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Representatives from grades K-4 and reading specialists worked to combine the New York State Standards and the Byram Hills Language Arts student outcomes to create the Byram Hills K-4 Language Arts Curriculum.  This document represents many years of thoughtful work.  It also provides clear vision, or framework, for our elementary language arts curriculum as it combines reading, writing, speaking, and listening.  The New York State Standards provide a definite measure of student progress for students and parents, as well as for present and future teachers.

This document is intended to be the Language Arts Curriculum for teachers across the K-4 grade levels.  However, it will be valuable to teachers at all grade levels in providing an understanding of what is expected of students in the elementary years.  It is also the stepping stone to the 5th and 12th grades Language Arts Curriculum.  In addition, we hope it will help parents better understand what the instructional goals are.

Teaching and Learning Outcomes:
The strategies and skills set forth in this document are derived directly from the New York State Standards, and from what research tells us skillful young readers and writers do.

We expect all students to be exposed to the content at each designated stage.  Some students will readily achieve the level of excellence.  Others will approach the skill or concept and need further exposure and assistance over time.  This approach to teaching represents a commitment to teaching children of all ability levels so that each child experiences success.

Methodology:
Teachers use a variety of methodologies, which include, but are not limited to, reading and writing processes, use of quality children's literature, children's original writing, big books, resource and content area materials, poems, plays, songs, chants, and technology.

Assessment:
Our evaluations of children will guide and drive instruction, and at the same time provide information regarding each child's growth.

Please Note:  This document is NOT all-inclusive.  It provides a great deal of room for individual teacher creativity in terms of teaching the various standards and providing additional content to instruction.  It also respects and allows for individual teaching styles and children's learning needs.

Kindergarten	First Grade	Second Grade
Third Grade	Fourth Grade	Fifth Grade