Millennium Charter Academy

]Millennium Charter Academy teaches the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, infused
with the Core Knowledge curriculum. Core Knowledge provides a solid, coherent foundation
of language arts, history, geography, mathematics, science, and the
fine arts. It includes, for example, the basic principles of constitutional
government, important events of world history, essential elements of
mathematics and of oral and written expression, widely acknowledged
masterpieces of art and music, and stories and poems passed down
from generation to generation.

MCA uses the Four Blocks Literacy Model to guide the instruction of
reading and writing. This approach incorporates the ideological strengths
of phonics, literature-based instruction, basal instruction, and writing.
When combined, these ideologies address the acquisition of sound-symbol
relations, the gradual progress of reading difficulty, a wide variety of
genres, the richness of good literature, and writing, which allows children
to learn reading "from the inside out."

Through Everyday Math, developed at the University of Chicago, MCA
teaches: basic fact knowledge and number sense, computation and
accuracy, as well as concept and skill development from arithmetic to
algebra. In addition to a focus on both mathematical processes and
precise answers, we balance discovery learning with teacher directed instruction. The faculty works diligently to increase students' mental dexterity, discouraging an over-dependence on calculators. We are committed to fostering mathematical literacy! Parents of middle schoolers can opt for different avenues of math instruction.

For more information on specific areas of the curriculum, click on topics below

Reading Instruction
Writing Instruction
Core Knowledge
Vocabulary Building
Test Prep
Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)
UTOTES
Fine Arts
Special Programs (After School Fine Arts & More, Robotics, Karate)

Reading Instruction
The first goal is to provide beginning readers with instruction that is consistent with the four major approaches to learning to read mentioned above. The second goal is to provide multilevel instruction without placing the students in leveled reading groups. The literacy framework is commonly known as Building Blocks for kindergarten, Four Blocks for 1st through 3rd grades, and Big Blocks for the upper grades

The four daily teaching blocks are: 1) guided reading, 2) self-selected reading, 3) writing, and 4) working with words. Each of these four blocks is taught every day. The guided reading block focuses on reading comprehension skills, with a goal of creating independent readers. The self-selected reading block allows time for the teacher to read aloud, followed by independent student reading, with subsequent discussion. The writing block allocates time for the students to practice penmanship, learn about the writing process, grammar, and the mechanics of good writing. Working with words encourages students to explore words, word families, spelling, and phonics. During this segment students also use what they learned about words in their reading and writing.

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Writing Instruction
OVERVIEW
Millennium Charter Academy places a high value on the whole of writing. In order to fulfill the school's mandates to prepare future leaders and teach higher level thinking skills in an academically robust curriculum, we desire that all our students recognize quality writing, become adept writers, develop a love of writing, and form an acute ability to critically read that which is already written.

To this end, the lower grades prepare students by helping them to amass a great quantity of information about various subject matters and to develop the conventions and techniques necessary to create both narrative and expository compositions. The upper grades continue building the students understanding of written language and teach them to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate their own written expression and that of others. Furthermore, they are introduced to Latin to help them understand the structure of languages in general.

Our teachers engage students through the writing process, which involves five flexible stages: pre-writing, rough draft, editing, revising, and publishing. MCA supports this approach by intertwining four primary sources to form its methodology for writing instruction. They are the Four Blocks literacy model, D'Nealian Handwriting, Write from the Beginning, and the 6+1 Trait model.

FOUR BLOCKS LITERACY MODEL
Through the Four Blocks Literacy model, of which about twenty-five percent is dedicated to writing, our students have an opportunity to practice penmanship, to learn about the writing process, grammar, and the mechanics of good writing. Some days the students work in groups, other days on their own, and at other times individually with the teacher. Through brainstorming, editing and publishing young authors create approximately six to twelve polished pieces of writing each year. "Young-author's-chair" and "make words" are common techniques used to build writing skills.

D'NEALIAN HANDWRITING
Millennium introduces D'Nealian handwriting to our youngest students. Our second grade teachers begin cursive about the midpoint in the school year. By fourth grade, students should be doing most of their writing in cursive. Teachers report that because D'Nealian is so easy for students to learn, teaching time is cut in half. First of all, there are only three letter heights to remember. Next, all D'Nealian manuscript letters -- except f, i, j, t, and x -- are formed with a single continuous stroke. That means few pencil lifts, so students easily establish a smooth, rhythmic flow to their writing. The more times a beginning writer has to lift a pencil, the harder it becomes to make a legible letter. When a child begins to write, the letters b and d or g and p are commonly reversed. The D'Nealian manuscript alphabet cuts down on common reversals, too. With D'Nealian manuscript, letter formation is true preparation for cursive. Letters are slanted from the start, and the letter size of the manuscript is exactly the same as the cursive. Furthermore, 87% of lower case letters are the same as their cursive version. Students need only to learn are a few simple connecting strokes. Children easily move into cursive writing when ready.

WRITE FROM THE BEGINNING
From the Write from the Beginning program, teachers use focused mini-lessons to explain specific skills to children in grades kindergarten - five. Throughout all grade levels, MCA also employs "Thinking Maps," a closely related tool that provides a visual, organizational strategy and common vocabulary for all grades. These are graphic organizers developed from research.

6+1 TRAIT WRITING MODEL (modified)
The 6+1 Trait Writing model captures the qualities of good writing, provides common vocabulary for instruction, sets requisites, and allows students to become self-evaluators. MCA has modified 6+1 by increasing the expectations at each grade level, presenting at an appropriate level the qualities of good writing. This seven-part framework, consisting of ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation, also provides precise, easily comprehended feedback on students' work, a great benefit to teachers, students, and parents alike. Because 6+1 does not dictate the writing curriculum, it allows MCA's professionals to wield it skillfully, prioritizing, focusing, and individualizing our writing instruction. It complements the Four Blocks Literacy model in many of the techniques and strategies, such as writing/reading workshops. Additionally, students are shown how to analyze the traits that published authors employ.

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Core Knowledge

Core Knowledge is a well-articulated curriculum that builds a rich foundation of basic knowledge upon
which to add. It helps ensure that students understand fundamentals within all areas of their education
rather than simply assuming those basic fundamentals are common knowledge.

Many people say that knowledge is changing so fast that what students learn today will soon be outdated.
While it is true that current events and technology are constantly changing, this is a well-established body
of lasting knowledge, forming the core of MCA's curriculum.

The Core Knowledge Sequence is a detailed outline of specific content to be taught in language arts,
history, geography, mathematics, science, and the fine arts. As the core of a school's curriculum, it can provide a solid, coherent foundation of learning, while allowing flexibility to meet local needs.

In 2003, MCA became an Official Core Knowledge School. As of 2004, the Core Knowledge Foundation recognized MCA as a national visitation for the instruction of Core Knowledge. Learn even more about Core Knowledge at MCA.
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Vocabulary Building

To enhance vocabulary, MCA employs Wordly Wise, Words Are Wonderful, and English from the Roots Up. From a list of some 3,000+ words from current literature, textbooks, and SAT-prep books students learn vocabulary through reading, writing, and challenging exercises. The lessons stress applying knowledge and reasoning skills rather than memorizing. MCA also introduces students to Latin and Greek, which not only builds English vocabulary, but also forms a basis for understanding languages in general.

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Test Prep

Although MCA believes that through substantive content and appropriate methodologies, students will not only become well educated, but also score well on standardized tests, The Competitive Edge and Blast Off help prepare students to take the State required End of Grade (EOG) and End of Course tests.

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Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI)

The Qualitative Reading Inventory (QRI) is an individually administered informal reading inventory designed to provide diagnostic information about 1) conditions under which students can identify words and comprehend text successfully, and 2) conditions that appear to result in unsuccessful word identification, decoding, and/or comprehension. The QRI was designed to provide a variety of different opportunities to observe a student's reading behavior. It is an informal reading inventory that contains word lists and passages at pre-primer through high school levels. It includes both narrative and expository passages. The QRI evaluates comprehension by an analysis of retelling and questions.

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UTOTES - Using the Outdoors to Teach Experiential Science

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences selected ten North Carolina Elementary Schools to participate in Using the Outdoors to Teach Experiential Science (UTOTES) during 2002-2003. Millennium Charter Academy was fortunate to be one of them! This award-winning program is a collaborative effort between the Museum, the NC Department of Public Instruction, and school educators to use the outdoor environment as a classroom. Through the program, teachers and community supporters learn how to make better use of their school's outdoor surroundings and discover ways the grounds and its wildlife can serve as avenues for learning.

The training consisted of eight outdoor workshops led by a Museum naturalist. The faculty and staff engaged in practical, hands-on teaching strategies that use native plants and animals as a focus for multidisciplinary learning. Mike Dunn, UTOTES coordinator, emphasizes that, "Even though its called experiential science, UTOTES is a bridge to teaching all areas of the curriculum."

UTOTES projects enhance the value of school grounds through native plantings and the creation of wildlife habitats. As a result of this venture, MCA created gardens for each grade level, which are used to teach the curriculum. Second grade, for example, studies life cycles and maintains a water garden with tadpoles growing into frogs. Fourth grade often plants vegetation native to North Carolina to enhance their study of our state. The Academy also has a bird blind and marsh area, which is utilized by all grades.

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Visit the Museum on the web at www.naturalsciences.org

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Fine Arts

MCA firmly believes that art is a valuable part of the educational process. The Academy introduces students in kindergarten to great works of music and art. This is continued through the Middle School. Students also have the opportunity to learn applied visual art. Through excellent instruction, students are taught vocabulary, various genres, artistic styles, history, and artists. They learn and experiment with various techniques and mediums, from fabric to pastels to black and white photography. And all of this is integrated into the curriculum

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