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Curriculum and Instruction

January Newsletter

Curriculum andInstruction January Newsletter

Holliston's Teaching & Learning Updates

Many exciting learning opportunities have, and continue, to be offered here in Holliston Public School district! In this newsletter, we are pleased to share a glimpse into our teaching and learning at all levels. Please take some time to discover the wonderful academic experiences and remember to click to see all of the newsletter.


Warmly,

Joanne Menard, Ed.D.

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction

S.T.E.M. S.T.E.M.

STE (Science, Technology, and Engineering)

Elementary Schools

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Mrs. Leonard's grade 4 science class creating a model for how sound waves move. Standards addressed: Science and Engineering Practice 2. Developing and Using Models and 4-PS4-1. Develop a model of a simple mechanical wave (including sound) to communicate that waves (a) are regular patterns of motion along which energy travels and (b) can cause objects to move.

Robert Adams Middle School (RAMS)

Mrs. DeLuca's 7th grade science class discovering the importance of specific directions in a written procedure. Standard's Addressed: Science and Engineering Practice 3. Planning and carrying out investigations

Holliston High School

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Mr. Marsh's AP Environmental Science students using bubbles to compare K-selected and R-selected species. Students calculate how long the bubbles survive with and without parental care.

9th grade biology students creating a model of a chloroplast in chalk in front of the high school. Standards Addressed: HS-LS1-5. Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis uses light energy to transform water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and chemical energy stored in the bonds of sugars and other carbohydrates.

Mathematics

Elementary Schools

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4th grade student work relating math to their everyday life.

Robert Adams Middle School (RAMS)

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Students in Mrs. Mailing's 6th grade math class playing Clue with multiplication and division of decimals. Each time a group gets a correct answer, they are given a clue, the first group to correctly solve the murder wins. Standard Addressed: 6.NS.B.3. . Fluently add, subtract, multiply, and divide multi-digit decimals using the standard algorithm for each operation.

Holliston High School

High School Students created a Calculus mural in the mathematics/business hallway at Holliston High School.

Computer Science / Digital Learning

Elementary Schools

Mrs. Hastings students working collaboratively to build a structure. Steps of the Engineering Design Process.

Robert Adams Middle School (RAMS)

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Students in Mr. Perkins 7th grade computer science course designing a product to present to the class during a Shark Tank activity. Standards Addressed: Engineering Design Steps - Identify a Need or Problem, Research, Deign a Solution.

Holliston High School

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Students in Mr. Levesque's Architectural Technology class designing a bathroom using CAD software.

Unified Arts Unified Arts

Visual Arts Visual Arts

Elementary - Visual Arts Dots Project
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Grade K Sculpture

Creating

1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Experiment with a wide variety of both two- and three-dimensional materials, including recycled/repurposed ones after looking at images from several artists who use those materials. (PK-K.V.Cr.01)

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Grade 2 Architecture

Connecting

11. Relate artistic ideas and works to societal, cultural and historical contexts to deepen understanding. Identify different types of artwork (e.g., paintings, sculpture, performance, fiber) within their community and other places they have encountered. (1-2.V.Co.11)

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Grade 5 Name Design

Connecting

10. Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art. Describe and demonstrate personal artistic style and preferences. (5-6.V.Co.10)

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RAMS - Collaborative Puzzle Painting: focus color mixing

Creating

2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. Develop clear artistic plans that others could implement. (7-8.V.Cr.02)

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RAMS - Blind Contour Zentangle - focus continuous line drawing

Creating

1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. (7-8.V.Cr.01)

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RAMS - All About Me Selfie: focus realistic proportion drawing

Creating

3. Refine and complete artistic work. Apply strategies to work through creative blocks. (7-8.V.Cr.03)

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HHS - Ceiling Tile Design

Presenting


4. Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. Explain how specific techniques were used to evoke, express, or communicate in an artistic work or collection. (P.V.P.04)

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HHS - Ceiling Tile Design

Creating

1. Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work. Consistently apply research to support development of artistic ideas

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HHS - Ceiling Tile Design

Creating


2. Organize and develop artistic ideas and work. (P.V.Cr.02)

HHS - Mural

Wellness Wellness

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Elementary - Crossing the Swamp - focus on collaborative problem-solving and team-building

Elementary - Crossing the Swamp - focus on collaborative problem-solving and team-building


Personal and Social Competency


CH.PH.02.07 Demonstrate responsible personal and social conduct used in physical activity settings

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Elementary - Crossing the Swamp - focus on collaborative problem-solving and team-building

Decision Making

CH.SEH.05.05 Explain and practice a model for decision-making that includes gathering information, predicting outcomes, listing advantages and disadvantages, identifying moral implications, and evaluating decisions

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Elementary - Crossing the Swamp - focus on collaborative problem-solving and team-building

Motor Skill Development

CH.PH.02.01 Apply movement concepts including direction, balance, level (high, low), pathway (straight, curve, zigzag), range (expansive, narrow), and force absorption (rigid, with bent knees) to extend versatility and improve physical performance

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RAMS - Direct instruction in Frisbee Techniques: focus C catch, backhand throw, moving in open space, and receiving a catch

Motor Skill Development

CH.PH.02.09 Demonstrate developmentally appropriate basic manipulative and advanced specialized physical skills, including throwing and catching different objects with both accuracy and force, hand and foot dribbling while preventing an opponent from challenging, and accurate striking proficiency

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RAMS - Collaborative Games and Team-building

Motor Skill Development

CH.PH.02.08 Use combinations of manipulative, locomotor, and non-locomotor skills to develop movement sequences and patterns, both individually and with others"

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RAMS - Collaborative Games and Team-building

Personal and Social Competency

CH.PH.02.15 Demonstrate strategies for inclusion of all students in physical activity settings related to strength and speed

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HHS- Direct Instruction in Rock Climbing: focus on belay techniques

Personal and Social Competency

CH.PH.02.26 Apply safe practices, rules, procedures, and sportsmanship etiquette in physical activity settings, including how to anticipate potentially dangerous consequences and outcomes of participation in physical activity

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HHS - Health: Mental Health student project

Feelings and Emotions

CH.SEH.05.11 Analyze healthy ways to express emotions and to cope with feelings, including the common causes of stress, its effects on the body, and managing stress

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HHS - Direct Instruction in Rock Climbing: focus on belay harness set up

Personal and Social Competency

CH.PH.02.25 Understand how activity participation patterns are likely to change throughout life and identify strategies to deal with those changes, including a plan for life-long wellness

World Language World Language

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Grade 4 Spanish FLES - Collaborative Speaking Task

LINK: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YQNKE7mod1YCJWdM8xhX3fQmxBOqCB5j/view?usp=drive_web

2. Interpersonal Communication - In conversations on topics of high familiarity and interest to students in settings that students would find familiar and highly predictable, using practiced or memorized words, phrases, and some sentences, often relying upon repetition, visual aids, and gestures, in such a way that speakers/signers of the language who are accustomed to engaging with language learners often understand, students

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Grade 5 Spanish FLES - Edpuzzle: focus on Greetings and Farewells

8. Communities - In settings that students would find familiar and highly predictable, using the target language to the greatest appropriate extent for the community-based situation, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students fully and consistently:

b. Become lifelong learners by:

1. Using languages for enjoyment and enrichment and exploring more options for doing so. (NM.8.b.1)

2. Interacting with speakers/signers of the target language to build diverse relationships. (NM.8.b.2)

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Grade 5 Spanish FLES - Edpuzzle: focus on Greetings and Farewells

6. Comparisons - In settings that students would find familiar and highly predictable, using the target language exclusively or almost exclusively, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students fully and consistently:

b. Investigate, explain, and reflect on the nature of language through comparisons of the language studied and their own by:

2. Comparing basic idiomatic expressions. (NM.6.b.2)

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RAMS French Immersion - Direct instruction in Relative Pronouns

Communication Standards

1. Interpretive Communication - In texts and conversations on topics that relate to students and their immediate environment, relying upon understanding of simple sentences, supported by repetition and plain language, students:

a. Understand traits of multiple cultures and communities. (IL.1.a)

b. Understand the main idea and related information. (IL.1.b)

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RAMS Spanish - Hispanic Heritage Month: focus music

Linguistic Cultures Standards

5. Cultures - In a variety of settings, using the target language exclusively or almost exclusively, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students most often succeed but sometimes need help to:

a. Analyze products and practices to help understand perspectives within the diverse cultures of the target-language communities. (NH.5.a)

b. Investigate, explain, and reflect on how culture affects identity. (NH.5.b)

c. Investigate, explain, and reflect on the similarities and differences of cultures over time. (NH.5.c)

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RAMS Spanish - Building Vocabulary and Interpreting Text: focus clothing and colors

3. Presentational Communication - In presentations on topics of high familiarity and immediate interest to students in settings that students would find familiar and highly predictable, using practiced or memorized words or phrases, relying upon visual aids and gestures, in such a way that speakers/signers of the language who are accustomed to engaging with language learners sometimes understand, students:

a. Demonstrate awareness and understanding of themselves and their audience. (NL.3.a)

b. Provide simple, basic, prepared information in culturally appropriate ways. (NL.3.b)

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Spanish II - Ten ways to make a pinata

Linguistic Cultures Standards

5. Cultures - In a variety of settings, using the target language exclusively or almost exclusively, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students minimally but consistently:

a. Analyze products and practices to help understand perspectives within the diverse cultures of the target-language communities. (IL.5.a)

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Spanish II - Ten ways to Make a pinata

Linguistic Cultures Standards

5. Cultures - In a variety of settings, using the target language exclusively or almost exclusively, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students minimally but consistently:

a. Analyze products and practices to help understand perspectives within the diverse cultures of the target-language communities. (IL.5.a)

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Spanish V - Locotubre Bracket

Linguistic Cultures Standards

5. Cultures - In a wide variety of settings, using the target language exclusively or almost exclusively, with appropriate linguistic scaffolding, students most often succeed but sometimes need help to:

b. Analyze and summarize the varied elements that contribute to their own identities and the role cultures play in developing those identities. (IH.5.b)

Library Library

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RAMS Grade 6 - Book-tasting

Students were able to "taste" different book genres and explore the library collection. This activity helps familiarize students with the library and its offerings as well as connect students to the library staff.

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RAMS Grade 6 - Book-tasting

Students are given the chance to explore figurative language as well as informational nonfiction texts.

Performing Arts Performing Arts

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Grade 3 General Music - Explicit Instruction in Duple Meter

Responding

8. Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Use specific vocabulary to identify details about a musical work. (5-6.M.R.08)

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Grade 3 General Music - Movement in Duple Meter: focus beat competency

Performing

4. Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. Identify standard notation symbols and musical terms referring to dynamics, tempo, articulations, meter, and expression and apply them when performing. (5-6.M.P.04)

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Grade 5 Band - Direct instruction: focus Note-reading

Performing

4. Select, analyze and interpret artistic work for presentation. Identify basic strategies musicians use to practice and employ them in readying a musical work for performance. (N.M.P.04)

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RAMS - District Acquired Instrument

Jupiter Tuba - to help expand the low range of the band, and alleviate the need for students to bring large instruments back and forth to school.

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RAMS - District Acquired Instrument

Tabletop Xylophone - to allow all percussionists an opportunity to build their mallet techniques.

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RAMS - District Acquired Instrument

Jupiter Euphonium - to help expand the low range of the band, and alleviate the need for students to bring large instruments back and forth to school.

HHS Chorus went on a field trip to Holy Cross to see a Masterclass with Tony Award Winner, Jessie Mueller.
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HHS Music Field Trip to Holy Cross - Master Class with Jessie Mueller HHS Music Field Trip to Holy Cross - Master Class with Jessie Mueller

Humanities Humanities

Miller Elementary School

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Students practicing their geography skills in 4th Grade Social Studies.

4.1.1 On a physical map of North America, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legends, and title to locate and identify important physical features.

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Students practicing their geography skills in 4th Grade Social Studies.

4.1.1 On a physical map of North America, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legends, and title to locate and identify important physical features.

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Students practicing their geography skills in 4th Grade Social Studies.

4.1.1 On a physical map of North America, use cardinal directions, map scales, key/legends, and title to locate and identify important physical features.

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Students writing a paragraph about Rescue and Jessica.

RL.4.1Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text states explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.


W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped in paragraphs and sections to support the writer’s purpose. b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

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Rescue and Jessica.

Based on a real-life partnership, the heartening story of the love and teamwork between a girl and her service dog. Students wrote about how how the main characters rescued each other.
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Students writing a paragraph about the book Rescue and Jessica.

RL.4.1Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text states explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.



W.4.1 Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped in paragraphs and sections to support the writer’s purpose. b. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. c. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (e.g., for instance, in order to, in addition). d. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.

Middle School

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Students reflecting on independent reading selections.

7.RL.10 Independently and proficiently read and comprehend literary texts representing a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives and exhibiting complexity appropriate for at least grade 7.

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Students reflecting on independent reading selections.

7.RL.10 Independently and proficiently read and comprehend literary texts representing a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives and exhibiting complexity appropriate for at least grade 7.

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Students reflecting on independent reading selections.

7.RL.10 Independently and proficiently read and comprehend literary texts representing a variety of genres, cultures, and perspectives and exhibiting complexity appropriate for at least grade 7.

High School

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AP European History: Create a Netflix Series Projects for the Age of Exploration

WH1.T5.2 Explain the motivations for European nations to find a sea route to Asia.


WH1.T5.3 Identify the major economic, political, demographic, and social effects of the European colonial period in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands, the so-called “Columbian Exchange” (the transmission of foodstuffs, plants, bacteria, animal species, etc., across the Atlantic for the first time and its environmental and agricultural implications); the impact of Christian missionaries on existing religious and social structures in the Americas, and the expansion of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.


APEuro.Unit1.ObjectiveA. Explain the context in which the Renaissance and Age of Discovery developed.


KeyConcept-1.3.Europeans explored and settled overseas territories, encountering and interacting with indigenous populations.


KeyConcept-1.4. European society and the experiences of everyday life were increasingly shaped by commercial and agricultural capitalism, notwithstanding the continued existence of medieval social and economic structures.

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AP European History: Create a Netflix Series Projects for the Age of Exploration

WH1.T5.2 Explain the motivations for European nations to find a sea route to Asia.


WH1.T5.3 Identify the major economic, political, demographic, and social effects of the European colonial period in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands, the so-called “Columbian Exchange” (the transmission of foodstuffs, plants, bacteria, animal species, etc., across the Atlantic for the first time and its environmental and agricultural implications); the impact of Christian missionaries on existing religious and social structures in the Americas, and the expansion of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.


APEuro.Unit1.ObjectiveA. Explain the context in which the Renaissance and Age of Discovery developed.


KeyConcept-1.3.Europeans explored and settled overseas territories, encountering and interacting with indigenous populations.



KeyConcept-1.4. European society and the experiences of everyday life were increasingly shaped by commercial and agricultural capitalism, notwithstanding the continued existence of medieval social and economic structures.

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AP European History: Create a Netflix Series Projects for the Age of Exploration

WH1.T5.2 Explain the motivations for European nations to find a sea route to Asia.


WH1.T5.3 Identify the major economic, political, demographic, and social effects of the European colonial period in the Americas and the Caribbean Islands, the so-called “Columbian Exchange” (the transmission of foodstuffs, plants, bacteria, animal species, etc., across the Atlantic for the first time and its environmental and agricultural implications); the impact of Christian missionaries on existing religious and social structures in the Americas, and the expansion of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.


APEuro.Unit1.ObjectiveA. Explain the context in which the Renaissance and Age of Discovery developed.


KeyConcept-1.3.Europeans explored and settled overseas territories, encountering and interacting with indigenous populations.



KeyConcept-1.4. European society and the experiences of everyday life were increasingly shaped by commercial and agricultural capitalism, notwithstanding the continued existence of medieval social and economic structures.

Service Learning

11th Grader Sarah Marzugi met with Joe Hicks, preK-12+ Humanities Curriculum Coordinator, and Kasey Conahan, RAMS Curriculum Specialist, to discuss her Service Learning Project. Sarah's project will focus on reducing anti-Semitism.

11th Grader Sarah Marzugi met with Joe Hicks, preK-12+ Humanities Curriculum Coordinator, and Kasey Conahan, RAMS Curriculum Specialist, to discuss her Service Learning Project. Sarah's project will focus on reducing anti-Semitism.

Holliston Curriculum
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