Elementary School Curriculum

Structure

At Peak to Peak, we believe that the best practices in literacy involve a Structured Literacy Framework. This prepares students to decode words in an explicit and systematic manner. Our approach includes instruction in phonological awareness, sound-symbol association (phonics), syllable instruction, morphology, syntax (grammar) and semantics (comprehension). 

Curriculum and Curricular Materials

Foundational Reading Skills Curriculum - Orton Gillingham

At Peak to Peak, we follow the Orton-Gillingham sequence to teach phonemic awareness, phonics, and sight words (red words). We believe that phonological awareness and phonics are the building blocks of literacy development. Orton-Gillingham is a multi-sensory approach to teach students how to read, write, and spell. It is an intensive, sequential, phonics-based system that meets the needs of all learners. This method accommodates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. (Learn more about Orton-Gillingham).

Reading & Writing Curriculum - Wonders (2023)

Wonders Language Arts Curriculum is a research-based program that follows Colorado State Standards in reading and writing. The program has a variety of high-interest fiction and non-fiction text to inspire a love of learning and reading in our students. It is a high quality program based on the “Science of Reading” principles with research-based practices for literacy instruction. The focus of this curriculum is to develop foundational reading skills such as phonics and phonemic awareness, comprehension skills, vocabulary, and reading fluency. There is also a side-by-side writing component: whenever students are reading they are also writing. In addition, the curriculum contains structured writing lessons and exemplars to support student growth in longer writing samples. Students learn through whole group instruction, small reading groups, guided and independent practice, and choice projects.

Assessments

Students are assessed three times a year one-on-one with their teacher using the DIBELS-8 assessment to measure foundational reading skills, and grade-specific skills such as letter-sound identification, comprehension, or fluency. Results from this assessment are used to guide instructional groupings, interventions and extensions, and provide specific learning targets for each student. Students are also assessed using resources from the Wonders curriculum, with a combination of shorter and longer tests on a regular basis.

Structure 

The Mathematics Department strongly believes that mathematics is an important and essential discipline. Mathematics not only facilitates a pattern of logical thinking but also presents a system of valuable skills that are applicable to one’s everyday life.

At Peak to Peak, students are placed in the appropriate math classes based on ability and academic achievement. Math groups are flexible and may change throughout the year. Our primary goal is to help our students understand the value of mathematics and then provide them with the skills they need to achieve their full potential in this field of study. We strive to accomplish this in the following manner:

• Guide our students to understand the concrete and abstract concepts of mathematics as well as demonstrate an ability to apply those concepts in their everyday lives.
• Challenge our students to be responsible and active learners who confidently communicate their learning to others.
• Maintain high expectations for all of our students.
• Let our students know we believe in their ability to succeed in math.
• Place students at a level where they are challenged, yet successful.
• Strive to maintain a quality education for our students by regularly seeking to improve our classroom pedagogy and assessing students formally and informally throughout the year.

Students are placed in the most challenging course in which they can succeed.  Care is taken to avoid putting students in a situation where they may feel overwhelmed. Mastery of previous content must be documented prior to placement using a variety of assessments.

Curriculum

Peak to Peak uses the series Stepping Stones 2.0, published by Origo. Our work includes hands-on investigations into math concepts, problem-solving tasks, and basic fact practice to develop conceptual, procedural, and application stages of understanding each concept. We strive to meet or exceed all state standards throughout our instruction. Students may learn at or above their current grade level, often accelerating to higher-level standards after mastering grade-level content.

Assessments

Students will be assessed three times during the school year using Benchmark Assessments designed to measure a student’s overall mastery of grade-level standards. Assessments in the classroom are both formal and informal, including performance-based and higher-level questioning. In addition, students in grades 3-5 take the CMAS tests as part of the Colorado state requirements.

Peak to Peak’s Mathematics curriculum is designed to be a vital and vibrant part of our students’ education. Students will have a high degree of background knowledge and the courage, creativity, and passion necessary to become productive participants and leaders in their own communities, in our nation, and in the world.

Structure

The Science Department strongly believes that students learn best through hands-on, inquiry-based investigations that utilize the Scientific Method. These investigations are conducted in whole-class, small-group, and individual settings dictated by the needs of the students and the material being covered. Peak to Peak strives to integrate other fields of study such as math, reading, writing, and social studies into the study of science, thus focusing on the goals of the Colorado State Standards. The ultimate goal of our study of science is to produce analytic scientific thinkers, prepared for the challenges they will meet in middle school and equipped to take their place in a world in which science and related fields are of the utmost importance. 

Curriculum

Hands-on experiments/activities are conducted in homeroom settings to deepen students' understanding of science concepts. Additionally, Peak to Peak is continually working to enhance our learners’ reading and writing skills through the use of scaffolded scientific notebooks appropriate for their grade level. These notebooks provide students with the opportunity to make written observations of investigations they have conducted and to critically think and analyze results through written responses. 

Field Trips and Field Work

Another aspect of the science experience at Peak to Peak is that our staff endeavors to incorporate science experiences beyond the classrooms. Many classes will find themselves conducting investigations outdoors, such as the use of our Peak to Peak garden. Additionally, grade levels include annual field trips with a focus on science to places such as the first grade trip to the zoo, second grade trip to the marsh, and fifth grade overnight, outdoor-ed field trip to Cal-Wood in Jamestown. 

Assessments

Each grade level provides learners with the opportunity to confirm their knowledge via quizzes and tests structured by the instructor. Many hands-on projects and demonstration tasks are utilized within science. The timing and content of these assessments are driven by the content of the unit. The fifth-grade students also take the yearly CMAS test, which includes three science sections.

Structure

Social Studies at Peak to Peak is made up of four components. They are: History, Civics, Economics, and Geography. The elementary scope and sequence of instruction will provide students with the background knowledge and skills needed for a successful transition to middle school. Peak to Peak strives to integrate other fields of study, such as reading and writing, into the study of social studies, focusing on the goals of the Colorado State Standards. 

Curriculum and Curricular Materials

Our history curriculum provides opportunities for students to explore various cultures and customs from around the world. This fosters a sense of respect for the differences not only within the school environment but also for other cultures and people in our world. Peak to Peak also provides a rich background in American History and Civics. The elementary staff strives to ensure the units and resources are equitable and represent many different backgrounds and cultures. 

The study of Economics is embedded in Peak to Peak’s Social Studies program in various units, such as the community resources of Junior Achievement and Young Ameritowne. Children learn “hands-on” applications of resources, production, and consumption. At the higher grades, the annual “Market Day” and Young Ameritowne experiences further incorporate these skills to deepen the understanding of economic systems and the various factors that can impact the economy.

Students are actively involved in establishing connections through research, hands-on projects, and culminating events. These special events provide enrichment and connect meaning to the key ideas from the lessons as our students see history “come alive”. Peak to Peak has established important, memorable culminating events such as: Medieval Festival, Rome Day, and the Egyptian Walk. The students are also able to make additional connections through classroom literature and Peak to Peak’s music, world language, and art programs.

Assessments

Students’ learning is evaluated through written responses and problem-based assessments. The standards for research, technology, graphing, and data analysis, using math and science skills, are woven into the Social Studies Curriculum. The fourth grade also takes a CMAS test approximately every three years, which includes a section focused on social studies skills.

Class Structure 

At Peak to Peak, we recognize the arts are an essential ingredient in a child’s growth and development.  Beyond building sensory and motor skills, art-making is a powerful medium for expression and communication.  The tools students learn in elementary art help them think critically and creatively across disciplines and in all aspects of their lives. Creative minds are what move us forward, and at Peak to Peak, we strive to foster creative excellence in our students and cultivate a lifelong appreciation for the arts. 

In elementary art, students explore media, techniques, and concepts that prepare them for a lifetime of creating. The tools they learn are fundamentals of art-making and will give them the skill set they need to pursue visual art beyond elementary school. 

Students are treated like true artists in a studio and learn how to properly use and maintain artist materials and tools. Peak to Peak artists show incredible responsibility and demonstrate their knowledge and studio skills daily in the art room. As artists, they experiment with line, shape, color, texture, and form in a variety of media. Students use problem-solving and higher-level thinking skills to communicate meaning in their art and participate in discussions about their work and the work of others. 

Each student creates amazing artwork with their own two hands, and that pride and confidence in their art-making is an important step in their growth as a child. At Peak to Peak Elementary, every student is an artist.

Visual Arts State Standards

View the CDE grade level standards, which are incorporated into each art unit.

View the Peak to Peak art presentation to see examples of elementary artwork at Peak to Peak.

Library Media Center Mission

In support of the Peak to Peak mission, the Peak to Peak Library Media Center's information & media program aims to help each student excel and achieve their maximum potential by creating a 21st-century learning environment, fostering a love of reading, and promoting the effective use of information and communications technology. Through collaboration, the library media center faculty partners with the larger Peak to Peak community to empower students to become lifelong learners, responsible citizens, and industrious problem solvers. 

Curriculum

The Peak to Peak Library Media Center’s curriculum supports the Standards for the 21st Century Learner. Specifically, information literacy learners use skills, resources, and tools to: 

• Inquire, think critically, and gain knowledge  

• Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and create new knowledge. 
• Share knowledge and participate ethically and productively as members of our democratic society  
• Pursue personal and aesthetic growth.  

All classes have access to fiction and non-fiction materials. Library lessons also cover website evaluation, citation, and using databases for research. K-5 classes compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction books, with an emphasis on understanding the parts of a nonfiction book (Table of Contents, Glossary, Index, Labeling, and Graphs/Charts). Literacy skills are integrated throughout library lessons each week, with a targeted approach by grade level.

Library Units Link

Please view this presentation to see examples of how library instruction is designed.

Class Structure

Music is highly valued at Peak to Peak, both for itself and for the many ways it supports academic and social development. Students are challenged to pursue the goal of being “excellent musicians.” This can take place as they perform vocally or on instruments, as they demonstrate music literacy, as they create music, or as they appreciate the music and performances of others from around the world. The ultimate goal is to have students learn that music can bring them joy inside and outside the music room – a joy they can pursue for their entire lives. 

Curriculum 

The state of Colorado has established standards and benchmarks in four areas. “Expression of Music” involves performing vocally and/or on instruments. “Creation of Music” addresses composing. “Theory of Music”  covers notation, musical terms, form, and the “rules” of music. “Aesthetic Valuation of Music” encourages students to appreciate performers, as well as the wide variety of musical styles, both locally and globally, and to make decisions as to what kind of music they might like outside of the classroom.  

The music curriculum at Peak to Peak addresses state standards. Students use their knowledge and experience to create music, either to sing or to play on instruments. Students start to learn the recorder in 3rd grade, the ukulele in 4th grade, and join the ensemble of their choice in 5th grade: band, orchestra, or choir. Students also listen to a wide variety of music – from different cultures, historical periods, and genres – and, when appropriate, express their impressions and feelings about the music.

Assessments 

Peak to Peak students are regularly assessed informally on their performance and understanding through activities and music games in class. Instructors perform formative assessments, which are either written or are based on observations and musical performances in the classroom or in a concert setting.

Music Units Link 

View this Peak to Peak Music Curriculum Presentation to see how Colorado grade level standards, which guide our elementary music instruction, are put into practice in the classroom.

Class Structure 

Peak to Peak Charter School Elementary Physical Education moves beyond one-size-fits-all games, focusing instead on activities that develop individual skills, teamwork, and life-long healthy habits. Students of all abilities are provided with the tools to build confidence, physical competence, and a foundation for a lifetime of health and wellness. Our standards-based curriculum guides students in becoming physically active, engaged, and responsible for their personal fitness and well-being.

Physical Education is an essential part of education that combines movement with learning. Through structured physical activity, students not only develop fundamental skills and concepts but also activate their minds, preparing them to excel academically. Colorado and National Physical Education standards guide instruction at Peak to Peak, setting achievable and meaningful expectations for student performance at every grade level. This prepares students to become responsible citizens who prioritize their health, fitness, and personal wellness.

The elementary PE curriculum emphasizes age-appropriate instruction in locomotor movement skills, sport and team-based activities, fitness development, and character-building exercises. Each activity is designed to strengthen individual abilities while promoting cooperation, communication, and social-emotional skills. Students safely explore the many ways their bodies can move, practice teamwork, and develop habits that support a healthy, active lifestyle, while also learning the value of respect, perseverance, and personal responsibility.

Curriculum

The Peak to Peak PE Curriculum is designed to align with state standards while providing students of all physical abilities with meaningful opportunities to learn, collaborate, and grow. The program emphasizes engaging team-building games, sport-based activities, and skill-development experiences that promote sustained moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and support overall fitness and academic achievement. Instruction focuses on strengthening both individual competencies and cooperative strategies through units such as soccer, racquet sports, invasion, and small-sided team games, and mindful movement practices. Students build confidence, refine personal skills, and enhance their ability to work effectively with others, all while developing a lifelong appreciation for physical activity.

Assessments

We track students' growth and development through the Presidential Youth Fitness Program. These biannual assessments accurately measure a student's health, fitness, and activity zones - not just performance in physical tests - and reveal growth in a variety of fitness areas.

Physical Education State Standards Links 

Please click below to see the CDE standards by grade level:

• Kindergarten
• First Grade
• Second Grade
• Third Grade
• Fourth Grade
• Fifth Grade

Class Structure

Peak to Peak Elementary Technology curriculum prepares students to thrive in an ever-evolving technological world.  Throughout K-5 technology classes, students are empowered to use their emerging technology skills to share their thoughts, ideas, and creativity with others. 

Curriculum 

There are five major domains within elementary technology instruction:  

• Digital Citizenship
• Computing Systems
• Digital Communication
• Digital Literacy
• Coding & Robotics 

Each year, new concepts, software, and applications are introduced to students, and skills in previously used software are expanded. Over the course of elementary school, students gain an increasing awareness and understanding of the fundamental concepts of technology operations, demonstrate the ability to choose, use, and troubleshoot current technologies, and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore new technologies. In third through fifth grade, students work on longer-term projects that ask them to apply previously learned technology skills as well as newly learned skills.

Assessments

Peak to Peak students are regularly assessed on their performance and understanding. Instructors perform formative assessments, which are either written or are based on observations and musical performances in the classroom or in a concert setting. Summative assessments, written and/or aural, are administered at the conclusion of the units. 

Technology Units Link

View the K-5 Technology Skills presentation to see examples of how technology instruction is implemented with sample topics or unit studies.

Class Structure 

Character Education and social-emotional learning (SEL) are part of the learning day at Peak to Peak each and every day.  Each morning during our announcements at the start of the day, we discuss our Character Trait of the Month, which is reinforced by teachers through classroom community circles, facilitated class discussions, and writing prompts to encourage reflection. Time for SEL is built into our Master Schedule daily. In addition, our full-time Elementary Counselors visit each classroom on a regular basis (approximately bi-monthly) to provide lessons and facilitate practice in emotional regulation, bullying prevention, and friendship topics. Materials and resources are provided to parents/guardians following these lessons to help extend the discussion from the classroom to home. 

P.A.W.S. Behavior 

Our teachers and staff teach and emphasize “PAWS behavior,” which at our school stands for:

• P - Positive Behavior
• A - Active Learner
• W - Wise Choices
• S - Safe Behavior

Students are recognized individually and as homeroom classes for their PAWS behavior and how this positively contributes to our school community.

No Place for Hate

In the 2024-2025 school year, we began working with a program called No Place for Hate. No Place for Hate is a multi-year, student-led initiative and framework for school climate and culture, which helps schools to:

• Build inclusive and safe communities in which respect and equity are the goals and where all students can thrive.
• Empower students, faculty, administration, and family members to take action against bias and bullying by incorporating new and existing programs under one powerful message.
• Send a clear, unified message that all students have a place where they belong.

Curriculum

Well-Managed Schools (WMS)

Well-Managed Schools (WMS) provides a structured approach to school-wide behavior management to create a positive school culture and calm classrooms. WMS uses preventative strategies that include teaching and reinforcing social skills within the classroom to help reduce discipline problems and increase prosocial behavior. All teachers and staff members interacting regularly with students are trained in Well-Managed Schools methodology, and the elementary school follows an aligned sequence to teach social skills in order to implement this approach with consistency.

Zones of Regulation

The Zones of Regulation framework and curriculum (Kuypers, 2011) teaches students scaffolded skills toward developing a metacognitive pathway to build awareness of their feelings/internal state and utilize a variety of tools and strategies for regulation, prosocial skills, self-care, and overall wellness. The Zones of Regulation provides a common language and compassionate framework to support positive mental health and skill development for all, while serving as an inclusion strategy for neurodiverse learners, those who have experienced trauma, and/or have specific needs in terms of social, emotional, and behavioral development. (You can learn more on the Zones of Regulation website.)

Skills & Topics Covered

Character Traits of the Month

• Respect: I will be considerate of myself, others, property, and those in authority.
• Kindness: I will be polite, friendly, and generous to those around me.
• Empathy: I will seek to understand other people’s emotions and show that I care.
• Responsibility: I will be in charge and accountable for what I say and do.
• Self-control: I will manage my words, actions, and emotions properly.
• Perseverance: I will stay with a task until it is done to the best of my ability.
• Cooperation: I will work well with others to reach a common goal.
• Optimism: I will focus on a growth mindset and remain hopeful.
• Integrity: I will do what is right, even when nobody's watching.

Community Circles

• Listening Skills and Sharing with your Peers
• Expressing Emotions
• Empathy
• Community

Well-Managed Schools - Social Skills

• Greeting Others
• Following Instructions
• Getting Teacher's Attention
• Appropriate Voice Tone
• Asking for Help, Listening
• Asking Permission
• Accepting Compliments
• Having a Conversation
• Accepting No for an Answer
• Working with Others
• Making an Apology
• Accepting Criticism or Consequence
• Disagreeing Appropriately
• Staying on Task
• Sharing Something

Zones of Regulation - Tools for Emotional Regulation

• Mindfulness
• Sensory integration
• Movement
• Thinking strategies
• Wellness
• Healthy connection with others
• Drinking water or eating food

Bullying Prevention

• Recognize bully behavior, report bully behavior, and refuse bully behavior
• Understanding the Negative Effects of Bullying
• How to use our Bystander Power for good
• Adults of Trust at school and at home

Digital Safety and Citizenship

• Identify digital tools and appropriate netiquette when using digital tools.
• Evaluate appropriate technology use and behavior.
• Understand the rights and responsibilities of a digital citizen.
• Participate respectfully and responsibly in an online community.
• Develop an understanding of the importance of practicing positive digital citizenship.