TEACHER'S GUIDE FOR:
By Lucía González
Illustrations by Lulu Delacre
The winter of 1929 feels especially cold to cousins Hildamar and Santiago—they arrived in New York City from warm, sunny Puerto Rico only months before. Their island home feels very far away indeed, especially with Three Kings’ Day rapidly approaching.
But then a magical thing happens. A visitor appears in their class, a gifted storyteller and librarian by the name of Pura Belpré. She opens the children’s eyes to the public library and its potential to be the living, breathing heart of the community. The library, after all, belongs to everyone—whether you speak Spanish, English, or both.
Hildamar and Santiago spread the news that Spanish is spoken at the New York Public Library, much to the residents’ surprise. Pura Belpré, the librarian, welcomes the newcomers to the story room with a traditional tale from Puerto Rico about Martina, a Spanish cockroach, and Ratoncito Pérez, a mouse. The familiar story and Spanish books on the library shelves comfort the children and their families.
The library announces that there will be a fiesta and play to celebrate Three Kings’ Day on January 5. The community comes together to create the music, costumes, and stage. Pura Belpré concludes the event, like she does with all of her stories, by having the children blow out the storyteller’s candle so their wishes will come true.
The award-winning team of Lucía González and Lulu Delacre has crafted an homage to Pura Belpré, New York City’s first Latina librarian. Through her vision and dedication, the warmth of Puerto Rico comes to the island of Manhattan in a most unexpected way.
On Pura Belpré (from the Afterword): Pura Belpré was born sometime between 1899 and 1903 in the little town of Cidra, Puerto Rico, in a home full of storytellers. The stories she heard from her grandmother had been handed down by word of mouth for generations. These stories came with her to the United States in the early 1920s.
Pura Belpré began her career as a children’s librarian when she became the first Puerto Rican librarian to be hired by the New York Public Library system. She had a great passion for library work, and her passion lasted a lifetime. Pura Belpré was also a magnificent storyteller and puppeteer with a deep and evocative voice. Her story Pérez and Martina, first published in 1932, remains a classic of children’s literature. In 1996, the Pura Belpré Award was established to honor Latino writers and illustrators whose children’s books celebrate the Latino cultural experience.
To learn more about Pura Belpré’s career in the New York Public Library system, check out the NYPL blog post, “Pura Belpré, In Her Own Words: NYPL Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.” A listing of books that have won Pura Belpré awards can be found on the American Library Association site in the section about Pura Belpré Award recipients and history.
On Puerto Ricans In New York: According to the Library of Congress’ presentation on “Immigration: Puerto Rico,” immigrants from Puerto Rico have been settling in New York since the mid-nineteenth century. Immigration to New York ebbed and flowed throughout the time Puerto Rico was a Spanish colony, of the Spanish-American War, and when Puerto Rico became a commonwealth of the United States. Puerto Rico experienced a serious economic depression in the early twentieth century, spurring many Puerto Ricans to seek out a new life in New York City. Puerto Ricans living in the United States by 1917 obtained full American citizenship under the Jones-Shafroth Act. Leading up to the Great Depression, Puerto Ricans in New York competed with other immigrant groups for well-paying jobs. Language and discrimination proved significant barriers, causing many to settle for low-paying, unskilled factory work. The Harlem Riots of July 1926 were the result of racial and economic tension between unemployed Jews and Puerto Ricans. In 1937 East Harlem, Oscar Garcia Rivera Sr. became the first Puerto Rican to be elected to public office in the continental US as a member of the New York State Assembly. According to the PBS Puerto Rico timeline, the largest wave of Puerto Rican migration to New York occurred after World War II. For information on the Puerto Rican population in America today, check out the Pew Research Hispanic Trends Project.
On the New York Public Library: The New York Public Library was founded in the mid-nineteenth century. Today the New York Public Library offers many classes and events, including Adult Learning Centers that help adults work on basic English and literacy skills. The New York Public library currently includes more than 51 million items in research and circulating collections, among them materials for the visually impaired, English Language Learners, and studies in foreign languages. The NYPL is the third largest library system in the world after the British Library in the United Kingdom and the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.
On English-Only Movements: With various waves of immigration over the course of United States history, movements have emerged starting in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries to institutionalize English as the official language, discourage bilingualism, and stamp out minority languages. Currently the US has no official language, although thirty-one states have passed legislation making English the official state language. For a thorough history on English-Only Movements, explore PBS’s Official American.
Prereading Focus Questions
(Reading Standards, Craft & Structure, Strand 5 and Integration of Knowledge & Ideas, Strand 7)
Before introducing this book to students, you may wish to develop background and promote anticipation by posing questions such as the following:
1. Take a look at the front and back cover. Take a picture walk. Ask students to make a prediction. Do you think this book will be fiction or nonfiction? What makes you think so? What clues do the author and illustrator give to help you know whether this book will be fiction or nonfiction?
2. What do you know about stories that are biographies? What kinds of things happen in biographies? What are some things that will not happen in biographies? Why do authors write biographies? How do you think their reasons differ from authors who write fiction? What are some of the characteristics of a biography?
3. What is a librarian? What does a librarian do? What are some ways people use libraries? Why are libraries important? Why does almost every community offer some type of library? Share a memory you have of a librarian or a library helping you in some way.
4. What do you know about New York City (in the 1920s)? What were some challenges that immigrants faced when they moved to the United States? Why might people immigrate to New York City from other countries?
5. Why do you think I chose this book for us to read today?
Exploring the Book
(Reading Standards, Craft & Structure, Strand 5, Key Ideas & Details, Strand 1, and Integration of Knowledge & Ideas, Strand 7)
Read and talk about the title of the book. Ask students what they think the title means. Then ask them what they think this book will most likely be about and who the book might be about. What places might be talked about in the text? What do you think might happen? What information do you think you might learn? What makes you think that?
Take students on a book walk and draw attention to the following parts of the book: front and back covers, title page, Introduction, English and Spanish language text, illustrations, backmatter, illustrator’s note, and glossary of terms.
Setting a Purpose for Reading
(Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strands 1–3)
Have students read to find out who Pura Belpré was and what the title, The Storyteller’s Candle, refers to. Encourage students to consider why the author, Lucía González, would want to share this story with children.
Have students also read to determine why the text is written in both English and Spanish.
(Language Standards, Vocabulary Acquisition & Use, Strands 4–6)
The story contains several content-specific and academic words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to students. Based on students’ prior knowledge, review some or all of the vocabulary below. Encourage a variety of strategies to support students’ vocabulary acquisition: look up and record word definitions from a dictionary, write the meaning of the word or phrase in their own words, draw a picture of the meaning of the word, create a specific action for each word, list synonyms and antonyms, and write a meaningful sentence that demonstrates the definition of the word.
Great Depression Nueva York Manhattan El Barrio Navidad
Bendito pasteles parrandas aguinaldos niños
luceros buenos días español nenes mami
titi tío viva habichuelas café
doña don bienvenidos fiesta vecinos
bodega Caribbean maracas la biblioteca es para todos
El Día de los Reyes/Three Kings’ Day
harsh tropical chimed in slender countertop declared
handsome doubting gallant cockroach applause carpenter
preparations impatiently tiptoe concluded gentle twinkling
In addition to the Spanish-language version of the story, there are quite a few Spanish words in the English text. English translations immediately follow most of the Spanish words and have rich context for students to practice inferring the meanings of the words. The book also provides a small glossary of terms on the last page for reference.
If your class has Spanish-speaking students, encourage them to volunteer to translate the words for the class. In doing so, these students can feel proud of sharing the role of teacher to their peers.
After students have read the book, use these or similar questions to generate discussion, enhance comprehension, and develop appreciation for the content. Encourage students to refer to passages and illustrations in the book to support their responses. To build skills in close reading of a text, students should cite evidence with their answers.
(Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strands 1 and 3)
1. What information is provided in the introduction? What is the purpose of an introduction in a biography? How does this introduction help you understand the story of Pura Belpré?
2. Where was El Barrio? Who lived there?
3. How did the people of El Barrio feel about New York winters? About living in New York? What challenges faced people who lived in El Barrio?
4. How did Hildamar and Santiago feel about winter? Why?
5. What is Three Kings Day? Who celebrates that holiday? When? How is it celebrated?
6. Why was celebrating Three Kings Day important to Hildamar, Santiago, Pura Belpre, and the community of El Barrio?
7. On page 8, what does Hildamar ask Titi María? What does this tell you about Hildamar’s life? How is her experience different from or similar to yours?
8. What did Hildamar and Santiago think of Pura Belpré? What important information did she give them?
9. How did the people in El Barrio respond to Pura Belpré? What was their impression of her? How do you know?
10. What did Pura Belpre do to bring people from the community into the library? Why was it important to have Spanish language books in the library?
Extension/Higher Level Thinking
(Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strand 2 and 3 and Craft & Structure, Strand 6)
1. Think about the way the English and Spanish text is laid out in the book. Where are the Spanish words? Where are the English words? Why do you think they are positioned this way?
2. In this book, sometimes Spanish words are included in the English text. What do you think was the author’s reason for doing this? How does the inclusion of Spanish words and phrases add to the experience of reading Pura Belpré’s story?
3. What kind of person was Pura Belpré? How would you describe her? Think about what she says and what she does. Think about her career and her contributions to her community. Does the author want you aspire to be like Pura Belpré or not? What makes you think so?
4. What is “Navidad?” What clues in the text did you use to help you figure out what that word means?
5. Why did Pura Belpré use a candle every time she shared a story? How did it set the mood for the children? What made the candle important to the story?
6. Take a close look at Lulu Delacre’s illustrations. What unique material did she use in the images? Why do you think she used it? How did it add to the story?
7. What was special about the first story Pura Belpré’s told the children in the book? Why did her story impact Hildamar and Santiago particularly?
8. Reread page 16. Why do you think the adults had doubts about going into the library? What was holding them back?
9. What is the theme/author’s message of the story? What does the author, Lucía González, want you to learn through Pura Belpré’s story?
10. How did Pura Belpré change the community? What did the adults learn in this story? What did the children learn?
11. Why do you think the New York Public Library wanted to hire Pura Belpré? How did Pura Belpré change the library?
12. Why do you think it is important for libraries to offer books, resources, and space for many languages? How would our communities be affected if languages other than English were not allowed?
(Speaking & Listening Standards, Comprehension & Collaboration, Strands 1–3 and Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas, Strands 4–6)
If you use literature circles during reading time, students might find the following suggestions helpful in focusing on the different roles of the group members.
• The Questioner might use questions similar to the ones in the Discussion Question section of this guide.
• The Passage Locator might look for lines or sentences in the story that explain new vocabulary words.
• The Illustrator might illustrate a new scene from the book using old newspapers as a collage element along with other art media.
• The Connector might find other books written about immigrants who made an impact during the same time in history that Pura Belpré lived.
• The Summarizer might provide a brief summary of the group’s reading and discussion points for each meeting
• The Investigator might look for information about libraries, librarians, and bilingual books.
*There are many resource books available with more information about organizing and implementing literature circles. Three such books you may wish to refer to are: GETTING STARTED WITH LITERATURE CIRCLES by Katherine L. Schlick Noe and Nancy J. Johnson (Christopher-Gordon, 1999), LITERATURE CIRCLES: VOICE AND CHOICE IN BOOK CLUBS AND READING GROUPS by Harvey Daniels (Stenhouse, 2002), and LITERATURE CIRCLES RESOURCE GUIDE by Bonnie Campbell Hill, Katherine L. Schlick Noe, and Nancy J. Johnson (Christopher-Gordon, 2000).
(Writing Standards, Text Types & Purposes, Strands 1–3 and Production & Distribution of Writing, Strands 4–6)
(Reading Standards, Key Ideas & Details, Strands 1–3, Craft & Structure, Strands 4–6, and Integration of Knowledge & Ideas, Strands 7–9)
Use the following questions and writing activities to help students practice active reading and personalize their responses to the book. Suggest that students respond in reader’s response journals, essays, or oral discussion. You may also want to set aside time for students to share and discuss their written work.
1. Why did the author, Lucía González, choose to call this biography The Storyteller’s Candle? Do you think this is a good title for Pura Belpré’s biography? Why or why not? Use examples from the book to support your answer.
2. Which parts of the book did you connect to the most? Which parts of the story did you connect to the least? Why? What memory can you share of a librarian or library helping you in some way?
3. Why are libraries an important part of a community? What do you think would happen to your community if there was no library? Who benefits from a community library? What can someone do at a library, in addition to reading books?
4. Have students write a book recommendation for The Storyteller’s Candle explaining why they would or would not recommend this book to other students.
5. Read the author’s note on the next to last page of the book. Why is Pura Belpré an important historical figure? How did her actions and choices make a positive change in her community? How might El Barrio have been different if Pura Belpré hadn’t worked at the library there?
6. What do you think the children, Hildamar and Santiago, wished for when they blew out the storyteller’s candle? What do you think the adults wished for? What would you wish for if you were given the chance? Why?
ELL Teaching Activities
(Speaking & Listening Standards, Comprehension & Collaboration, Strands 1–3 and Presentation of Knowledge & Ideas, Strands 4–6)
(Language Standards, Vocabulary Acquisition & Use, Strands 4–6)
These strategies might be helpful to use with students who are English Language Learners.
1. Assign ELL students to partner-read the story with strong English readers/speakers. Students can alternate reading between pages, repeat passages after one another, or listen to the more fluent reader. Students who speak Spanish can help with the pronunciations of the Spanish words and terms in the book.
2. Have each student write three questions about the story. Then let students pair up and discuss the answers to the questions.
3. Depending on students’ level of English proficiency, after the first reading:?• Review the illustrations in order and have students summarize what is happening on each page, first orally, then in writing. ?• Have students work in pairs to retell either the plot of the story or key details. Then ask students to write a short summary, synopsis, or opinion about what they have read.
4. Have students give a short talk about what they admire about a character or central figure in the story.
5. The story contains several content-specific and academic words that may be unfamiliar to students. Based on students’ prior knowledge, review some or all of the vocabulary. Expose English Language Learners to multiple vocabulary strategies. Have students make predictions about word meanings, look up and record word definitions from a dictionary, write the meaning of the word or phrase in their own words, draw a picture of the meaning of the word, list synonyms and antonyms, create an action for each word, and write a meaningful sentence that demonstrates the definition of the word.
(Introduction to the Standards, page 7: Student who are college and career ready must be able to build strong content knowledge, value evidence, and use technology and digital media strategically and capably)
Use some of the following activities to help students integrate their reading experiences with other curriculum areas. These can also be used for extension activities, for advanced readers, and for building a home-school connection.
1. Ask students to research immigration to the United States in the 1920s and 1930s through Ellis Island. Who immigrated to the US? Why did people choose to move here? Where were the immigrants from? What challenges did they face once they arrived? Where did many of the immigrants settle? How did their lives change? What traditions did they try to preserve?
2. Have students research New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. What immigrant groups were living there? In what neighborhoods or areas were the different communities living? What type of work was available to new immigrants? What languages other than English were spoken? What was school like for new students, especially if they didn’t speak English?
(Speaking & Listening Standards, Comprehension and Collaboration, Strands 1–3)
(Reading Standards, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, Strand 9)
1. Several of Pura Belpré’s stories are still in print. Help students find a copy of the story Pérez and Martina (in your local library or through inter-library loan). Read the story together and then let volunteers act it out. You may also wish to follow this procedure with some of Pura Belpré’s other stories that are available.
2. Invite a local storyteller to visit the class for a storytelling event.
3. Read the book Richard Wright and the Library Card (by Lee & Low Books). Have students compare and contrast the librarians in the two books. Students may also compare and contrast the treatment of different groups of people in the stories. How have libraries changed from the 1920s to today? Why did Hildamar and Santiago in The Storyteller’s Candle and Richard Wright in Richard Wright and the Library Card have such different experiences? Why were libraries so important to the characters in the two books?
1. Have students split the story of Pérez and Martina into parts and let them illustrate scenes from the story. Some students may also wish to make puppets for the story, as Pura Belpré did.
2. Lulu Delacre, illustrator of the book, included newsprint in every illustration. Have students search the pages to find the newsprint, and then talk about what they discovered. Interested students may also wish to make their own collage illustrations incorporating discarded newspapers, magazines, and/or other print materials.
(Reading Standards, Integration of Knowledge & Ideas, Strands 7 and 9)
(Speaking & Listening Standards, Comprehension & Collaboration, Strands 1–3)
(Writing Standards, Text Types & Purposes, Strand 2 and Research to Build & Present Knowledge, Strand 7)
1. Invite students to interview their parents, grandparents, or older relatives. When did their family first come to the United States? Who was the first to come? How did that person or persons get here? What challenges did they face when they arrived? What motivated their family member to leave their home country? How does the family keep its culture and traditions alive? What traditions or stories have been passed down to each younger generation?
2. Encourage students to ask parents, grandparents, and/or guardians to help them research immigrant groups in their community or town. What languages are spoken? Where did people come from? What are some of the reasons that motivated or caused people to move to the United States or this community/town in particular?
3. Take students on a trip to your local public library. Arrange for students to interview a librarian there, check out books, and see what events are coming up. Have students prepare a list of interview questions in advance. For example: What motivated him or her to become a librarian? What is his or her favorite part of being a librarian? What are some of the challenges? How have libraries changed? Why is it important for communities to have libraries?
4. Have students ask an older family member or other adult they know well to them a story or folktale they remember from growing up. Encourage students to bring the story to school and allow children to share the stories with the class or in small groups. Use a “storyteller’s flashlight,” instead of a candle, to set the mood, and allow students to make a wish at the end of the story. Some of the adults could also be invited to share their stories to the class.
About This Title
Interest Level:Grades 1 - 6
Reading Level:Grades 3 - 4
United States History, Siblings, Occupations, Neighbors, Mentors, Latino/Hispanic/Mexican Interest, Immigration, History, Friendship, Education, Dreams & Aspirations, Cultural Diversity, Biography/Memoir, Bilingual, Empathy/Compassion, Optimism/Enthusiasm
Fluent Bilingual, Biography and Memoir Grades 3-6, Appendix B Diverse Collection Grades 3-6, Women's History Highlights Collection, Bilingual English/Spanish and Dual Language Books , Women's History Collection, New York Past and Present Collection, Latin American Spanish / Bilingual Collection Grades PreK-2, Pura Belpré Award Collection, RITELL Grades 3-6 Collection, Bilingual Bestsellers, Lulu Delacre Collection , Latin American Spanish/Bilingual Collection, Bilingual English/Spanish Collection , Professor Nancy Cloud Curated Book Collection, Immigration Collection, Jane Addams Children's Book Award Collection, Pedro Noguera Diverse Collection Grades 3-5, Social Activism Collection, Social Activism Collection Grades 3-5, Bilingual Spanish/English Guided Reading Level O, Authentic Spanish List, Authentic Spanish List Grades 3-5
Latin American Collection English 6PK
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A Collection of Screenwriting Terms and Their Meanings
“A” story is the main story/theme while “B” story refers to the background story.
One of three sections that make up a unit of drama (scene, sequence, episode). Acts in features describe structure, not used in the script. Used in sitcoms.
The scene description, character movement, and sounds written in present tense.
Action Block (Description)
A paragraph of descriptive script text. Action paragraphs describe the setting, physical actions, characters, or other important information. Be as Spartan as possible with action text.
Rewriting of fact or fiction for film, usually in the form of a screenplay, or a proposal treatment.
Instructs actors to improvise dialogue or even action bits in spontaneous reaction to the given situation of a scene.
A moment of calm during which the characters are able to digest a scene of intense conflict.
A scene that includes all or most of the main components of drama.
Used to add greater depth to particular events and situations in the film. References are made to external phenomena such as persons, places, things, and occurrences. Indirect references are also used through screen images or scenes even to another film. Associations are meant to indicate contrast, emotions and ironic twists.
A lack of clarity or an apparent contradiction in a story-line. This is done intentionally in some films or unintentionally due to poor writing. Character development is occasionally but purposefully hindered by the use of ambiguity. Ambiguity is an artistic ploy to capture the imagination, perhaps through confusion, of the audience.
Directs the camera to a particular person or object. The character’s name itself could be written as a heading in CAPS and serve the same purpose.
Comment specifying the source of each script element that is not wholly fictional, including all characters, events, settings, and segments of dialogue.
Character with a single objective in conflict with the Protagonist. Not necessarily a villain.
When the audience is expecting a peak in the action and it doesn’t occur. It is often used to convey the ordinary events in the life of a character and can also effectively be used to distract the audience from the actual climax. Also, anything that happens in the final few moments of a film that dulls down the story crescendo and leaves the audience feeling let down and unsatisfied.
Protagonist who has pronounced personality or character defects or eccentricities which are not usually associated with the hero archetype.
The modern, ‘energetic’ method of organizing a plot, such that the story generates increasing dramatic tension as it develops, culminating in a potent climax which relieves the tension.
Tone or dimension added to the action by concrete or nebulous qualities or elements such as rain, wind, heat, cold, danger, spookiness, tranquillity.
A statement in descriptive that takes the reader out of the story in order to clarify or help tell the story.
Experiences of a main character which contribute to character motivations and reactions, that either occurred in the past, or are separate from the main plot.
Back To Scene
Secondary heading that indicates a return to a scene after a Montage or Series of Shots.
Interrupts dialogue to tell an actor where to pause in speech. Avoid. Beats are often interchangeable with ellipses (…).
An abbreviated description of the main events in a screenplay or story.
Describes anything occuring in a rear plane of action (as opposed to the main action). Not recommended.
Structural technique in which a script begins and ends with a “bookend” scene that encloses the whole. Frowned upon by Readers as an overused storytelling gimmick.use this term in lower case initials or written in full. Not recommended.
The brass pins used to bind a standard three-hole-punched screenplay. Any other method of binding is verboten.
Action increases, the pace and intensity of the film increases, the music crescendos, and culminates with a major scene.
A troublesome element in a script that negatively deflects the reader’s attention away from the story.
A TV writing term referring to a witty line that “tops off” a scene.
Any person or entity appearing in a film. A bona-fide character has a speaking role, or performs an action that drives the plot.
Formulaic inferred curved line which traces the emotional progress (development, growth, and transformation) of a character during the story.
The process of creating characters in fiction. One of the major elements of screenwriting. Readers look for characters who are diverse (ie, they don’t all look, sound, or act alike), interesting, sympathetic, and who seem to have a life independent from the main plot of the screenplay.
When any character speaks, his or her name appears on the line preceding the dialogue.
Cheat a script
Fudging the margins and spacing of a screenplay on a page (usually with a software program) in an attempt to fool the reader into thinking the script is shorter than it really is.
Moment of high drama, frequently used at the end of serials. An unresolved plot point that comes at the end of an act or story. A form of foreshadowing.
Derived from the Greek “klimax” meaning ladder. The plot point that resolves the second act, resolves the issues raised by the action and provides the dramatic answer. The most intense plot point. Usually occurs at the end of the work, but resolution and high drama do not always occur simultaneously.
A V.O. objective opinion or description of characters or events either occurring in the film or to fill in information without wasting a great deal of film time.
The second act of a three-act dramatic structure, in which “the plot thickens,” peaking at its end.
Central idea around which a screenplay is built.
The force which opposes a character and prevents them from achieving their goal.
Indicates continuing speech when interrupted by descriptive, no longer used.
Dialogue spoken by the same character that continues uninterrupted onto the next page.
Used instead of DAY or NIGHT as third element in a slugline to indicate the action moves from one location to another without any interruptions in time. Optional, can be dropped altogether.
The main font in use in the U.S. by both publishers and the Hollywood film industry.
The notes prepared by script readers at a literary agency, film production company, or script competition.
Obstacles and degrees of conflict encountered by the protagonist grow increasingly intense.
Interweaving pieces of two or more scenes, usually in order to show simultaneous actions or illuminate themes, as with telephone conversations. Can be written with standard scene breaks. It’s more to prepare the reader for the upcoming slug line bonanza.
Indicates a sudden break or for emphasis ( — ).
Concluding scenes where the story elements are finished and the characters’ status after the climax is shown.
Deus ex machina
An external solution to a problem that arrives without preparation to make things easier for the protagonist. An easy solution.
Diabolus ex machina
Arbitrary, unjustifified obstacle for the protagonist.
Speech between characters in a film.
To the question posed in a drama, can be positive or negative, rarely unresolved.
Gives the audience information at least one character is unaware of. The audience knows that the character may not be acting in the character’s own best interest when taking a particular position because of the information disclosed to the viewer.
Unresolved issue facing the protagonist.
Three characteristics needed for a drama, according to Aristotle, are a beginning, middle and end. These elements include an exposition, or revelation to the audience of what will be going on, a development, in which the plot unfolds, a climax, where all events come to a peak, and the denouement, when everything in the plot is unraveled and resolved. Most story-lines follow this format.
Will the protagonist achieve his objective?
Dual (Simultaneous) Dialogue
When two characters speak simultaneously. Their dialogue is placed side by side on the page.
Used when dialogue trails off, and when it continues again. (…)
From Aristotelian theory. An Energetic protagonist actively influences or “drives” the plot forward, creating their own destiny, as it were.
The manner (and effectiveness) with which a story’s elements are assembled by the writer.
Most often the beginning of a dramatic structure, in which the main conflict and characters are revealed. Also, the details of the plot. Good scripts are said to ‘show, rather than tell’ their stories.
Slugline indicating an outdoor scene.
Placed in parentheses () to the right of the Character name. Denotes how the character’s voice is heard – e.g. (O.S.).
Transitional shot, and the first words typed in a script.
Image fades to black. Last words in a script.
Describes anything occurring in front of the main action. Not recommended.
Once used to indicate dialogue on a radio, TV, etc. Passe.
Everything that happens before the protagonist’s objective is clear.
In a linear screenplay, a scene or sequence which jumps back in time (or one that occurs earlier than the main storyline) that interrupts the action to explain motivation or reaction of a character to the immediate scene (exposition). Use with caution.
Similar to a flashback, except the scene jumps ahead in time.
The look of the printed text on the page. For screenplays, Courier(New) 12 is the standard.
Preparation that hints at developments to come.
Usually refers to a “sure-fire” method of structuring a script (i.e. it must include certain elements and arrive at a certain ending).
The Fourth Wall
Said to be breached any time the author introduces himself into the script, or makes any reference to the fact that a script is fiction. Not recommended.
FX or SPFX
Special effects – a term not needed in a spec script.
The category assigned to screenplay to describe it – such as: thriller, romantic comedy, action, courtroom drama.
An element of a Production Script occupying the same line as the page number, which is on the right and .5″ from the top. Printed on every script page, header information includes the date of a revision and the color of the page.
Master headings begin each scene with camera location (INT. or EXT.) scene location and time of day. Secondary headings are shots within a scene.
Used interchangeably with Protagonist.
A basic movie idea felt to have tremendous potential appeal.
The thing that catches the public’s attention and keeps them interested in the flow of a story.
Eschews traditional screenwriting convention, seeking instead to weave seemingly disparate moments into a unified, effective whole.
A plot point in the first act which disturbs the life of the protagonist and sets them in pursuit of an objective.
Used in a slug line, indicates that the scene occurs indoors.
When one character cuts off another character’s dialogue, sometimes marked with an ellipsis (…) but better marked with an em dash (–).
Title card appearing intercut with a scene.
Element used in an earlier draft that’s no longer useful.
The story in one active sentence, focusing on the concept, main character and main conflict. Ideally in 25 words or less.
Term used by Alfred Hitchcock to refer to an item, event, or piece of knowledge that the characters in a film consider extremely important, but which the audience either doesn’t know of or doesn’t care about. May be a stolen map or secret papers.
Master Scene Script
A script formatted without scene numbering (the usual format for a spec screenplay).
Midpoint (Main Marker)
Major plot point in the second act which usually begins or ends a sequence.
Lengthy dialogue blocks in which a character speaks without interruption for more than three lines. To be avoided in spec screenplays.
Sequence of brief shots expressing the same or similar theme, a contradiction, or the passage of time, all related and building to some conclusion.
Indicates when a character’s dialogue doesn’t end at the bottom of the page. To be avoided.
Without sound. Originated with German director Eric von Stroheim. Rarely used.
A screenplay or story in which events are ordered contrary to their natural sequence in time.
Expected by the audience relative to the genre. Love scenes in romances, shoot-outs in Westerns, the unraveling of a mystery in a detective film, and the rescue of a protagonist in an adventure film are all examples.
(External) Not related to the character. (Internal) Part of the character’s nature.
O.C. (Off Camera)
Same as O.S., now used only in TV. Character speaking is in the scene, but not on camera.
O.S. (Off Screen)
Placed beside a Character Name to indicate that the character speaking is in the scene, but not on camera. Dialogue or sounds heard while the camera is on another subject.
The Opening Ten
The first ten pages of a script. Typically, if a script has not made a favorable impression by this point, it will soon be consigned to the Round File.
Out of Character
The description of a character who does or says something that is not consistent with the established pattern of behavior.
Characters have simultaneous dialogue.
Actor’s instructions. A mark of amateur screenwriters. Should be used only in cases where a line of dialogue should be read in some way contrary to logic. Use sparingly.
Negative. Passive Characters are said to be moved by the plot, rather than actively driving (affecting) the story. A Passive Protagonist is always reacting to events rather than causing them.
The moment when something that was set up earlier becomes meaningful.
Not quite synonymous with Story. Plot, according to Aristotle, is the arrangement of a story’s events such that one follows logically from the other.
Theoretical entity devised by writer Syd Field. Event or information that turns the protagonist in a new direction and moves the action forward. Found at the boundaries between acts or sections.
Point Of No Return
Moment, usually in the first half of script, when the protagonist will never be the same, or can’t turn back.
The basic idea for a story often taking the form of a question or a problem. The story’s starting point, including major traits of main characters and the inciting incident.
Setup so that what comes later will make sense.
Character who has the most conflict. Serves as the focus of the plot, driving the story forward with their intentions and actions.
Preparation or subplot intended to mislead the audience.
Unneeded, repetitious words or phrases in a screenplay.
The third act of a dramatic structure, in which the conflict comes to some kind of conclusion: the protagonist either wins or doesn’t.
A place in the plot where a character achieves the opposite of his aim, resulting in a change from good fortune to bad fortune.
Events in a story build upon one another with increasing momentum.
Slugline heading for time of day, indicates scene takes place at same time or directly after previous scene.
An event that takes place entirely in one location or time, or following a particular character. If it moves outside from inside, it’s a new scene. If it cuts to five minutes later, it’s a new scene. If both, it’s a new scene. Scenes can range from one shot to infinity and are distinguished by slug lines.
Method used by some writers to outline their script by describing each scene on an index card, then arranging and rearranging them to work out the story structure.
Scene Heading (Slugline)
The text in all CAPS at the beginning of a scene that briefly describes the location and time of day.
A scene with all the characters together, trying to work out their individual problems.
Everything that takes place as the protagonist tries to achieve his objective.
Group of scenes that follow one objective. For example, a car chase sequence.
Series Of Shots
Quick shots that tell a story.
The time and place in which the story takes place.
The function of the first act in posing of the problem which the story will try to resolve. In a more general way, the process of laying the groundwork for a dramatic or comic situation which will later be complicated, and then resolved or paid off.
One image from a single point of view. If there’s a cut, you’ve changed shots.
SFX (Sound Effects)
Indicates sound effects, no longer used.
A screen with different scenes taking place in two or more sections; the scenes are usually interactive, as in the depiction of two sides of a phone conversation.
Story outline of the major scenes, each described in a few lines.
The main points of twists and turns in the story. A film may have a dozen beats or more.
One of screenwriting’s key elements. The way in which events are organized in time. Screenplays are extremely brief, and require careful organization of events and ideas in order to coherently tell an energetic story.
Also called the “B Story” weaving in and out of the main action. Story within the main story, usually not with the main character, with its own objective.
Words superimposed on the screen which mirror the dialogue (usually in another language) heard at the time.
The laying of one image over another, usually words over a filmed scene, in the same shot.
1-3 page summary of a screenplay told in present tense.
Epilogue, brief ending of a TV show that ties up loose ends. A short scene at the end of a movie that usually provides some upbeat addition to the climax.
Brief initial act that establishes a TV show episode.
Set up something clumsily, so it’s obvious to the audience.
The overriding idea behind a story. More complex than a simple moral argument, Theme is an expression of Truth.
Everything that happens after the protagonist has achieved or abandoned his objective.
The classical form of storytelling in film. Based on Aristotle’s three act dramatic structure which includes: the set-up, the complication, and the resolution.
A dramatic device in which some event looming in the near future requires that the conflict reach a speedy resolution.
A page equals one minute of screen time.
Shot designed to move a script from one scene to another.
A scene by scene description of a screenplay, told in present tense and generally with no dialogue. Anywhere from 15-60 pages, typically from 20-30 pages.
A plot point that’s a major surprise to the audience.
Refers to a script’s cohesiveness. In a Unified script, all the elements work subtly together toward a cumulative effect.
V.O. (Voice Over)
Used to the right of the character’s name before dialogue. Dialogue by a character not in the scene, or not seen speaking the dialogue. Used to indicate a character is speaking via telephone, or for narration.
Uses Aristotelian structure, which posits a lone, Energetic hero, the Protagonist, facing a single, overriding Conflict, embodied by the Antagonist, leading toward a dramatic resolution.
How “white” a page appears. Pages which have an inordinate amount of text on them (especially long, uninterrupted action blocks) are tedious to read.


SunRidge Curriculum — Grades K-8
- Math: Qualities of numbers; sorting and ordering; rhythm counting with movement and song; measuring in baking and cooking; woodworking
- Language Arts: fairy tales from around the world; singing; poetry recitation; with emphasis on the oral tradition
- Science: Cooking; baking; nature stories; nature walks; observations; gardening
- History & Social Studies: Multicultural stories; festivals; foods
- Handwork: Finger crocheting; sewing; cutting; pasting; drawing; seasonal crafts; woodworking (fine motor skills, foundation for concentration, speech and thinking)
- Visual & Performing Arts: Drawing; painting; beeswax modeling; drama; singing; percussion instruments; puppetry
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Circle games; finger games; Eurythmy; jumping rope; climbing; outdoor imaginative play
The Kindergarten offers a joyful, nurturing setting that inspires the imagination through creative play, storytelling, puppetry, music, movement, and art. Emphasis is placed on the healthy development of the physical body through practical activities that include handwork, crafts, baking, cooking, gardening, sweeping, digging, nature walks, and plenty of time outdoors.
Responsibility for self and others is encouraged through attention to sharing, caring, and taking care of our Kindergarten classroom and play yard. The foundations of written language and literacy are laid with an emphasis on the oral traditions of storytelling, puppetry, and song. The foundations of mathematics are nurtured through rhythmic movement, music and the practical activities of cooking, sewing, gardening, and carpentry. Attention to, and care of, the natural world and its beauty lay a healthy foundation for more precise scientific explorations in the later years.
Grade 1 Curriculum
- Math: Qualities of numbers; introduction of the four operations in arithmetic
- Language Arts: Form drawing; pictorial and phonetic introduction to letters; fairy tales from around the world; singing; poetry recitation
- Science: Nature stories; nature walks; observations; gardening
- History & Social Studies: Multicultural stories
- Handwork: Knitting (fine motor skills, concentration, sense of form)
- Visual & Performing Arts: Form drawing; painting; beeswax modeling; crayon illustrations, drama; singing; pentatonic flute
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Eurythmy; circle games; imaginative games; movement combined with music and singing; throwing and catching; rhythmic stepping, balancing
First Grade is a bridge between kindergarten and the grades. The loss of the milk (baby) teeth indicates that the child has completed the formation of his/her physical body and is ready to begin to work with the mind. An important task for the teacher is to create a rhythm for the child's school life as a foundation for the learning process. Towards this end the teacher designs a rhythm not only through the seasons and holidays, but also within each day and within each lesson of the day.
The year begins with the discovery that behind all forms lie two basic principles: the straight and curved lines. The child finds these shapes in her/his own body, in the classroom and in the world beyond. The straight and curved lines are practiced through walking, drawing in the air and on a neighbor's back and, finally, on paper. These form drawings train motor skills, awaken the child's powers of observation, and provide a foundation for the introduction of the alphabet.
Fairy tales from around the world form the basis of the First Grade language arts curriculum. Through the stories the child is introduced to each letter of the alphabet. In this way the child experiences the development of language in a very concrete yet imaginative way: instead of abstract symbols the letters become actual characters with which the child has a real relationship. "S" may be a fairy tale snake sinuously slithering through the grass on some secret errand; the "M" may be hiding in the blackboard drawing of a mountain. The children then work with the letters and sounds in a variety of ways to gain mastery. The class composes short descriptive sentences to accompany each picture. The wording is then copied from the teacher's model. Through these activities the child learns word and sentence structure without conscious effort, and has the joy of creating her/his own illustrated books for reading material.
In a similar way, in the mathematics curriculum the child first experiences the qualities of numbers before learning the four processes. What is "oneness"? What is there only one of in the world? (Me!). Stones, acorns and other natural objects are used to introduce counting. Movement work, in the form of stepping and clapping, reinforces the rhythmic choral speaking of numbers. Only after considerable practical experience in adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing are the written symbols for these operations introduced.
The first grade enters the world of music through the pentatonic scale. In this scale all notes have a harmonious sound in any order they are played. Songs are based on seasonal themes. The playing of the pentatonic flute develops finger coordination, concentration, and breath control.
Painting in the first grade is intended to give the child an experience of working with color rather than attempting to create formed "pictures." The child's feelings for form are encouraged through honey-fragrant beeswax modeling and crayon illustrations. In drawing, the child imitates the teacher's work, drawing whole shapes rather than filling in outlines.
Knitting is a fundamental first grade activity, as there exists a close relationship between finger movement, speech, and thinking. Some classes may choose to make scarves or knitted squares to be joined into a blanket.
Learning a foreign language, Spanish, is ideally suited to the imitative disposition of the young child, as s/he learns through hearing and speaking the language. Games and movement through circle and singing activities, jump rope, ball games, beanbags, rods, and the balance beam are an integral part of the curriculum as the child develops his/her motor integration.
Grade 2 Curriculum
- Math: Continue with four operations of arithmetic; story problems; counting by 2, 3, 4, and 5; beginning multiplication tables
- Language Arts: Elements of grammar (naming, describing words); beginning cursive; animal fables and legends from around the world; decoding and sight word recognition; building fluency through regular practice (oral and silent reading); comprehension through story recall
- Science: Gardening and nature studies; weather; day and night
- History & Social Studies: Multicultural stories; lives of inspiring people who affected history
- Handwork: Knitting patterns of knit and purl (pattern recognition and perpetuation, concentration, fine motor skill development)
- Visual & Performing Arts: Form drawing; painting; beeswax modeling; singing; pentatonic flute, drama
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Eurythmy; circle games; imaginative games; fine and gross motor activities; activities with props (balls, hoops, etc.) and exploration of the dynamics of objects
In language arts, the fairy tale of first grade gradually gives way to stories of people who overcome inner and outer obstacles. These people who strive depict humanity at its best. The opposing picture would be of people who have become rutted and are now mere caricatures of themselves. This is well depicted through animal fables. Second grade children still live in a consciousness so close to nature that it is natural for animals, plants, and stones to talk and have feelings like humans. Nature stories from home surroundings, folk tales, and riddles are also included in language arts.
As in first grade, poetry continues to play an important role in written and oral literature. All-class recitation leads to choral recitation by smaller groups. Tongue twisters and other speech exercises, and work on plays written in verse, join individual retelling of stories told in class as well as personal experiences, striving for clear speech of appropriate volume.
Lower case printing and cursive handwriting are presented in second grade if they have not already been introduced in first grade. The teacher leads the class in guided writing whenever possible, according to the children's growing ability to sound out and recognize words. Children also copy passages from the board and express their own thoughts and recollections, all the while paying attention to well-formed and spaced script.
From the stories, songs, and verses studied during the year, introductory spelling and grammar lessons and games are imaginatively presented, in addition to daily phonics work and extension of sight recognition of high-frequency words.
The imaginative, personified quality that still lives strongly in the 7/8 year old is used to fully develop inspiring pictures, with strong visual-narrative elements, of the operations involved in the four processes in arithmetic. The students are taught to differentiate between the processes and know when to use each one as well as to be able to work simple problems of each type in their heads and on paper. In their written work, orderliness is engendered.
The concepts and mechanics of written addition and subtraction are introduced with the use of manipulatives, imaginative pictures, and carrying and regrouping activities. The neat columnar writing of problems is stressed. Previous work is reviewed and practiced. The ability to write dictated and read written numbers 1-100 is firmly established before the students move on to place value. Counting by the various multiples is mastered before moving on to written multiplication and division. In second grade, rhythmic counting is transformed into the times tables (2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 10s).
Rhythmic and patterning work increase in sophistication, emphasizing the aesthetic and dynamic quality of the number line through arranging number families in various ways. Students are encouraged to consciously see order and beauty in number patterns. Visualizations of the counting patterns are introduced-string boards, group geometric forms in space, etc. Opening exercises can be built around number work, from group forms to simple computation games, and can include moving more geometric forms.
Word problems will continue as students write simple algorithms. Students solve written, oral story, and mental math problems using math concepts.
Grade 3 Curriculum
- Math: Higher multiplication tables; division; weight, measure, money and time; review of all four processes; multiplication; problem solving; place value to 10,000s; estimating; mental math; word problems
- Language Arts: Elements of grammar (nouns, verbs, adjectives); continuing cursive; punctuation; spelling; compositions; stories from ancient history; decoding and sight word recognition; building fluency through regular practice (oral and silent reading); comprehension through story recall
- Science: Continuation of nature studies with a weekly full-day farm and garden program
- History & Social Studies: Study of practical life (farming, housing, clothing); stories from ancient history
- Handwork: Crocheting (mathematical patterns, working in the round)
- Visual & Performing Arts: Form drawing; painting; beeswax modeling; singing; drama; introduction to the recorder
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Eurythmy, balance, running and chasing games, song and movement
The third grade curriculum is designed to meet the child undergoing a change. A nine-year old can feel him/herself growing up and separating from his/her parents, and becoming part of the outer world. The child becomes more independent, and begins to question all that was previously taken for granted. This can be a time of loneliness and insecurity for a child as well as a time of new self-confidence. The curriculum meets the child's new interests, giving him/her the opportunity to learn about the three essential requirements for all humankind: food, clothing, and shelter.
Farming and gardening lessons instruct the child in the importance of the soil, the use of farming tools, and how food has been grown over the past several centuries. These lessons lay the foundation for active preservation of the earth, and give the child an opportunity for direct involvement in growing his/her own food.
The provision of clothing is addressed in the textiles unit, usually beginning with the shearing of a sheep and culminating in a woven or knitted garment from that sheep's wool. The child is involved in every practical aspect of the making of the garment.
The many types of shelter are discussed and some are constructed by the children with the teacher's guidance. A lesson block on building a modern house teaches the critical importance of cooperation amongst architects, contractors, and laborers.
In third grade, the child begins to develop a basic awareness for practical applications of mathematics. Measurement of all types is covered: length, weight, and volume; money and time. All of these measurements are put to use in practical activities by the children themselves.
Mathematics and movement go hand in hand. Rhythm is an integral part of the approach to arithmetic and is a significant aid to memorization. For example, the times tables are practiced while jumping rope, tossing bean bags, or bouncing a ball. This increases the child's ability to memorize and retain the information.
All numerical concepts and practices proceed from the whole to the parts, thus leading the child to the realization that it is only the whole that gives meaning and existence to the parts. In the study of time, money, and measurement, the historical background of the methods, tools, and practices is taught before the modern methods are explained.
The importance of words and the beauty of speech underlie the entire language arts curriculum. Through the daily telling of stories, the teacher creates in the child the capacity for inward picturing, setting the stage for conceptual thought. Reading penmanship, grammar, writing, spelling, listening and speaking are developed in an artistic manner which speaks to the whole child.
Music is an important focus in the curriculum. After two years playing the pentatonic flute, the third grade child learns how to play a soprano recorder. This instrument will be used throughout the grades. Singing in rounds is begun as an introduction to harmony and awareness of rhythm. An emphasis on dramatic work culminates in the production of the class play, which echoes a familiar theme from the year's curriculum.
In handwork, the third grade child graduates from knitting to crochet, completing three or four useful articles for her/himself. Painting and modeling beeswax are weekly activities that sharpen the child's powers of observation and expression.
In the third grade the changing nine year-old is given an opportunity to make new relationships: with nature through farming and gardening; with others through a building project; and with themselves through drama, music, and art.
Grade 4 Curriculum
- Math: Review four processes; advanced multiplication; long division; place value to millions, simple graphs; averaging; perimeter, area and volume; factoring; estimating; rounding; word problems; mental math; introduction to fractions
- Language Arts: Elements of grammar; parts of speech; continuing cursive; punctuation; writing well structured paragraphs; book reports; expository writing, creative writing, narratives; class play; building fluency through regular reading practice; sight word recognition, high frequency words; prefixes & suffixes; spelling and vocabulary development; Norse mythology
- Science: Zoology; continuation of garden and nature studies
- History & Social Studies: California and local history
- Geography: California and local geography and map making
- Handwork: Cross-stitch, mirror image/symmetry
- Foreign Language: Spanish vocabulary is introduced through songs, games, verses, dialogues, writings, drawings, imitations of animals and acting out verbs. Through these activities students study body parts, weather, days of the week, months of the year, seasons, colors, elements of nature, classroom objects, diction and parts of speech including verbs, pronouns and prepositions.
- Visual & Performing Arts: Form drawing; painting; singing; drama; recorder; violin; introduction to reading and writing music
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Field games, balance, games involving trickery and strategy; games exploring movement of animals
The fourth grade curriculum addresses a child in possession of greater certainty and confidence. Now that the ninth year change has occurred, the child is more assured of his/her own place in the world and is able to assert more individual needs and wants. The curriculum correspondingly evolves away from the unified approach of early childhood into the teaching of more specific subjects.
The focus of the fourth grade language arts curriculum is the myths and legends of the Norse people. The vivid images evoked in their telling provide ample inspiration for the expanded creative and expository writing skills required of the child at this grade; the strong alliterations of their verses strengthen the fourth grade child's clarity and dexterity of speech, and reinforce his/her developing confidence.
In the realm of mathematics, the fourth grade child begins the year with a firm foundation in working with whole numbers using the four processes. This year marks the appropriate time to introduce fractions, as the practice of breaking apart the whole into its constituent parts mirrors the child's own experience of the fracturing of his/her world. Concepts are first introduced through manipulatives consisting of everyday objects, providing the child with an initial concrete experience of fractions before proceeding to more abstract representations.
History and geography become formal main lesson subjects in the fourth grade. The child's growing ability to regard with objectivity her/his environment is developed through the study of local geography. S/he learns how to find the four points of the compass by observing sun and stars. The child studies and makes maps of the classroom, the school, the neighborhood, the city, and the state of California. The goal of the geography curriculum is to engender an understanding of the interrelatedness of human activity and the local physical conditions of the earth.
The fourth grade history curriculum examines the historical development and diversity of human society in the state of California and its localized neighborhoods. The child is given a sense for the world of the indigenous Californians, the Spanish explorers, the first missions, and the period of the Gold Rush. The biographies of men and women who played a part in creating our culture reiterate one of the predominant themes of fourth grade, which is the importance of human deeds.
The transformation from imagination to objectivity is manifest again in the study of nature that forms the human and animal main lesson block. Animal study is introduced, growing out of an artistic and respectful study of the human being. The child develops an understanding and appreciation of the animal kingdom as it reflects the environment to which each species has adapted. The detailed study offers opportunities for the child to develop his/her artistic, dramatic, and observational skills, and it provides additional material for language arts activities.
In music, the fourth grade signals the introduction of the violin, in addition to continuing the recorder. Foreign language instruction continues, as the child begins to write down poems, stories, and dialogues acquired in the earlier grades. Handwork focuses on cross-stitch, embroidery, and braiding.
Grade 5 Curriculum
- Math: Decimals; fractions; percentages; metric system; negative numbers; introduction to geometry
- Language Arts: Elements of grammar; spelling; punctuation; compositions; Greek myths
- Science: Botany; introduction to inductive method; continuation of gardening and nature studies
- History & Social Studies: Ancient civilizations through Greek times
- Geography: American geography as related to vegetation, agriculture, culture and economics
- Handwork: Knitting socks using four needles
- Woodworking: Convex Surfaces: carved egg, buttons and beads, chopsticks, animal cut-outs
- Foreign Language: Spanish vocabulary is continued through the introduction of songs, games, verses, writings, drawings, and small dialogues. With these activities students study greetins, days of the week, months of the year, seasons,the time of day, their names, elements of nature, and names of objects. Basic verbs and their conjugations pronouns, gender, articles, adjectives and prepositions are introduced and practiced, expanding both vocabulary and comprehension.
- Visual & Performing Arts: Calligraphy; painting; clay modeling; woodworking; drama, singing; recorder; choir; instrumental ensemble
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Games exploring strength and strategy; games with multiple props; games with team goals
The fifth grader has grown more accustomed to being an individual; yet, like the third grader, s/he is about to leave another phase of childhood behind and cross the threshold of adolescence. The curriculum must, therefore, not only continue to build on established foundations, but introduce certain new elements to prepare the child for the next step forward.
In the language arts curriculum the fifth grade child journeys back to the dawn of human civilization, in ancient India, Persia, Egypt and Greece. Through mythology and primary textual sources the student experiences how these cultures viewed the world. In his/her written work, the student retells the epics of the Ramayana the Mahabharata, Gilgamesh, the Iliad and the Odyssey. S/he recites quotations from ancient texts, and in his/her dramatic work takes on the characters of Odysseus, Achilles or Helen of Troy.
Fractions and decimals continue to be the chief concern of arithmetic study in the fifth grade. The student learns to move freely between these two numbering systems, and the use of percentage is introduced. The deep mathematical wisdom of ancient Egypt, as embodied in the Great Pyramid of Giza, offers a concrete introduction to the secrets of geometry. The relationship between radius, diameter, circumference and area of a circle is explored, and pi is introduced.
The study of the ancient cultures includes an overview of the lands where these civilizations emerged. In addition the geography of the North American continent is studied. The teacher strives to give the child a sense for the contrasts between the different regions of America in terms of topography, vegetation, animal life and human use of the land from ancient times to the present. The student develops an understanding for the major mountain ranges and river systems, and how these landforms define the rest of the continent.
Ancient history in the fifth grade starts with the "childhood" of civilized humanity in ancient India, Persia, the great cultures of Mesopotamia (the Chaldeans, the Assyrians, and the Babylonians) and Egypt. The class then moves on to ancient Greece and the birth of modern civilization: the foundations of philosophy, science, history, drama and art were laid while Athens and Sparta fought for independence against the might Persian empire. The fifth grade year ends with the story of Alexander the Great, who conquered all the ancient peoples previously studied, unifying the east and the west.
The science curriculum for the fifth grade focuses on the plant kingdom. The child learns that the world of plants is made up of many different families, from the simple mushroom to the rose; the scope of the lessons then expands to an investigation of how climate and geography affect plant growth.
Regular choral singing is practiced in the fifth grade, and increasingly complex melodies are played on the soprano recorder. Note reading skills are emphasized. Study of the violin continues, with increasing attention to bowing techniques and part playing.
Grade 6 Curriculum
- Math: Introduction to Algebra; ratios; proportions; geometric formula and drawing with instruments; continuation of fractions, percentages, decimals
- Language Arts: Dictation; composition; spelling; Latin and Greek roots, etymology; biographies; mythological literature; drama
- Science: Mineralogy; introduction to physics: acoustics, electricity, magnetism, optics, heat; geocentric astronomy
- History & Social Studies: Roman and Medieval history; projects and reports
- Geography: European and African geography
- Handwork: Hand sewing three-dimensional animals with gussets, pattern making
- Woodworking: Concavity and Construction: spoon, letter opener or spatula
- Foreign Language: Spanish vocabulary is introduced through verses, games, drawings, simple writings, and questions and answers. Students develop their understanding and use of pronunciation, forms of greetings, the names of classroom objects, and the names of days, months, and seasons. The students work on parts of speech, such as articles, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, and prepositions.
- Visual & Performing Arts: Calligraphy; painting; clay modeling; mosaics; drama; choir; elective orchestra
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: Introduction to competitive games; more formal movement skills; complex strategy; calisthenics
- Technology: Cyber Civics is introduced to provide an ethical framework and word processing is also introduced
The child entering the twelfth year begins to experience an important change in his/her physical body. Whereas before the child's movements were naturally graceful, often now a certain clumsiness appears. On the inner level the child is entering strongly into the skeletal system. The child is more aware of gravity and weight. With this increased awareness of the physical body, this is the appropriate time to introduce the study of the physical body of the earth and its mechanical laws. Mineralogy and Geology form a major unit of study in the sixth grade, focusing on comparative studies of major geographic and geologic formations, and on the identification and classification of mineral components of rocks. Physics is also introduced this year. During the course of study, the child learns to understand and appreciate the phenomena of sound, light, heat, electricity, and magnetism, while developing his/her observational skills.
The introduction of the physical sciences at this age is also a response to the intellectual development of the sixth grade child, which is characterized by greater powers of discernment and judgment and a new capacity to grasp cause and effect. This ability is further developed in the mathematics curriculum, which focuses on the introduction of practical business operations that govern the flow of monies and commodities. This, of course, requires the ability to manipulate all arithmetic operations with facility. Elementary algebraic manipulations will also be gradually introduced over the course of the year, so that the child will better assimilate the information when it is presented intensively in the seventh grade.
Geometry instruction in sixth grade introduces the use of the modern compass and straight edge to construct the circle and polygons resulting from its division. Basic proofs will be derived inductively through the construction of geometric forms; the child will learn to copy and bisect angles as well as construct parallel and perpendicular lines; and the concept of pi will be developed pictorially and arithmetically.
The history curriculum that governs much of the sixth grade language arts work takes as its theme Rome and medieval Christian Europe, and Muslim North Africa. The study of the Roman epoch begins with the mythical account of the travels of Aeneas and his founding of the city; it examines the evolution of Roman government, laws and rights through its successive rulers, the wars it waged, and its great achievements in technology and the arts; and it charts the events leading to its decline and the concomitant rise of Christianity and Islam.
The law-abiding, rule-bound culture of Rome offers an instructive backdrop for the sixth grade child in developing his/her English language skills. The Latin roots of common words and expressions are explored. Conventions of composition and research are elaborated upon this year, and the fundamental of scientific writing are introduced to coincide with the science main lesson units. Formal grammar rules are also dealt with in greater detail. Calligraphy is another appropriate skill to be introduced in the sixth grade.
The world enlarges for the sixth grade child in the study of Geography. Following the consideration of basic physical configurations as part of the Geology unit, the study of specific geographic regions extends to Europe and Africa. The emphasis is on the interrelationship between the environment and traditional human activity.
The study of Astronomy is introduced this year, concentrating on those bodies of the solar system that are directly observable by the naked eye. The effects of the Sun and the Moon on the cyclical phenomena we experience on Earth are explored through observation and simple experimentation. The five "visible" planets are studied, and the major constellations of the Northern Hemisphere are identified. The telling of the myths behind the names of the constellations provides rich material for the creative writing exercises in sixth grade.
Grade 7 Curriculum
- Math: Algebra; mathematical thinking/theory; geometry proofs
- Language Arts: Creative writing; grammatical mechanics; critical thinking through literature
- Science: Physics: mechanics; physiology: circulatory, respiratory and nervous systems; helio-centric astronomy; introduction to chemistry
- History & Social Studies: End of Middle Ages; Age of exploration; the Renaissance; projects and oral reports
- Geography: Geography of North and South America
- Handwork: Hand sewing, embroidery
- Woodworking: Initiation and Precision: May include bowl or platter
- Foreign Language: Students see how the forms of Spanish articles, nouns, and adjectives express gender as well as number. They practice the three types of verbs and their conjunctions in the present tense along with pronunciation of consonants and vowels in Spanish, and the formation of phrases and simple sentences. All elements of the language are experienced through songs, verses, games, and writings.
- Visual & Performing Arts: May include calligraphy; clay modeling; perspective drawing; principles of drawing (negative space, texture, etc.); painting; Art History; elective orchestra
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: team games and team building, trust building games, complex strategy
- Technology: Cyber Civics is continued to provide an ethical framework as is word processing. Research skills and composition process are introduced
The seventh grade child, standing on the brink of puberty, finds his/her reflection in the dominant curricular theme of the year, the Renaissance. The transition from medieval to early modern thinking that this period traces represents a change in consciousness from viewing the world as a symbolic representation of the spiritual world, to empirical testing of the world through sense experiences. Exact measurement and factual accuracy became central to thought and culture. Individualism found its expression in artistic and intellectual achievements. The European continent was overtaken by great intellectual and political upheavals, as the old world gave way to a striving for a new world, both geographically and philosophically.
These conditions find their parallel in the early adolescent who begins to fully experience the dramatic metabolic and emotional upheavals of puberty. Just as Europe looked out from its ancient past, so in adolescence the child needs to look out from his/her own inner condition to counter the self-absorption so detrimental to this age. Consequently, the history and geography curricula are concerned with a very short period of time, 1400 – 1700, which gave rise to three great constellations: the cultural Renaissance, the spiritual Reformation, and the economic Age of Discovery.
In European geography, attention shifts from economic to cultural geography, becoming a vehicle for anthropological studies.
In the Language Arts, the child will continue to develop and strengthen listening, speaking, and writing skills using the biographical stories from the Age of Exploration, the Italian Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Scientific Revolution. Expository and creative writing skills will be further expanded. Drawing upon the emerging feeling-life of the seventh grade child, s/he will learn to develop themes and form sentences out of the “inner character” of desire, wonder, and surprise.
The basic concepts of algebra and plane geometry are the predominant subjects of the mathematics curriculum in the seventh grade. The general application and transformation of formulae and equations in practical life situations form a central part of the main lesson math block. Conscious work with geometric proofs continues, building up through triangles and parallelograms to deductive proofs of the Pythagorean theorem using shear, reflection, and rotation.
The Perspective Drawing unit draws from the study of both history and mathematics. The child learns how the Renaissance artists used geometry principles to develop the laws of perspective, and practices the application of these laws in original drawings. In the sciences, work continues with physics. In mechanics, simple machines are introduced: the lever, inclined plane, wedge, wheel and axle, pulley and screw. The concepts of effort and resistance are presented, and in their calculation the child is reinforced in his/her understanding of ratio. Work in optics, heat, electricity, and magnetism is extended, with an emphasis on the practical application of these phenomena.
Observation of outer nature now leads the child back again to a study of the human being. The seventh grade curriculum includes physiology units on the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems. Work with chemistry also begins in the seventh grade, developing out of the familiar process of combustion. The students are made familiar with elementary ideas of chemistry and how it does not exist in isolation but relates to industrial and economic life. Accurately executed descriptions and drawings are an integral part of this unit.
Grade 8 Curriculum
- Math: Continue Algebra; Geometry; practical applications of arithmetic
- Language Arts: Composition: letters, short stories, essays, poetry, research reports;
- Literature: short stories, poetry, Shakespearean drama
- Science: Physics; organic chemistry; human anatomy (muscles, bones, ears, eyes)
- History & Social Studies: The Age of Revolutions; American History; The Twentieth Century; research reports
- Geography: Asian Geography
- Handwork: Machine sewing
- Woodworking: Authority and Mastery: May include bench, chair or stool, relief carving or wheeled toy
- Foreign Language: Students continue to develop their knowledge of Spanish through songs, verses, games, movement, simple readings and writing, and short conversations. They work on the parts of speech as well as different word endings according to number and gender, as well as verbs and verb types and their conjunctions in the present tense.
- Visual & Performing Arts: Drawing; clay modeling; painting; portraiture; choir; recorder; instrumental ensemble, Shakespearean drama
- Movement/Physical Education/Games: team games and team building, trust building games, complex strategy
- Technology: Cyber Civics is continued to provide an ethical framework as is word processing. Research skills and composition process are further developed
Like Janus, the Roman god of doorways, the eighth grader is looking in two directions simultaneously. On the one hand, the eighth grade is the culmination of the student’s experience. It is a time of reflection, of summing up, and all the bittersweet feelings associated with an ending. At the same time, the eighth grader’s gaze is turned towards the future and a new beginning. He or she fears, yet yearns for, the immense changes anticipated there. The eighth grade curriculum must address both of these impulses. The focus of the former is concentrated in the daily practice classes, where review and consolidation of practical skills are emphasized. In the language arts there is an increasing emphasis on nuances of style and grammar in the child’s expository and creative writing. The mathematics curriculum concentrates on the application of arithmetic operations to practical situations, extends the study of algebra, and in geometry introduces the platonic solids.
The forward-looking impulse is best addressed in the main lesson, and in particular, the history curriculum. Whereas the seventh grade took as its theme the intellectual and aesthetic flowering of the Renaissance, the eighth grade is fully present in modern times. Its aim is to bring the accumulated image of world civilization up to the present day. Nothing characterizes the modern period better than the great revolutions—the industrial, political, and scientific revolutions which pulled down the old monarchial orders, in turn giving rise to the struggles for individual freedoms and human rights. All these have had far-reaching cultural consequences, and it is important that the students consciously realize and appreciate this as they themselves are carried into the turmoil of adolescence. The science curriculum in the eighth grade encompasses physics, chemistry and anatomy.
In physics, the study of acoustics, optics, heat and electro-magnetism is extended through hydraulics and aeromechanics. The organic chemistry block covers sugars, starches, proteins, and fats. Health, hygiene and nutrition is also addressed.
Choral singing expands in the eighth grade to three and four-part harmonies to take advantage of the range of voices found in the adolescent class. The recorder program expands to include alto and tenor recorders, and instrumental ensembles take on more challenging work.