New Hope Academy Instructional Program

New Hope Academy is committed to teaching each child at his/her instructional level and uses various instructional methods and small class sizes to assure this happens. Goals are designed for each student based on assessment of both academic and social/emotional skills. We do not use one curriculum for all students; instead, various curricula are used based on student needs and format of learning. Since the majority of our students have learning differences, our instructional programs include various teaching and learning methods that cater to each student’s learning style to ensure mastery. The following Instructional Program is a guideline we follow. Goals and objectives are derived from this program and levelized for each student. 

LOWER ELEMENTARY

• Identifies letters by letter name and sound and uses letter sounds to read familiar and / or new words 
• Demonstrates an understanding of spoken words, syllables, and sounds 
• Demonstrates an understanding of the organization and basic features of print 
• Reads emergent-reader texts (fiction and nonfiction) with purpose and understanding
• Listens to text and answers questions to indicate understanding
• Uses a combination of writing, drawing, and/or dictating for a variety of purposes 
• Uses knowledge of letters and sounds in writing

Counting and Cardinality  

• Know number names and the count sequence
• Count to tell the number of objects
• Compare numbers 

Operations and Algebraic Thinking

• Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand subtraction as taking apart and taking from

Number and Operations in Base Ten

• Work with numbers 11–19 to gain foundations for place value 

Measurement and Data

• Describe and compare measurable attributes
• Classify objects and count the number of objects in categories 

Geometry

• Identify and describe shapes
• Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes

Science and Social Studies units are designed around student interest and are completely hands-on. Some examples are: Community Helpers, Bodies of Water, Seasons, Weather, Holidays, Animals, Land Forms

Participates in physical activity and demonstrates ability in age-appropriate movement, control, and fitness skills

• Getting along with others (parents, teachers and peers)
• Following directions
• Identifying and regulating one’s emotions and behavior
• Thinking of appropriate solutions to conflict
• Persisting on task
• Engaging in social conversation and cooperative play
• Correctly interpreting other’s behavior and emotions
• Feeling good about oneself and others

Creates, performs, responds to, and reflects upon arts and making art

Demonstrates ability to understand and use technology

UPPER ELEMENTARY

• Read grade-level text with accuracy and fluency to support comprehension
• Read and comprehend literature and informational text independently and proficiently
• Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text
• Retell stories and determine the central message
• Determine the main idea and key details of a text
• Describe how characters’ actions contribute to the sequence of events 
• Use text features to locate information efficiently
• Using the writing process, write opinion pieces supporting a point of view with reasons
• Using the writing process, write informational pieces to convey ideas clearly
• Using the writing process, write detailed real or imagined narratives with a clear sequence of events 
• Use correct capitalization, punctuation and spelling when writing
• Use correct grammar and sentence structure when writing or speaking
• Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases
• Accurately use grade-appropriate language

• Solve word problems using multiplication and division within 100
• Apply properties of operations as strategies to multiply and divide
• Multiply and divide fluently within 100 using strategies
• Solve one and two-step word problems using the four operations. (+, -, x, ÷)
• Identify and explain patterns in arithmetic
• Add and subtract fluently within 1000 using various strategies
• Explain any fraction as part of a whole
• Explain any fraction (a/b) as “a” (numerator) being the number of parts and “b” (denominator) as the total number of equal parts in the whole
• Represent any fraction (a/b) on a number line
• Explain equivalent fractions and compare fractions by reasoning about their size
• Tell and write time to the nearest minute
• Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of time intervals in minutes
• Relate area to the operations of multiplication and addition

• Forces: Understand objects exert forces through physical, magnetic, or electrical forces. 
• Traits: Understand all plants and animals have inherited traits and they can be influenced by their environment to aid in survival
• Weather: Understand patterns in weather
• Ecosystems: Understand animals require certain features in their habitat in order to survive.

Understand the concepts of units taught (Civics/Government, Economics, History, and Geography).

• Be actively engaged and participate. 
• Demonstrate competency in motor skills and movement patterns. 
• Understand the concepts of basic health units.

• Works independently and manages time effectively 
• Demonstrates respect for adults, students, school environment, and materials 
• Actively participates in learning 
• Makes appropriate transitions between activities 
• Produces quality work 
• Organizes self, materials, and belongings 
• Listens attentively and follows directions 
• Uses problem solving skills 
• Takes responsibility for choices and actions 
• Completes assignments on time 
• Follows school routines and expectations
• Identifies emotions in self and others

Creates, performs, responds to, and reflects upon arts and making art

• Demonstrates ability to understand and use technology
• Uses technology to complete writing projects
• Uses technology to organize classroom assignments

MIDDLE SCHOOL

• Read grade level text accurately and fluently to support comprehension. 
• Accurately read multisyllabic words in and out of context.
• Read and comprehend grade level literature and informational texts independently. Summarize literature, informational texts, information in media, and points a speaker makes. 
• Determine a theme in literature.
• Compare and contrast stories, characters, settings, events, or structure. 
• Explain how reasons and evidence support particular points in a text. 
• Quote accurately from a text. 
• Integrate information from several sources on the same topic in order to locate answers to questions, and write or speak knowledgeably. 
• Using the writing process, write opinion pieces supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
• Using the writing process, write informative pieces to examine a topic and convey ideas clearly. 
• Using the writing process, write detailed real or imagined narratives with a clear sequence of events. 
• Conduct research by gathering information and drawing evidence from several sources. 
• Demonstrate appropriate use of conventions when writing. 
• Demonstrate appropriate use of grammar when writing or speaking.
• Determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases across content areas, including figurative language. 
• Use grade-appropriate academic and content-specific words and phrases.
• Engage in discussions, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. 
• Report on a topic, text, or opinion, sequencing logically and using details to support main ideas. Speak clearly at an understandable pace.

• Read, write, compare, and round decimals to thousandths. 
• Convert metric measurements. 
• Fluently multiply multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm. 
• Convert customary measurements. 
• Solve multi-digit (up to 4 digit by 2 digit) whole number division problems using various strategies. 
• Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to the hundredths place using various strategies. 
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions including unlike denominators. 
• Make line plots with fractional units. 
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers, including area of rectangles. 
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving division of fractions by whole numbers (1/4 ÷ 7) and division of whole numbers by fractions (3 ÷ 1/2). Interpret a fraction as division. 
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems involving volume by using addition and multiplication strategies and applying the formulas.
• Solve real-world and mathematical problems by graphing points, including numerical patterns, on the coordinate plane.
• Write multiplication expressions using exponents
• Evaluate exponents
• Write powers of ten with exponents
• Find the missing exponent or base
• Identify factors
• Find all the factor pairs of a number
• Greatest common factor
• Least common multiple
• Sort factors of numerical expressions

• Ecosystems: Understand how matter and energy moves through organisms in an ecosystem. 
• Earth’s Systems: Understand Earth has four main systems that interact with each other in multiple ways. 
• Solar System: Understand stars, planets, and moons in the universe, and how the physical forces created affect patterns we observe. 
• Matter: Understand matter is made up of particles and properties of matter can change. 

Understand the concepts of units taught (Civics/Government, Economics, History, and Geography).

Creates, performs, responds to, and reflects upon arts and making art

• Demonstrates ability to understand and use technology
• Uses technology to complete writing projects
• Uses technology to organize classroom assignments