Elementary Education

Elementary ELA

The UDSD ELA curriculum aligns with the Pennsylvania Common Core Standards, covering Foundational Skills, Reading Informational Text, Reading Literature, Writing, and Speaking and Listening. Its primary aim is to help students build and enhance their skills to meet or surpass grade-level expectations. In grades K–5, core instruction is supported by the Into Reading Program, Heggerty, and Fundations as the main instructional resources.

Elementary Multi-Tiered System of Support - MTSS

The UDSD MTSS framework incorporates universal screenings, ongoing assessments, data-driven decision-making, and tiered levels of support tailored to each student’s individual needs. A variety of instructional strategies and resources are used during the MTSS instructional block to support student growth.

Elementary Social Studies

The Upper Darby School District implements the Social Studies Alive! curriculum for students in grades 1 through 5. Developed and published by the Teacher’s Curriculum Institute (TCI), this curriculum is grounded in theory and research-based active instruction. It features standards-aligned content, employs multiple intelligence teaching strategies, and uses student-friendly text. The curriculum follows a spiral approach: first graders explore School and Family, second graders focus on Community, and third graders study Community and Beyond. Fourth grade introduces United States geography and economics through Regions of Our Country, while fifth grade covers U.S. history from colonial times through the post-Civil War era in America’s Past.

Elementary Science

Upper Darby School District works to prepare all our students for the increasing need for STEM educated individuals relevant to industries within Delaware Valley and beyond. Our goal is to provide a robust program that demonstrates consistent, standards-based, science instruction in K-12 classrooms across the district. With a focus on continuous teaching and learning in science throughout our district, in grades K-12, we provide opportunities for equitable experiences for all students in our science programs. In line with the vision set forth in the new Pennsylvania Science Standards, the Upper Darby School District science program seeks to engage students in science and engineering practices and cross-cutting concepts alongside science investigations, which allow them to strengthen their critical thinking skills as they master the disciplinary core ideas.  Reading, speaking and listening skills are also developed as students complete record sheets, keep science notebooks, read stories about the topics being covered, and share their findings formally and informally.  Math skills are developed as they measure, weigh, compare, design data tables and create graphs and charts.

In 2022 Pennsylvania formally adopted new standards for science.  These are collectively known as the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment, Ecology, Technology, and Engineering (K-5), the Pennsylvania Integrated Standards for Science, Environment and Ecology (Grades 6-12) and the Pennsylvania Technology and Engineering Standards (Grades 6-12).  The standards describe what students should know and be able to do at each grade level.  The standards focus on three-dimensional learning which incorporates Science and Engineering Practices (what students do), Crosscutting Concepts (what students connect across disciplines), and the Disciplinary Core Ideas (what content students learn).

Students at each grade level in elementary school experience science content in life science, earth and space science, physical science, and environmental science aligned to the grade level standards.

twigScience by Imagine Learning, adopted 2022. The curriculum is aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and supports the new Pennsylvania Standards.

Elementary Math

The mathematics program in the Upper Darby School District mirrors the Pennsylvania Department of Education's goal: "mathematics instruction stresses both procedural skills and conceptual understanding to ensure students are learning and applying the critical information they need to succeed at higher levels."

1. Make sense of and persevere in solving complex and novel mathematical problems;
2. Use effective mathematical reasoning to construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others;
3. Communicate precisely when making mathematical statements and express answers with a degree of precision appropriate for the context of the problem/situation;
4. Apply mathematical knowledge to analyze and model situations/relationships using multiple representations and appropriate tools to make decisions, solve problems, and draw conclusions; and
5. Use structure and repeated reasoning to gain a mathematical perspective and formulate generalized problem-solving strategies.

The primary emphasis at the elementary level is for students to master the concepts of numbers and operations to provide a strong foundation for future mathematics studies. In addition, the elementary level introduces measurement, geometry, algebraic concepts, data analysis, and probability.