English Language Arts Curriculum Components

• Phonological awareness/phonics

• Reading for fluency

• Vocabulary development and word exploration

• Reading comprehension strategies

• Individual reading conferences

• Small group guided reading

• Homework reading nightly

• Writing: journal writing, report writing, dictation, writing as a process which involves brainstorming, outlining, creating rough drafts, critiquing, revising, creating a final draft, and publishing

• Writing with a focus on the six traits: ideas, organization, word choice, voice, sentence fluency, and conventions

• Read aloud daily where developmentally appropriate

• Silent, sustained reading

• Shared reading and drama

• Listening

• Speaking and viewing experiences: class meetings, project presentations, and storytelling

Mathematics at our school is taught by giving students opportunities to solve engaging problems and building on the natural ways children make sense of numbers. Rather than primarily giving students worksheets of problems and prescribing formulas to find answers, teachers convey the fundamental concepts that allow students not only to make calculations and memorize math facts, but also to solve problems that are meaningful to them.

By explaining how they solve problems, children learn that math is a process of thinking and a tool to use in life. Students’ thinking moves developmentally from the concrete to the abstract. In this way, students become adept at higher levels of critical thinking, such as synthesizing, analyzing, and applying. 

Research has shown that when children construct new ways of thinking about problems, understanding is deeper and can be applied to new situations. While all students at Evergreen learn to use math for problem solving and abstract thinking, we also work to differentiate our math curriculum for students of different abilities and learning styles. For this reason, students sometimes work in flexible ability groups for math instruction.

Mathematics Curriculum Components

• Heterogeneous grouping or ability grouping, as appropriate

• Measurement, time, money, and other areas of practical math

• Calculations, geometry, and algebra

Science is the process of discovering and understanding the physical world and its dynamics. We provide opportunities for students to explore and experiment actively, and to supplement hands-on activities with projects involving research. Teachers guide students in scientific inquiry and in constructing logical conclusions. The primary grades emphasize the wonder of the world around us. In the upper elementary grades, students learn the formal scientific method and a format for performing and writing scientific experiments. In middle school, students use formal scientific inquiry regularly and determine findings through research.

Science Curriculum Components

• Observing, classifying, questioning

• Predicting and forming hypotheses

• Experimenting, identifying, and controlling variables

• Gathering information from many sources, including the internet, books, magazines, encyclopedias, film, field trips, and guest speakers

• Collecting and analyzing data

• Drawing conclusions and communicating them effectively

• Learning from mistakes, and revising experiments or conclusions

Social Studies is explored through interdisciplinary units in which our students gain a better understanding of the diverse world. Students develop the awareness that they are a small, but important, part of a broader civilization and culture. Students gain an enriched knowledge about the world through reading, film, and direct experiences such as:

• Creation of communities, cities, or villages within the classroom

• Exploration of the broader community, especially Asheville and the French Broad River region

• Internships, shadowing community leaders, and mentoring

• Guest speakers

• Individual and cooperative research projects

• Community and international service projects

• Class meetings

Evergreen has a balanced system of assessment consisting of three components: performance-based assessments reflecting all disciplines; portfolios; and standardized state tests in communication and mathematics for grades three through eight, for writing in grades four and seven, for science in grades five and eight, and for computer skills and algebra in grade eight. This system generates needed diagnostic and achievement information for the individual student and for our school.

Performance-based assessments are defined as rubrics that indicate the level of performance on assigned tasks and ongoing teacher observation/evaluation of skills needed for the student’s particular grade level. We do not issue traditional grades; instead, teachers provide ongoing dialogue and written feedback about students’ work, as well as narrative and rubric reports each trimester that detail students’ progress and abilities in all subject areas.

Teachers and parents also confer on student progress twice per year, once in the fall and once in the spring. Student-led conferences allow students to report on their progress to parents.

Portfolios are defined as writing, math, social studies, and science samples from each of the three assessment periods that provide evidence of academic growth, as well as the student’s strengths and weaknesses. The portfolios are used to support student placement decisions, identify areas needing further study, and provide parents with a resume of student performance. The school does not rely on one-shot-tests and seat time to determine student progress. Instead, students demonstrate their proficiencies in a variety of ways.

Charter schools in North Carolina are required to administer all standardized state tests. Students in grades K through 3 participate in the Read to Achieve state reading assessments. Students in grades 3 through 8 take reading and math end-of-grade assessments. Students in grades 5 and 8 also take science end-of-grade tests. These tests are part of our balanced assessment. The end-of-grade/end-of-course tests are administered during the last three weeks of school.