Curriculum

• Core Classes (i.e. reading, writing, math) kept smaller with less than 20 students.
• Content Areas are taught through hands on projects.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading
Each trimester is focused upon a different genre of literature (i.e. Science fiction, drama, mysteries, poetry, historical fiction, etc.)

Through short stories, novelettes, articles, and/or short selections, students participate in whole group experiences to develop a working definition of the focus genre for that term.

Once the class has established the language necessary to explore a genre, students are given several novels/selections and choose one that intrigues them the most. Groups of eight-twelve students form around the novel that they chose to create small discussion groups. These groups each have a teacher who acts as a facilitator for these discussions. The older the students involved, the more self-directed these groups become.

In addition to their small group novel, each student self-selects another novel to read within the same focus genre. This serves to provide a comparison where students independently apply the learning in class to this second novel in an effort to expand their understanding of the genre. Students design projects to share their learning through comparing/contrasting the term’s novels and/or writing an: analysis of their findings.

Writing
We use Writers Workshop throughout our school, grade 4-8. Students receive constant feedback from teachers, adults, peers and themselves. Our writing hour each day, affords our TRCS students the chance to find, develop and use their writing voices.

Our students have created incredible samples through this process, (many of which are 20-50 pages long!) Take a moment to read some of these amazing pieces.

Math
Investigations: our youngest students explore math concepts through hands on experiences in this exciting program. Leaning is done in 2-3 week units that surround the various strands of mathematics (i.e. statistics, calculation, measurement, place value, etc.) This program provides the conceptual base necessary to allow more abstraction in later years.

Connected Math
This NTME approved program does a phenomenal job of blending exploration with direct application to the real world. A strength of this program lies in its emphasis on students explaining the logic of their approach and detailing their pathway in solving problems.

This program consists of 24 books, each of which focuses on a genre of math (i.e. algebra, geometry, statistics, probability, etc.) We have found that these books do a beautiful job of both building upon one another and providing higher level thinking skills through direct application to real world problems.

Take a moment to peruse the following links to learn more about the program and to see the fantastic results on statewide testing that it has supported in our students.

Geometry
Students advanced in mathematics have the opportunity to complete their freshman year Geometry course during their eighth grade year at TRCS using the District adopted materials.

This group tends to be smaller (6-10 students). As a result, students are able to get ample one-on-one assistance as they explore the various forms of proofs and constructions found in Euclidean Geometry.

CONTENT AREAS

Science
Each trimester focuses on one of the tree strand of science outlined in the Oregon State Standards (i.e. physical, life, earth science.) Curriculum is designed with an emphasis on laboratory and field experiences. Students utilize the performance standards in learning to create, document and analyze data through teacher and student designed experiments. We utilize the Simply Science curriculum to assist our educators in designing laboratory experiences to support the science content. We then augment this portion of learning using the Internet and on-line resources.

In addition, students complete a larger design challenge each trimester. An open-ended problem is presented (i.e. create a catapult, design a boat, etc.) and parameters are set (i.e. size, materials, etc.) Students tackle these problems with much verve and enthusiasm! As a group, classes design rubrics to evaluate the success of these projects and demonstrate their creations to the larger school.

Social Studies
Content for this area of study is outlined by grade level and is mandated by the State of Oregon.

Again, as in all of our curricular areas, an emphasis is placed on application through real world issues. When students explore historical events, our instructors push to understand the ramifications of these occurrences on our present day. There is an emphasis on community and service to the local areas. It is our priority to utilize local resources and experts to help our students explore the word around them.

ARTS

The arts provide an excellent avenue for exploring human expression in all subject areas. They provide an opportunity for students to understand a way in which math, science, and history combine to create beauty. For this reason, the arts are embedded within all of our learning. In addition, we offer the following classes where the arts are offered as a separate discipline.

Art
Disciplined Based Art Education (D.B.A.E.) provides the framework for our Art lesson. Students learn the historical context of a piece, or movement - what led up to three pieces and what changes stemmed from it. Students are instructed in the basic elements of art (line, form, shape, etc.), and taught to use them as a basis for aesthetically scanning works. Each lesson involves canning masters’ works understanding its context and then using this learning to produce their own work.

View some of our students’ amazing work.

Music
At TRCS a general music program is offered for all students. This program focuses on music theory, performance and music appreciation. In the upper grades, students can join an elective choir that meets during a student elective period. Special topics of study can be chosen by students’ propensity/interest in their music interest during Independent Projects. An example of this interest is a rock-video production produced by six 8th grade students who wrote, produced, filmed and edited a video with our computer/video lab.

Technology
This is fast becoming a hallmark for our school! We have received several grants that have allowed us to create a state-of-the-art computer laboratory. We have a 34-computer lab set-up that allows full/group instruction and personal exploration. In addition, we have 18/19 personal laptops that students can check out to work on project.

Our building is now fully Wireless; allowing our laptop PC’s full Internet access. All of our computers have Office XP and students receive instruction in using Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. We have two in-focus machines that give students an opportunity to share their work with the entire school. In addition, our school has a complete video lab set-up that allows students to produce their own movies and videos.

Foreign Language
We believe that learning a foreign language is a necessity in our complex world. Our philosophy is the importance of “relearning” how a language is structured, rather than the particular language. To that ends, we offer Spanish to all of our students 4th - 8th. They will have the opportunity to have five years of Spanish, which will give them the basis for learning another language. They will then be prepared to take a High School assessment to determine whether they can test out of second year Spanish or begin another language with the foundations of Spanish firmly in place.

Our Foreign Language instructors are staff members of Three Rivers Charter School.

We have invited students from other countries to visit America with a stay for 3 - 4 months at Three Rivers Charter School. We have had students from Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Through this immersion into our school culture, our students again gain a value and understanding of our world as truly their own backyard.