Academic Focus - Most of the focus on
academics is on daily living and vocational skills. These are the skills
the students will need to become independent, informed, and productive citizens in the
community.
Math
- The students work on counting money and making change; telling time;
calculating basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts; and
measurement. Many of our instruction is hands-on through cooking,
shopping, and other adult living activities. Students are also taught how
to use a calculator.
Reading
- Survival words and community words are an important part of our reading
curriculum. Students read books and short passages at their individual
reading level that have high interest for their age group. Not only are
they learning to decode the words, but they are learning to answer comprehension
questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how) about what they have read.
Besides formal reading, we learn to read menus, recipes, maps, newspapers, the
calendar, signs in stores or out in the community, words to songs, public
transportation schedules, and other readings which would be necessary for them
to become independent in the community.
Science - A basic understanding of science is essential in today's world.
The basic science curriculum discusses life science (plants and animals),
physical science (matter, energy, simple machines), and earth science (earth,
weather, astronomy).
Social Studies -The students learn about the state in which they live -
Washington. History, geography, natural resources, population, and
important facts about the cities and land areas which make up the state of
Washington are discussed with emphasis on their local community.
Writing
- Putting their own ideas into words is one area of writing that the students
work on. By writing simple reports on people, places, and things; the
students learn how to do research and then put this information in a report
form. Also, by writing E-mails to family and friends, the students learn
how to correspond appropriately to others. The second area we focus on is
writing clearly, accurately, and legibly. Emphasis is placed on a legible
signature. Practice with cursive or printed letters is used to help
improve their writing skills.
Music
and Art - Appreciation of the arts is presented in the classroom as the students
take part in various activities. This year the students are making a CD of
five musical compositions. With the musical help of one of the Educational
Assistants, and a local band leader and guitarist, the students are singing four
songs; three well-known songs and one that the students wrote themselves.
They are also playing hand instruments to create one instrumental piece.
They will see the process of making a CD from recording to packaging the
finished product. They will also be exposed to various kinds of music;
folk, Middle Eastern, rock, ancient, African, etc. A trip to the Seattle
Children's Festival in May is planned. In art, the students have created the
decorations for the luncheons they have prepared. So far they have used
various art forms to make Chinese lanterns, flowering pots, elephants, flags,
skeletons, and a large paper mache turkey. We will also be visiting
local museums where they can see other kinds of artistic creations.
Math
- The students work on counting money and making change; telling time;
calculating basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts; and
measurement. Many of our instruction is hands-on through cooking,
shopping, and other adult living activities. Students are also taught how
to use a calculator. 
Reading
- Survival words and community words are an important part of our reading
curriculum. Students read books and short passages at their individual
reading level that have high interest for their age group. Not only are
they learning to decode the words, but they are learning to answer comprehension
questions (who, what, when, where, why, and how) about what they have read.
Besides formal reading, we learn to read menus, recipes, maps, newspapers, the
calendar, signs in stores or out in the community, words to songs, public
transportation schedules, and other readings which would be necessary for them
to become independent in the community.
Science - A basic understanding of science is essential in today's world.
The basic science curriculum discusses life science (plants and animals),
physical science (matter, energy, simple machines), and earth science (earth,
weather, astronomy). 
Social Studies -The students learn about the state in which they live -
Washington. History, geography, natural resources, population, and
important facts about the cities and land areas which make up the state of
Washington are discussed with emphasis on their local community.
Writing
- Putting their own ideas into words is one area of writing that the students
work on. By writing simple reports on people, places, and things; the
students learn how to do research and then put this information in a report
form. Also, by writing E-mails to family and friends, the students learn
how to correspond appropriately to others. The second area we focus on is
writing clearly, accurately, and legibly. Emphasis is placed on a legible
signature. Practice with cursive or printed letters is used to help
improve their writing skills.
Music
and Art - Appreciation of the arts is presented in the classroom as the students
take part in various activities. This year the students are making a CD of
five musical compositions. With the musical help of one of the Educational
Assistants, and a local band leader and guitarist, the students are singing four
songs; three well-known songs and one that the students wrote themselves.
They are also playing hand instruments to create one instrumental piece.
They will see the process of making a CD from recording to packaging the
finished product. They will also be exposed to various kinds of music;
folk, Middle Eastern, rock, ancient, African, etc. A trip to the Seattle
Children's Festival in May is planned. In art, the students have created the
decorations for the luncheons they have prepared. So far they have used
various art forms to make Chinese lanterns, flowering pots, elephants, flags,
skeletons, and a large paper mache turkey. We will also be visiting
local museums where they can see other kinds of artistic creations.