Providence Renaissance Academy Charter School - Rhode Island ...

Social Studies (NCSS). The standards for social studies are grouped into ten strands by the NCSS. NCSS
social studies programs include experiences that provide the study of:
1. Culture: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of culture and
cultural diversity;
2. Time, Continuity, and Change: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for
the study of the past and its legacy;
3. People, Places, and Environments: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide
for the study of people, places, and environments;
4. Individual, Development and Identity: Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of individual development and identity;
5. Individuals, Groups, and Institutions: Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of interactions among individuals, groups, and institutions;
6. Power, Authority, and Governance: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide
for the study of how people create, interact with, and change structures of power, authority, and
governance;
7. Production, Distribution, and Consumption: Social studies programs should include experiences that
provide for the study of how people organize for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods
and services;
8. Science, Technology, and Society: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide
for the study of relationships among science, technology, and society;
9. Global Connections: Social studies programs should include experiences that provide for the study of
global connections and interdependence; and
10. Civic Ideals and Providence Renaissance Academy Charter cites: Social studies programs should
include experiences that provide for the study of the ideals, principles, and Providence Renaissance
Academy Charter practices of citizenship in a democratic republic.
d. Provide a sample of the curriculum that the school plans to use that includes standards, content
and skills, and assessments to be implemented in the core content areas for at least two grade levels
demonstrating the school groups’ capacity to build a fully developed curriculum.
Please see attached sample units of study.
e. Describe a clear plan that will facilitate ongoing development, improvement, and refinement of the
curriculum.
The Providence Renaissance Academy will be committed to ongoing development, improvement, and
refinement of the curriculum. Teachers will have planning days throughout the year with their staff
developer in order to plan for upcoming units. These planning days will provide teaching teams the time
they need to collaborate to improve and refine their upcoming units. At the end of each unit, there will
be a reflection meeting to discuss and record what went well and what didn’t so that revisions can be
made for the following year, as well as revisions to upcoming units to ensure that there is extra time
allotted for review of skills that need more time. At these reflection meetings, teachers will also revise
upcoming units to match the skill level of their class. That might mean slowing down, or speeding up
the pace of the unit depending on their class data. Teachers will also have weekly common planning
meetings to review and collaborate on upcoming lessons.
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