Curriculum & Instruction

The Core Pillars of Our Learning

Each week, our teachers facilitate age-appropriate lessons that focus on six key "Core Skills":

Self-Awareness: Understanding our own emotions and strengths.
Self-Management: Learning how to handle big feelings and stay focused.
Social Awareness: Building empathy and understanding others' perspectives.
Relationship Skills: Learning how to communicate clearly and resolve conflicts.
Responsible Decision-Making: Making constructive choices about personal behavior.
Purpose: Connecting what we learn in class to the bigger world around us.

Literacy

We use the state-approved literacy resource called Wonders for our literacy instruction. It gradually releases new skills, allowing for modeled teaching, guided practice, and independent practice. Small group reading and book clubs are used to provide individual teaching points to differentiate for needs. Phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension are taught throughout our K-6 classrooms under the constructs of the Colorado Academic Standards in a manner that will be meaningful and relevant to students. We supplement our rich literacy instruction with UFLI for phonics and Heggerty for phonemic awareness to create strong foundations in reading for our students. We also use thinkSRSD as a writing framework

Mathematics

Our adopted math curriculum is Ready Math, which helps teachers create a rich classroom environment in which students at all levels become active, real-world problem solvers. Through teacher-led instruction, students develop mathematical reasoning, engage in discourse, and build strong mathematical habits. This math program’s instructional framework supports educators as they strengthen their teaching practices and facilitate meaningful discourse that encourages all learners.

Science

Social Learning

At Copper Mesa Elementary, we are committed to nurturing the "whole child." To support our students' social and emotional growth, we are proud to use Wayfinder, a research-backed curriculum designed to help students build belonging, purpose, and the skills they need to thrive in a changing world.

What is Wayfinder?

Wayfinder is more than just a set of lessons; it is a "social-emotional learning" (SEL) toolkit that helps students navigate their feelings, friendships, and futures. This also includes an anti-bullying curriculum. Wayfinder is built around the idea that when students feel a sense of belonging and purpose, they are more engaged and successful in their academic work.

Why Wayfinder?

In our kindergarten through 6th-grade classrooms, we use Wayfinder to create a common language. Whether a student is navigating a disagreement on the playground or feeling frustrated with a difficult math problem, they have the strategies to pause, reflect, and move forward positively.

Bringing the Conversation Home

The best part of Wayfinder is that its lessons are practical. You might hear your student talking about their "Big Life Questions" or practicing "Perspective Taking." We encourage you to ask your child: "What was your Wayfinder 'tool' of the week?"

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