The Science of Reading

The science of reading is based on how the brain learns to read. It's about understanding how children learn to connect sounds to letters and words, and then use those skills to understand what they are reading. 

Reading and Writing

Grades K-3: 

• Students will engage with Wit & Wisdom, a rich and supportive curriculum.

• They’ll explore high-quality texts, art, and media to build knowledge and spark curiosity.

• Students will strengthen their reading, writing, and speaking skills with clarity and purpose.

Grades 4-5

• Literacy is taught through a workshop model of instruction which consists of a familiar structure that guides every lesson. 

• The workshop begins with a mini-lesson where the teacher models key literacy skills. Students then work independently while the teacher supports individuals or small groups. A mid-workshop teaching point reinforces the lesson, and the session ends with students sharing their work.

Foundational Skills, Grades K & 1

• Students will participate in Heggerty Phonological Awareness lessons, which play a critical role in early reading development. 

• Phonological awareness (the ability to recognize and work with the sounds in spoken language) is one of the strongest predictors of future reading success. 

• Focusing on hearing and manipulating sounds in words, students will practice breaking words into smaller parts and identifying individual sounds, building a strong foundation for learning to read and write.  

Phonics & Word Study 

Grades K-3: From Phonics to Reading 

• Students move from learning letter sounds to becoming confident, fluent readers. 

• Students will understand how letters and sounds work together—an important step in learning to read and spell. 

• Students will study increasingly complex spelling patterns, with a built in system of spiraled review to ensure that skills are retained.

Grades 4 & 5: Morpheme Magic

• Students learn how morphemes—the smallest units of meaning in language—contribute to word meaning, spelling, and reading comprehension.

• Students will strengthen overall literacy skills, including vocabulary, spelling, and comprehension.