Curriculum

Language Arts -- K to 6th grade Math -- K to 6th grade & Social Studies -- K to 5th grade Science -- K to 5th grade Glencoe -- 6th grade Social Studies -- 6th grade

Pasadena's school curriculum includes:

• Reading/Language Arts (English) - Houghton Mifflin - Reading is the highest priority for learning. At all grade levels the following skills are developed: phonics, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, fluent reading, reading comprehension, writing, listening, oral presentation, and review and analysis of literature.
• Math - Scotts Foreman - Concepts are introduced and developed at appropriate grade levels, including: numbers, number patterns, word problems, estimating, measurement, telling time, monetary values, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, graphs and charts, fractions, decimals, percentages, probability, statistics, equations, pre-algebra, geometry, mathematical communication, reasoning, and problem-solving.
• Science - Foss/Glencoe - At each grade level, students study life, physical and earth sciences. Specifically, students in kindergarten learn about physical matter, living things, and weather; in grades 1 and 2 about force and motion, solids and liquids, insects, plants, sand/pebbles/silt and weather; in grades 3 and 4 about electricity and magnetism, sound, the human body, structures of living things, earth materials, and meteorology, and in grades 5 and 6 about force and motion, heat and light, reactions and interactions, ecosystems, cells, astronomy, and geology.
• Social Studies - Scotts Foreman/History Alive - From kindergarten to 3rd grade, students study families and their community, in 4th grade California history, in 5th grade U.S. history and government, and in 6th grade ancient world history.
• Physical Education (P. E.) - Students participate in a variety of physical fitness and recreational sports programs for at least 200 minutes every 10 days.
• Music and Art - At each grade level students are introduced to visual and performing arts appreciation and experience.
• Character Education - All schools encourage students to become responsible citizens through a comprehensive character education program in which the principles of honesty, responsibility, courage, and respect are emphasized.
• Computers - All schools have computers connected to the Internet.
• Instructional Time Per Day - The minutes of instruction required by law (except for minimum days) are: Kindergarten - 200 min/day; Grades 1-3 - 310 min/day; Grades 4-6 - 315 min/day.
• Combination Classes - Each year, some schools have classes that combine students from two different grades to balance enrollment and meet developmental needs. Students in these classes receive the normal grade-level curriculum.