UCES Programs
Union County Elementary School has a variety of programs to enrich the curriculum. Click on a program listed below to obtain more information.
Union County Elementary School has used the Accelerated Reading Program school-wide for five years. Students are given a standardized reading test to determine an appropriate reading range. This will insure that every student is challenged without being frustrated. This computerized program allows the students to read a library book of their choice and then take a comprehension test on that book. After testing both the student and teacher get immediate individualized constructive feedback to direct ongoing reading practice.
All AR books in the media center are clearly labeled according to book level. Library circulation has increased dramatically over the past five years because students are reading more and better books. By using the Accelerated Reading Program student test scores have improved substantially. AR builds critical-thinking skills and develops lifelong readers.
The Accelerated Math Program was implemented in the fourth grade during the 2000-2001 school year and in grades 3-5 in 2002-2003 school year. This computerized program allows students to work at their own pace, receiving a sufficient amount of practice in each math objective. An individualized practice is printed for each student. Each assignment can be graded immediately by the student using a special card scanning machine. A printed report provides the score, a list of mass questions, and average scores for the quarter and the year. Standardized test scores have indicated a higher level of growth in math scores than expected, as much as two years growth in one year of school. Student attitudes toward math have greatly improved since implementation began. Accelerated math is providing a positive contribution to the UCES math curriculum.
The art program at Union County Elementary is formatted as a discipline-based arts education program. This is a substantive and multifaceted approach to teaching the arts on four perspectives: studio production, aesthetics, art criticism, and art history. This program has been developed to contribute to increasing students’ knowledge, creativity, and thinking skills. The discipline required in the arts develops a variety of skills, through processes and opportunities for personal growth. Academically, the arts use reasoning, memory, and problem-solving skills. Socially, the arts encourage tolerance for others by providing opportunities to observe the many ways individuals can solve similar challenges. By looking at art history and the art from other cultures, an appreciation for other people and other times is encouraged. Communication skills are fine tuned as students engage in art production and art criticism. Art curriculum helps a child to develop physically, socially, and creatively.
Our students are introduced to the world of art through many hands-on projects. These include: reproducing famous works of art; creating 3-D studies in clay, wire, and papier-mache; designing projects which display their knowledge of the principles and elements of arts, and producing works in the style of several children’s book illustrators. Students work in a variety of media from paints to pastels.
Student work is displayed annually during an end of the year art show, to which the community is invited.
ART EDUCATION MAKES A STUDENT VISUALLY LITERATE!
COMPUTER LAB
The computer lab at the Elementary School currently has twenty-seven eMac computers. This school year each class in grades 3-5 attends the lab for forty-five minutes every eight school days. The programs available for the students to use in the lab are Larson's Intermediate Math (Leapfrog), JumpStart Typing, JumpStart 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades, Math for the Real World, Neighborhood Map Machine, Perfect Copy (punctuation, word usage, writing skills), and Microsoft Office. Students also take the STAR Reading and STAR Math tests in the computer lab three times each school year. All computers in the lab are networked with the rest of the school and have Internet access.
The Music Specialist serves all students for fifty minutes every five school days. Instruction is based on the QCC objectives for general music and choral music. The Music Specialist meets with grade levels and/or their representative to plan programs and to integrate subject matter into the music curriculum. Music programs are provided for PTO meetings and public concerts are given for entertainment purposes. Students also perform for their peers.
The elementary music program is a stepping stone for secondary music. Students learn many aspects of music that will enable them to become productive members of choirs and/or bands. Some of this instruction is done through the use of teacher made games where the students are required not only to use their musical knowledge but also problem solving skills.
Students are given the opportunity to express themselves through different avenues in the music program. Included are the playing of rhythm instruments, dancing, and choral opportunities. Fourth and fifth grade students are given the option of being part of The After School Chorus. As this choir is optional, it is student based, in that students make their own decisions about their role in the choir. They are allowed to choose either choir member only, dancer, speaker, or solo singing part. If more than one student desires the same part, students often share parts. They learn their special parts at rehearsals after school. The choir has been an annual event for the past fifteen years, and averages about 100 members.
The physical education components of the Union County Elementary familiarize students with team sports such as basketball, volleyball, kickball, softball, and dodgeball. Within these team sports students learn rules, game safety, and cooperation with others.
The physical education component of the students' education focuses on individualized needs as well. Dribbling and shooting basketball, jumping rope, throwing, catching, kicking, spatial awareness, and cooperation with others.
Assessments are made by teacher observation as well as peer observation (cooperative learning).
Students are familiarized with locating and understanding heart rate as well as elevating heart rate. Students participate in health-related fitness activities such as body composition, flexibility, muscle strength, endurance as well as cardiovascular endurance.
Physical education demonstrates basic locomotor and nonlocomotor movements through movement concepts such as exercise, running, skipping, hopping, and dancing. Students also participate in manipulative skills such as throwing, striking, kicking and catching throughout team and individual sports.
The Science/Technology Lab at Union County Elementary School started in 1997 to provide a hands-on science and technology program designed to cultivate an interest in science and technology and its application for everyday living. The first phase was accomplished by equipping the lab with the latest and best science equipment and by developing a hands-on science curriculum for grades 3-5. Our goals are to provide a classroom environment that will be educationally stimulating and enriching, advance student achievement, and increase test scores in science. Thanks to our partners in education which included Ingles, Levis, and Union County Bank we have made great progress toward these goals.
The next phase will be to equip the technology side of the lab when and if funding becomes available. This part of the lab will provide students with training in report writing, research techniques, work processing, web page creation, etc. At this time 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students spend 50 minutes in the lab every five school days. Students can come for help with research and reports as needed during periods when classes are not meeting. The lab is also used for SPICE classes in 4th and 5th grades. Approximately 600 students are served during a five day cycle. The lab is taught by Jim Sharrock and Debbie Edwards.
Union County Elementary School offers a program for gifted students called the SPICE Program. To be eligible for this program, students must meet the Georgia Criteria for Gifted Students. Eligibility is determined through assessments in the areas of mental ability, achievement, creativity and motivation. Once a student qualifies, they participate in a pull-out program.
Currently, students attend the SPICE classroom daily during their language arts period. Language arts and writing skills are taught in conjunction with other cross-curriculum units. The goal of the SPICE program is to challenge and enrich the minds of the students while providing a firm foundation in the area of language arts.