Lincoln Interactive Releases Third Grade Curriculum for Fall 2011 School Year

BEAVER, Pa., Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Network of Digital Schools, which develops and distributes the nation's premier online curriculum Lincoln Interactive, announced today that it has developed and will release a third grade curriculum for the 2011-2012 school year.

"We are very excited to offer a new grade level and type of curriculum to our students," said Kellie Hamilton, Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction. "Our third grade students are growing up and away from the elements utilized in the Little Lincoln (Early Kindergarten –Second Grade) curriculum. The new course reflects that growth but it is still fresh and young and very child friendly. We've incorporated the best aspects of Little Lincoln with new features that will prepare students for the higher grade levels."

Lincoln Interactive Third Grade is an interactive and engaging standards-based curriculum that features rich multimedia and online components with comprehensive offline activities to engage and stimulate young learners. All Lincoln Interactive courses use original content, books, songs, games, videos, and activities.

The third grade curriculum is a full year of study and is split into four subject areas: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies, all with online and offline components.

The online portion of the new Lincoln Interactive Third Grade delivers content via a custom-built learning management system. The learning management system hosts digital versions of all course texts and features explanations, examples, and graphics. Through this learning platform, students will have opportunities for enrichment and extra practice activities, as well as access to supplemental videos, games, and labs.

"Our staff has worked tirelessly over the last year to create an internal learning management system to deliver our content on. Students will have access to all course work and materials, as well as supplemental learning tools via a web-based program that is accessible through a unique username and password," Hamilton said.

Additional features of the new third grade curriculum include:

• Getting Started activities to begin each day. "Brain Food" topics include test preparation and study skills, wellness, visual arts, music, family and consumer science, and technology. As part of this feature, students receive a box of supplies for wellness activities and an original test preparation book.
• Daily videos corresponding to the lessons, taught by Dr. Forrester (Science and Social Studies), Mr. Addit (Math), and Mr. Griot (Language Arts).

In addition to online content, students receive an array of printed materials including:

• One activity book per subject, per nine weeks
• Multiplication and division flashcards
• An original board game
• The Lincoln Interactive Literature Collections, Third Grade, an original book of short stories, poems, and plays used to study Language Arts
• Two original novels: Latasha and the Little Red Tornado and Postcards from Pismo
• Three highly-regarded novels and a book of poetry

"We are very proud of this curriculum and excited to offer it to students across the country," said Hamilton. "Lincoln Interactive is committed to providing our youngest students with a dynamic curriculum that engages their minds and imaginations, starts them off on a solid path to becoming lifelong learners, and prepares them for the 21st century classroom. Our new third grade curriculum continues those efforts."

The development of this curriculum brings the company one step closer to being a complete Early Kindergarten through 12th grade curriculum. A fourth grade curriculum is expected to be ready for the Fall 2012 school year.

The full line of Lincoln Interactive courses, including Little Lincoln for Early K-Second grade, and Cutting Edge Science for 7th-12th graders, is available for purchase by schools and individuals. To learn more, visit www.lincolninteractive.org.

About the National Network of Digital Schools and Lincoln Interactive: Founded in 2005, The National Network of Digital Schools (NNDS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit management foundation, dedicated to providing the highest quality K-12 online curriculum and comprehensive management services to traditional brick and mortar schools, charter schools, and cyber schools focused on expanding educational opportunities for students.  NNDS is the developer and exclusive provider of Lincoln Interactive, the nation's premier online curriculum, taught in schools in 16 states.

Contact: Toni Cicone Craig, Communications Specialist
724.544.3744 | [email protected]

SOURCE National Network of Digital Schools