Grade Level Curriculum

The current Kansas Standards for Social Studies can be viewed here.

The Into Social Studies curriculum is utilizlied in grades K - 5. Into Social Studies is designed to provide a comprehensive and engaging learning experience in social studies.  The Into Social Studies curriculum integrates technology, using digital resources, interactive games, and multimedia, as well as vibrant magazines and hands-on activities to enhance learning experiences.  It also encourages cross-curricular connections with language arts, mathematics, and science, fostering a well-rounded and interconnected learning experience.

Derby Public Schools utilizes a digitally robust social studies program from Pearson. With innovative online, print, and activity-based resources, all students will go beyond the printed page and actively experience the world as it was and is today with virtual exploration around the globe.   The program bridges time-tested best practices, curriculum standards expectations, and technology to help prepare students to be college and career ready. In addition to Geography, our 7th-grade students also use The Kansas Journey, which teaches history, government, economics and geography. This book enables students to gain a working knowledge and understanding of Kansas’s history in the context of American history and meets the state’s Kansas history requirement.

6th Grade: myWorld History

7th Grade: myWorld Geography

8th Grade: American History

 

7th grade also uses the curriculum The Kansas Journey that aligns with the Kansas Standards for History, Government, and Social Studies for 7th grade. 

Derby Public Schools uses the United States History program by Pearson. Designed to help prepare students to be college and Career ready all while unlocking the exciting story of our nation’s history, this program invites students to explore the enduring issues that continue to shape our nation’s history.  Pearson’s United States History program uses a research-tested four-part learning model to enhance teaching and understanding.  

1. Connect Students make learning personal as they connect to content through a story and activate their prior knowledge, personal experience, and perspective.

2. Investigate Students actively learn, investigate, and acquire key content knowledge through various components both in print and digital.

3. Synthesize Students extend their understanding by applying what they just learned in a quick recap and “pull-it-all-together” exercise before they move on to the next lesson.

4. Demonstrate Students demonstrate their understanding through authentic formative and summative assessments.

Students also have options to fulfill their graduation requirements for social studies by choosing from a variety of elective courses:

• Civics and Economics

• World Geography

• World History: Ancient Civilizations

• Psychology

• Sociology

• Economics

• AP European History

• AP U.S. History

• AP U.S. Government

10th Grade: World History

11th Grade: United States History

12th Grade: Magruser's American Government

Derby Public Schools is committed to excellence in science education and follows the Kansas Science Standards. Throughout elementary school, students are using the Project Lead the Way - Launch curriculum. PLTW Launch’s interdisciplinary modules bring learning to life. The program empowers students to adopt a design-thinking mindset through compelling activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the world around them. And as students engage in hands-on activities in computer science, engineering, and biomedical science, they become creative, collaborative problem solvers ready to take on any challenge.

In 2018, we added Mystery Science curriculum to give students and teachers more access to additional concepts from the KS Science Standards. Mystery Science follows the 5E model of Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. It uses short videos with compelling storytelling and visuals to introduce students to a scientific phenomenon and get them excited to investigate. Students experience key concepts through a collaborative hands-on, inquiry activity. They test predictions, share ideas and record observations. Teachers act as a facilitator, supporting students in establishing relationships and communicating their experience and ideas. Students have frequent opportunities to connect their prior knowledge to new concepts. They share their thinking and build explanations. Post-activity questions encourage students to engage in sense-making, linking their findings to the Mystery question. The final video of the Mystery builds upon the student discussion and provides scientific explanation. 

In the spring of 2023, Derby Public Schools adopted Lab-Aids: Issues and Science for our middle school science curriculum. Issues and Science was developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science in response to the need for high quality, three-dimensional, phenomena-driven curriculum. The issue-oriented science content uses big ideas that make the content relevant to students' lives and are anchored in real-world events. This helps students understand why the content matters and how it connects to students and their families.

Students will have access to hard-copy books in their classroom as well as an eBook. Teachers have an online portal where they can access all of their teaching materials.  Each unit has several hands-on activities and the kits the district purchased allow easier set-up and organization of these materials.  We are excited about our middle school students doing science in our classrooms.

Derby Public Schools has adopted a high school science curriculum through McGraw-Hill, Savvas, and Cengage.  The courses supported by curriculum include:

• Physical Science - Energy & Matter

  • McGraw-Hill, Into Science: Physical Science © 2020 comes alive with engaging, relevant explorations geared toward building an in-depth understanding of the big ideas of the physical world. Inspire Physical Science provides an integrated and comprehensive coverage of physics and chemistry with mathematics through accessible text, engaging features, and a variety of hands-on experiences. It includes meaningful interactions with the big ideas of physical science, 21st-century skills through a variety of inquiry and problem-solving strategies, and personalized learning and differentiation with powerful new tools.

• Biology

  • Savvas, Miller & Levine Biology represents a new approach to engaging students with science content that connects them with the living world. Recognizing the ever-changing nature of science and the new tools, discoveries, and technologies that make a biology course so exciting, Ken Miller and Joe Levine have taken biology education to the next level, creating an unmatched blend of print and digital components. The result—a biology program as dynamic as the science of biology itself.        

• Chemistry

The Savvas (formerly Pearson) Chemistry program combines proven content with cutting-edge digital support to help students connect chemistry to their daily lives. With a fresh approach to problem-solving, a variety of hands-on learning opportunities, and more math support than ever, Chemistry will ensure success in your chemistry classroom. The program provides features and resources necessary for a modern Chemistry classroom - including STEM activities and powerful online resources to engage and motivate your students, while offering support for all types of learners in the classroom.

• Physics

  • Pearson’s Physics by James Walker provides a solid conceptual understanding of physics that can be expressed quantitatively and applied to the world around you. 

 

• Earth Science (content split between Geology/Hydrology and Astronomy/Meteorology courses)

  • Cengage: Earth and Space Science by Hendrix, Thompson, and Turk is the first ever high school program built with National Geographic content, images, and Explorers. Presents a rich overview of Earth and Space-related disciplines: exploring the physical attributes of planet Earth and its environment, emphasizing the human choices we have made, and discussing the physical consequences of those choices in the context of Earth systems. Address the Kansas College and Career Ready Standards to ensure your students meet current science skills and practices by integrating 3-Dimensional learning. Digitally, content is available in the MindTap platform with interactive elements, including videos, animations, and assessments.

 

• Environmental Science

  • Cengage: Environmental Science: Sustaining Your World by Miller and Spoolman provide expert content for both environmental science courses, on-level written for high school, and AP®. Each provides a unique positive outlook on environmental science issues while delivering cross-curricular content in biology, earth science, chemistry, and physical science. All levels include National Geographic images and graphics, as well as features on National Geographic Explorers that inspire students to consider real-world problems and introduce the processes for solving them.

 

• Zoology

  • McGraw-Hill: Zoology, by Stephen Miller is written in an informative and friendly writing style that doesn’t overwhelm students with unnecessary terminology. Zoology emphasizes ecological and evolutionary concepts and helps students understand the process of science through elements of chapter organization and boxed readings.

• Students can also take advantage of elective AP offerings in: Biology, Chemistry & Physics

The current KS standards for PE can be viewed here.

The current KS standards for health can be viewed here.

 

SparkPE was designed to be more inclusive, active, and enjoyable than traditional PE classes, and more than 30 years for research and dissemination support the achievements of those original goals.

The K-2 curriculum is a comprehensive, engaging curriculum for your youngest students! 

It lays the foundation for a healthy lifestyle with a curriculum designed specifically for kindergarteners to 2nd graders.  The 3-5 curriculum is a comprehensive, engaging curriculum for upper elementary – Standards aligned and high MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity) lessons; easy to learn, easy to teach format!

Expert-selected, high-quality, content-matched Gopher equipment was purchased with everything needed to execute the SPARK K-5 program!

 

The current KS standards for PE can be viewed here.

The current KS standards for health can be viewed here.

 

As part of your child’s education, he/she is enrolled in a course that includes information on human development (puberty). Videos are shown to fourth-grade students: Meet the New You for Girls (girls only), and Meet the New You for Boys (boys only). In 5th grade, all students will see both videos. The videos will be shown to the boys and girls separately. The videos will be open for viewing from the main Curriculum website for 2 weeks only (per our licensing agreement with Marsh Media) following Spring Break each year.  Transcripts are available below.

Meet the New You - for Boys: Transcript is open for public view

Meet the New You - for Girls: Transcript is open for public view

Information, and an opt-out letter will be sent from your child’s school before students are shown any videos. We encourage parents to discuss this topic with their children whether or not they will be viewing the videos. If you have questions or concerns, please contact the building principal.

In middle school Physical Education is a course designed to teach students skills, activities, and games to help practice a lifetime of health and wellness and develop skills that demonstrate acceptable and responsible behavior in a social environment. 6th Grade Physical Education will be a required yearlong course with a Health component.

In 6th grade, as part of the health component, students will learn more about human development. In 7th/8th grade PE, students will learn about abstinence & STDs. The materials used to share information with students are taken from the McGraw-Hill - Teen Health (Glencoe) textbook. Parents will be notified, and an opt-out letter will be sent before these topics are discussed  If you have questions or concerns, please contact the building principal.

Teen Health is an application-based program for middle school health students that teaches the 10 critical health skills that align with the National Health Standards. The program’s robust text and supplemental student and teacher resources explore information and statistics on timely, relevant topics.

The current Kansas Standards for Music can be viewed here.

 

Quaver Music is the curriculum implemented in grades K-8.  Quaver Music is highly engaging for students and includes many cross-curricular features including math integration, socials studies content, and character education.  Quaver Music utilizes a fresh approach to music education. 

 

The current Kansas Standards for Music can be viewed here.

 

MakeMusic Cloud provides students and teachers with access to the largest interactive and digital music libraries for band, orchestra, jazz, vocal, and solo pieces.  MakeMusic Cloud contains practice materials for students including an extensive music library that supports efficient practice and help musicians develop and grow.  MakeMusic Cloud brings together all the tools needed to teach, practice, perform, explore, and create music.  

 

Elementary 

• Calming Spots

• DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) - 5th

• Growth Mindset

• MAB (Managing Aggressive Behavior) 

• Second Step

• SRSS (Student Risk Screening Scale)

Middle School

• Capturing Kids Hearts

• CHAMPS (Conversation, Help, Activity, Movement, Participation, Success)

• MAB (Managing Aggressive Behavior) 

• SRSS (Student Risk Screening Scale)

• Military Liaison

• Pando

• SROs (School Resource Officers)

• Middle School 101, Career and Tech Education, Teen Leadership Classes

High School

• MAB (Managing Aggressive Behavior) 

• SRSS (Student Risk Screening Scale)

• Military Liaison

• Pando

• Reality 101 Class

Elementary 

• SIT (Student Intervention Team)

Middle School

• Small group Sessions (as needed and available from counselor, social worker, Pando)

• Student Intervention Team 

High School

• School Counselor

• Student Intervention Team/PIT (Positive Intervention Team)

• Panther Learning Center Student Support Program

Elementary 

• Behavior Intervention Plans

• Special Education Supports

• Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Program

Middle School

• PBIS Program

High School

• PBIS Program

• Panther Learning Center Student Support Program