PACE Curriculum
PACE Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Across the Grade Levels
New PACE Parents: This is the information about all of the curriculum covered thoughout the year. Let me know if you have any questions.
KINDERGARTEN
Think About It (Semester 2)
This unit is designed to introduce kindergarten PACE students to the PACE environment. Students will be introduced to different ways of thinking through analogies, and book activities that will enable them to make connections and apply their thinking skills. Different types of logic problems and science experiments will allow students to begin to develop logical skills such as deducing, comparing, ordering, and drawing conclusions.
FIRST GRADE
Be Creative
This unit is designed to introduce first grade PACE students to the SCAMPER and FFOE creative thinking techniques and logical thinking. Students will learn each letter of both techniques and how this strategy can be used to help them become better thinkers. Different types of logic problems and science experiments will allow students to begin to develop logical skills such as deducing, comparing, ordering, and drawing conclusions.
SECOND GRADE
Coding
Students answer the question “What is coding?” by discovering why it is important to learn coding, the jobs associated with coding, and how precise instructions can lead to a successful outcome. Using Code Studio in Code.org, students follow through lessons that teach looping, debugging, conditionals and other necessary language in order to make programs work.
THIRD GRADE
Logic and Reasoning: The Great Chocolate Caper (Semester 1)
Students will be exposed to syllogistic and deductive reasoning strategies while solving a mystery. Students will use logic grids to analyze and interpret data; use syllogisms to strengthen their reading and reasoning skills; and learn to form generalizations based upon valid assumptions.
Genius Hour ( Semester 2)
The Genius Hour unit is designed to create an environment where students can fully take ownership of their own work from start to finish. Students begin by learning proper research strategies which include searching keywords on a topic to narrow down results and deciphering the results. The unit progresses through a thorough description of what Genius Hour is, and gets students thinking about topics in which they have interests. They will then formulate a Driving Question which will become the foundation of their research. Throughout the research process, lessons will be taught on how to read and glean information from articles and websites, proper note-taking skills, references, plagiarism and bias. Finally, students will work on selecting a method of presenting their research also known as a product. The means of creating a product are extensive so students will work on selecting one which matches their research most effectively. The final step is to present student work. Since this lesson will be very fluid depending on student progress, students do not necessarily have to have a fully completed product in order to present. They may simply present their research up to that point.
FOURTH GRADE
Leadership (Semester 1) In the leadership unit students begin to explore qualities that make good leaders and identify leadership skills in themselves and others. Through classroom discussions and journal reflections, students learn that anyone can be a leader and that sometimes leaders need to follow. Students will determine their leadership style and analyze how it can be used to have a big impact on the future as well as come up with a leadership growth goal to become a stronger leader. A research project based on a leader allows students to practice research and public speaking skills.
Robotics (Semester 2) Students will practice scientific thinking and variable manipulation through an interdisciplinary study of the basic principles of robotics. Students will program and build a robot that completes a set of given tasks. They will learn team-building skills as they develop their robot, problem solve, and create their own unique robotic performance tasks. Students also will investigate the relationship between one generation’s science fiction and another generation’s science fact. They will use the scientific process, basic computer programming, and methods of inquiry throughout the study.
FIFTH GRADE
Law (Semester 1) This unit plays a critical role in preparing students for middle school PACE. Students will become familiar with the First and Fourth Amendments to the U. S. Constitution. The students will review cases, both fictional and factual that relate to these amendments. The students will justify opposing points of view, identify facts, interpret documents, and support arguments for both sides of an issue. This unit continues the interdisciplinary and analytical nature of curriculum and is carefully articulated with original analysis, evaluative, and expository expectations of the middle school PACE program.
Stock Market ( Semester 2)
An exciting, real-world simulation, the Stock Market Game enables participants to discover the risks and rewards involved in decision-making, the sources and uses of capital, and other related economic concepts. Over the course of 10 weeks, participants invest a hypothetical $100,000 in NASDAQ, Amex, and NYSE-listed common stocks. They research stocks, study how the financial markets work, evaluate risk, choose their portfolios, manage budgets, follow companies in the news, and make decisions on what companies to invest in. They can also compare their performance to peers on a weekly basis.
Mrs. Deanna Lowenthal
Email: Deanna.Lowenthal@pisd.edu
Location: 7500 Marchman Way, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 4697522376