The term primary school is commonly used in the US, with the curriculum referred to as the elementary curriculum. It is guided by national and international subject area organizations and state regulations, covering reading, writing, math, science, social studies, physical education, and arts education.
While in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the first years of school are usually referred to as primary school, in the United States the term primary school is common. Consequently, when discussing the curriculum, or course of study, for such a school, it is common in the United States to refer to the elementary curriculum. Elementary education is defined differently in different circumstances. It is often thought to include kindergarten through the end of middle school, or middle school – usually eighth grade – with the end of secondary school reserved for high school, which usually begins with ninth grade. The elementary curriculum does not refer to any extra-curricular activities that might be offered in schools.
The elementary curriculum in the United States is guided by standards developed by national and international subject area organizations. These include the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and International Reading Association (IRA) for language arts, the National Council of Teachers of Math (NCTM) for mathematics, the National Academies for science and the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and/or the National Council for History Standards (NCHS) for social studies and/or history. Physical education standards are provided by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), while the Consortium of National Arts Education Associations (NAEA) has developed standards for arts education. There are also state regulations.
The elementary curriculum for reading and language arts generally includes reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The viewing of multimedia content may also be included. The mathematics curriculum includes number operations, pre-algebra and algebra, geometry and measurement, probability, statistics, and data analysis. The elementary science curriculum is based on life sciences, earth and space sciences, physical sciences, and health. The social studies curriculum is likely to include geography, history, government, civics, economics, anthropology, sociology, and historical analysis and interpretation.
Elements of physical education usually included in the elementary curriculum include body management, exercise, play and sports skills, healthy lifestyles, locomotor patterns, physical fitness, safety, and social discipline. Artistic coverage can vary significantly, possibly including 2D and 3D art, theater and music. In any case, the emphasis is often more on practice, although some stories and criticisms may be included.
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