Birchwood
School
World Class Education
in a Globally Diverse Environment
A private
elementary school serving grades K through 8
| 4400 West 140th
Street Cleveland, OH 44135 Office: 216.251.2321 Fax: 216.251.2787 |
Core Curriculum
> Reading Curriculum
We believe that not only should children learn to read, but they should
also become avid readers. To these ends, children should be immersed
in an environment in which good literature is enjoyed and celebrated.
Each day, across grade levels, children read: silently, aloud, in groups,
with a partner, or curled up in a corner. They hear the language of good
stories and the style of great authors as teachers at every grade level
read aloud and introduce classes to the best in children’s literature.
Classics and award-winning literature, from times past and today, foster a
love of reading and a respect for literature’s place in human life and
development. Regular opportunities to read nonfiction afford chances to
discover the world outside and the world of potential interests within the
students. Poetry is more than a unit of study once a year; it is a source
of enjoyment and reflection throughout the year. Words are celebrated,
discussion and reflection are cultivated, and the classroom is a place
where all the qualities of good readers are shared.
The reading program contains three vital goals upon which instruction is
developed: 1) Students will learn to read. 2) Students will read to learn.
3) Students will read for enjoyment.
Learning to read occurs in the early years with an understanding that
children learn at varying stages, rates, and styles. Therefore we
approach instruction with a range of strategies. Teachers provide a solid
foundation in decoding skills, the development of a sight vocabulary, and
the use of context cues. Students gain skill in basic comprehension
strategies through the primary years. In the middle years, students
develop their ability to comprehend various types of fiction and non-
fiction and learn to apply questioning strategies. The Junior Great Books
program, employed at all levels, teaches methods of interpretation and
shared inquiry discussion skills. Students learn to adjust their reading
rate according to the purpose of their reading and the material being
read. They become familiar with test-taking strategies and formats. By
the end of junior high they are equipped to read and comprehend all
forms of reading material.
Reading to learn is a skill and an attitude that is developed and
advanced through weekly opportunities to read a variety of nonfiction
materials including magazines, maps, and reference books. Students
explore topics integrated with social studies and science classes and also
other areas of interest. From a young age, students are guided to see
that writing accompanies reading; they write reflections in a reading
journal as they discover their own growing interests and awareness of
the world. Students learn how to read a magazine article, how to derive
meaning from poetry, how to study a textbook, and how to comprehend
complex primary and secondary sources. In the upper grades, students
learn to think critically. Using a broad range of media they learn how to
approach information with judgment and discernment. Older students
apply reading skills to authentic endeavors such as a literature review for
science fair investigations, current social issues in the Future Problem
Solving Program and long-term research of an historical topic for
National History Day.
Reading for enjoyment is a view of reading that permeates literature
instruction. This view uplifts reading from mere subjective “liking a book”
to seeing reading enjoyment as a means to broaden the soul. In order to
cultivate reading tastes, students read broadly each year: historical and
realistic fiction, folk tales, fantasy, biographies, great authors, and
selected books containing enduring themes. Each literature unit has a
particular focus that not only teaches forms of analysis but also nurtures
growth experiences for the reader. From this rich involvement comes
intellectual stimulation and challenge, an appreciation for the craft of
master writers, a working knowledge of all literary elements, inspiration
from the lives and experiences of characters, vicarious experiences of
places and time, and increased empathy and understanding for all
aspects of the human experience.
Teachers accommodate varying reading abilities through three strands
of learning: content, process and product. The content is adjusted with
the quantity and sophistication of the reading material. The process of
higher order thinking applied to literature helps a teacher to engage
students at the deepest level of analysis/interpretation to which they are
able. Products requiring written analysis and multi-step creative
oral/artistic planning provide opportunities for varying degrees of
expression. The entire school presents an annual “poetry show” of
choral speaking each year.
Links to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
> Reading Curriculum
We believe that not only should children learn to read, but they should
also become avid readers. To these ends, children should be immersed
in an environment in which good literature is enjoyed and celebrated.
Each day, across grade levels, children read: silently, aloud, in groups,
with a partner, or curled up in a corner. They hear the language of good
stories and the style of great authors as teachers at every grade level
read aloud and introduce classes to the best in children’s literature.
Classics and award-winning literature, from times past and today, foster a
love of reading and a respect for literature’s place in human life and
development. Regular opportunities to read nonfiction afford chances to
discover the world outside and the world of potential interests within the
students. Poetry is more than a unit of study once a year; it is a source
of enjoyment and reflection throughout the year. Words are celebrated,
discussion and reflection are cultivated, and the classroom is a place
where all the qualities of good readers are shared.
The reading program contains three vital goals upon which instruction is
developed: 1) Students will learn to read. 2) Students will read to learn.
3) Students will read for enjoyment.
Learning to read occurs in the early years with an understanding that
children learn at varying stages, rates, and styles. Therefore we
approach instruction with a range of strategies. Teachers provide a solid
foundation in decoding skills, the development of a sight vocabulary, and
the use of context cues. Students gain skill in basic comprehension
strategies through the primary years. In the middle years, students
develop their ability to comprehend various types of fiction and non-
fiction and learn to apply questioning strategies. The Junior Great Books
program, employed at all levels, teaches methods of interpretation and
shared inquiry discussion skills. Students learn to adjust their reading
rate according to the purpose of their reading and the material being
read. They become familiar with test-taking strategies and formats. By
the end of junior high they are equipped to read and comprehend all
forms of reading material.
Reading to learn is a skill and an attitude that is developed and
advanced through weekly opportunities to read a variety of nonfiction
materials including magazines, maps, and reference books. Students
explore topics integrated with social studies and science classes and also
other areas of interest. From a young age, students are guided to see
that writing accompanies reading; they write reflections in a reading
journal as they discover their own growing interests and awareness of
the world. Students learn how to read a magazine article, how to derive
meaning from poetry, how to study a textbook, and how to comprehend
complex primary and secondary sources. In the upper grades, students
learn to think critically. Using a broad range of media they learn how to
approach information with judgment and discernment. Older students
apply reading skills to authentic endeavors such as a literature review for
science fair investigations, current social issues in the Future Problem
Solving Program and long-term research of an historical topic for
National History Day.
Reading for enjoyment is a view of reading that permeates literature
instruction. This view uplifts reading from mere subjective “liking a book”
to seeing reading enjoyment as a means to broaden the soul. In order to
cultivate reading tastes, students read broadly each year: historical and
realistic fiction, folk tales, fantasy, biographies, great authors, and
selected books containing enduring themes. Each literature unit has a
particular focus that not only teaches forms of analysis but also nurtures
growth experiences for the reader. From this rich involvement comes
intellectual stimulation and challenge, an appreciation for the craft of
master writers, a working knowledge of all literary elements, inspiration
from the lives and experiences of characters, vicarious experiences of
places and time, and increased empathy and understanding for all
aspects of the human experience.
Teachers accommodate varying reading abilities through three strands
of learning: content, process and product. The content is adjusted with
the quantity and sophistication of the reading material. The process of
higher order thinking applied to literature helps a teacher to engage
students at the deepest level of analysis/interpretation to which they are
able. Products requiring written analysis and multi-step creative
oral/artistic planning provide opportunities for varying degrees of
expression. The entire school presents an annual “poetry show” of
choral speaking each year.
Links to grade level syllabi:
Kindergarten
1st & 2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
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