Plymouth Educational Center
Curriculum Alignment/Scope and Sequence
Language
Arts Mathematics Science Social
Studies
Health Visual
Arts Technology
The English Language Arts are the vehicles of communication: reading, writing, speaking, listening, and viewing.
The English Language Arts encompass both process and content. Process includes skills and strategies used in communication. Content includes ideas, themes, issues, problems, and conflicts found in classical and contemporary literature and other texts, such as technical manuals, periodicals, speeches, and videos.
Proficiency in these skills prepare us for real world experiences.
A literate individual:
- Communicates skillfully and effectively
- Thinks analytically and creatively
- Uses the English Language Arts to identify and solve problems
- Uses the English Language Arts to understand and appreciate the similarities and differences within the human experience
- Understands and appreciates the aesthetic elements of oral, visual, and written texts
- Connects knowledge from all curriculum areas to enhance understanding of the world.
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Language Arts curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Language Arts Curriculum Scope and Sequence
Plymouth Educational Center’s Mathematics curriculum reflects the vision of the Michigan Department of Education.
Vision: Mathematics is the science of patterns and relationships. It is the language and logic of our technological world. Mathematical power is the ability to explore, to conjecture, to reason logically and to use a variety of mathematical methods effectively to solve problems.
The ultimate goal of mathematics education is for all students to develop mathematical power to participate fully as a citizen and worker in our contemporary world. A mathematically powerful individual should be able to:
- Reason mathematically;
- communicate mathematically;
- problem-solve using mathematics; and
- make connections within mathematics and between mathematics and other fields.
The Mathematics Framework content has been categorized into the following six strands:
I. Patterns, Relationships and Functions Students recognize similarities among objects and events, generalize patterns and relationships, and use them to describe the physical world, to explain variation, and to make predictions and solve problems.
II. Geometry and Measurement Students use analytical and spatial concepts of shape, size, position, measurement and dimension to understand and interpret the three dimensional world in which we live.
III. Data Analysis and Statistics Students organize, interpret and transform data into useful knowledge to make predictions and decisions based on data.
IV. Number Sense and Numeration Students quantify and measure objects, estimate mathematical quantities, and represent and communicate ideas in the language of mathematics.
V. Numerical and Algebraic Operations and Analytical Thinking Students represent quantitative situations with numerical and algebraic symbolism and use analytic thinking to solve problems in significant contexts and applications.
VI. Probability and Discrete Mathematics Students deal with uncertainty, make informed decisions based on evidence and expectations, exercise critical judgment about conclusions drawn from data, and apply mathematical models to real-world phenomena. 15 mathematics standards have been written for our program.
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Mathematics curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Mathematics Curriculum Scope and Sequence
The Michigan Curriculum Framework states that Science is a way of making sense of the natural world. Scientists seek to describe its complexity, to explain its systems and events, and to find patterns that allow for predictions. Science is the basis for the design of technologies that solve real-world problems. Plymouth Educational Center strives to prepare students for the future. We provide our students the opportunity to be scientifically literate.
Our Scope and Sequence of Science is aligned with the Michigan Curriculum Framework and contains “age-appropriate” content. Our students will be:
- Knowledgeable about the important concepts and theories of the three major branches of scientific study: earth, life and physical sciences.
- Able to think scientifically and use scientific knowledge to make decisions about real-world problems
- Able to construct new knowledge for themselves through research, reading, and discussion
- Familiar with the natural world, and respectful of its unity, diversity, and fragility
- Able to make informed judgments on statements and debates claiming to have a scientific basis
- Able to reflect in an informed way on the role of science in human affairs.
Content Standards for Plymouth Educational Center students:
Construct New Scientific Knowledge
Scientifically literate students are learners
as well as users of knowledge. With scientific literacy comes the ability
to ask questions about the world that can be answered by using scientific
knowledge and techniques. Scientifically literate students can also develop
solutions to problems that they encounter or questions they ask. In developing
solutions, scientifically literate students may use their own knowledge
and reasoning abilities, seek out additional knowledge from other sources,
and in empirical investigations of the real world. They can learn by interpreting
text, graphs, tables, pictures, or other representations of scientific
knowledge. Finally, scientifically literate students can remember key
points and use sources of information to reconstruct previously learned
knowledge, rather than try to remember every detail of what they study.
Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge
Scientifically literate students can also “step
back” and analyze or reflect on their own knowledge. One important
type of analysis is the justification of personal knowledge or beliefs
using either theoretically or empirically based arguments. Scientifically
literate students cal also show an appreciation for scientific knowledge
and the patterns that it reveals in the world; this often involves seeing
connections among different areas of knowledge. They may be able to take
a cultural perspective on concepts and theories or to discuss institutional
relationships among science, technology, and society. Finally, scientifically
literate students can describe the limitations of their own knowledge.
Using Scientific Knowledge in Life Science
Students can use their knowledge to understand
the world around them and to guide their actions. Important types of activities
that use scientific knowledge include description and explanation of real-world
objects, systems, or events; prediction of future events or observations;
and the design of systems or courses of action that enable people to adapt
to and modify the world around them. In the life sciences, real-world
contexts in when scientifically literate people use knowledge are often
described in terms of systems and subsystems, such as cells, organisms
and ecosystems. This includes cells, organization of living things, heredity,
evolution and ecosystems.
Using Scientific Knowledge in Physical
Science
In the physical sciences, the specification
of real-world contexts often focuses on phenomena, such as motion, electromagnetic
interactions, or physical, chemical, and nuclear changes. Our curriculum
in content includes matter and energy, changes in matter, motion of objects;
and waves and vibrations.
Using Scientific Knowledge in Earth
Science
In the earth sciences, real-world contexts
are often described in terms of systems and subsystems, such as atmospheric
systems, crystal systems, solar systems, or galaxies, which are useful
in explaining phenomena, including volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, thunderstorms,
and eclipses. Our curriculum includes geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere
and weather, solar system, galaxy and the universe.
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Science curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Science Curriculum Scope and Sequence
As stated in the Michigan Curriculum Framework, “the purpose of social studies is to develop social understanding and civic efficacy (the readiness and willingness to assume citizenship responsibilities and to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a democratic society.)”.
The Plymouth Educational Center social studies curriculum
builds four capacities in young people: disciplinary knowledge, thinking
skills, commitment to democratic values, and citizen participation, commitment
to democratic values, and citizen participation.
This is accomplished through building student knowledge and skills. We
have incorporated Core Democratic Values at each grade level so that students
will understand the basic democratic values of:
- Life
- Liberty
- The Pursuit of the Common Good
- Diversity
- Popular Sovereignty
- Patriotism
- Rule of Law
Sequence of Study
| Grade | Course Study |
Kindergarten |
Myself, My Family and School |
| One | Families |
| Two | Communities |
| Three | United States Regions |
| Four | Michigan Studies |
| Five | Early Eras of the United States |
| Six | Western Hemisphere Studies |
| Seven | Eastern Hemisphere Studies |
| Eight | United States History: Pre-Columbian through Reconstruction |
Michigan Model
Holistic Feature Scoring on Civic Writing: Grade 8
Each grade level will provide developmentally appropriate Extended Response Practice in preparation for the Social Studies MEAP test. An Extended Response is required on the Eighth grade MEAP. The state suggests a minimum of two practice essays of Extended Response a year. Below is the scoring rubric based on the Eighth Grade MEAP for Extended Response Questions:
| Points | Description |
| 4 | In order to receive a 4-point score, the response must
|
| 3 | In order to receive a 3-point score, the response must
|
| 2 | In order to receive a 2-point score, the response must
|
| 1 | In order to receive a 1-point score, the response must
|
| 0 | In order to receive a 0-point score, the response will show no evidence of any of the elements |
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Social Studies curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Social Studies Curriculum Scope and Sequence
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Health curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Health Curriculum Scope and Sequence
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Visual Arts curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Visual Arts Curriculum Scope and Sequence
The following document represents the scope and sequence of the Plymouth Educational Center’s Technology curriculum.
CLICK HERE: For Technology Curriculum Scope and Sequence
