently serving 320

students in grades K-5. The school has also made great academic improvements as well. Under

the leadership of the current principal, a Spanish teacher has been added, an after school

intervention program was also added, extensive visits to other cites occurred, a reward system for

readers and a reward system for parent involvement have also been implemented, in addition,

they added an annual Yellow Rose Ceremony honoring supportive parents.. Study Island has

been added and significantly enhanced the after school support for students. Parent Homework

Logs were developed to strengthen the involvement of parents in the school life of children. The

school has raised its score over 200 points. Also, teachers now are central to the school’s new

staff development program. Also utilizing the expertise of board members throughout the school

has made a difference for the principal and teachers. The school is a title 1 school so

arrangements have been made for parents who work multiple jobs to have opportunities to be on

campus in a viable way, involved in the school life of children. The Accelerated Reading

Program and the Mind Institute Program has also been added as an instructional supplement. In

2007, GAMES scored 614 on the STAR exam. However, in 2010 the API score rose to 787.

GAMES hopes to earn an API score of 900 in 2011. Several community organizations have also

taken notice of its success. UCLA has partnered with GAMES in providing staff development

training in mathematics; they painted a classroom and playground, donated furniture and books,

and conduct student tours on their campus. GAMES has also expanded its entrepreneurial

training programs and curriculum. Biz World Corporation provides staff development training

annually.

GARR ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES (GAMES)

aims to have all students achieve academic excellence and master essential skills needed for a

productive life in the 21st century. Our mission is to offer students who have been placed at risk,

of dropping out of school, an opportunity to apply creativity, develop risk-taking inclinations, to

enhance their ability to get along with others and to have positive life experiences that will

continue to have the potential to deliver them from poverty. This population will continue to

learn in a structure that assures achievement of the California Content Standards while thriving

in a relaxed, business style environment emphasizing communications, leadership, responsibility

and advocacy in all of our individual and group activities. Our students will continue to learn to

think outside of a structured setting and will continue to be prepared to think for themselves, act

independently, and be on their way to living in an often turbulent and chaotic society. We will

continue to initiate an outreach program to attract a strong, diverse community of families who

strongly desire an academically rigorous curriculum that emphasizes entrepreneurial and

mathematics.

A detailed analysis of the school’s student achievement data including

STAR/CST, CELDT, API and AYP Data

We believe statewide testing data is one critical component demonstrating our impact on student

achievement. For this reason, we are proud that such data brings to light how GAMES fulfills its

mission of providing its students with an exceptional public education.


Academic Performance Index (API) and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

Year API base Growth API Growth Actual Growth

2006-2007 614 0 0 0

2007-2008 614 9 610 -4

2008-2009 612 9 684 72

2009-2010 684 6 787 103

Aggregate

Growth

24 171

Our recently released API scores proves that GAMES is capable of serving its targeted

population. When compared to neighboring schools, GAMES outscored each one of them

by a very large margin.

We believe that our approach to education is unique and different from other schools in

that it not only offers a state standardized curriculum, but it also incorporates an exoteric

Entrepreneurial Training Program that gives the curriculum a deeper meaning. Students

are able to gain a more indebt understanding of math, language arts, and science when

applied to business and economic development. To this end, they are more motivated to

achieve and demonstrate their knowledge in the community.

API scores of neighborhood schools (2009-2010)

The families in the neighborhoods from which we draw have a wide array of public

elementary options

SCHOOLS API

GAMES 787

52nd

Street Elementary 661

Budlong Elementary 698

Raymond Avenue Elementary 703

Western Avenue Elementary 644

Among the schools in our neighborhood, GAMES received the highest API scores. All of

these schools have similar student populations where many if not most receive free and

reduced priced lunch.

API Scores of comparison schools in charter (2009-2010)

SCHOOLS API

GAMES 787

Foshay Learning Center 657

59th

Street Elementary 740

Crescendo Charter 0


2010 API Growth

2009 API

Base

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 787 684

Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE

837 817

Median Resident Schools 680 657

Median Comparison Schools in Charter

657 663

2009-10 CST Comparison

English Language

Arts Mathematics

Basic, Below

Basic & Far Below

Basic

Proficient &

Advanced

Basic, Below Basic & Far Below

Basic

Proficient &

Advanced

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 57% 43% 38% 62% Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE

44% 59% 33% 68%

Median of Resident Schools 69% 31% 58% 42%

Median of Comparison Schools in Charter

68% 31% 67% 33%

NOTE: Aggregated performance levels of median percentages may not equal 100%

AYP Goals

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)

# Criteria # Met % Met

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 9 9 100%

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES

vs. COMPARISON GROUPS' ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE INDEX and ADEQUATE YEARLY PROGRESS INDICATORS

API Growth and Annual Change Adequate Yearly Progress

(AYP)

2010 2010 API Growth

2009 API Base Change


GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 787 684 103 9 9 100%

Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE 837 817 20

Median Resident Schools 680 657 23

Median Comparison Schools in Charter 657 663 -6


API Growth and Annual Change Adequate Yearly Progress

(AYP)

2009 2009 API Growth

2008 API Base Change


GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 684 612 72 9 9 100%

Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE 817 804 13

Median Resident Schools 657 657 -1

Median Comparison Schools in Charter 663 649 14

Comparison of Reclassification of English Learners (2009-2010)


vs. COMPARISON GROUPS' RECLASSIFICATION OF ENGLISH LEARNERS

2010 # EL

Reclassified # EL (Prior

Year) Percent

Reclassified Change from

Prior Year

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 23 63 36.5% 4.7%

Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE 74 580 12.8% -3.3%

Median Resident Schools 92 748 12.2% -1.3%

Median Comparison Schools in Charter 98 896 10.9% -1.3%

2009 # EL

Reclassified # EL (Prior

Year) Percent

Reclassified

GARR ACAD OF MATH/ES 21 66 31.8%

Median LAUSD Similar Schools from CDE 106 659 16.1%

Median Resident Schools 125 920 13.5%

Median Comparison Schools in Charter 115 936 12.2%


GAMES Students scoring basic, far and below basic: Math and Language Arts (2009-2010)


Students Scoring Basic, Below Basic & Far Below Basic

English Language Arts Mathematics

Year


Median LAUSD Similar Schools

from CDE

Median Resident Schools

Median Comparison Schools in

Charter



from CDE



Charter

2009 68% 49% 74% 72% 66% 36% 63% 66%

2010 57% 44% 69% 68% 38% 33% 58% 67%


Students Scoring Proficient & Advanced

English Language Arts Mathematics

Year



from CDE



Charter



from CDE



Charter

2009 32% 54% 26% 28% 34% 65% 37% 38%

2010 43% 59% 31% 31% 62% 68% 42% 33%


GAMES English Language Learners: Below Basic and Far Below Basic (2009-2010)

GAMES English Learners: Proficient and Advanced (2009-2010)


MATHEMATICS

Percent of Students Scoring Basic, Below Basic and Far Below Basic

66%

36%

63%66%

38%33%

58%

67%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

GARR ACAD OF

MATH/ES

Median LAUSD Similar

Schools from CDE

Median Resident

Schools

Median Comparison

Schools in Charter

2009 2010

MATHEMATICS

Percent of Students Scoring Proficient and Advanced

34%

65%

37% 38%

62%

68%

42%

33%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

GARR ACAD OF

MATH/ES

Median LAUSD Similar

Schools from CDE

Median Resident

Schools

Median Comparison

Schools in Charter

2009 2010


ASSURANCE AND AFIIRMATION

The GARR ACADEMY OF MATHEMATICS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES affirms

that:

Shall meet all statewide standards and conduct the student assessments required, pursuant to Education Code Sections 60605 and 60851, and any other statewide standards

authorized in statute, or student assessments applicable to students in non-charter public

schools. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605 (c) (1).

Shall be deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of the LCS for purposes of the educational Employment Relations Act. [Ref. Education Code Section

14 47605 (b) (o)]

Shall be non-sectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605 (d) (1)]

Shall not charge tuition. [Ref. Education Code Section 47605 (d)(1)]

Shall admit all students who wish to attend. Except as required by Education Code Section 47605(d)(2) (A), admission to the charter shall not be determined according to

the place of residence of the student or his or her parents within the state. However, if the

number of pupils who wish to attend the charter exceeds the school’s capacity,

attendance, except for existing pupils of the charter school, shall be determined by a

public random drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending the

charter school and pupils who reside in the district, EC 47605(d)(2)(B), except as

provided for in Section 47614.5. Other preferences may be permitted by the chartering

authority on an individual school basis and only if consistent with the law. In the event

of a drawing, the charter school and, in no event, shall take any action to impede the

charter school from expanding enrollment to meet pupil demand.

Shall not discriminate against any student on the basis of the characteristics listed in Education Code Section 220 (actual or perceived disability, gender, nationality, race or

ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that is contained in the

definition of hate crimes set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code.

Shall adhere to all provisions of federal law related to students with disabilities including, but not limited to, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title II of the

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Individuals with Disabilities in

Education Improvement Act of 2004.

Garr Academy of Mathematics and Entrepreneurial Studies shall comply with all requirements of the Crawford V. Board of Education City of Los Angeles court order and

the LAUSD Integration Policy adopted and maintained pursuant to the Crawford court

order by Student Integration Services (collectively the “Court-ordered Integration

Program”). The Court-ordered Integration Program applies to all schools within or

chartered through LAUSD. The School will provide a written plan to achieve and

maintain the LAUSD’s ethnic goal which is with a 70:30 or 30:70 ratio.

Shall not enroll pupils over nineteen (19) years of age unless continuously enrolled in public school and making satisfactory progress toward high school diploma requirements

Shall not require any child to attend a charter school nor any employee to work at a charter school


Shall at all times maintain the required insurance coverage as specified in Element 6 of this Charter

Shall, for each fiscal year, offer a minimum, the number of minutes of instruction per grade level as required by Education Code Section 47612.5(a)(1)(A)-(D)

In accordance with Education Code Section 48200,if a pupil is expelled or leaves the Charter School without graduating or completing the school year for any reason, the

Charter School shall notify the superintendent of the school district of the pupil’s last

know address within 30 days, and shall, upon request, provide that school district with a

copy of the cumulative record of the pupil, including a transcript of grades or report card

and health information.

Will follow any and all other federal, state, and local laws and regulations that apply to including but not limited to:

shall maintain accurate and contemporaneous written records that

document all pupil attendance and make these records available for audit and

inspection

shall on a regular basis consult with its parents and teachers regarding

the Charter school’s education programs.

shall comply with any jurisdictional limitations to locations of its

facilities.

shall comply with all laws establishing the minimum and maximum age

for public school enrollment.

shall comply with all applicable portions of the No Child Left Behind

Act.

shall comply with the Public Records Act.

shall comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

shall comply with the Ralph M. Brown Act.

shall meet or exceed the legally required minimum of school days.

Understands and accepts obligations to comply with specific sections of the Education Code: Section 47611 (STRS) and all laws establishing minimum age for

public school attendance.

OUR VISION

The vision of GAMES is to create a highly accountable model of innovation with highly

qualified teachers guided by the core principles. The school’s objectives are that students in

grades K-5 will continue to be able to demonstrate the ability to gather, analyze and use


information, communicate precisely, solve problems, work cooperatively, think creatively,

initiate action and participate in a global society.

How Learning Best Occurs

In addition, among the goals identified in our educational program, The GARR ACADEMY OF

MATHEMATICS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL STUDIES will continue to focus on the

objective of enabling pupils to become proficient in mathematics/economics and entrepreneurial

in their thinking. Our school embraces core values that reflect best practices researched in high

performing schools that have been proven to consistently produce well-educated urban students.

GAMES will continue to be organized in such a way as to insure the following:

Personalized Learning Environment – Students learn best in small learning communities where

their education is personalized so that students know their teachers and are well known as

individuals by all adults in the school.

Student Engagement – Student voice is essential in all aspects of the school that directly affect

student learning, interests and needs through structures such as school classroom “Board

Meetings” that connect each student with a personal learning team.

Increased Time On Learning – All students must have sufficient time in school to learn

successfully. The school will continue to offer a school year of at least 180 days of instruction

and an ongoing opportunity for extended learning time for intervention or enrichment to meet

individual student needs. Daily instructional learning time will continue to be extended in

longer blocks of time to allow for focused, in-depth instruction in reading and math.

Integrated Technology - Students and teachers will continue to have adequate access to

technology so that it can be used effectively with student learning, classroom instruction, data

management and electronic communication. We believe that technology used as an effective

tool in high performing schools must provide electronic assessment and electronic student

portfolios that provide immediate access to student progress data for teachers, students and their

parents.

Parents as Partners – Parents will continue to be meaningfully and actively engaged in their

children’s education. They have the right to choose to send their children to excellent, high

performing schools. Parents will continue to also be held responsible and accountable for

supporting their child’s learning at school and at home.

Community Partnerships – GAMES will continue to engage the local businesses. Private, civic,

non-profit, and corporate entities will continue to have a vital role in mentoring the students and

assisting them in developing entrepreneurial concepts, projects, apprenticeships and provide

entrepreneurial opportunities for the students.


WHOM THE SCHOOL IS ATTEMPTING TO EDUCATE

GAMES will continue to be located at 5101 S. Western Avenue in Los Angeles, California. The

site is located in the South Central area within the borders of the Los Angeles Unified School

District and in a Los Angeles Empowerment Zone. According to the most recent census data,

only 23 percent of persons 25 or over have an associates or bachelor’s degree. 35 percent of

adults do not have a high school diploma. The Los Angeles County Report for the Service

planning Area (SPA6), 10.7% unemployment compared to 7% unemployment in Los Angeles

County. The median household income for African-Americans falls between $15,000 - $24,000

and the median household income for Hispanics is between $10,000 - $15,000 (US Census,

2000). Of the households with children under 18, 44% are headed by single mothers or fathers.

These statistics confirm the need for an exciting, innovative educational program to capture the

interest of our youth and serve the community.

GAMES will continue to recruit students currently attending elementary school in the area that

are in years 2 or more of school improvement under the No Child Left Behind legislation

regulations. Currently those schools are Western Avenue Elementary, Angeles Mesa Elementary

and Budlong Avenue Elementary school. Our unique educational program will continue to offer

the students and their families an alternative.

The facility has 16 classrooms, offices, multi-purpose room, staff resource room, conference

room and full kitchen. GAMES will continue to be autonomous and responsible for all things

pertaining to the daily operation and governance of the school, including its on-site

administration, professional development, curriculum and methodology development and

delivery of instruction to an ethnically and economically diverse population.

GAMES will continue to offer parents a creative and innovative educational alternative. Where

possible, learning will continue to be experientially based. The classroom atmosphere will

continue to encourage students to act independently cooperatively, responsibly and attentively.

Our program will continue to incorporate a student-centered curriculum that is aligned with the

state content standards. It will continue to incorporate multi-age grouping of students for

instruction, team teaching, experiential activities, plentiful choices for students, and a humanistic

culture – all within an internally motivating environment that avoids punishments and values

rewards.

PROJECTED ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS

GAMES’ anticipated enrollment is 320 students, grades K-5 for the first school year with an

increase to 360 by the third year of operation. GAMES will continue to participate in the State

Class Reduction Program. The following is the grade level breakdown:

Kindergarten (3 classes of 20 ea.) 60

First Grade (3 classes of 20 ea.) 60

Second Grade (3 classes of 20 ) 60

Third Grade (3 classes of 20.) 60

Fourth Grade (3 classes of 20) 60


Fifth Grade (3 classes of 20) 60

360

GAMES will continue to adopt a school calendar with at least 180 full days and provide more

instructional minutes than required by the State of California through the use of an extended day

schedule. A calendar and bell schedule will continue to be submitted annually, at least two

weeks prior to the opening of school.

Garr Academy of Mathematics and Entrepreneurial Studies

INSTRUCTIONAL CALENDAR 2011/2012

Calendar Items Dates Orientation Meeting August 16,2011

Staff Development August 15-26,2011 (2-weeks)

Labor Day Celebration Sept 5, 2011

Pupil Free Day September 12, 2011

First Day of Instruction Sept.13, 2011

Submit GAMES Charter

to LAUSD

September 20, 2011

Back-to-School Night Oct. 6, 2011 3:00pm-5:00pm

Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2011

Thanksgiving Nov. 24-26, 2011

Yellow Rose Ceremony December 12, 2011 8:00am

Parent Conferences

(issue report cards)

Dec. 13-15, 2011 1st tri-

Sem.

April 11-12, 2011 2nd tri-

Sem.

Final June 23, 2011

Winter Holiday Dec. 19,2011-January

09,2012

(Teachers return on Jan.

09,2011 for

Pupil Free Day,

Students return on

January 10, 2012)

Martin Luther King Day Jan 16, 2012

2nd Tri-semester Begins January 10,2012

Tri-semester Grades Week of March 27,2012

President’s Day February 20,2012

Spring Break April 17,2012-April 21,2012


(Teachers return on April

25, 2011 for Pupil Free Day,

Students return on April 25,

2012,)

STAR Testing May 8-19,2012

Memorial Day May 29,2012

Last Day of Instruction June 23, 2012

End of Semester Grades June 22,2012

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Lead Parent Meetings Every month

Parent Orientation August 16, 2011

Winter Program December 09,2011

Black History Program February 24, 2012

Entrepreneurial Day March 30,2012

Cinco De Mayo May 4, 2012

Book Fair Dec. 1-8,2011 and June 1,2012

Spelling Bee Contest May 25,2012

Angles for Sight September 23,2011

Career Day June 09, 2012

Music Recital June 15,2012

Senior Citizens Day June 16, 2012

Garr Academy of Mathematics and Entrepreneurial Studies

Number of calendar days…………………………….........180

Pupil Free Days:………………..……………………….….….3 Full day dismissal September 13, 2011

January 11, 2012

April 25, 2012

Minimum Days:……………………………………………….14 Half-day dismissal, every other Wednesday starting September 21 2011

Grade Level Field trips

Kindergarten: 1st grade:

Cabrillo Beach (May) Science Center (October)

Farm-Pumpkin Patch (October) Zoo (February

Pretend City (February) Kids Space (June)


2nd grade: 3rd grade:

Natural History Museum (November) Museum of Tolerance (October)

Star Eco Station (March) LACMA (January)

Theatre/Concert (June) Aquarium of the Pacific: Long Beach (April)

4th grade: 5th grade

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium (November) Griffith Observatory (November)

El Pueblo De Los Angeles (March Getty Museum (March)

Autry national Center (June) Huntington Library (May) 176 days of Instruction


Element 1: Educational Program

The address of the charter is: 5101 S. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA. 90062

The phone number of the Charter is: (323) 294-2008

The contact person for the Charter School is: William Greene, Principal

The term of this Charter shall be from: 2011 to 2016

The grade configuration is: K-5

The number of students in the first year will be: 320

The grade level(s) of the students the first year will be: K-5

The scheduled opening date of the Charter School is: September 2011

The admission requirements include: Students must reside in the State of California

The operational capacity will be: 18 classrooms and approximately 360 students

The instructional calendar will be: September –June

The bell schedule for the Charter School will be: 8:00am-3:00pm

If space is available, traveling students will have the option to attend.

*Special Education Program

Prior to Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD”) Governing Board approval, [Charter

School] will either execute a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) by and between the Los

Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD”) and [Charter School] regarding the provision and

funding of special education services consistent with the requirements of the LAUSD Special

education plan Plan Area (“SELPA”) Local Plan for Special Education or provide approved legal

verification of membership in another state-approved SELPA with agreement to adhere to the

LAUSD’s MCD requirements.

District-authorized charter schools permitted to participate in an out-of-District SELPA will be

required to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) by and between the LAUSD and

the charter school (if considered a Local Educational Agency (“LEA”) regarding the provision of

special education services. The receiving out-of-District SELPA Local Plan must be provided to

the District for review and must contain a commitment to ensure that the District-authorized

charter schools assume all responsibility for the students with disabilities that enroll in the

charter schools and that the receiving SELPA is accountable for oversight, monitoring, and

implementing the MCD requirements. A material amendment to the petition and Board approval

will be required unless the issue is addressed at the time of charter petition renewal.

*Modified Consent Decree Requirements

All Charter Schools chartered by the Los Angeles Unified School District (“LAUSD or the

District”) Governing Board are bound by and must adhere to the terms, conditions and

requirements of the Chanda Smith Modified Consent Decree (“MCD”) and other court orders


imposed upon District pertaining to special education. The MCD is a consent decree entered in a

federal court class action lawsuit initially brought on behalf of students with disabilities in

LAUSD. It is an agreement of the parties approved by the federal court and monitored by a

court-appointed independent monitor. The MCD includes eighteen statically measureable

outcomes and facilities obligations that the District has to achieve to disengage from the MCD

and federal court oversight. All Charter Schools are required to use the District’s Special

Education Policies and Procedures Manual and Welligent, the District-wide web-based software

system used for online IEPs and tracking of related services provided to students during the

course of their education.

As part of fulfilling the District’s obligations under the Modified Consent Decree, data requests

from Charter Schools that are not connected to the District’s current Student Information

Systems (“SIS”) are made on a regular basis. The requested data must be submitted in the Office

of the Independent Monitor’s required format and are as follows:

# The Independent Charter School Suspension/Expulsion Report, due monthly

throughout the school year.

# Paper SESAC Report and Welligent Student Listing Verification, due monthly

throughout the school year.

# CBEDS, which is due at the end of October of Each School Year.

# All Students Enrolled December 1 of Each School Year, due at the end of

December every school year.

# Graduation Status of 12th

Grade Students Enrolled on December 1, due at the end

of June every school year.

The District is currently in the process of developing an Integrated Student Information System

(“ISIS”) as required by the MCD. Although most Charter Schools are not currently utilizing the

District’s current SIS, the MCD requires all Charter Schools to implement the use of ISIS once it

is developed.

DAILY SCHEDULE (K-3)*

Regular Day Schedule

Breakfast 7:30 – 8:00

Period 1 – English Language Arts 8:00 – 9:30

Nutrition and Recess 9:30 – 9:50


Period 3 – Mathematics 10:50 – 11:50

Lunch and Recess 11:50 – 12:30

Period 3 –Science/Social Science 12:30 – 1:15


Period 4 – Physical Education 1:15 – 1:45

Period 5-Entrepreneurial Training 1:45 – 3:00

DAILY SCHEDULE (4-5)*

Regular Day Schedule

Breakfast 7:30 – 8:00


Nutrition and Recess 10:00 – 10:20

Period 2 – Mathematics 10:20 – 11:20

Period 3- Science/Social Science 11:20 – 12:05

Lunch and Recess 12:05 – 12:45

Period 4-Physical Education 12:45 – 1:45

Period 5-Entrepreneurial Training 1:45 – 3:00

345 daily minutes x 180 days = 62,100 instructional minutes *(including 15 minutes of “

Shortened Day Schedule (K-5): Every Other Wednesday

Breakfast 7:30am-8:00am

Period 1-English language Arts 8:00am-9:20am

Nutrition and Recess (k) 9:20am-9:35am

Nutrition and Recess (1-5) 9:35am-9:50am

Period 2-Math/Science (k) 9:20am-11:00am

Period 2- Math/Science (1-2) 9:50am-11:20am

Period 2-Math/Science (3-5) 9:50am-11:40am

Lunch Period (k) 11:00am-11:20am

Lunch Period (1-2) 11:20am-11:40am

Lunch Period (3-5) 11:40am-12:00pm

Period 3-Social Studies/Art (k) 11:20-12:00pm

Period 3-Social Studies/Art (1-2) 11:40-12:00pm

Dismissal 12:00pm


GAMES is committed to developing a model comprehensive elementary program that meets the

unique needs of the 21st century student. We intend to prove that a mathematics/entrepreneurial

core curriculum can balance constructivist teaching methodologies with explicit, rigorous

standards-based instruction and, in doing so, attain academic excellence within the reach of all

students. Our educational emphasis is designed to bring about results that will continue to

eliminate the term “at-risk” for our students. GAMES’ mathematics/entrepreneurial educational

program will continue to assist the students in connecting and understanding their life’s goals as

they relate to their individual gifts, talents and abilities. They will continue to see a connection

between their current education and their plans for the future. They will continue to understand

the concepts of economics and how they fit in as entrepreneurial thinkers. Our students will

continue to be able to “make a job” instead of simply being able to “take a job.” The

entrepreneurial focus will continue to prepare young people to know themselves, be responsible,

enterprising individuals who will continue to become entrepreneurs. Our program will continue

to expand students’ understanding of the value of money and money management; provide

apprenticeship opportunities in the classroom, school, and community while promoting creative

and critical thinking and problem solving. Our students will continue to develop their projects

and ideas throughout the curriculum. GAMES’ goal is to make education relevant to the

student’s individual life and also to assist them in becoming self sufficient.

The education of the whole child includes an intentional engagement and development of the

child’s intellect, physical body, emotions and spirit. A whole child education starts from the

understanding that these four aspects of the child are integral with each other, that they are

profoundly interrelated and that all four aspects are present in every moment of the child’s life.

A whole child education recognizes the multiple identities of every child: that she/he is an

individual, a member of a family, a part of their learning community or school, a member of a

geographically-identified community, a member of ethnic, racial, and/or religious communities,

a citizen of the United States (or whatever nation is pertinent) and a global citizen. The

education of the whole child seeks to assist and guide each child in her/his development of

her/his highest potentials and greatest gifts-and to engage each child in manifesting these fights

and potential in ways that serve both her/his own intentions and her/his social and environmental

responsibilities.

Our charter school intends to establish a program that we believe nurtures a majority of the

attributes in our students, by setting new and immediate goals to:

Assess measurable student outcomes in core curriculum three times a year in 1st through 5

th grade and use the results to drive instruction.

To improve student’s mastery of language arts and mathematics California content standard curriculum, instructional practices and assessments school-wide.

Give students opportunities to start and run a community business for a profit.


MISSION STATEMENT

GAMES seeks to gather a diverse population of students, from urban communities in grades

Kindergarten through 5th

, for active engagement in a student-centered learning environment that

provides a rigorous standards-based curriculum where students can practice autonomy, as well

as, work cooperatively with others. Our goal is to nurture internally motivated learners, who are

effective problem solvers, critical thinkers and who are proficient in language arts, mathematics,

science, history and the humanities, and the visual and performing arts. We seek to educate the

“whole child,” addressing the intellectual, social, emotional, creative, physical and collaborative

aspects of education.

GAMES will continue to strive to assure the healthy development of every student so that each

has the knowledge, skills and resiliency to be successful in a rapidly changing world. We seek to

create a learning community that invites and engages all teachers, administrators, students and

families who are interested and committed to working together toward building a caring,

supportive and successful school for all its students.

EDUCATED PERSONS OF THE 21ST

CENTURY

Educated persons of the 21st century must possess the tools necessary for leadership and service.

GAMES will continue to be dedicated and designed to give at-risk, disadvantaged youth the

opportunity to use real-world situations to help them to develop core knowledge, creative

problem-solving abilities, entrepreneurial skills and economic literacy. All students will

continue to be prepared to be responsible, enterprising individuals and will continue to become

entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers, lifelong learners and contributors to their community.

An educated person in the 21st century needs to possess the higher-order thinking skills necessary

to think independently about unfamiliar problems. This person will continue to need a broad

frame of reference in mathematics, science, history, language arts, physical education, and the

visual and performing arts, have a strong and healthy self-concept and see themselves as

autonomous, cooperative, respectful and productive lifetime learners. They will continue to be

self-disciplined, intuitive, self-motivated and pro-social toward others and wise in their personal

choices. They will continue to be able to work and live harmoniously with others and the

environment and interact in a manner that is flexible, healthy, purposeful and creative. Educated

persons of the 21st century understand that life existence is interconnected and interdependent

and will continue to see themselves as integral members of a diverse community. They will

continue to have developed a broad knowledge base and acquired skills that will continue to

allow them to be constructive, successful and contributing members of society. The educated

persons of the 21st century are:

Intrinsically motivated lifelong learners.

Able to reflect on and evaluate one’s own learning.

Able to solve problems effectively and proactively.

Able to communicate clearly, to effectively transmit facts, ideas, emotions and opinions using oral, written and visual language.


Able to read, infer, and interpret a variety of print material, e.g., literature, poetry, newspapers, reference sources, texts, graphs, and applications.

Able to discern mathematic relationships, reason logically, and use mathematics techniques effectively in practical application.

Able to understand and apply the major strands of scientific thought, methods, facts, hypotheses and theories.

Well versed in the histories of the United States, of the world, and of the original civilizations, and able to use the many lessons contained therein to make responsible

decisions as active members of a democracy.

Appreciative of and exposed to experiences in the arts: music, painting, craft work and cooking.

Highly skilled in the art of collaboration.

An accountable, responsible member of his/her community.

Able to identify one’s talents and interest for the purpose of fulfilling a community need.

Learning will continue to best occur when students “discover” the knowledge for themselves. Self directed learning is inherently more satisfying and engaging for

students than just direct instruction. Students feel more self-confident and are likely to

explore topics more deeply when they have discovered the knowledge themselves and

their learning experiences are tied to the “real world.”

Students learn best in an interdisciplinary and innovative, traditional site based environment that

promotes enhanced learning opportunities by providing:

An Integrated Curriculum GAMES will use a state standardized curriculum and state standardized assessment tools

that will measure a student’s content knowledge. The curriculum will to be aligned with

the California state content standards. The primary assessment tools will be of three

types: standardized tests, curriculum-specific tests, and ongoing performance assessments

that will to be used to continuously monitor students’ learning progress. GAMES will

place a heavy emphasis on teacher learning as well as student learning. 1

Class Size that has a student to teacher ratio of 20 to 1 in each classroom GAMES believes that a school should be an educational laboratory that seeks to create at

dynamic learning community by embodying the proven teaching modalities that support

the auditory, visual and kinesthetic learner. In addition, students will have a supportive

learning environment where staff and students know and respect each other and each

other’s similarities and cultural differences.

Curriculum Is Meaningful GAMES believes that students must see the real life relevance of the material that they

are studying. They must also see the relationship of the various academic courses to each

other and the real world.

1 J. Beane, “The Integrated Curriculum” in Educational Leadership, volume 49, Issue 1, October 1991


Educational Objectives are Detailed, Quantified, and Measurable GAMES will continue to offer a comprehensive academic program in the study of

English and Spanish language and literature, mathematics, science/ecology, history/social

science, visual and performing arts, human development, physical education, and

character education. In addition, students will receive an exoteric entrepreneurial training

curriculum that interprets mathematics and language as it relates to business and revenue

development. These learned skills will be demonstrated at the annual Bazaar at Garr flee

market where students will own and operate a business for a day. They will work in

teams of three as marketers, cashiers, and servers. GAMES believes that a school should

engage students in a clear and concise instructional program, with educational objectives

that are detailed, quantified and measurable. Students must know what is expected of

them and must be held to the highest academic standards. The school must support the

students as they engage in reaching these standards. The standards must never be

lowered; the students must be assisted to reach them. 2

Parents Understand and Are Invested in the Educational Goals Parent engagement will continue to be encouraged and expected at GAMES. Parents will

continue to be active participants in the development of each student’s individualized

performance goals and assessing achievement of the goals. To this end, GAMES will

continue to have an agreement that outlines what is expected of parents with respect to

participating in their children’s education.

Additional Learning Opportunities Are Offered Student support programs will be offered beyond the extended school day and extended

school year. GAMES will continue to offer an after school program, a summer program,

and referrals to partners for social services support. The after school program will

continue to offer homework assistance, language literacy development, mathematics

literacy development, and enrichment opportunities. The intervention program as

prescribed in No Child Left Behind will continue to focus on additional homework

assistance, targeted tutoring in language literacy development, targeted tutoring in

mathematics literacy development, intensive support in writing skills development, and

targeted tutoring in reading comprehension. The summer school program will continue

to offer classes in the content standards in which students as an aggregate demonstrated

the least proficiency in the previous academic year and will continue to provide students

that have demonstrated proficiency the opportunity for enrichment activities, field trips,

or apprenticeships. GAMES will continue to partner with local educational and business

institutions to offer additional tutoring opportunities, mentoring, enrichment opportunities

and entrepreneurial skills training.

The Non-Core Curriculum Includes Technology, Arts, and Character Development Technology will continue to be integrated throughout the curriculum through a

technology rich environment. Students will continue to be expected to demonstrate skills

in information retrieval, data acquisition, communications, research, use of various

software programs, internet and email competence, and multimedia presentations. These

2 Cummins, S., Danielson, C. Enhancing Student Achievement, University Press, 2001


skills will continue to be acquired through the use of technology for educational purposes

and technology will continue to be infused into actual core subject areas and

entrepreneurial projects. Arts education is critical to the building of self-esteem, school

engagement and self-discovery. By working in both the visual and performing arts,

students will continue to make connections between the various art forms and will

continue to be encouraged to think in an interdisciplinary way. Working in the arts

promotes complex thinking which requires nuance judgment and involves the integration

of multiple criteria that demands independent thinking. The visual and performing arts

program will continue to foster artistic expression which leads to deep involvement in

thinking processes and discovery by students. Community performances will continue to

be a part of the visual and performing arts program.

Character education is also critical to the building of self-esteem, school engagement, and

self-discovery. By examining the influence parents, grandparents, relatives, friends and

society have on their perceptions of the world and how those perceptions modify their

behavior in it, students will continue to learn that their value systems, ways of perceiving

things, ethics and guidelines for interpreting their life’s activities are, in part, inherited

from the collective ideas and perceptions of others. Character education will continue to

foster students’ abilities to look at issues from multiple perspectives. To be able to “step

back from personal hot button” issues and to develop their own personal, self-

management behavior model which will continue to allow them to learn, to reason, to

think creatively, to make decisions and to solve problems. In addition, character

education will continue to foster individual responsibility, sociability and integrity to

enable students to mature into responsible, critical thinking adults. [SCANS Secretary’s

Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills]3 which are critical skills for a successful

entrepreneur.

Mutual Accountability People perform best when they know most clearly what is expected of them, as well as

the consequences of meeting (or failing to meet) those expectations. Everyone in the

GAMES community will continue to have a hand in determining the school’s academic

and behavioral standards and stakeholders will continue to join together in monitoring

individual and collective progress of the school. Appropriate incentives will continue to

be instituted, with the aim of maximizing each individual’s accomplishments. The

feeling GAMES wants to foster is one of ownership – it should be second nature for

every member of the school’s community to think of GAMES as “our school.”

3 http://wdr.doleta.gov/SCANS/Whatwork/whatwork.html


Educational Partnerships and Professional Development

In order to fully implement our education philosophy we will have ongoing professional

development and educational opportunities with the following organizations that we believe

share our mission to educating children in a holistic way:

University of California, Los Angeles, Institute for the Study of Entrepreneurial Education (ISEE) under the direction of Dr. Marilyn Kourilsky

Biz World

Maestro Arts, Anna Petrossian, Owner

Vermont-Slauson Economic Development Corporation, Marva Battlesby, Executive Director


THE CURRICULUM

Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Studies

The Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Studies – Entrepreneurial based units of study will

continue to be the core of our curriculum program. We intend to utilize standards-based English

language arts, mathematics and geography programs to enhance our Interdisciplinary

Entrepreneurial-Based curriculum. Before the beginning of every school year, each teacher will

continue to work with other teachers in similar grade levels to develop year long curriculum

maps. The teachers will continue to start with looking over all of the California Content

Standards for their grade level and then group the standards around specific themes or projects.

By using backwards planning we will continue to ensure full integration of the California

Content Standards:4 The teachers will continue to look at the benchmark skills for each portion

of the year and then begin to develop their curricular plans for the year.

Once teachers have their maps in place, they will continue to plan ongoing formative

assessments to match their curriculum and set the curriculum within the dates of the school year,

so that units of study are completed in time for students to participate in the benchmark

assessments. Teachers will continue to research connected literature, organize fieldtrips funded

by the Parent Advisory Committee, acquire resources and prepare projects to flesh out their

program. Finally, they will continue to choose a point to launch the curriculum unit that will

continue to ignite student interest and sustain intrinsic motivation. Although many

interdisciplinary units will continue to be framed around entrepreneurial themes, some will

continue to be service-learning based. During the course of a school year, some projects or

themes may be developed more fully and take longer than first mapped. The teacher will

continue to use the curriculum map to ensure that he/she is still addressing all curricular content

standards. The following is an example of a standards-based interdisciplinary curriculum unit

for the third grade about creating a sports equipment center for the school as a service learning

project.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS CURRICULUM

The English Language Arts program at GAMES will continue to educate students to be highly

capable readers with the ability to apply their comprehension and analytical skills in becoming

fully functioning citizens in our democracy. Their high levels of comprehension in all genres of

text will continue to build the foundation for academic success as they move into their middle

school programs. In alignment with the State Board of Education’s Framework for Reading

Instruction, GAMES will continue to provide students with direct reading/language arts skills

instruction that will continue to result in their ability to gather and critically evaluate information

using varied reference sources, as well as understand and analyze fiction and recognize nuances

within it. GAMES’ textbook selection, while meeting our purpose of inclusion and support of

our interdisciplinary humanities themes, will continue to be aligned with the California English

Language Arts Content Standards such as or similar to the Houghton-Mifflin program. Teachers

and representatives from the Parent Advisory Committee will continue to participate in the

4 Drake & Burns. (2004) Meeting Standards through Integrated Curriculum. ASCD VA and Wiggins & McTighe

(2001) Understanding by Design. Prentice-Hall NJ.


selection process. A rich literature base will continue to be tied to each class’ Humanities theme.

GAMES will continue to use a state standards aligned text-based reading/language arts program.

Direct Instruction will continue to be an integral portion of the language arts curriculum.

Teachers will continue to work together in grade levels to identify weekly state standards on

which to focus. K-3 classrooms will continue to provide a minimum of 150 minutes of English

Language Arts instruction daily with grades 4 and 5 providing 120 minutes daily. The following

is a sample of 3rd

grade Language Arts lesson.

KINDERGARTEN-LANGUAGE ARTS LESSON

Strands: 2.0 Reading Comprehension: Students identify

the basic facts and ideas in what they have read,

heard, or viewed. They use comprehension strategies

(e.g., generating and responding to questions,

comparing new information to what is already

known).

1.0 Writing Strategies: Students write words and

brief sentences that are legible.

Sub-Strand: 2.0 Reading Comprehension: Students identify

the basic facts and ideas in what they have read,

heard, or viewed. They use comprehension strategies

(e.g., generating and responding to questions,

comparing new information to what is already

known).

1.0 Writing Strategies: Students write words and

brief sentences that are legible.

Standards: R1.11 Separate words into sounds

R1.6 Name upper/lowercase letters

R1.11 Separate words into sounds

R1.12 Track auditory words and syllables

R1.14 Match sounds to letters

R1.15 Read one-syllable and high-frequency words

R1.17 Sort words into categories

R1.18 Describe objects and events

R2.2 Use context to make predictions

W1.1 Write about experiences or events

Rationale: The primary focus of the lessons is to give students

the experience of learning beginning sounds through

oral language and to develop their comprehension

skills in stories. Students will also be given a chance

to practice their writing skills using high-frequency

words, beginning sound words, and through other

opportunities.

Objectives: Phonemic Awareness- Students will learn beginning sounds and words in oral

sentences.

Phonics- Students will learn the sounds for


letters S, s; M,m; R,r

High-Frequency Words- Students will recognize two new high-frequency words.

Reading Strategies- Students will predict/infer and summarize events in a story.

Comprehension Skills- Students will sequence events in a story, and make

inferences and predictions.

Vocabulary- Students will use describing words, naming words, singular/plural naming

words.

Writing- Students will use descriptive words in a journal, graphic organizer, and/or class

story.

Listening/Speaking/Viewing- Students will use activities to support vocabulary

expansion and writing.

Materials: Big Books- In the Big Blue Sea, What Do You Do, Norbert Wu?, Higglety Pigglety: A

Book of Rhymes, From Apples to Zebras: A

Book of ABC’s

Teacher Read Aloud- Caps for Sale

For each student, Phonics Library Book

For each student, Practice Book

Alpha friend Cards & CD

Picture Cards

Phonics Center Curriculum: Houghton Mifflin Reading,

Theme 2 (2003)


Activities: 1. Calendar: Conduct your calendar routine, having children repeat the days of the week

after you.

2. Daily Message: Discuss with the children a topic about the theme and create a daily

message.

3. Daily Phonemic Awareness: 1) Beginning sounds. Students will repeat several words

that focus on the beginning sound. 2) Words

in Oral Sentences. Students will practice

counting words that are in sentences.

4. Teacher Read Aloud: Students will listen to a story the teacher reads aloud. They will

summarize, make predictions, and respond to

questions about the story.

5. Phonemic Awareness: Children will meet a new alpha friend and go over a riddle.

Students will learn a song and complete a

practice sheet with the beginning sound /m/.

6. High-Frequency Word Practice: Students will go over several high-frequency words

and write short sentences.

7. Oral Language: The teacher will tell children some naming words, or nouns.

Children’s responses will be written on a

chart paper.

Guided and Independent Practice

Assessment:

1. Students answer teacher created questions based on the story elements.

2. Students continuously answer questions before, during and after reading all types of

stories. (Observed and checked with student

work.)

3. Students will be given a written assessment every 3 weeks.

Time: Days 1-5: 90 minutes- steps 1-7

Assessment given every 3rd

week-25 minutes

Extended Literature Elizabeth, Mary. Green (Multicultural)

Crews, Donald. Freight Train (Classic)

Bang, Molly. Yellow Ball (Multicultural)

Frost, Helen. Butterfly Colors (Science)

Hoban, Tana. Colors Everywhere

Ehlert, Lois. Planting a Rainbow (Science)

Onyefulu, Ifeoma. Chid Only Likes Blue (Social Science)


KINDERGARTEN-SCIENCE LESSON

Strands: Science Content Standards.

1. Physical Sciences Properties of materials can be observed, measured, and predicted. As a basis for understanding this concept:

Investigation and Experimentation

4. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this

concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students

should develop their own questions and perform investigations.

Students will:

Sub-Strand: 4e.Communicate observations orally and through drawings.

4b Describe the properties of common objects.

1.b Students know water can be a liquid or a solid and can be made to

change back and forth from one form to the other.

Standard: Physical Sciences-1b. Properties of materials can be observed, measured,

and predicted. As a basis for understanding this concept:

1.b.Students know water can be a liquid or a solid and can be made to

change back and forth from one form to the other.

Investigation and Experimenting-4.b Scientific progress is made by asking

meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for

understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three

strands, students should develop their own questions and perform

investigations. Students will:

a. Describe the relative position of objects by using one reference (e.g.,

above or below).

excommunicate observations orally and through drawings.

Rationale: The primary focus of the lesson is to give students the opportunity to

discover that water can change form, from solid to liquid. Students have had

previous experiments with science to know that they have to analyze and

observe how the water changes depending on the environment and form.


Objective: Students will discover that water can change form.

Students will observe melting ice cubes and then refreeze the liquid water again to form ice.

Students will observe that water can change from solid to liquid and back again.

Students will define that water takes shape of an object it is in.

Students will pose questions and predict when the water will change form while working in groups.

Materials: Directed Inquiry card, Water changes

Ice cubes

Clear plastic cups

Crayons

Construction paper

Houghton Mifflin –California Science Teacher s Guide

Houghton Mifflin –California Science-kindergarten student notebook

Activities: .Students will observe over a couple of hours how some water changes in

their own cups.

1. Students will place the ice cubes in a plastic cup. 2. Students will wait for 1 hour, then they will re-examine the cup and

record what they see on a second piece of paper.

3. The teacher will ask students: ”What made the ice cube change to liquid water? Students will give various answers.

4. Students will place children’s cups on a tray and put the tray in the freezer. Student will observe how water changes to solid according to

the temperature.

5. Students will draw in their science notebooks what they are observing.

6. Students will write the words, liquid, and solid. 7. Teacher will go over the pictures in the big blue book and students

will answer questions.

8. The teacher will read the story “The Winter Hedgehog” and ask questions.

9. Students will identify and compare and contrast how snow looks and compare it with ice.

Guided and

Independent

Practice

Assessment:

1. The teacher will ask students “What makes water change to ice?” and evaluate student’s answers.

2. Students will write a sentence and draw a picture of their science experiment.

3. The teacher will walk around to make sure all of the students are completing their assignment, and help students that need it.


Time 1. Day 1: 20 minutes to prepare the ice cubes. 2. Day 1, 3 hours later on that same day: 15 minutes for the directed

inquiry.’

3. Day 1, Big Book-15 minutes 4. Day 1, Read story “The Winter Hedgehog”-10 minutes

Brainpopjr video-“Water Cycle” video on brainpop.com

“Rain Song” by Lezlie Evans

“Down Comes the Rain” by Franklyn M. Branley

KINDERGARTEN-SOCIAL SCIENCE LESSON

Strands: Learning and Working Now and Long Ago

K.1-Students in kindergarten are introduced to basic spatial, temporal, and causal

relationships, emphasizing the geographic and historical connections between the

world today and the world long ago. The stories of ordinary and extraordinary people

help describe the range and continuity of human experience and introduce the

concepts of courage, self-control, justice, heroism, leadership, deliberation, and

individual responsibility. Historical empathy for how people lived and worked long ago

reinforces the concept of civic behavior: how we interact respectfully with each other,

following rules, and respecting the rights of others. K.6 Students understand that history relates to events, people, and places of other times.

K.6-Identify the purposes of, and the people and events honored in, commemorative

holidays, including the human struggles that were the basis for the events (e.g.,

Sub-Strand: K.2 Students recognize national and state symbols and icons such as the national and state flags, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty.

K.6 Students understand that history relates to events, people, and places of other times.

Identify the purposes of, and the people and events honored in, commemorative holidays,

including the human struggles that were the basis for the events (e.g.,


Standard: History-Social Science Content Standards

Learning and Working Now and Long Ago

Students in kindergarten are introduced to basic spatial, temporal, and causal relationships,

emphasizing the geographic and historical connections between the world today and the

world long ago. The stories of ordinary and extraordinary people help describe the range and

continuity of human experience and introduce the concepts of courage, self-control, justice,

heroism, leadership, deliberation, and individual responsibility. Historical empathy for how

people lived and worked long ago reinforces the concept of civic behavior: how we interact

respectfully with each other, following rules, and respecting the rights of others.

K.2 Students recognize national and state symbols and icons such as the national and state flags, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty.

K.6 Students understand that history relates to events, people, and places of other times.

Identify the purposes of, and the people and events honored in, commemorative holidays,

including the human struggles that were the basis for the events (e.g.,

Rationale: The primary focus of the lesson is to give the student an opportunity to learn

what the United States national symbols are, what they represent, and why

they are important to our country. Students have had previous discussions

about our national symbols like the American flag, the White House and the

Presidents of the United States.

Objective: Students will identify the Statue of Liberty as a national symbol. (K.1)

Students will recognize that the Statue of Liberty stands for freedom.(K.1)

Students will retell the story of how the Statue of Liberty and how important it is in the United States. (K.6)

Materials: Harcourt School Publishers-California Series-Reflections Teachers Edi. Book

Big Book-Reflections-California series-Pg. 18

Word Cards V15-V16

Pencil and Crayons

Homework and Practice Book, Pg. 15

Internet Resource-Brainpopjr.com-The U.S. Symbols video

“The Statue of Liberty” book by Time Magazine.

Activities: Students will first read the objective and observe a small replica of the Statue

of Liberty in the teacher’s hand.

10. The teacher will read “The Statue of Liberty” book by Time Magazine.

11. The teacher will ask students what they know about the Statue of Liberty and draw a bubble map to tap into their previous knowledge.


12. Students will then mimic the Statue of Liberty pose and sing and recite a song “Down by the Station”

13. The teacher will read the main text in the Big Book as the students follow along. The teacher will explain that the Statue of Liberty

stands on its own island in the New York Harbor.

14. Students will then observe a video on Brainpopjr.com, of the United States symbols, which talks about all of the symbols including the

Statue of Liberty.

15. The teacher will then ask these questions:

How do you think people feel as they look at the Statue of Liberty for the first time?

What would you do if you get a chance to see the Statue of Liberty in person?

Guided and

Independent

Practice

Assessment:

4. The teacher will ask students:

Why is the Statue of Liberty and important symbol of the United States?

Why is Freedom important?

At school, when you are free to do what you want? Do you still have to follow rules?

5. Students will write a sentence and draw a picture about the Statue of Liberty.

6. Students will complete their Homework and Practice workbook Pg. 15. And the teacher can make sure it is completed correctly and help

students that need it.

Time 5. Day 1: 15 to complete the song read the Big Book. 6. Day 1: 15 minutes to complete the brainpopjr video and ask

questions.

7. Day 1: 15 minutes for students to complete the Homework and Practice workbook.

Brainpop jr video-“The U.S. Symbols video on brainpop.com

“Down by the Station” song

“The Statue of Liberty” book by Time Magazine.

KINDERGARTEN-MATH LESSON

Strands: 1.0 Algebra and Functions: Students sort and classify objects.

1.0 Number Sense: Students understand the relationship between numbers and

quantities (i.e., that a set of objects has the

same number of objects in different


situations regardless of its position or

arrangement).

Number Sense: Count, recognize, represent,

name, and order a number of objects (up to

30).

Listening and Speaking Strategies: Share

information and ideas, speaking

audibly in complete, coherent sentences.

Standards: 1.2 Identify, describe, and extend simple

patterns (such as circles or triangles) by

referring to their shapes, sizes, or colors.

1.2 Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a

number of objects (up to 30).

Rationale: The primary rationale of the lesson is to give

the students experience with recognizing and

identifying patterns and extending the patterns.

Objectives: Students will recognize and repeat patterns of body movement.

Materials: Excel Math (AnsMar Publisher, Inc.)

Worksheets from lesson 18

Pencils

Activities: 1. Counting song 2. Counting in Spanish 3. Counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s. 4. Teacher will review the lesson from the

previous day to ensure that the students

have grasped the concepts taught.

5. Teacher will ask four students to come to the front of the room and form a line.

6. Teacher will have the students sit and stand in different patterns until 10

students repeat the pattern.

7. Teacher will change the pattern four times to create other variations.

Guided and Independent Practice

Assessment:

1. Students will answer five problems that review different concepts that have

been previously taught.

2. Teacher will read the instructions for the whole class before they begin to

work on each problem.

3. Answering the questions will involve a mix of circling, coloring, marking with


an X, and writing in a letter to indicate

short or tall.

4. Teacher will observe and check students work while monitoring the

classroom.

5. Teacher will review the new concepts taught by modeling body patterns that

the class, on a whole, will be able to

repeat and extend.

Time: 50 minutes

Text Books for Kindergarten:

Language Arts Houghton and Mifflin

Science Houghton and Mifflin

Excel AnsMar Publications

California Math Harcourt


First Grade Math Lesson Plan Stands: 2.0 Number Sense: Students demonstrate the meaning of addition

and subtraction and use these operations to solve problems.

1.0 Algebra and function: Students use numbers sentences with

operational symbols and expressions to solve problems.

Sub-Strands: 2.0 Know the subtraction facts.

1.0 Use number sentences from subtraction symbols and

expressions to solve problems.

Standards: 2.1 Know the addition facts (sums to 20) and the corresponding

subjection facts and commit them to memory

2.5 Show the meaning of addition (putting together, increase) and

subtraction (taking away, comparing, finding the difference)

1.1 Write and solve number sentences from problems situations

that express relationships involving addition and subtraction.

Rationale: One of the focuses of this lesson is how addition and subtraction

are related. This lesson shows the relationship by using the part-

part-whole model. The students’ will be asked to fill in missing

numbers. First, they will need to add to find the whole. Next, they

will show how subtraction is related by subtracting one part from

the whole to find the other part.

Objectives: Students will use subtraction sentences to subtract from 5 and 6.

Students will write subtraction sentences to match their manipulatives

Materials: 6 red and 6 blue connecting cubes per child

Scott Foresman California Mathematics student workbook pages 79 & 80.

Scott Foresman California Mathematics student homework workbook page 3-4 Subtracting from 5 and 6

Writing paper

Activies: 1. Warm-up Review: Addition problems with sums of 5 and 6 will be written on the board. Students will work at their

desk to complete these problems. Volunteers will be

called up to the board to solve the problems.

2. Teacher will remind students that in their last math lesson they crossed out pictures to solve subtraction sentences.

3. Teacher will then explain to the class that today they will use pictures of cubes of two different colors to complete

two subtraction sentences.

4. Students will be asked to open their math workbook to page 79.

5. Teacher will write the addition phrase 2 and 3 and subtraction sentences 5-3=2 and 5-2=3 on the board.


Teacher will ask, “What do we have 2 of in the picture?”

(the 2 red cubes). Teacher will ask, “What do we have 3

of?” (the 3 blue cubes). Teacher asks, “How many are

there altogether?” (5). Teacher will remind the students

that the two sentences on the right are called subtraction

sentences.

6. Students will work with a partner to complete page 79. When they. Teacher will walk around and help struggling

students. When all students are finish volunteers will be

called to the front of the classroom to complete the

problems. All other students will check their work at there

desk.

7. Teacher will ask the students to make subtraction sentences using only 2, 4, and 6. Students will be given

five minutes at their desk on complete this task. Teacher

will then ask volunteers to write their subtraction

sentences on the board. Teacher will then ask the students,

“When we subtract, can the number that is left ever be

more than the number we started with? Why?” (No; we

are left with less or the same)

8. Teacher will pass out 6 red and 6 blue connecting cubes to each student. Teacher will ask the students to make a cube

train with 1 red and 4 blue cubes. The students will be

asked to count them. The students will then be asked to

say the subtraction sentence that tell what would happen if

these cubes were divided by colors. The teacher will as

volunteers to write the subtraction sentences on the board.

(5-1=4, 5-4=1) Students will then work with their partner

to build their own cube train, separate into two colors, and

write the subtraction sentences for them. Teacher will

work around and help students and ask them questions.

Guided and Independent

Practice Assessment:

1. Students will complete page 80 out of the math workbook. They will be given cubes to work with for

assistance. Teacher will check each student’s

worksheet and correct ant misconceptions they have.

2. Teacher also ask question throughout the lesson to check for understanding.

3. Homework Workbook 3-4 Subtracting From 5 and 6 will be review to see how well the students retained

the information from this lesson.

Time: Lesson is part of an 11 day unit on subtraction.

This lesson is day 4 of 11.

Day 3: Using symbols to subtract: 1 hour

Day 4: Subtracting from 5 and 6 (lesson from lesson plan): 1 hour

Day 4: Homework- Homework Worksheet 3-4


Day 5: Subtracting from 7 and 8: 1 hour

Books used: Foresman, Scott. California Mathematics: Teacher’s Edition,

Grade 1 Volume 1

Foresman, Scott. California Mathematics: Student Workbook

Foreman, Scott, California Mathematics: Homework Workbook

First Grade Science Lesson Plan

Strand:

2.0 Life Science: Plants and animals meet their in different ways.

4.0 Investigation and Experimentation: Scientific progress is made by

asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigation….

Sub-strand:

2.0 Animals body parts help them meet their needs.

4.0 Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and

conducting careful investigation

Standard: 2.a: Students know different plants and animals inhabit different

kinds of environment and have external features that help them thrive

in different kinds of places.

4.b: Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, or written

statements.

Rationale: The primary focus of the lesson is to give students an understanding

of animal’s body parts and how their body parts help them get what

they need to live. Students will read about different animals and learn

about their body structure. The students will compare animals and

then classify them according to similar traits.

Objective: Students will describe the body parts of different animals.

Students will describe how animals use their parts to meet their needs.

Materials Animal pictures

Crayons and paper

Science reader

Science Unit Resource Folder p.61

Science Study Guide p.16, 17, & 18

Activities: 1. Teacher will begin the lesson by asking the students what they know about animals’ body parts. Students will give answers

and teacher will record them on the board.

Directed Inquiry

2. Teacher will present the students with different pictures of animals. Students will look at the pictures and tell how the

animals are alike and different.

3. The students will sort the animal pictures into groups that are alike in one way. Teacher will walk around the class and ask

the students to explain how the animals in the group are alike.

4. Students will name each of the group that they make. They will then draw a picture or write names to show the animals in


each group.

Learning by reading

5. Each student will have their Science book in front of them. As a class they will read pages 54-57 in their Science book.

Teacher will stop the class periodically to ask them questions

about their reading to check for comprehension.

Guided and Independent

Practice:

Teacher will ask the class the Lesson Wrap-up questions at the end of the lesson.

Students will complete pages 16 & 17 during class and 18 for homework, out of the Science Study Guide.

Time: Day 1: What are the needs of Animals: 1 hour

Day 2: What are the parts of animals? (this lesson): 1 hour

Day 2: Homework: 15 minutes

Day 3: How do Animals use their mouths?: 1 hour

Books Mifflin, Houghton. California Science teachers Edition

Mifflin, Houghton. California Science Students Workbook

First Grade Social Studies Strands: Examine the structure of schools and communities in the past (1)

Sub-strand: Social Studies (2): Study transportation methods of earlier days

Social Studies (3) Recognize similarities and differences of earlier generations in such areas as work (inside and outside the

home), dress, manners, stories, games, and festivals, drawing

from biographies, oral histories, and folklore

ELA (2.1) Identify text that uses sequence or

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