Abstract
Balancing curriculum in elementary schools has become a common topic in the United States educational system. The standard- based reform movement was created to measure all students academic achievement by mandating that all states implement accountability with annual assessments. With the enactment of No Child Left Behind in 2002, schools’ accountability transferred to become a federal issue instead of a state issue. No Child Left Behind now mandates states to assess elementary students annually in grades second to sixth in the core content areas of reading, language arts and mathematics. As a result of these mandated tests, there have been many negative effects in elementary schools such as an unbalanced curriculum and teachers feeling pressure to only teach the core content areas that their students are being tested on. Focusing on science, research has shown that science is slowly being pushed out of the daily curriculum in many elementary schools in the United States. Integrated curriculum is a practical solution. This curriculum guide addresses the needs for a balanced curriculum in elementary schools by integrating science with the reading and language arts standards. This guide is designed for first grade teachers who have access to the Mondo Bookshop curriculum. This guide provides first grade teachers with integrated science, reading and language arts lesson ideas, content and activities. The lessons in the guide consist of whole group activities, small group work and individual work, all created to help first grade teachers deliver a balanced curriculum while incorporating science into their daily curriculum.