Curriculum - P.S. 153 The Homecrest School

LITERACY

At PS 153, we use the Journey's Reading Series for our literacy instruction. The program is designed to build confidence and provide flexibility through whole class, small group and individual instruction. The Journeys program provides complex anchor texts that challenge students alongside smart lesson plans that allow our teachers target the needs of all students. Through the use of this program we are able to support all learners with engaging material and teacher support. The program provides assessments and digital tools that support student, teacher and parent.

MATHEMATICS

At PS153 we use the GOMATH series which is the core curriculum for the city of NYC. The program offers an engaging and interactive approach to covering the Common Core State Standards. The students engage in material that focuses on understanding, computational fluency and real life situations. Students and parents can access the program online for additional practice and support. Digital tools support the students, teachers and parents through engaging instructional media.

SCIENCE

P.S. 153 students in Pre-k - 5 receive Science instruction weekly. A full time science lab for grades K-5 is available where they engage in hands-on learning and are provided with opportunities for exploration. We are engaging in a new program called Amplify.

Physical Education

The mission of the Physical Education program at P.S. 153 is to promote physical literacy. Physical literacy is the ability, confidence and desire to be physically active for life. Our Physical Education curriculum includes activities for community building, skill acquisition, social emotional learning & health related fitness. It is important that each and every one of our students is given the opportunity to master their foundational skills that will give them the ability and confidence to be physically active in a variety of activities that benefit their healthy development. The goal is for our students to graduate from P.S. 153 with the desire to stay on the road to a healthful and physically active lifestyle.

TECHNOLOGY

P.S. 153 has a technology lab for students in grades K-5. We house 32 I-Mac computers for the children to interact with and learn technology skills. We also have IPads and Chromebooks in the school building. The teachers and students can use the I-Pads and Chromebooks to enhance their learning experience . The students explore many different websites, as well as keeping up with the changes in Technology. We use the I-Ready program to access their reading skills. These assessments are done four times a year.

DRAMA

P.S. 153's Common Core Drama program gives the children in Kindergarten to 5th grade ,the opportunity to express themselves through role play improv and other engaging drama elements. All grades have an opportunity to show-off their talents at their Common Core performances.

DANCE

P.S. 153’s Dance program is aligned with the New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in Dance with a focus on dance making, dance literacy, making connections to general education subjects, and working with community and cultural resources. In class each week, dancers will study the various styles of dance with an emphasis on community building. Students will have multiple opportunities to create, learn, and perform choreography for their peers and for the community at the Dance Festival. PS 153 has partnerships with: Ballet Tech, 92Y, Isadora Duncan Dance Company and NYCCC. Through these experiences, students will gain an appreciation for dance as an art form and as an outlet for artistic expression.

LIBRARY

The Library Program at PS153's goal is to encourage and support students to become life long readers as well as to educate and familiarize students in the functions of a Library.

Together we read as assortment of diverse books spreading across all genres. The students also learn how a library is organized using the Dewey Decimal system and how to use

Destiny the library management system. This knowledge provides them with the skills they can use throughout life in any library.

Music Program

For the 2019- 2020 school year, all students at PS 153 will be scheduled to have music at least once a week. Students in grades 3, 4, and 5 will be learning to read and play music ,using the recorder. The recorder is a small flute like instrument , that can be played easily, regardless of age. In the early childhood grades, grades PK, K, 1, and 2 ,students will be learning about the fundamentals of music though singing songs ,and by using small classroom percussion instruments.