Curriculum
Nelson Mandela Elementary is a fully accredited educational institution that aligns with the educational standards of the state of Nebraska. Scroll to learn more about the curriculum used at Mandela.
5th Term/Enrichment
The primary reason for adopting a year-round schedule at Mandela is to prevent the “summer slide.” However, as summer is also traditionally a time where kids go to summer camps, the fifth term has a more casual and play-oriented feeling.
Scholars stay in the same grade level through July. Rather than continue unit-based learning as done in the other four terms, scholars receive individualized instruction in math and reading based on their May MAP scores. They then get science and social studies concepts and skills through the afternoon enrichment programs.
The afternoon activities are run by specialists, community members, and paraeducators. These enrichment programs offer scholars the opportunity to be exposed to new skills, experiences, vocabulary, and organizations that they might not otherwise have access to.
Some of the classes offered during 5th term:
Gardening, sports (basketball, soccer, tennis, golf to name a few), fishing, swimming, skateboarding, art, structured play, Spanish, yoga, ballroom dancing, robotics, mixxed fit, leadership training, finance, biking, STEM, creative writing, archery, and more!
More 5th Term Photos
Art
Teaching for Artistic Behavior
According to the Teaching for Artistic Behavior website:
“TAB is a transformative model with a focus on creative process over product, supported by the belief that the child is the artist to maintain artistic integrity in visual art education. TAB teachers design studio structures that best serve their particular scholars and communities, while always trusting and valuing their students’ artistic thinking and choices. The curriculum in learner-directed classrooms is emergent: scholars' questions, observations, interests, and needs enrich and expand what the teacher decides to teach, discuss, and assess. TAB teachers understand their scholars’ unique developmental capacities and help them succeed as artists from the youngest age.”
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Library/Technology
The library classes at Mandela provide a comprehensive educational experience. Scholars learn about the library system, including checking in and out books, while exploring different cultures and traditions worldwide. In particular, they gain a deeper understanding of their African American heritage. Scholars can check out books and take them home to read.
In addition to library classes, weekly technology classes are held in our computer lab. These classes cover topics such as typing, creating slideshow presentations, basic keyboarding skills, coding, and robotics. Scholars can take both library and technology classes once a week throughout the school year, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience.
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Math
Zearn Math
According to the Zearn website:
“Zearn is built by teachers, for teaching. It is intentionally made to be a safe and inclusive place for kids to grow their brains—with concept exploration anchored in concrete objects and pictures, supportive feedback on every problem, and lots of chances to learn from mistakes.”
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Physical Education and Health
The physical education classes at Mandela provide an opportunity for scholars to experience play while practicing physical fitness. As scholars learn group-based games and activities, they also build skills in collaboration, teamwork, and fairness.
Scholars also have weekly health classes that cover topics like hygiene, nutrition, and physical and mental wellness. They also participate in the Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program, a federal program that introduces elementary school children to a variety of produce that they otherwise might not have the opportunity to sample.
Human Growth and Development is taught by a certified school nurse. We use Puberty: The Wonder Years. “It is a digital curriculum that provides teacher-friendly lesson plans, scripts, training, and resources that make it easy to teach scholars and build support from their parents and caregivers.”
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Reading and Writing
Spalding Education International - The Writing Road to Reading and Wit and Wisdom
According to the Spalding website:
“Our mission is to increase literacy for all children and adults by using The Spalding Method to develop skilled readers, critical listeners, and accomplished writers and spellers. Spalding Education International (SEI) is dedicated to teaching all students to spell, write and read. SEI is the home of The Writing Road to Reading, a comprehensive K-6 total language arts program.
The purpose for language arts standards is to ensure that all students develop the language skills they need to lead productive and fulfilling lives. Standards define the knowledge, concepts and skills that students should be taught at every grade level. Ideally, these standards should be challenging so that students are encouraged to attain a high level of achievement. The Writing Road to Reading is a total language arts program that includes instruction in spelling, writing, and reading. It integrates content, principles, and procedures that empower teachers and parents to be successful decision makers, equipping them with the ability to help all students learn to read and write.”
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Science
Amplify Science
According to the Amplify Science website:
“Amplify Science is a K–8 science curriculum that blends hands-on investigations, literacy-rich activities, and interactive digital tools to empower [scholars] to think, read, write, and argue like real scientists.”
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Scholar Support
At our school, we are committed to fostering the social and emotional well-being of our scholars. We have implemented a range of programs and activities to support our scholars in developing essential life skills and emotional intelligence.
Bucket Filling vs. Bucket Dipping
We teach scholars the important concepts of being a "bucket filler" and avoiding being a "bucket dipper." A bucket filler is someone who performs kind acts and says encouraging words to others, thereby filling their emotional "buckets." For example, complimenting a classmate or helping someone in need are acts of a bucket filler. On the other hand, a bucket dipper is someone who takes away from others' emotional well-being through negative actions or words, such as teasing or being unkind.
Coping Skills
We are also equipping scholars with effective coping skills to manage stress and emotions:
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Belly Breaths: Deep breathing technique to calm the nervous system.
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Box Breathing: A structured breathing method to reduce anxiety and regain focus.
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Stop, Think, and Breathe: A mindfulness practice to pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully to situations.
Self-Awareness
Understanding and managing emotions is crucial for our scholars. We teach them to develop self-awareness by recognizing how their bodies signal different emotions. This helps scholars identify and articulate their feelings, leading to better emotional regulation.
Additional Support Programs
To further support our scholars, we offer:
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Small Groups for Social Skills: Interactive sessions that help scholars develop and practice social interactions in a safe environment.
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Expressive Art Therapy: Creative activities that allow scholars to express their emotions and thoughts through art.
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Lunch Buddy Program: An initiative to build friendships and social connections among scholars by pairing them up for lunch activities.
These programs are integral to our holistic approach in nurturing well-rounded scholars who are not only academically capable but also socially and emotionally resilient.
Weekly Classroom Lessons
Our school counselor visits each classroom on a weekly basis to build relationships with scholars and provide whole-group social-emotional lessons. She uses a data-driven curriculum called CharacterStrong, which focuses on a different theme each month. The themes include topics such as responsibility, kindness, gratitude and cooperation. Primary scholars engage with the lessons in a variety of ways through stories, art, music and puppets. Lessons for intermediate scholars are often discussion-based and incorporate small group or partner activities.
Conflict Resolution
We also assist scholars when problem-solving has been unsuccessful within the classroom setting. They use a restorative approach to conflict resolution by ensuring that each scholar involved has the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings during mediation. The goal in conflict resolution is to acknowledge when harm has been caused, take accountability, repair the relationship between scholars and be prepared to re-enter the classroom environment ready to focus on learning.
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Social Emotional Learning
Harmony Curriculum
According to the Harmony Curriculum website:
“The Harmony Curriculum offers social and emotional learning for whole-child success. Guided by the latest research in social and emotional development, our program equips educators with on-demand, comprehensive classroom resources that support healthy relationships, promote diversity and inclusion, and encourage enthusiastic and engaged learning that can ignite positive lifelong outcomes.”
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Violin
String Sprouts
According to the Omaha Conservatory of Music website:
String Sprouts is a groundbreaking music program created by the Omaha Conservatory of Music for children ages 3-8.
String Sprouts are FREE violin, viola, cello, and bass classes that aim to bring music education to preschool-aged children in underserved areas in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area — and beyond.
A revolutionary music education program created by Ruth Meints, executive director of the Conservatory, String Sprouts was founded in 2013 by the Omaha Conservatory of Music as Violin Sprouts, adding Cello Sprouts, Viola Sprouts, and Bass Sprouts by 2019.With roots in the Suzuki Method and in El Sistema, the String Sprouts curriculum features unique compositions to keep kids excited to learn and practice basic music skills — repetitive sound and motion designed to provide a foundation for further musical ability. And the play-along orchestrations and accompaniments as well as videos also help with practice at home. Variations have also been created to allow for implementation of the program — including practice — as part of a school day.
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Educational Support Services
Nelson Mandela Elementary is committed to supporting every scholar in their educational journey. We believe the curricula that we have selected are well-suited to most learners. Sometimes, scholars need additional support to reach their educational goals. Mandela works closely with teachers, our counselors, speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, and our family liaison during Mandela Intervention Team (MIT) meetings. Families are an integral part in working with the school to determine the best educational support for their scholar(s). Although there is not a self-contained special education classroom, Mandela partners with Omaha Public Schools to offer the following supports:
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
The IEP creates an opportunity for teachers, parents, school administrators, related services personnel, and scholars (when appropriate) to work together to improve educational results for children with disabilities.
https://www2.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/iepguide/iepguide.pdf
504 Plan
All qualified elementary school scholars who meet the definition of an individual with a disability under Section 504 are entitled to receive regular or special education and related aids and services that are designed to meet their individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of scholars without disabilities are met.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html
Title I
Title I, Part A (Title I) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESEA) provides supplemental financial assistance to school districts for children from low-income families. Its purpose is to provide all children a significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and to close educational achievement gaps by allocating federal funds for education programs and services.