Cluster Curriculum

Full School Day Clusters

Tutorials

Parents-As-Educators

After school & Weekend

4th/5th/ Grade Cluster

SCIENCE Topics

Self Discovery…

• Inquiry, Process Skills, and Problem Solving

• Reference Skills/ Research

• Hands on Activities/Tools

Investigation in the Garden…

• Ecology: Cycles of Matter and Flow of Energy

• Earth Processes: Weather and Climate

Exploration of the Universe…

• Space: Astronomy:

† Earth & Moon

† Solar System

†Celestial Bodies

Mastery of Energy…

• Energy & Its Transformations:

† Light and Color

† Sound

† Electricity and Magnetism

4th Grade Cluster
MATH Topics

• Data Analysis & Organization

• Money & Mental Computation

• Number Names & Place Value

• Estimation & Probability

Measurement

• Rounding & Rational Numbers

• Spatial Geometry & Coordinate Geometry

• Computation: Addition/ Subtraction

• Computation: Multiplication/ Division

• Fractions & Decimals

• Number Theory

• Number Sentences & Word Problems

†Note: Math topics are not studied in this order, but by relevance to science projects

4th/5th/ Grade Cluster

Language Arts

Our language arts curriculum is intertwined with all of our other academic subjects. This pedagogical strategy not only reinforces students’ understanding in various disciplines but also heightens students’ interest in the particular area of grammar usage.

Our primary objective is not to oppress our students’ verbal and literal skills but rather to increase their knowledge base as they learn to communicate in different settings. In fact, students will have the opportunity to compare and contrast the grammar usage of the Akan language with the English language.

In accordance with our students’ grade-levels, we will learn and develop our language arts skills in the following areas:

• Recognizing, creating, and verbally and literally using nouns, pronouns, adjectives, conjunctions, verbs and adverbs; • Identifying and understanding the meaning of particular prefixes and suffixes;

• identifying and using contractions correctly;

• Identifying and using personal and possessive pronouns;

• Speaking and writing in complete sentences while using various literary mechanics;

• Undergoing the writing process as we create stories, poems, information paragraphs and formal and informal letters;

• Demonstrating knowledge of when to use mainstream English or Ebonics exchanges;

• Using resources (encyclopedias, Internet, books) to research and share information about a topic;

• Using common rules of spelling and correcting words by using dictionaries, and other resources;

• Writing legibly in cursive.

Project Sample

Tell the story of our family ancestors…

† Interview family, friends and neighbors to develop an information database.

† Research background information and create an expanded database/spreadsheet. (Geographic origins, physical characteristics, family businesses, economic data, farming history, compare family stories)

† Generate reports and analysis of the database. Make a presentation to the community. 10/21

4th/5th/ Grade Cluster
Social Studies

This year's social studies curriculum will focus on the African presence in the Americas from the earliest record period to the present. In this survey course, various disciplines including:

† geography, anthropology,

† history, sociology,

† economics and political science

will be integrated to critically investigate a myriad of topics and themes that emerge from Ourstory in North, South, and Central America as well as the Caribbean.

Through Our dynamic African-centered approach, we will intimately engage Ourstory prior to, during, and after captivity with an emphasis on migrations and resistance.

We will explore the relationship between the past and the present in order to not only learn of Our greatness but to also rediscover the tools needed tor ensure our collective survival as a people, restore the African family and as Nana Clarke so eloquently put it: prepare (our children) to be responsible handlers of power.

4th/5th/ Grade Cluster
Arts / Culture

There will be a series of basic beginning acting classes, basic training in digital photography and dance. The beginning acting classes will consist of cold reading, improvisational scene study, and a variety of theater games and exercises. We will ask them to use course material from their other classes as improvisation and practiced acting material.

Emphasis is placed on ensemble (UMOJA) work as well as working with partners.

AYA ‘s Photography to Academic Excellence approach will help to stimulate “deep visual seeing” using the principles of MAAT as a guide intellectual and character development.

Dance will allow us to feel our bodies and express our thoughts and feelings. Our bodies will become math, science, social studies, and will give new meaning to “language arts.” We will conclude a semester with a play.

Through performing they will ground their learnings and opinions, and simultaneously share them with us.

Special time will be given to develop students’ skills in:

• Keyboarding

• Reading for Comprehension & Speed

† Strategies for different kinds of reading material

† Increasing eye span

† Decreasing eye fixation rate.

Each cluster site will be enriched by parent/adult mini-courses. Twice each day adults teach from their gifts, their strength and love areas. Actual subject areas to be determined on a site basis.