Grade-by-grade Curriculum Overview
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Pre-Kindergarten
Full or half day program, 2, 3 or 5 days per week
Pre-kindergarten gives 3-year olds a gentle, caring introduction to the new world of school. Children learn the routine of the school day and begin functioning independently and as members of a group. They learn to take turns, to listen to their teachers and their classmates, to care for themselves and for others.Teachers speak only Chinese, Japanese or Spanish, and the children naturally learn second language expressions for their activities and needs. Dances and group games develop gross motor skills. Drawing, cutting, pasting and playing with small objects encourages fine motor development.Stories, songs, and poems give children the beginning of vocabulary and expression, which will allow them to start communicating in their second language. Art, music, and creative play nurture the imagination.
Low-Kindergarten
Full or half day program, 2, 3 or 5 days per week
Low-kindergarten emphasizes academic exploration and social development for 4-year olds. When children are comfortable with school routines, they begin academic work, always in Spanish, Chinese, or Japanese. Stories, poems and songs continue to foster the growth of spoken language. Children explore counting, numerals, and the ideas of more and less. Drawing exercises build the skills needed for writing. Work with the calendar and weather helps establish the basis for concepts of time and environment.The social growth goals include forming and maintaining friendships, following directions, and increasing self-reliance and self-esteem. Students also enjoy daily participation in art, music, and physical education. New students are welcome in low-kindergarten - returning students help them adapt.
Kindergarten
All day program, 5 days per week
Taught in the target language, mathematics lessons include addition, subtraction and multiplication of numbers through 1,000; and the introduction of division. Word problems let children practice reading and computation skills. The science curriculum includes observation of the environment, the interdependence of living things, and elementary studies of electricity. Studies of history, geography, art and music take on increasing sophistication. And a variety of sports are introduced in physical education.
Our kindergarteners learn from a wide range of academic, social and physical activities. Their class gives them both the challenge of stimulating new experiences and the opportunity to expand their basic skills. They develop the self-discipline, concentration and attention span needed for more advanced academic work. Kindergarten continues to stress spoken language development, and children start to speak in complete sentences in their second language.
Their curriculum, presented entirely in Spanish, Chinese, or Japanese, concentrates on readiness for reading, writing, and math. The children learn to identify letters and sounds. They gradually put together words, and investigate sentence structure using picture symbols.Mathematics focuses on the numbers from zero to nine. Simple addition and the concept of sets are introduced, as well as the uses of numbers as in clocks and calendars. Organizing and playing games enhances the ability to follow directions, to cooperate, and to win and lose with grace. The curriculum also includes science, music, art, and physical education.New students are welcome in kindergarten. They are welcomed and helped by returning students, and quickly settle into classroom routines.
First Grade
First graders put newly mastered skills to work. They continue immersion in their chosen language track. Language skills include reading with expression and comprehension, vocabulary and sentence structure, punctuation, dictation with simple words and sentences, and the introduction of singular and plural, masculine and feminine. First graders begin creative writing.
Mathematics introduces the numbers through 100, with addition, simple word problems, and geometrical forms and measurement. Science learning emphasizes the properties of matter and the living world. Social development emphasizes responsibility.In first grade the students are introduced to regular English classes, with a focus on English reading and writing to complement their second language studies.Physical Education uses traditional group games, exercises, and cultural activities. Artwork explores new media, and music is often combined with culture and physical activity in various performances.
Second And Third Grade
The second and third graders build on the skills learned in first grade as their studies broaden and diversify. True fluency in their chosen language enables students to express feelings and describe experiences.English classes are an integral part of each day, with phonics, reading and writing. In both languages, students learn to read with expression and comprehension. Grammar studies emphasize verb conjugation; correct use of past, present, and future tenses; parts of speech; punctuation; and sentence formation. Dictation develops spelling ability, and creative writing puts new language skills to work.
Fourth And Fifth Grade
Fourth and fifth graders grow more skilled in their chosen language, in English, and in all subject areas. They develop self-discipline and study habits that will serve them all their lives. At this point, students use their second language to present written and oral reports and to write journals, essays and poems. They read longer texts and begin the classical discipline of analyzing texts for grammar, ideas, and literary value.
Math lessons include decimals, fractions, written and oral problems, numbers to the millions, and the concepts of plane geometry and measurement. Science addresses the earth and the planets, geology, living creatures, energy, simple machines, and experiments with electricity. Social Studies surveys world geography and Northwest, American, and European history. In English class, grammar studies include a thorough understanding of elements of speech, and analysis of complex sentences. Lessons focus on reading comprehension and writing in expository, narrative, imaginative, and persuasive formats. Poems, speeches, and literary fiction and non-fiction are explored. Art, Music, and Physical Education continue to be important elements of the curriculum.
A key event for all fifth grade students is the Capstone Academic Trip Abroad.
