Curriculum

In English Language Arts, students in grades 1 through 8 are instructed through the following Common Core Curriculum strands:

• Reading Foundation
  • concepts of print
  • comprehension strategies
• Reading
  • wide reading increasing in complexity
  • varied and targeted tasks
• Writing
  • vocabulary
  • syntax
  • organization of ideas
  • language usage
• Language
  • conventions
  • knowledge of the language
  • vocabulary acquisition and use
  • spelling
• Listening and Speaking
  • comprehension and collaboration
  • presentation of knowledge and ideas

Students in high school are instructed through the following topics using the common core standards. All classes will focus on improving student reading comprehension, analysis of the elements of literature, and writing for a variety of purposes.

• English I
  • Greek Mythology and the Hero’s Journey
  • Gothic Movements and To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Interview Techniques and Analysis
  • Shakespearean Sonnets and Romeo and Juliet
  • The Book Thief

• English II
  • Creation Myths and Archetypes
  • The Short Story Genre
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
  • Shakespearean Comedy
  • Of Mice and Men

• English III
  • Transcendentalism
  • The Great Gatsby
  • American Theatre
  • Othello
  • Memoirs and Personal Narratives

• English IV
  • Romanticism and Frankenstein
  • 1984
  • Brave New World
  • Hamlet
  • Satire
  • Capstone Project

The Common Core Standards covered in each grade level are the following;

Kinder:

• Numbers to 10
• Two-Dimensional and Three-Dimensional Shapes
• Comparison of Length, Weight, Capacity, and Numbers to 10
• Number Pairs, Addition, and Subtraction to 10
• Numbers 10–20 and Counting to 100
• Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing Shapes

Grade 1:

• Sums and Differences. Embedded numbers & Decompositions; commutative property of addition
• Introduction to Place Value Through Addition and Subtraction Within 20, Including decomposition of numbers.
• Order & Compare Length Measurements as numbers. Measurement and Data Interpretation
• Place Value, Comparison, Addition & Subtraction to 40
• Identifying, Composing & Partitioning Shapes. Shapes – Triangles, Quadrilaterals, Circles. Fractions – Halves and Quarters of rectangles & circles.
• Place Value, Comparison, Addition and Subtraction to 100

Grade 2:

• Sums and Differences to 20
• Addition and Subtraction of Length Units
• Place Value, Counting, and Comparison of Numbers to 1000
• Addition and Subtraction Within 200 with Word Problems to 100
• Addition and Subtraction Within 1000 with Word Problems to 100
• Foundations of Multiplication and Division
• Problem Solving with Length,
• Time, Shapes, and Fractions as Equal Parts of Shapes

Grade 3:

• Properties of Multiplication and Division and Solving Problems with Units of 2–5 and 10
• Place Value and Problem Solving with Units of Measure
• Multiplication and Division with Units of 0, 1, 6–9, and Multiples of 10
• Multiplication and Area
• Fractions as Numbers on the Number Line
• Collecting and Displaying Data
• Geometry and Measurement Word Problems

Grade 4:

• Place Value, Rounding, and Algorithms for Addition and Subtraction
• Unit Conversions and Problem Solving with Metric Measurement
• Multi-Digit Multiplication and Division
• Angle Measure and Plane Figures
• Fraction Equivalence, Ordering, and Operations
• Decimal Fractions
• Exploring Multiplication

Grade 5:

• Place Value and Decimal Fractions
• Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations
• Addition and Subtraction of Fractions
• Multiplication and Division of Fractions and Decimal Fractions
• Addition and Multiplication with Volume and Area
• Problem Solving with the Coordinate Plane

Grade 6:

• Ratios and Unit Rates
• Arithmetic Operations Including Division of Fractions
• Rational Numbers
• Expressions and Equations
• Area, Surface Area and Volume Problems
• Statistics

Grade 7:

• Ratios and Proportional Relationships
• Rational Numbers
• Expressions and Equations
• Percent and Proportional Relationships
• Statistics and Probability
• Geometry

Grade 8:

• Integer Exponents and Scientific Notation
• The Concept of Congruence
• Similarity
• Linear Equations
• Examples of Functions from Geometry
• Linear functions
• Introduction to Irrational Numbers Using Geometry

Students in high school will be able to take the following Math classes;

Algebra I:

• Relationships Between Quantities and Reasoning with Equations and Their Graphs
• Descriptive Statistics
• Linear and Exponential Functions
• Polynomial and Quadratic Expressions, Equations and Functions
• A Synthesis of Modeling with Equations and Functions

Geometry:

• Congruence, Proof and Constructions
• Similarity, Proof and Trigonometry
• Extending to Three Dimensions
• Connecting Algebra and Geometry Through Coordinates
• Circles With and Without Coordinate

Algebra II:

• Polynomial, Rational and Radical Relationships
• Build up from – Functions from Algebra l and Trigonometric Ratios and Circles from Geometry
• Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
• Inference and Conclusions from Data

Pre-Calculus

• Complex Numbers and Transformations
• Extension of Concept of Matrices from Module 1
• Revisit Fundamental Theorem of Algebra and Explore Complex Roots of Polynomial Functions
• Revisit Trigonometry from Geometry and Algebra ll – Expanding the Ideas of Right Triangle Trigonometry and The Unit Circle
• Build on Concept of Probability developed in previous courses

Our Science Curriculum from Kindergarten through Grade 8 teaches physical science, earth science, and life science integrated. The topics taught in each grade level are:

Kindergarten

• Push and pull
• Earth, Day, and Night
• Living and nonliving things.

Grade 1

• Transparent and opaque
• Light and its sources
• Animal sense and parts of a plant
• Communication
• Sun, moon, stars, and earth
• Scientific tools
• Survival
• Phases of the moon
• Forces
• Forms of energy

Grade 2

• Water
• Physical Changes
• Earthquakes
• Geographic Features
• Erosion
• Tsunamis
• Volcanoes

Grade 3

• Motion and Stability: Forces and Interactions
• Earth’s Systems
• Structures and Processes
• Ecosystems
• Traits
• Biological evolution

Grade 4

• Energy – Sound, Heat, Light, Water and Electricity
• Our Earth – Rocks, Fossils and Weathering
• Plants, Animals and Human Body Systems 

Grade 5

• Matter and Magnetism
• Water, Solar System
• Plants and Ecosystems

Grade 6

• Matter
• Atomic Structure
• Chemical interactions
• Solutions, Acids, and bases
• Planet Earth
• Rocks and Minerals
• Plate tectonics
• Molecular biology
• Evolution
• Plants

Grade 7

• Forces
• Newton’s Law of Motion
• Fluid Forces
• Work and Machines
• Introduction to Energy
• Thermal Energy and Heat
• Nuclear Chemistry
• Earth’s Freshwater and Oceans
• Atmospheric Processes
• Weathering and Soils
• Plants

Grade 8 – General Science

• The physics of Waves, Sound, Light, Electricity and Magnets
• Earth’s History
• Ecology, including populations, natural resources and energy
• Weather and Climate
• Zoology of vertebrates and invertebrates
• Human Body Systems

In high school we offer the following Science classes;

Biology

• Foundations of Biology
• Life’s Origins
• Cell Reproduction and Genetics
• Ecology
• Natural Selection and Evolution
• Classification and Diversity
• Human Body Systems

Chemistry

• Characteristics of Science and its Limitations
• Properties of Matter and Energy
• Atomic Theory, Quantum Mechanics and Periodic Trends
• Ionic and Covalent bonding
• Chemical Reactions and Radioactivity
• Stoichiometry
• Phases of Matter and Gas Laws
• Energy in reactions
• Solutions, Acids and Bases

Environmental Science

• Fundamental Ecological Principles
• Human Population and the Environment
• Sustainable use of Natural Resources
• Agriculture and the Environment
• Energy and the Environment
• Pollution and the Environment

Anatomy and Physiology

• Body Organization, chemistry and histology
• Integumentary
• Skeletal System 
• Muscular System
• Nervous System
• Endocrine System and Blood
• Lymphatic System and Immunity
• Respiratory System
• Digestive System and Metabolism

Physics

• Math and Measurement
• Velocity and Acceleration
• Newton’s Laws
• Energy, Work and Power
• Electricity
• Waves, Lenses and Mirrors
• Atomic Theory, Radiation, Fission and Fusion

We have adapted the Common Core Social Studies Curriculum from Kindergarten through Grade 8 as follows:

Kindergarten – family, getting along with others, solving problems, being a helper, neighborhoods, where people live, needs and wants 

Grade 1 – rules, community helpers, maps, belonging, family traditions, neighborhoods, good citizens

Grade 2 – community, maps, human interaction with the environment, needs and wants, Curacao, community leaders, good citizens

Grade 3 – Caribbean geography, building communities, Regions of the United States, Indigenous people of the United States, Exploration of the new world, US colonies, declaration of independence, Spanish colonization of the Americas, Latin America

Grade 4 – Physical, cultural, and political geography of Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

Grade 5 –  Early humans and the rise of civilization, Ancient Egypt and the Middle East, Ancient India, Ancient China, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome.

Grade 6 – Medieval Times, West Africa, Imperial China, Early American Civilizations, Europe’s Renaissance and Reformation.

Grade 7 – Intro to Geography, Study human, political, and cultural geography of each continent.

Grade 8 – In eighth grade, students develop a new, more abstract level of understanding of social studies concepts. The goal of the course is to build content knowledge while enhancing reading and writing skills. Students will analyze documents and expand their understanding of history by studying the people and events that ushered in the dawn of the civilizations. Geography is of special significance in the development of the human story. Continued emphasis is placed on the everyday lives, problems, and accomplishments of people, their role in developing social, economic, and political structures, as well as in establishing and spreading ideas that helped transform the world forever. Students will conduct an in-depth research project, about the effects of migration, and the plight of refugees. This will be followed by students researching their own families, and examining what external factors that have influenced choices that were made.

Students in high school have the following classes to pick from;

Civics and U.S. Government – The course Civics and U.S. Government is designed to give the student a better understanding of the framework of governments on both the national and local level. Through the course they will gain a deeper understanding of their own political thought, and the thoughts of those in power and improve their confidence in critical thinking. Students will acquire knowledge of Civics and American Government including specific names, terms, and concepts, weave together the skills and content of civics, history, and geography and learn how they affect each other.

Global Studies – Global Studies course is designed to give the student a better understanding of globalization. It is interdisciplinary and thematic, with special attention to the political, economic, social, historical and cultural patterns that are defining the modern world – its “people” and its “politics.” The course explores alternative theoretical frameworks that have been used to offer meaningful explanations of “globalization” and other social phenomena. Through the course the student will gain a deeper understanding of global interconnectedness and current events. They will consider multiple perspectives, weigh evidence, and make sound judgments about the contemporary world.

U.S. History – American History provides students with the opportunity to acquire an understanding of the chronological development of the American people and government by examining the political, economic, social, religious, military, scientific, and cultural events that have affected the rise and growth of the nation. Content covered includes, but is not limited to: an understanding of geographic‐historic and time‐space relationship, changes and trends in American culture through the centuries, the Civil War as the solution to the secession issue, the technological and urban transformation of the country, and American foreign political development.

Principles and Precepts Economics – Economics is the study of how individuals, businesses and societies make decisions regarding their limited resources and the effects of those choices. Students will be introduced to the basics of economic principles, and learn how to think like economists. They will explore different economic systems, including the American free enterprise system, analyze and interpret data, and consider economic applications in today’s world. From economics in the world of
business, money, banking, and personal finance, students see how economics is applied both domestically and globally and will deepen their understanding of the economic problems faced by the nation and the world.

World History – This course is a comprehensive study of World History, students will be exploring topics from the Early River Valley Civilizations to the present day.  Students will examine the scope of history through a global lens and will often serve as the historian, as they interpret historical evidence, analyze primary source material, to enhance their understanding of causation, and to determine its relevance, and recognize the strengths and weaknesses that existed. Critical thinking skills will be vital as the goal of this class is not simply to recount historical facts, students will scrutinize cultural, economic, political and social developments that played a fundamental role in shaping the world in which we now live.