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Elementary School Learning

Sparking curiosity and wonder in each student.

Elementary Pathways

Pathways in elementary school sparks curiosity and wonder in our Preschool–Grade 5 students. Students discover a world of possibilities through rich learning experiences in our four career fields. 

  • Arts, Communications and Literacy
  • Design, Engineering and STEM
  • Health, Wellness and Social-Emotional Learning
  • Entrepreneurship

Elementary Pathways is designed to excite students and give them a glimpse into their future. It encourages them to wonder and reflect on what’s next in their learning journey. Elementary Pathways learning is not tracking students and asking them to choose a career path. Rather, Pathways aims to introduce elementary students to different experiences to spark curiosity, wonder and a love of learning.

Implementing Pathways

The implementation of elementary Pathways launched in the 2020-21 school year and will be rolled out over the next three years. Elementary design teams and stakeholder feedback will inform the phased implementation along the way. 

girl staring off in wonder
elementary student and teacher working together one-on-one.

Getting to Know Each Student

District 191 elementary school teachers get to know each student's name, interests and needs. During What I Need (W.I.N.) Time, teachers use what they know about each student to plan specific instruction to meet each student's individual needs. Taking place for 30 minutes every day, W.I.N. Time is an all-hands-on-deck approach for staff. Students are often engaging in small groups with students who have similar needs. It is during this time when students receive targeted instruction to further develop their own individual strengths.

Elementary Literacy

The District 191 elementary school literacy curriculum has shown signs of growth for the district’s youngest readers, with nine out of 10 schools surpassing the state average when it comes to student progress on state reading tests in 2019.

This innovative approach has transformed how elementary schools teach reading, introduced essential social/emotional learning (SEL) elements into the classroom, and increased student interest and engagement in reading. 

Learn More

Assessments

Assessments in District 191 are used to ensure accountability increase student achievement.

  • Develop focused instruction and interventions to increase student achievement 
  • Examine data for instructional planning 
  • Design and implement staff professional development programs to meet specific academic areas

elementary School Assessments

Digital Learning

Digital Learning in Elementary School

In elementary school, digital learning focuses on helping students develop the skills needed to use technology for learning. Students apply these skills through instructional units that focus on an introduction to One91 Pathways, design and design-thinking, coding, using technology for communication and showing learning, digital storytelling, and digital citizenship.  Digital Learning class is part of the specialist rotation, which also includes Art, Music, and PE. 

The Maker Mindset

Having a “maker mindset” means being curious, excited to explore and learn through discovery and creation or making.  A “makerspace” is an environment or physical space that provides materials and resources for students to  be “makers.”  In One91, all of our elementary and middle schools have makerspaces and making opportunities where students can apply their digital learning skills.

Computer Science

The Mouse Scratch computer coding is a program that teaches our 2nd and 3rd grade elementary students computer science programming language; providing opportunities for all students to learn how to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.  When elementary students learn to code in Scratch, they learn important strategies for solving problems, designing projects, and communicating ideas aligning with One91 Pathways.

Pathways Stories

two boys singing at an assembly
  • Building Community
  • Pathways & Partnerships

Harriet Bishop and Hidden Valley Elementary schools had the exciting opportunity to have the 29:11 International Exchange, a South African music group, and members from the Minnesota Orchestra visit their schools this month.

Read More about Visit from South African music group, Minnesota Orchestra provides ‘Spark Experience’ for elementary students
Four male elementary students practice playing their instruments
  • Announcements
  • Pathways & Partnerships

Those are just two of the many instruments students get the chance to play over the course of the year in Instrumental Music. The program, which started in the 2020-21 school year, gives each fifth-grader the opportunity to take 3-4 small-group lessons with instruments from each of the four orchestra instrument families - strings, brass, woodwinds and percussion. 

Read More about Innovative approach puts instruments in hands of every One91 fifth-grader
shrey pothini
  • Announcements
  • Building Community
  • Pathways & Partnerships

No single person embodies the culture of community service in District 191 quite like Shrey. Growing up in Savage, Shrey was surrounded by a family who showed him different aspects of the world, teachers who encouraged him, and a community who rallied behind his efforts. It started when he was three years old and his mother Seema took him to a local teen homeless shelter where she served on the board. 

Read More about Young but Powerful: The Story of Service Day Saturday
elementary girl showing elements of her Tinkercad project
  • Pathways & Partnerships

At Rahn Elementary, students in Digital Learning Specialist Kaycie Miller’s class used critical thinking, collaboration and creativity to design an inclusive city park using Tinkercad technology. Additionally, Miller partnered with the City of Burnsville with the goal to eventually incorporate elements of her students’ projects into an inclusive park in Burnsville. 

Read More about Digital Learning class project lands partnership with city, sparks curiosity and wonder in students
District 191 receives Minnesota Department of Education grant totaling nearly $80,000
  • Announcements
  • Pathways & Partnerships

Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191 is one of six districts to receive a computer science grant from the Minnesota Department of Education totaling nearly $80,000, with the potential to receive an additional two years of funding for a total of over $200,000 of support.

Read More about District 191 receives Minnesota Department of Education grant totaling nearly $80,000
student works in a makerspace
  • Pathways & Partnerships

The model - which we’re calling Pathways K-12 - builds on the work we are already doing in elementary schools. It also aligns with the Pathways model at Burnsville High School that helps students find their passions, understand how classes and careers fit together, and prepare for success after graduation. 

Read More about Creating Equitable Programming And Pathways For All District 191 Students