Curriculum
PS 154 has established a curriculum for its students that strives to help each student reach his/her full learning potential.
Art
In the art room, students learn to think and act like artists. We look at the visual world, works of art and student created art through the lens of the elements of art and conceptual thinking. This is a studio class where emphasis is on the processes of making and the meaning of making. Students explore a variety of art media and processes. Students practice analyzing what they’ve made and figuring out their next steps in making and expressing through self, peer and teacher formative assessment. Most importantly, the art room is a place of caring, where students practice encouraging each other as artists and as creative thinkers.
English Language Arts
PS 154 teachers use a balanced literacy approach to teach the English language arts. The balanced literacy approach supports the uniform citywide literacy program, and is being implemented daily for grades 1-5. Classroom libraries and academic support personnel (including paraprofessionals) further support the instruction.
Kindergarten utilizes the Read Write Inc. program. The RWI structured program is designed to ensure all children learn to read accurately and fluently. Comprehensive planning is provided for teachers so they can channel their energy and creativity into teaching fun and engaging lessons. For more information: https://www.ruthmiskin.com/en/
Students who are struggling within our Tier 1 literacy instruction will be provided with interventions support through the RWI or Great Leaps reading program.
Book Lists
Click here for a list of leveled books for students reading levels A-O
Homework
Homework can be part of a meaningful instructional plan for children. When provided, the intention is to support independent practice of learned skills or to push students to think deeply about a topic. Homework provides students the opportunity to solve problems at their own pace and to develop time-management skills. Parents can support at-home assignments by asking children to explain their work. Please discuss any homework questions or concerns with your child’s teacher.
IN-CLASS ENRICHMENTS
In coordination with our administration and determined through parent and teacher surveys done every spring, enrichments to academic work are tailored to each grade level. Most enrichments are funded by our school’s PTA, and you can find detailed descriptions of this year’s offerings here. Thank you to all families and community members who donate to help fund these programs!
Mathematics
Learn about our exciting Math Curriculum here: Math at PS 154
music & media
Thanks to the generous support of our dedicated Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), we are thrilled to offer an array of enriching Music and Arts programs that captivate the minds of our young learners. In Kindergarten and 1st grade, students embark on a chess and early music adventure, fostering cognitive skills through strategic gameplay and musical exploration. As they progress to 2nd grade, the excitement continues with chess and harmonicas, cultivating both critical thinking and a love for melodic expression. In 3rd grade, students explore the rhythmic world of bucket drumming alongside their chess pursuits. The 4th-grade experience unfolds with engaging visits from the New York Historical Society, coupled with immersive musical experiences. Our 5th graders dive into a rich blend of cultural exploration at the Brooklyn Museum, harmonizing with music appreciation, puberty education, and the elegance of ballroom dancing. Additionally, all grades enjoy a trimester dedicated to media arts, fostering digital literacy and creativity. Together, we celebrate the power of arts education in shaping well-rounded, curious minds.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
At PS154, all our students have gym twice weekly, in the schoolyard if weather allows, or in our cafeteria space. Our holistic approach to physical and health education is grounded in the belief that a physically literate individual exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others. The curriculum we implement is comprehensive and addresses gross and fine motor skills through sports and various movement activities. We learn about the human anatomy and how our nutrition, exercise and life choices can impact our overall health. Most importantly, we will emphasize character development through our 3C’s (Curious, Caring and Courageous) and sportsmanship.
Social Studies
Elementary social studies is made up of inquiry-based, in-depth studies of history, geography, economics, government, and culture. Units of study are planned around essential questions of large, over-arching concepts. Students are engaged in active learning through independent inquiry and cooperative group work in order to make the concepts of social studies meaningful. Students explore inquiries through authentic research and an integration of reading, writing, observation, discussion, and debate. They are guided through an examination of multiple perspectives using primary and secondary resources, interviews, and field trips.
STEM - (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)
The PS154 community is proud to launch our inaugural year with a new STEM program, which each child will have the opportunity to participate in weekly. While grounded in all of the 3Cs (Curious, Caring, and Courageous), our STEM program is where curiosity is deeply felt and explored. Through our STEM Curriculum, our goal is to motivate our students to become innovators and world-shakers. Our STEM teacher works in conjunction with core classroom teachers to explore science units from Amplify Science, a curriculum that aligns to the National Science Education Standards (NSES). Learn more about our Amplify science curriculum here. Our STEM program also connects to an environmental awareness program called Eco-Rise. STEM at PS154 incorporates concepts of the maker-space movement by providing time and space for students to plan, build and experiment within a variety of challenges. We utilize technology as a tool to identify and solve problems through coding applications and robotics. In addition to project work in class, students also prepare for three STEM-focused days of celebration: Science Day Out and Design Day (all grades) and our PS154 Science Fair (grades 3-5).
Technology is infused into all curricular areas through the use of in-classroom computers, Promethean boards and mobile laptop labs. Students have multiple opportunities to use technology to demonstrate and support their learning. The school's STEM lab is equipped with 3D printers, lego robotics, and a brand new STEM A+ cart.
RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM
We want our children to feel safe and supported in their learning in order to encourage intellectual and interpersonal risk taking. We will foster an environment that prioritizes relationships through dialogue, social skills practice and collaborative problem solving. The framework for our approach is provided by the Responsive Classroom program and will be enhanced by the creation of a school-wide behavior program. Our focus will be to guide children towards a deeper understanding of what it means to be caring, curious and courageous.