Northbridge Public Schools Elementary Curriculum Overview
At Northbridge Public Schools, we are committed to providing students with high-quality, rigorous, and relevant instruction that prepares them for success in college, careers, and life. Our curriculum, instruction, and assessment practices are aligned with the Massachusetts State Frameworks and the Common Core Standards.
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
In addition to embedding social-emotional learning into academic instruction, our district uses the Second Step® family of programs by Committee for Children to support students in grades PreK–8. Second Step® SEL provides engaging, developmentally appropriate resources that help teachers teach essential skills such as cooperation, communication, and decision-making. These skills are critical for students' lifelong success, emotional intelligence, and healthy relationships.
Preschool Program
The integrated Preschool Program at Northbridge Elementary School serves children ages 3 and 4. It emphasizes:
Building self-esteem
Encouraging creative thinking
Developing social interaction
Our language-rich program uses play-based, hands-on learning and developmentally appropriate practices. Each classroom is led by a certified teacher with teaching assistants, and supported by a full-time speech-language pathologist, school adjustment counselor, and nurse.
The preschool curriculum aligns with Massachusetts Common Core Standards. Key resources include:
Get Set for School: A comprehensive, research-based Pre-K curriculum that supports academic readiness through structured play, SEL, and multisensory instruction. It targets six key learning domains: Language & Literacy, Physical Development, Social-Emotional Learning, Science & Social Studies, Numbers & Math, and Readiness & Writing.
Lively Letters™: A multisensory, research-based phonics program that uses stories and visuals to help students learn letter-sound associations. It is especially effective for students with dyslexia, speech/language delays, and English language learners.
Kindergarten – Grade 5 Curriculum
English Language Arts (ELA)
Our ELA curriculum is designed to build strong foundational literacy, reading comprehension, and writing skills. Students engage with a variety of rich texts while receiving explicit, systematic instruction tailored to their developmental needs.
Primary resources include:
Wonders 2020 (McGraw-Hill): This core resource aligns with MA Frameworks and supports:
Phonics, decoding, and vocabulary development
Access to complex, grade-level texts with appropriate scaffolding
A wide range of genres and culturally inclusive literature
Integration of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and differentiated instruction
Support for English Language Learners at all proficiency levels
Fundations (Wilson Language Training): Used in Grades 1–3 to provide systematic, research-based phonics and word study instruction. Fundations emphasizes phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and handwriting in a multisensory format.
Just Words (Wilson Language Training): Implemented in Grades 4–5, this program offers targeted word study for students needing additional support with decoding, spelling, and vocabulary, using explicit, structured literacy instruction.
ECRI (Enhanced Core Reading Instruction): Used in Grades K–2 to deliver highly structured, evidence-based routines and interventions that support foundational reading development.
Lively Letters™: Implemented in Kindergarten to support early phonemic awareness and phonics skills using engaging, multisensory strategies.
Handwriting Without Tears: Used in Kindergarten and Grade 1 to make learning penmanship fun, developmentally appropriate, and multisensory.
Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD): A research-based writing framework that strengthens student writing through explicit strategy instruction, while integrating SEL practices. Our teachers receive ongoing training and coaching in SRSD through a partnership with Providence College and support from the U.S. Department of Education.
Corrective Reading and Benchmark Phonics Intervention: Intensive, direct instruction programs designed to accelerate reading progress for students performing below grade level.
Mathematics
Our math curriculum builds a strong foundation in number sense, problem-solving, and mathematical reasoning. Instruction is designed to promote:
Conceptual understanding
Procedural fluency
Real-world application
Core programs:
Reveal Math (McGraw-Hill): A comprehensive, balanced math program that integrates inquiry-based learning with direct instruction. Key features include:
STEM-focused units that connect math to real-world challenges
Embedded Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) objectives aligned with CASEL competencies
Opportunities for collaborative problem-solving and academic discourse
ST Math: Funded by a grant from the One8 Foundation, ST Math is a visual, game-based program that develops deep conceptual understanding through spatial reasoning and productive struggle. Students progress at their own pace through interactive puzzles that reinforce core math skills.gle.
Science and Engineering
Our science instruction is hands-on, exploratory, and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Each unit is centered around essential questions that foster curiosity and critical thinking.
Primary resource:
Mystery Science: A K–5 multimedia curriculum that begins with questions students naturally wonder about (e.g., “How do volcanoes form?”). Lessons integrate video, discussion, and hands-on investigations and support both science and literacy development. Can be used as a core or supplemental program.
Social Studies
Our Social Studies curriculum combines content knowledge with reading, research, and critical thinking. Through engaging units and inquiry-based learning, students explore historical events, geography, civics, and diverse perspectives.
Students engage in:
Close reading of nonfiction texts and biographies
Inquiry-based projects and discussions
Activities that develop historical thinking and civic responsibility
Instructional materials include:
Teacher-created units
McGraw-Hill Impact Social Studies
Investigating History (currently implemented in Grade 5, with plans to expand to Grades 3–5): A Massachusetts-designed, inquiry-driven curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, primary sources, and diverse narratives.
Northbridge Middle School Curriculum Overview (Grades 6–7)
At Northbridge Middle School, our curriculum is designed to support academic excellence while nurturing students’ social-emotional development. Instruction is aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and grounded in current educational research and best practices.
English Language Arts (ELA)
Our ELA program is built on teacher-developed curriculum units aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks. These units incorporate high-quality literature, nonfiction texts, and writing tasks tailored to meet the needs of our learners.
Students also benefit from Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD)—a research-based writing framework that integrates:
Explicit instruction in evidence-based writing strategies
Writing in response to complex texts
Social-emotional strategies to promote motivation, independence, and self-regulation
To further personalize instruction, we use i-Ready, a digital platform that:
Diagnoses individual learning needs
Offers targeted lessons to address skill gaps
Provides practice and reinforcement aligned with classroom instruction
Mathematics
Mathematics
Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, Illustrative Mathematics is our core math curriculum for Grades 6 and 7. This problem-based program encourages:
Deep conceptual understanding
Mathematical reasoning and academic discourse
Real-world application of math skills
Students explore rigorous, meaningful problems and collaborate to build fluency and critical thinking.
In addition, ST Math, a visual and game-based program, supplements instruction by promoting:
Spatial-temporal reasoning and conceptual understanding
Individualized, self-paced learning pathways
Productive struggle and problem-solving resilience
Science
Science instruction is guided by OpenSciEd, a phenomenon-based curriculum aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Massachusetts Frameworks.
Key features include:
Hands-on, inquiry-based investigations
Exploration of real-world scientific problems
Collaboration, modeling, and data analysis to support evidence-based explanations
Students build a deep understanding of science content while developing scientific thinking and communication skills.
Social Studies
Our Grades 6 and 7 Social Studies curriculum uses Investigating History, an inquiry-based program developed to align with the 2018 Massachusetts History and Social Science Framework. This curriculum:
Integrates literacy, critical thinking, and historical analysis
Uses essential questions to explore civics, geography, and world history
Engages students in analyzing primary and secondary sources, forming arguments, and conducting research
Through this work, students develop a strong foundation in civic knowledge and historical thinking.
Northbridge High School – Grade 8 Curriculum Overview
Grade 8 students are now housed at Northbridge High School, where they benefit from expanded resources and increased access to academic programming.
English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
Grade 8 students continue with the district’s vertically aligned curriculum, building on skills and content introduced in earlier grades:
English Language Arts (ELA): Students engage in teacher-designed, standards-based units, supported by Self-Regulated Strategy Development (SRSD) for writing and i-Ready for personalized reading and skill development.
Mathematics: The Illustrative Mathematics program deepens students’ understanding of algebraic thinking, problem-solving, and mathematical reasoning.
Science: Using OpenSciEd, students participate in hands-on, inquiry-based science units aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Social Studies: The Democracy Knowledge Project (DKP) curriculum, aligned with Massachusetts Civics standards, helps students:
Understand democratic principles and government structures
Engage in project-based learning through the Civics Project, a student-led exploration of a real-world community or policy issue
Develop critical thinking skills and informed civic participation
Northbridge High School Curriculum Overview
Northbridge High School offers a comprehensive and engaging academic program designed to support student success and prepare all learners for college, careers, and life beyond high school. Our Program of Studies includes a wide range of courses across core academic disciplines and elective areas, providing students with opportunities to explore their interests and reach their full potential.
Curriculum and Course Offerings
All courses are aligned with the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and reflect national standards. Instruction emphasizes:
Technology integration
Writing across the curriculum
Research, presentation, and communication skills
Students are placed in courses based on a combination of factors, including:
Standardized testing results
Academic history and performance
Teacher recommendations
Student interests
Parent/guardian input
Northbridge High School offers four academic levels to meet the needs of diverse learners:
Advanced Placement (AP)
Honors
College Preparatory (CP)
Enrichment
Each course includes a Course Expectation Sheet outlining:
Course objectives and expectations
Grading rubrics and assessment criteria
Required materials and resources
This ensures students and families clearly understand the requirements and supports available for academic success.