B.S. in Elementary Education K-8

Options

(The following options may be added to the Elementary Education K-8 major, but students are not required to add an option. Additional options do not lead to additional licensure.) Students must meet the requirements of the Elementary Education K-8 curriculum, as well as the additional coursework outlined on each Option's page.

Program Learning Outcomes

  • Program Learning Outcomes: (a) Demonstrate understanding of how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, behavioral health continuum, and physical areas, and individualize developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences for learners of all cognitive abilities
  • (b) Use understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities, including American Indians and tribes in Montana and English Language Learners (ELL), to ensure inclusive environments that enable each learner to meet high standards
  • (c) Work with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation
  • (d) Demonstrate understanding of the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) the candidate teaches and create individualized learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content, and include the instruction of reading and writing literacy into all program areas
  • (e) Demonstrate understanding of how to connect concepts and use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues
  • f) Use multiple methods of assessment, including formative and summative assessments, to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacherꞌs and learnerꞌs decision making
  • (g) Plan and implement individualized instruction that supports students of all cognitive abilities in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context
  • (h) Use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections and build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways
  • (i) Engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to continually evaluate candidateꞌs practice, particularly the effects of candidateꞌs choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner
  • (j) Interact knowledgeably and professionally with students, families, and colleagues based on social needs and institutional roles
  • (k) Engage in leadership or collaborative roles, or both, in content-based professional learning communities and organizations and continue to develop as professional educators
  • (l) Demonstrate understanding of and ability to integrate history, cultural heritage, and contemporary status of American Indians and tribes in Montana

Note: Students must be admitted into the Teacher Education Program prior to taking their upper-division methods and practicum coursework. Elementary Education majors must pass at least one science course that includes a lab.

Recommended Program Sequence For Required Elementary Education K-8

Freshman YearCredits
FallSpring
US Core3  
EDU 222IS - Educ Psych & Child Development
or EDU 223IS - Educ Psych and Adolescent Dev
3  
M 132 - Numbers & Operations for K-8 Teachers3  
BIOB 100IN - Organism Function
or BIOM 103IN - Unseen Universe: Microbes
3  
NASX 105D - Introduction to Native American Studies
or NASX 205D - Native Americans in Contemporary Society
or NASX 232D - MT Indians: Cultures, Histories, Current Issues
3  
EDU 204IA - Arts & Lifelong Learning  3
M 133Q - Geometry & Measure K-8 Teachers  3
GPHY 121D - Human Geography
or GPHY 141D - Geography of World Regions
or ANTY 101D - Anthropology and the Human Experience
or SOCI 101IS - Introduction to Sociology
or AMST 101D - Introduction to American Studies
or AMST 201IH - American Identity, American Dreams
or LS 194D - Introduction to Africana Studies
  3
W Core  3
Approved STEM Elective  3-4
Year Total: 15 15
Sophomore YearCredits
FallSpring
EDU 211D - Multicultural Education3  
EDU 331 - Lit and Literacy for Children3  
PHSX 201IN - Physics by Inquiry
or PHSX 103IN - The Physics of How Things Work
or CHMY 102CS - Applying Chemistry to Society
3  
M 234 - Higher Math for K-8 Teachers3  
HSTA 101IH - American History I
or HSTA 102IH - American History II
or HSTR 101IH - Western Civilization I
or HSTR 102IH - Western Civilization II
4  
EDU 330 - Emergent Literacy  3
EDU 370 - Integrating Tech into Educ  3
PSCI 210IS - Introduction to American Government  3
ERTH 101IN - Earth System Sciences
or ERTH 212RN - Yellowstone: Scientific Lab
or GEO 105IN - Oceanography
or GEO 111IN - Dinosaurs
or GEO 140IN - Planetary Geoscience
or ASTR 110IN - Introduction to Astronomy: Mysteries of the Sky
  3-4
Elective  3-4
Year Total: 16 16
Junior YearCredits
FallSpring
EDU 382 - Assessmt, Curric, Instructn3  
EDU 411 - ESL:Teaching Culturally/Linguistically Diverse K-12 Students3  
EDSP 306 - Exceptional Learners3  
EDM 418 - Methods: K-8 Health Enhancement3  
Elective3-4  
EDP 301 - Practicum I: K-81
or EDP 303 - Practicum I & II (cohort)
  3
EDU 342 - Managing the Learning Environment  3
EDM 413 - Methods: K-8 Language Arts  3
EDM 420 - Methods: K-8 Creative Arts  3
Elective   3
Year Total: 16 15
Senior YearCredits
FallSpring
EDP 302 - Practicum II: K-8
or EDP 303 - Practicum I & II (cohort)
3  
EDM 414R - Methods: K-8 Social Studies3  
EDM 415 - Methods: K-8 Science3  
EDM 416 - Methods: K-8 Math3  
EDU 438 - Literacy Assessment, Diagnosis and Instruction3  
EDU 495R - Student Teaching  12
Year Total: 15 12
Total Program Credits: 120

Approved Stem Electives

ASTR 110INIntroduction to Astronomy: Mysteries of the Sky3
BIOB 160Principles of Living Systems4
BIOB 170INPrinciples of Biological Diversity4
BIOE 103CSEnvironmental Science and Society3
BIOM 103INUnseen Universe: Microbes3
CHMY 102CSApplying Chemistry to Society3
CHMY 121IN
CHMY 122IN
Introduction to General Chemistry
and Introduction to General Chemistry Lab
4
CHMY 141
CHMY 142
College Chemistry I
and College Chemistry I Lab
4
ECHM 205CSEnergy and Sustainability3
EELE 101Introduction to Electrical Fundamentals3
EGEN 105Introduction to General Engineering2
EGEN 125CSTech, Innovation, and Society3
ERTH 101INEarth System Sciences4
ERTH 212RNYellowstone: Scientific Lab4
M 105QContemporary Mathematics 3
M 121QCollege Algebra3
M 151QPrecalculus4
M 161QSurvey of Calculus4
M 171QCalculus I4
M 420Geometry, Measurement, and Data in the Middle Grades3
M 424Algebraic Thinking and Number Sense in the Middle Grades3
NRSM 101Natural Resource Conservation3
PHSX 103INThe Physics of How Things Work3
PHSX 201INPhysics by Inquiry3
PHSX 205College Physics I4
PHSX 207College Physics II4
STAT 216QIntroduction to Statistics3
TE 207Materials and Processes4
TE 250CSTechnology and Society3

A minimum of 120 credits is required for graduation; 42 of these credits must be in courses numbered 300 and above.

1

 Elementary Education majors must complete M 133Q prior to EDP 301 - Practicum (I).