Intermediate Grades 3-5

English Language Arts Programming

Open Up Resouce- EL Education- Hillside educators and students utilize EL Education as a core ELA program to address various reading, vocabulary, and writing skills. EL was created to support students to build skills and content knowledge all while helping them become more confident and collaborative learners. Designed to provide implicit and systematic instruction, EL Education offers comprehensive ELA experiences to assess ELA standards and engage students in meaningful content.

At the heart of the curriculum, at all grade levels are the module lessons. Each grade level includes four modules, which span a full school year. The four modules allow students to build important content knowledge based on a compelling topic related to science, social studies, or literature. Each module uses rich authentic text throughout.

Content Topics of Modules

Grade	Module 1	Module 2	Module 3	Module 4
3	Overcoming Learning Challenges Near and Far	Adaptations and the Wide World of Frogs	Exploring a Literacy Classic	The Role of Freshwater around the World
4	Poetry, Poets, and Becoming Writers	Animal Defense Mechanisms	The American Revolution	Susan B. Anthony, the Suffrage Movement and the Importance of Voting
5	Stories of Human Rights	Biodiversity in the Rainforest	Athletes as Leaders of Change	Natural Disasters in the Western Hemisphere

EL Education Curriculum Addressing Standards for Literacy

Reading Standards

Reading Standards

Text Complexity

Frequent use of grade-appropriate complex text at all grade levels for all students; at the K-2 level many close read-alouds are conducted with texts two or three grade levels above what students can read on their own to encourage high-level thinking and discourse; scaffolds so that all students are successful; Language Dives for all students (more frequent for ELLs); story time to launch every K-2 Lab session

Vocabulary

Intentional vocabulary building from content-based text; attention to figuring out words from context; decoding; emphasis on academic (Tier 2) vocabulary

Close Reading

Teacher-led close reading or close read-alouds of content-based texts; carefully developed text-dependent questions; multiple reads for deepening comprehension; focus question that drives a series of sessions on a single text

Volume or Reading

Daily Accountable Independent Reading at each individual student’s level (or rereading complex text previously read with teacher support); reading to deepen and expand content knowledge and vocabulary; story time to launch every K-2 Lab session.

Research

Gathering evidence for knowledge building before writing; Accountable Independent Reading; K-2 Research Lab

Fluency

Multiple reads of complex text; research reading; volume of reading; reading decodable texts (in the K-2 Reading Foundations Skills Block)

Foundational Skills

A dedicated hour per day to explicitly teach the letter-sound patterns of the English language (in the K-2 Reading Foundations Skills Block)

Writing Standards

Writing Standards

Writing Reflects Content Understanding

All writing supports content knowledge: Students write both as they are learning content knowledge (e.g., note-taking) and as they synthesize that knowledge (e.g., in their formal writing); note-taking in the K-2 Research Lab

Specific Instruction in Aspects of Writing

Writing skills (e.g., use of introductions, transitions) and approaches (e.g., gathering evidence to support a statement) are scaffolded specifically for particular writing in each module

Writing Fluency, Ease of Writing

Frequent “short writes” as well as more developed pieces; almost daily writing in the K-2 module lessons; goal-setting and reflection in the K-2 Labs; writing practice as one specific component of the 3-5 Additional Language and Literacy Block

Oral Processing of Ideas Before Writing

Frequent opportunities for students to “orally rehearse” ideas and thinking before writing, including structured conversations and Language Dives

Writing Process (Plan, Draft. Confer, Revise, Edit)

Instruction and scaffolding in each aspect of the writing process; emphasis on use of models, critique (kind, specific, and helpful), feedback, and revision

Language Standards

Language Standards

Standard Grammar and Usage

Short and fully developed writing (including emphasis on revising and editing skills); explicit instruction on specific language standards in K-2 module lessons (often involving analyzing or punctuating songs and poems) and in 3-5 Additional Language and Literacy Block; Language Dives; embedded grammar and usage instruction (within performance tasks and often within other writing assignments)

Standard Writing Conventions, including Spelling

Short and fully developed writing (including an emphasis on revising and editing skills); focus on letter formation and spelling patterns in K-2 Reading Foundations Skills Block; explicit instruction on conventions in K-5 module lessons and the 3-5 Additional Language and Literacy Block (grammar, usage, and mechanics component); Language Dives

Academic and Domain-Specific Vocabulary

Multiple reads of complex text; short and fully developed writing; Language Dives; unpacking learning targets; explicit teaching of the language of habits of character (e.g., collaboration, perseverance)

Speaking and Listening Standards

Participation in Discussion, Building on Others’ Ideas

Collaborative protocols; small group discussion; discussion norms; Conversation Cues; sentence frames to scaffold productive discussion

Presentation of Ideas in a Style Appropriate to the Audience

Presentation of students’ work, both formally and informally, to an audience of their peers, families, or invited guests

Math Programming

HMH Math in Focus-Singapore Mathematics (K-8)- Hillside educators use this multi-sensory program built on research emphasizing problem-solving. The Singapore math curriculum framework recognizes problem-solving skills as central to learning. The program’s CPA or concrete-pictorial-abstract approach helps students improve number fluency and better understand concepts through manipulatives, diagrams, models, and abstract symbols.

3-5 Scope of Topics

Third Grade

Number and Operations
- Number Representation, Counting, Comparing and Order numbers, Place Value, Fraction Concepts, Money, Whole Number Computation: Addition and Subtraction, Whole Number Computation: Addition and Subtraction Word Problems, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Concepts, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Algorithms, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Word Problems, Decimal Computation, Estimation, and Mental Math.
Algebra/Expressions and Equations
- Patterns, Properties, Functional Relationships, Expression Models, Number Sentences and Equations, Equality and Inequality.
Geometry
- Lines and Angles, Two Dimensional Shapes and Polygons.
Measurement
- Length and Distance, Weight/Mass, Capacity/Volume, Time, Angles, Perimeter, Perimeter and Circumfrence, Area.
Data Anaylsis/Statistics and Probability
- Classifying and Sorting, Represent Data, Interpret/Analyze Data.
Making Sense in Solving Problems
- Build Skills through Problem Solving, Solve Real World Problems.
Reasoning
- Use Appropriate Strategies and Thinking Skills to Solve Problems, Apply and Explain Problem-Solving, Explore Concepts, Investigate Mathematical Ideas, Identify, Demonstrate, and Express Regularity in Reasoning, Use a Variety of Reasoning Skills.
Communication
- Consolidate Mathematical Thinking, Communicate with Peers, Teachers, and Others, Share Mathematical Thinking, Construct Arguments, and Express Mathematics Ideas.
Connection and Structure
- Look for and Use Structure to Recognize Connections in Mathematical Ideas, Understand How Concepts Build on One Another, and Solve Real-World Problems in Contexts Outside of Mathematics.
Representation and Model Mathematics
- Use Representations to Attend to Precision, Select and Apply Appropriate Models and Tools to Represent Problems, and Interpret Phenomena Through Representations.

Fourth Grade

Number and Operations
- Number Representation, Counting, Comparing and Order numbers, Place Value, Fraction Concepts, Decimal Concepts, Whole Number Computation: Addition and Subtraction, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Concepts, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Algorithms, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Word Problems, Fraction Computation, Estimation, and Mental Math.
Algebra/Expressions and Equations
- Patterns, Properties, Number Theory, Functional Relationships, Expression Models, Number of Sentences and Equations, Equality and Inequality.
Geometry
- Lines and Angles, Two Dimensional Shapes and Polygons, Congruence and Symmetry, Coordinate Geometry.
Measurement
- Length and Distance, Weight/Mass, Capacity/Volume, Time, Angles, Perimeter, Perimeter and Circumfrence, Area.
Data Anaylsis/Statistics and Probability
- Classifying and Sorting, Represent Data, Interpret/Analyze Data.
Making Sense in Solving Problems.
- Build Skills through Problem Solving, Solve Real World Problems.
Reasoning
- Use Appropriate Strategies and Thinking Skills to Solve Problems, Apply and Explain Problem-Solving, Explore Concepts, Investigate Mathematical Ideas, Identify, Demonstrate, and Express Regularity in Reasoning, Use a Variety of Reasoning Skills.
Communication
- Consolidate Mathematical Thinking, Communicate with Peers, Teachers, and Others, Share Mathematical Thinking, Construct Arguments, and Express Mathematics Ideas.
Connection and Structure
- Look for and Use Structure to Recognize Connections in Mathematical Ideas, Understand How Concepts Build on One Another, and Solve Real-World Problems in Contexts Outside of Mathematics.
Representation and Model Mathematics
- Use Representations to Attend to Precision, Select and Apply Appropriate Models and Tools to Represent Problems, and Interpret Phenomena Through Representations.

Fifth Grade

Number and Operations
- Number Representation, Counting, Comparing and Order numbers, Place Value, Fraction Concepts, Decimal Concepts, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Algorithms, Whole Number Computation: Multiplication and Division Word Problems, Fraction Computation, Decimal Computation, Estimation, and Mental Math.
Algebra/Expressions and Equations
- Patterns, Properties, Number Theory, Functional Relationships, Expression Models, Number of Sentences and Equations, Equality and Inequality, the Coordinate Plane.
Geometry
- Two Dimensional Shapes and Polygons, Three-Dimensional Shapes/Solid Figures, Coordinate Geometry.
Measurement
- Length and Distance, Weight/Mass, Capacity/Volume, Surface Area and Volume.
Ratios and Porportional Relationships
- Ratios, Percents.
Data Anaylsis/Statistics and Probability
- Classifying and Sorting, Represent Data, Interpret/Analyze Data.
Making Sense in Solving Problems
- Build Skills through Problem Solving, Solve Real World Problems.
Reasoning
- Use Appropriate Strategies and Thinking Skills to Solve Problems, Apply and Explain Problem-Solving, Explore Concepts, Investigate Mathematical Ideas, Identify, Demonstrate, and Express Regularity in Reasoning, Use a Variety of Reasoning Skills.
Communication
- Consolidate Mathematical Thinking, Communicate with Peers, Teachers, and Others, Share Mathematical Thinking, Construct Arguments, and Express Mathematics Ideas.
Connection and Structure
- Look for and Use Structure to Recognize Connections in Mathematical Ideas, Understand How Concepts Build on One Another, and Solve Real-World Problems in Contexts Outside of Mathematics.
Representation and Model Mathematics
- Use Representations to Attend to Precision, Select and Apply Appropriate Models and Tools to Represent Problems, and Interpret Phenomena Through Representations.

Specialized Reading Programs

Project Read-Children need to understand the relationship between written letters and spoken sounds to develop the ability to read words in isolation and connected text. Direct phonics instruction via the Project Read curriculum is scheduled daily in the primary grades. The Project Read program honors diverse learning profiles and provides lessons built on direct concept teaching, multisensory strategies, systematic instruction, and higher-level thinking skills. The phonics section of the program is based on the Orton-Gillingham method and has been regarded by a reputation for over 45 years.

S.P.I.R.E- S.P.I.R.E. employs all the elements of Structured Literacy—phonology, sound-symbol association, syllables, morphology, syntax, and semantics—incorporating research-proven best practices for reading and language development. Every aspect of S.P.I.R.E. systematically builds reading skills. Educators use multisensory activities to engage all students. Explicit, teacher-led instruction is data-driven, allowing teachers to address areas of need, while continual practice and review then lock in permanent gains.

Heggerty-The Heggerty curriculum is backed by research and the science of reading. Each level of the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Curriculum provides up to 35 weeks of daily lessons, focusing on eight phonemic awareness skills, along with two additional activities to develop letter and sound recognition, and language awareness.

Visualizing and Verbalizing by Nancibell- Students are exposed to fiction and non-fiction selections, children’s literature, novels, poetry, and short stories that encompass a variety of genres. The Visualizing and Verbalizing program teaches students to visualize while reading and verbalize their images, which helps them strengthen their concept imagery (the ability to create a “movie in your mind” when reading).

Executive Functioning

Executive functioning refers to cognitive processes enabling individuals to plan, organize, and regulate their behavior effectively. In the classroom, supporting executive functioning needs is crucial for students' academic success and overall development.

Hillside teachers provide several strategies to promote executive functioning skills among students.

Throughout the day and in every class, students are coached to develop effective executive functioning skills including planning and prioritizing, self-monitoring, organization, impulse and emotional control, flexible thinking, and working memory skills. They are taught how to problem solve and to reflect on the successful use of learning strategies; how to discuss which strategies work for them; and to understand why. Additionally, teachers set up clear routines and expectations, providing a structured and predictable environment. As students experience success, their self-confidence increases which encourages independence promotes motivation, builds focused effort, and finally, empowers them to take pride and ownership in their own education.