Northfield Curriculum

Language Arts	Mathematics	Science
Social Studies	Technology	Art
Physical Education/Health	Music	World Languages
Library

Language Arts

 The Language Arts Curriculum provides the student with strategic communication skills necessary to function effectively in modern society.  Through oral and written communication, society passes its culture from one generation to the next.  The whole language approach to learning will provide the student with basic life skills needed to solve problems.  Critical thinking skills are necessary to fill the jobs of business and industry as well as to compete in foreign markets.  Speaking, listening and writing skills help man to communicate with his local and world neighbors.  Handwriting and spelling skills refine and clarify this communication.  Various literary forms (stories, poems and drama) bring enjoyment and appreciation of the arts to mankind. 

In Kindergarten through fifth grade, primary resources include the SRA and McGraw-Hill Program materials.  Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade resources include a variety of selected novels and an Prentice Hall Anthology.  The Language Arts program is extensively supplemented and enriched with a wide-range of materials.  Integration of literature and writing across content areas such as social studies, science, art, and music is also emphasized whenever possible.

Resources for NCS Language Arts Curriculum

NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards in Language Arts	Language Arts Curriculum Framework	NJ Language Arts Literacy Website
Prentice Hall Anthology grades 6-8	McMillan/McGraw Hill K-5	Write Source

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Mathematics

The purpose of the mathematics program in the Northfield School District is to empower all students with the necessary mathematical abilities to positively function and be productive citizens in the 21st century.   Mathematics is the tool that drives all scientific and technological advances, and operates as a conduit for success in life.  Therefore, it is imperative that our students have a solid foundation in mathematics.  This foundation encompasses computational, spatial sense, estimation, data analysis, and problem-solving skills.  The integration of technology into our mathematics curriculum is a key operational component that prepares our students for the workplace.  A new math series has been introduced this year in grades K-6, which is the Scott Foresman/Addison Wesley and Investigations Series. 

Last year, we adopted a new series for our basic skills class in 7th and 8th grade, which is the College Prep Math (Foundations for Algebra Book 1 and Book 2).  University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP Transition, UCSMP Algebra and UCSMP Geometry) is used for grades 6, 7 and 8.

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Science

 The purpose of the science program in the Northfield School District is to empower all students with the necessary science abilities to positively function and be productive citizens in the 21st century.   Science is the tool that drives all investigations and technological advances, and operates as a conduit for success in life.  Therefore, it is imperative that our students have a solid foundation in the sciences.  This foundation includes data collection, predictions, investigation design, safety, mathematical applications, and technology.  The integration of technology into our science curriculum is a key operational component that prepares our students for the workplace.  Even though it is impossible to predict accurately all the uses of science that will emerge in the future, today's teachers must prepare our students to solve real problems, effectively reason and observe and make logical connections, which prepares our students to function as successful, productive, healthy citizens who are knowledgeable consumers.

The science program encompasses the skills identified at each grade level focusing on science processes, science and society, mathematical application, nature, technology, life sciences, chemistry, physics, earth science, astronomy and environmental science.  Integral science processes for student achievement of these concepts include problem solving, communication, connections, reasoning and technology.

Science is delivered by the classroom teacher in grades K-4 and in heterogeneously grouped science classes in Grades 5-8.  The Basic Skills and Special Education programs provide in-class support.

The Science Fair is a major event in Grades 5-8.  The process begins in September during the lab skills unit at each grade level and continues to the February Science Fair.  The projects are highly rigorous and require a great deal of time and effort.  They are displayed at a Science Fair for all of Northfield to see, and many are sent to Richard Stockton College for further competition with other school districts.

This September 2005, Grades K-6 implemented the Scott-Foresman Science Program that is aligned with the NJCCCS and this curriculum.  Seventh Grade uses the Prentice Hall series "Science Explorer."  Eighth grade implements the "Introductory Physical Science" curriculum developed by Uri Haber-Schaim for Science Curriculum Inc.
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Social Studies

The various components of Northfield’s K-8 curriculum are arranged by grade level with the following themes throughout: geography, current events, careers, critical thinking and civics.  The guide includes a brief course description per grade intended to provide a broad overview of the content suggested for students at that particular level.

Illustrative course objectives are included, which expand the course description into examples of measurable, cognitive and affective objectives to promote student learning in each grade level.  These objectives should be used by individual teachers when planning their daily lesson plans.  Objectives are intended to help students develop citizenship and basic skills: recognize cultural diversity and become aware of global, geographic and economic perspectives.

The guide suggests several methods and activities appropriate for students of different abilities and unique social needs.  Many of the suggested methods and activities may be appropriate at more than one grade level.  At higher grade levels, the methods and activities suggested are to be used as a starting point for planning effective social studies instruction.  The use of additional instructional methods and learning activities is strongly encouraged.  In short, it is important that social studies challenges students to work with ideas at all levels and from various perspectives.

Social Studies is taught on an average of two to three periods per week in grades kindergarten through grade four.  Grade five through seven presents social studies instruction approximately five days per week for one period per day.  Grade eight presents a blocked schedule.  These schedules are subject to change.

Textbook Adoption:
2007 - Grades 5-8
Grade 5 - US History: Making a New Nation, Harcourt School Publishers
Grade 6 -
Grade 7 and 8 - America:  History of our Nation, 2007 Edition, Pearson Prentice Hall (click on the title for all online resources, including textbook)

2008 - Grades K-3
K- Here We Go, Scott Foresman, 2008 (Click here for related resources)
1-3 - Social Studies Alive, 2004 and 2009, TCI (Click here for related online resources)

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Technology

 Northfield Community School is committed to preparing our students to be proactive citizens in an ever-changing global society. To provide students with the best skills, attitudes, and equipment to positively function in a 21st -century work force, technology is used as a mechanism that immerses the students in a real-world environment that fosters higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills. Through increased and continual professional development, educators must combine and integrate technological tools with new instructional models that continue to acknowledge the individual learning styles of a diverse student population. Doing so will ensure all students opportunities to become life-long learners. 

Acquisition of foundation-level technology literacy skills occurs primarily in the elementary school computer lab. Here, students are exposed to technological tools for the first time. Basic concepts involving use and access are taught, but in a way that emphasizes creativity and fun. Students have Computer Lab as a "special" once per week for 45 minutes. Depending on the grade level, a single 45-minute period may include multiple activity objectives or just a single objective and allow for educational learning play at the end of the lesson. The Technology Facilitator leads classes in the lab, often in collaboration with the classroom teacher. These lessons serve a dual purpose: they impart needed technology skills while reinforcing curricular concepts.

In the Middle School, students enter the 5-8 computer labs with specific, predefined objectives set by the classroom teacher. Most work is independent; students are applying the skills they have learned in pursuit of a particular objective, such as gathering information about stock prices or researching a particular place or historical event. Often working in teams, students use presentation, word processing, or spreadsheet programs, analyzing and synthesizing data into complete projects.  There is no specific instructional component in the computer lab like there is in K-4, instead, technology is completely integrated into the content specific curriculum.
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