English Language Arts (ELA):    We use the Houghton Mifflin reading textbook and supplemental materials for reading, writing, grammar and spelling.  We also read three novels which tie into our curriculum field trips and classroom activities.  We read Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell when we study California Indians, Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana, while studying the California hide trade and preparing for our overnight field trip on the Pilgrim Ship at Dana Point, and By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman when we study the California Gold Rush.

Mathematics:  We use the Scott Foresman California Mathematics textbook which gives us teaching materials in the areas of number sense, algebra and functions, and mathematical reasoning.  We supplement with other math activities books and exemplars, and in 4th grade, we have leveled math groups twice a week.

Social Studies:  We study California history, starting with the California regions, prehistory (how people came to CA across the land bridge from Asia to North America), California Indians, missions, Mexican CA. The Gold Rush and some post-gold rush materials such as the transcontinental Railroad, pony express and immigrants.

Science:  We use Houghton Mifflin Discovery Works textbook, which covers populations and ecosystems, earth’s land, the solid earth, and electricity and magnetism.  We do a lot of hands-on activities and experiments, and writing and drawing about what we learn.

Physical Education (PE):  We have excellent PE aides who work with the students on cardiovascular fitness, upper body strength, eye-hand coordination, stamina and endurance.  They play teams sports as well as work on individual skills.  Chaparral’s upper grade teams have a tract meet in the spring, and upper grade students have an opportunity to participate in the district track meet at Visit school.

Students participate in a structured motor skills program two days per week. Students are required to wear appropriate clothing (tennis shoes, pants or shorts) on their assigned P.E. days.  All physical workouts will begin with age appropriate stretching exercises followed by a series of small and gross motor skills development activities in the following areas:  fitness training, neurological efficiency training and sport skills.

Art: Our students will have the opportunity to work with a qualified artist from the Art Masters Program.  They will receive six lessons during the course of the school year.  The lessons will involve learning about various artists and the different techniques used by each one of these artists.  Each lesson begins with a history lesson about the artist and will culminate into an art activity that allows each child to create his or her own masterpiece using different mediums and utilizing the various styles and techniques of the artist they are learning about.