Perhaps most importantly, Coronado Schools Foundation (CSF) and our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) helps make our “Specials” possible. Each week, each class attends Library and every other week they attend Computer Lab, VAPA and Science Lab. STEAM also supports several after school programs including Band, Robotics, and Math Olympiads. Our teachers also receive funding from STEAM that makes professional development opportunities a reality. Funding for STEAM comes directly from the Coronado Schools Foundation.

 

Our Science Lab focuses on marrying science and fun in order to get children engaged with science before moving into middle and high school. For our youngest students, very basic concepts are introduced with corresponding hands-on activities such as dissecting owl pellets, growing and observing crystals, learning how to use equipment safely, and learning how to work in groups. Our older students are given further opportunities to expand their interests in science. For example, our 4th and 5th graders have a unit designed around an introduction to engineering. They also look at rocks and minerals, experiment with magnetism and electricity and investigate animal adaptations.  Another popular activity is learning and building bridges out of straws. Often students will compete to see whose bridge can hold the most weight for the longest time.

 

Kindergarten-Types of materials and plant and animal characteristics

1st Grade- Animal adaptations and matter

2nd Grade- Forces and fossils

3rd Grade- Plants and the solar system

4th Grade- Rocks and minerals and magnetism 

5th Grade- Matter and electricity

 

Physical Education & Health incorporates education that focuses on the importance of staying healthy, with a whole lot of fun. Sports skills, sports rules, team work, sportsmanship, following directions, what it means to be healthy, and what foods are healthy, are all learning goals of the class. Additionally, music and movement, including dance, are incorporated. Students in Kindergarten through 3rd grade have the class four times a week while 4th and 5th grade go every day of the week.

 

Village Elementary and ECDC students in grades TK-5th visit the Computer Lab twice per month to work on important 21st Century computing and learning skills. Early grades are learning digital citizenship, basic computer navigation, and using programs like Ticket to Read to personalize their instruction. Students in grades 2-5 continue learning digital citizenship, and begin touch typing skills via Edu-Typing, an online learning module that teaches at each individual students’ pace. All students in grades 2-5 learn to use Haiku Learning, our full suite of cloud-based digital learning tools, as well as learning about and using a multitude of tools within Google Drive. Finally, students will also receive exposure to the Digital Content Portal for practicing research skills online. Lessons are aligned to national “ISTE” computer standards as well as Common Core standards when applicable. Our aim in the Computer Lab is to put 21st Century learning tools into the hands of capable and responsible student users.

 

Students receive instruction in the Arts every other week. Students learn discrete art skills in visual arts, dance, music and theatre. The National Core Arts Standards teach students not only to think creatively, but also to respond to the Arts in various ways. The Arts bring an opportunity for learners to take risks and formulate their own opinions. They also teach them to respect others’ ideas, even if they are different than their own. VAPA lessons are designed to integrate and complement the Common Core Standards already established in the classroom.