Curriculum & Learning Resources

UFLI Foundations Curriculum for Phonics Instruction

Broad Rock Elementary uses UFLI Foundations as our core phonics curriculum for both whole-group instruction and reading intervention. UFLI Foundations is a structured, research-based approach to teaching foundational reading skills.

Through explicit and systematic instruction, students learn:

• Letter-sound relationships

• Phonemic awareness skills

• Decoding and encoding strategies

• Word patterns and spelling conventions

Phonics lessons are carefully sequenced to build skills progressively, ensuring that students develop strong foundations for reading and writing. Instruction includes guided practice, repeated review, and opportunities for students to apply new skills in meaningful ways.

UFLI is also used during targeted reading intervention to provide additional support for students who need extra practice. Small-group intervention allows teachers to meet students where they are and reinforce essential phonics skills at an individualized pace.

Our phonics curriculum helps students become confident, accurate readers and supports long-term reading success across all subject areas.

What Are the Virginia English Standards of Learning?

The Virginia English Standards of Learning (SOLs) describe the reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills students are expected to develop at each grade level. These standards include foundational reading skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension.

Teachers use the English SOLs to guide instruction and select materials that support strong literacy development. By aligning instruction to these standards, schools help students build the foundational and academic skills needed for lifelong reading and learning.

view the standards

Supporting Phonics at Home

Families play an important role in supporting early reading development. Simple activities such as reading daily, practicing letter sounds, building and reading words, and encouraging children to sound out unfamiliar words can make a big difference.

UFLI provides family-friendly resources to help caregivers better understand phonics instruction and support learning at home. These resources include explanations of phonics skills, practice activities, and helpful tips for working with young readers.

Explore resources

EL Curriculum for Language Arts Instruction

Broad Rock Elementary uses the EL Education English Language Arts curriculum to support students in becoming strong readers, writers, thinkers, and communicators. The EL curriculum integrates reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language instruction through engaging, meaningful learning experiences.

Through EL, students:

• Read high-quality, grade-level texts that build knowledge and vocabulary

• Participate in rich discussions and collaborative learning

• Write for a variety of purposes using evidence from texts

• Develop critical thinking and comprehension skills

Lessons are designed around carefully sequenced modules that connect literacy skills with real-world topics, science, and social studies. This approach helps students build background knowledge while deepening their understanding of what they read.

EL instruction emphasizes close reading, academic vocabulary, and writing grounded in evidence. Students are encouraged to explain their thinking, ask questions, and work collaboratively, supporting both academic growth and social-emotional development.

Teachers use a combination of whole-group instruction, small-group support, and targeted interventions to meet the needs of all learners. Together with our phonics instruction, the EL curriculum helps students develop strong foundational skills and a deep understanding of texts.

EL Modules

The EL Education English Language Arts curriculum is organized into modules that provide a structured and engaging learning experience throughout the school year. Each module focuses on a central topic or guiding question and typically lasts several weeks.

Within each module, students:

• Read a series of connected texts centered around a common theme

• Build background knowledge through literature and informational texts

• Practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in meaningful ways

• Complete writing tasks that are connected to what they read and learn

Modules are designed to gradually increase in complexity, allowing students to revisit and strengthen key skills over time. Writing assignments often build across the module, giving students opportunities to plan, draft, revise, and publish their work.

By organizing instruction into modules, EL helps students make deeper connections between texts, ideas, and subject areas while developing strong literacy skills.

What Are the Virginia English Standards of Learning?

The Virginia English Standards of Learning (SOLs) describe the reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language skills students are expected to develop at each grade level. These standards include foundational reading skills such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and comprehension.

Teachers use the English SOLs to guide instruction and select materials that support strong literacy development. By aligning instruction to these standards, schools help students build the foundational and academic skills needed for lifelong reading and learning.

view the standards

Supporting Language Arts at Home

Families can support ELA learning at home by engaging children in meaningful conversations about what they read and learn at school. Helpful strategies include:

• Reading together daily and discussing key ideas, characters, and information

• Asking children to explain what they learned using details from the text

• Encouraging writing at home, such as journaling, letters, or short responses to reading

• Building vocabulary by talking about new words and using them in conversation

Supporting curiosity, discussion, and regular reading at home helps reinforce the skills students develop through the EL curriculum and strengthens comprehension and communication skills.

Science Instruction

Broad Rock Elementary provides a hands-on, inquiry-based science program designed to support the Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) and spark students’ curiosity about the world around them. Instruction encourages students to ask questions, make observations, conduct investigations, and explain their thinking using evidence.

To support learning across grade levels, teachers use a variety of high-quality instructional resources that deepen understanding and engage students through real-world connections. These resources include hands-on materials, informational texts, videos, simulations, and interactive lessons that support different learning styles.

Science instruction may include:

• Hands-on investigations and experiments using Amplify Science materials

• Engaging science lessons and units through Amplify Science (Grades 3–5)

• Interactive, inquiry-based lessons from Mystery Science (Grades K–5)

• Short, engaging videos and discussions with Generation Genius (Grades K–5)

• Science trade books from Follett and Five Ponds Press (Grades K–5)

• Primary-grade science supports from Science3Us (Grades K–2)

• Digital simulations and modeling through Gizmos (Grades 3–5) and PhET

• Formative assessment tools such as Keeley Probes

• Additional instructional resources from GoOpenVA and Pear Suite

Together, these resources allow teachers to provide rich, standards-aligned science instruction that builds scientific knowledge, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Students are encouraged to think like scientists by observing patterns, conducting investigations, and communicating their ideas clearly.

What Are the Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs)?

The Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) describe the science knowledge and skills students are expected to learn at each grade level. Developed by the Virginia Department of Education, these standards guide science instruction in all Virginia public schools.

The Science SOLs emphasize hands-on investigation, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Teachers use the standards to plan lessons, select instructional materials, and assess student learning, ensuring students build a strong understanding of scientific concepts and practices.

View the standards

Supporting Science at Home

Families can support science learning at home by encouraging curiosity and exploration in everyday experiences. Asking questions, making observations, and talking about the world around us help students develop scientific thinking skills.

Simple ways to support science at home include:

• Asking your child to explain what they are learning in science using details and evidence

• Observing nature together, such as weather changes, plants, animals, or seasonal patterns

• Encouraging hands-on exploration through safe experiments, building projects, or problem-solving activities

• Watching science videos or reading nonfiction books together and discussing new ideas

• Talking about how science connects to real life, such as cooking, recycling, or using technology

Supporting curiosity and discussion at home helps reinforce the skills students develop in the classroom and builds confidence as young scientists.