Elementary Curriculum

  • Elementary Core Curriculum Overview

    Literacy Overview / Mathematics Overview / Social Studies Overview / Science Overview

    Literacy Instruction in Ann Arbor Public Schools:

    Our beliefs, resources, tools, and practices aim to center, affirm, support and challenge each of our students. AAPS strives to improve student literacy achievement through cultivating and sustaining:

    • Guaranteed and viable curriculum (standards, resources, tools, practices) that includes:

      • Up-to-date, research-supported practices

        • Literacy Essentials

        • A Framework for Equitable Instruction

          • Culturally affirming instructional practices

          • Universally designed instruction

          • Instruction with linguistic and academic accommodations

          • Active and engaged instruction

      • Alignment to Standards 

      • Quality and engaging resources and tools that support learning and instruction (see figure 1.1)

    AAPS uses a targeted and multi-tiered system for instruction, intervention, and assessment that is designed to meet the academic achievement needs of ALL students. 

     

    Tier 1:

    Tier 1 encompasses core instruction that is differentiated and provided to all students. Effective tier 1 instruction meets the needs of most students (approximately 80% of the student population). 

     

    Ann Arbor Public Schools’ core (tier 1) literacy program provides reading and writing instruction and assessment through the combination of whole-group, small-group and individual instruction that is differentiated to meet the needs of individuals. Reading instruction at the tier 1 level addresses the following and beyond: print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

     

    Our AAPS Tier 1 Literacy instruction includes:

    • MAISA Reading and Writing Units 

    • Fundations or Words Their Way (Phonics Instruction)

    • The Heggerty Curriculum (Phonological Awareness Instruction)

    • Flexible small group and individual instruction

    • Adaptive blended learning opportunities with Lexia Core5

    • Literacy Coaching for teachers

     

         Figure 1.1