Special Edition: K-5 Curriculum

Below is some information about our adopted elementary instructional materials, along with links to family resources. If you have questions after looking things over, please contact your child's teacher or visit our district Teaching and Learning webpage linked here.

Assessment Update

In Sherwood, we believe assessment should help create a learning environment where students take ownership of their learning by engaging in reflection, setting goals, and using teacher feedback.

This year we are adding MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) Growth Assessment. This assessment will provide our staff with timely, actionable data that will help us better meet the individual needs of each student. As a family, you will also benefit. MAP Growth allows you to view your student’s academic progress in Reading and Math over the course of the year and identify both areas of strength and areas for continued growth. This information can serve as a valuable resource when having conversations with your student and their teachers about learning goals and academic support.

Math- Bridges 3rd Edition

Bridges, published by The Math Learning Center, is inquiry based and student centered. Bridges focuses on developing mathematical reasoning while creating an inclusive and equitable learning community for all students. The curriculum includes whole group lessons, small group games and activities, and the Number Corner component which is used during calendar time each day. Bridges uses a hands-on approach to learning and provides manipulatives and games to teach a variety of problem solving strategies so students better understand complex mathematical concepts. For more information about the Bridges curriculum please click here and for parent resources and at home activities please click here.

Literacy- Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Sherwood uses a structured literacy approach to develop the reading and writing skills of our students throughout the literacy instructional block. Click on the links below to learn more.

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade

3rd-5th Grade

HMH Into Reading

DLI: HMH ¡Arriba la Lectura!

Science- Mystery Science

We will continue to use the Mystery Science instructional materials linked here during the 2025-2026 school year.

Social Sciences- Inquiry Journeys

Inquiry Journeys provides our students and staff with high-quality instructional materials as well as professional development to ensure a deep understanding of the inquiry process. As we've established the infrastructure to implement the inquiry process, our team of teachers and the Teaching & Learning Department have created inquiry units with intentionally selected materials that align even more closely with Sherwood and our local history. Additional information about this program can be found linked here.

Health- Great Body Shop

The Great Body Shop provides health education that is age-appropriate, medically accurate, current, and relevant for students in grades K-5. We have physical copies of the curriculum that can be viewed during school hours in our office vestibule. Additionally, there are some health lessons that parents are able to opt their child out of. Those specific lessons will be shared by your child's teacher several weeks prior to the date they will be taught. Parents will have a chance to review those lessons as well, and opt out if desired using the district opt out forms provided by your child's teacher.

Social and Emotional Learning- Sources of Strength and Wayfinder

Social emotional learning (SEL) is the process of helping children develop the skills to manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions. We are thrilled to be using the Wayfinder and Sources of Strength curriculums to support this important work. Wayfinder helps students build a strong sense of purpose, belonging, and empathy by connecting classroom learning to real-world skills. Sources of Strength is a prevention program that focuses on equipping students with "sources of strength" like family support, positive friends, and healthy activities, which builds resilience and promotes mental wellness. Together, these programs provide a comprehensive approach to helping your child thrive in school and in life. Check out these links for additional information and resources: Sources of Strength and Wayfinder.

PAX

You may hear your students coming home talking about PAX or the PAX Good Behavior Game. These programs are designed to help students with positive behavior within the classroom. PAX focused on "expected" and "unexpected" behaviors within our learning environments. Students can earn "Granny's Wacky Prizes" for being PAX leaders and using expected behaviors. For additional information about PAX, please check out the link here.