Literacy

The Literacy curriculum emphasizes the need for integration of literacy across the content areas. Integration of literacy into other concept areas is an essential part of project based learning. Most science or social studies projects culminate with students writing and presenting their work in some form, like the podcasts below. Additionally, while studying immigration, students write a historical fiction journal of an immigrant and eventually use their studies to write and perform a puppet show about immigrants. Third and fourth graders also participate in book clubs, giving them authentic ways to analyze and discuss texts with peers.

Students are engaged in the following literacy activities throughout the year:

• Read Aloud & Speaking

• Handwriting & Cursive

• Writing Conventions & Composition

• Spelling

• Reading

• Keyboarding

Social Studies

Students compare and contrast the history, geography, government, and economy of Iowa with other states in the Midwest Region of the United States. They learn about the major geographic features of Iowa, how its geography has influenced the history and economy of Iowa, and historical events and important figures in Iowa’s history. Students also examine issues of social justice at home and abroad. They study the displacement of Native Americans as a result of European settlement across the United States and learn about immigration through guest speakers, interactive Ellis Island simulations, and other immersive activities.

• Immigration

• Culinary History

• Iowa & Iowa City History

• Regions of the United States

• Invention Convention 

Featured Project

Invention Convention

This is another purposeful opportunity for students to dig deep and dive into project-based learning. Every other year students are challenged to invent a tool, device, or product that solves a problem. Students are tasked with researching the existing market, creating a prototype, doing product testing, and finally presenting their inventions to judges and the wider school community in hopes of moving on to the Iowa State Invention Convention. In 2019, Willowwind was thrilled to have four students advance to the state level.

Other Events:

• Puppet Show

• Class Plays

• School of the Wild

• Owl Cafe: A Breakfast Fundraiser

• Class Newspaper

• Invention Convention

Science

While studying structures of life, students research and present the needs of specific plants and animals and create diagrams to demonstrate their understanding of photosynthesis. Field trips to local parks allow students to observe interactions between the sun, plants and other creatures in a variety of habitats. In their study of magnets, students design and implement experiments to answer their own inquiries and use magnets to solve simple engineering problems. In the spring, students synthesize their understanding from both of these science units as they learn about energy transfer, such as magnetism, heat energy from the sun, and food as an energy source. Students analyze, interpret and present data from Willowwind School’s solar panels. They study earth systems and cycles, learning about and making models to demonstrate interactions between lithosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere. They learn about changes to the earth’s surface such as cycling earth materials, natural disasters, plate motion, and fossilization complete with field trips to observe and discover land features and fossils first hand. Students also learn about space complete with a field trip to the Science Center of Iowa and Planetarium in Des Moines.

Mathematics

Willowwind uses Math in Focus, a Singapore-based approach to teaching math. This curriculum engages students with topics while allowing them to gain a deep understanding of math concepts.  The program provides for differentiation within each grade level. This ensures that our students are engaged with mastery level experiences, and improving computational and problem-solving skills.

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We encourage families to stop by to investigate, explore, and discover why Willowwind students Love Every Day!