Curriculum Overview

T=Toddler PC=Pre-Casa P=Primary E=Elementary JH=Junior High

This section applies to T, PC, P only

Practical Life Exercises
Care of self, care of the environment, pouring, spooning, cleaning, polishing, food preparation, etc. Grace and courtesy, respectful ways of communicating greetings and manners. This area aids in learning fine motor skills and orderly work habits that will help with further work in all other areas of study.

Sensorial Materials
This area isolates and refines the senses, such as auditory, visual, tactile, chromatic, taste. Sensorial materials also include working on classification, seriation, observation, geometrical shapes, forms and laws of geometry.

Language
This covers oral and written language, phonics, letter recognition, pre-reading and pre-writing, parts of speech, grammar and composition. Storytelling is very important at this age.

Mathematics
Qualitative and quantitative concepts, numeral recognition, decimal system, mathematical operations, and fractions. Understanding mathematical concepts using concrete materials and eventually moving onto abstract calculations.

Culture Subjects
This area of study introduces the child to many different subjects, Geography, History, Zoology, Botany, and Science. Examples of materials covered in Culture are Land forms, countries of the world, continents, flags, elements of nature, current event, living/non-living things, plants and animals, parts of living things, life cycles, experiments, time measurement, and basic physics. Health issues are also introduced such as nutrition, food groups and exercises.

Creative Art
This subject will cover colour theory, exposure to various media, design, and appreciation for individual expression.

Music
This covers introduction to instruments, new and familiar songs, expressive movement through learning different rhythm and beats. Formal lessons done with the Primary students.

This section applies to P only

French
This is a basic introduction to the French Language. Topics include numbers, seasons, greetings, and special holidays.

Physical Education
The physical education program encourages sportsmanship, cooperation, learning the rules of various games, specific sport skills and teamwork. This area will also cover Health and Nutrition. Students will also participate in Swimming lessons.

This section applies to E only

Arithmetic
This subject will cover areas such as the four mathematical operations, fractions, decimals, geometry, measurement, and word problems. Geometry study will include angles, lines and their measurement.

Language
Oral and written language expression is the focus. Parts of Speech and Sentence Analysis are also covered. Students will also do spelling tests, book reports, poems, etc.

History
This will cover Passage of time, the clock, present/past/future, days of the week, months of the year, historical events and people and Timelines.

Geography
This will further cover Land Forms, Puzzle Maps of various Countries, Provinces, Capital cities, flags of all nations, Parts of the Mountain, Layers of the Earth, Solar System, etc. This area will also cover Human geography.

Zoology
Through various experiments and observations this area is the study of animals, their habitats, fundamental needs, external and internal construction, classification and characteristics of the animals of the world.

Botany
This is the study of plants, their parts, functions and needs. Students learn the importance of plants: trees, roots, flowers, seeds leaves, and stems, through scientific experiments.

French
Students will continue to learn basic oral skills. They will also be introduced to the written language, using workbooks and learning the alphabet, parts of speech and common expressions.

Music
Students will be introduced to reading and singing musical notes, rhythm and counts of various beats. They will also be introduced to musical instruments, such as the recorder, tone bars and the keyboard.

Computers and Technology
This subject will cover how to use the Internet, word processing skills, learning through different CD programs, and parts of the computers.

Creative Art
This will encourage individual creative expression through different types of media, different art techniques and design.

Physical Education
The physical education program encourages sportsmanship, cooperation, learning the rules of various games, specific sport skills and teamwork. This area will also cover Health and Nutrition. Students will also participate in Skating and Swimming lessons.

This section applies to JH only

Overview of the Curriculum

All aspects of the curriculum incorporate the following key goals:

• the development of the intellect
• the development of personal identity and well-being
• self-expression
• the development of community and identity within community
• effective communication with peers, younger people, and other adults
• introductory understanding of economic skills
• learning to accept responsibility
• the value of physical and mental work
• what one needs to consider as they approach adulthood

Mathematics and Geometry
Through the use of the Math Makes Sense math series, each student will be placed at his or her own academic level into a text that will challenge them and also help to maintain previously learned math skills. This program takes the students well into the study of algebra and also has a large amount of problem solving which supports the other areas of practical implementation of mathematics. The student will generally be required to complete three problem sets a week in this text to progress at an appropriate pace.

Science
The science curriculum is based on the principles of Scientific Method and discovery. It will examine the interdependence of humans and nature both living and non-living. This will involve studies in ecology, geology, botany, biology, physics, and chemistry over the course of a student's two years in the program.

English
The studies in English in the areas of writing and reading will be centred on the cultural themes. This will also be supported by a weekly seminar study in small groups where students will discuss readings and also weekly writing through all aspects of the curriculum. The students will also be required to reflect on themes, events or readings in their personal journals, which allows for creative expression and thought. The study of grammar and spelling will permeate all aspects of writing in the Junior High program.

French
Students will continue their French studies in the areas of conversation, reading, writing, and grammar. As much as possible, French is integrated with other cultural studies and is another venue for study of our own Canadian culture and history.

Humanities
This area of the program encompasses all areas that help define our humanness: history, literature, politics and political geography, current events, and the arts. One year the focus will be around the transformation of Humans through history both internationally and in our own country and city. In the other year the focus will be around the growth of Canada as a country from indigenous peoples through to Confederation.

Music
The students will continue to develop their keyboarding skills as well as their percussion instruments experience. The students will enhance their skills in reading music and will have the opportunity to create their own compositions. There will be a chance to work and practice instruments independently, in small groups or as a class. This will allow each student to progress in either his or her individual and ensemble performance.

Visual Art
Visual Art is considered in our humanities studies and other areas of creative expression in the student's work, but to maintain our high standard of art instruction, students in the Junior High will continue to participate in the Montessori art program. As well, a visiting artist who is a professional in his/her field will work for a period of time with the Junior High students. This will allow the students to be exposed to alternative styles of art and to learn more about the life of people whom are professional artists. This program also responds to the mentoring that at this age is inspirational for young people.

Due to the extreme privilege that students have in participating in this program, we have a policy that any student that is deemed disruptive by either the visiting artist or the classroom teachers will be excused for the remainder of the session with the specific art specialist.

Physical Education, Health and Wellness
This program looks at the health of the whole adolescent. Activities are varied from curling, cross­ country, traditional team sports, hiking, canoeing, archery, fitness training, yoga, skiing, track and field, and swimming. The physical side of the program is complimented by presentations and discussions on human sexuality, nutrition, substance abuse, protection of self and others, and management of stress.

The other component of this program is the Junior High commitment to preparation of a lunch program. Students will be involved in preparing lunch once a week, which not only provides nutritional meals• for this period of rapid growth, but also provides practical life skills in food preparation, meal planning, clean-up, and collaborative work. This will include purchasing the food items and budgeting.

Off-site Activities
It is critical that students in a successful adolescent program have a variety of opportunities to go out of the school in some cases for a short time in the day and in others for several days at a time. There are a number of reasons for the significant nature of these activities:

• to allow for direct experiences to support curriculum and to also appeal to the concrete, human experience, which is directly connected to the needs of the adolescent
• to bring the students in even more contact with the adult world, to prepare them for it and also expose them to opportunities that could facilitate more educated career choices in the future.
• to develop greater independence from their families while spending time with a diverse group of people in a positive way.
• to develop the skills necessary to prepare for the variety of off-site experiences.

All off-site activities are curricular in nature and will be conducted with adult/guide supervision. Students are required to dress in appropriately designated attire for each activity.

Computer and Technology
Formal computer instruction will be conducted and will be part of the curriculum in the Junior High program. The students will learn about the history of the computer, how a computer works, basic computer components, peripherals, storage/recording devices, word processing, keyboarding, LAN, computer ethics, database, spreadsheets, multimedia, internet, computer acronyms and terminology, basic design principles, marketing and promotion. Students will be engaged on the computer to practice keyboarding skills, research using the internet, and edit/create desktop publishing documents. Students will be evaluated on their computer knowledge, research, planning, design and efficiency.

Students will also be provided with computer time for all aspects of the curriculum to further their research through the Internet and to present information through texts, graphs and charts. However, it will be emphasized that the computer is only one of many research tools and that all written work done on the computer must start from a hand-written first draft. In order to use the computers, students and parents must read our computer policy and acknowledge with signatures that they are aware of the parameters for computer use.

Study Skills and Time Management
Students will have direct instruction in test taking, preparation of study notes, essay writing, highlighting, precise writing and all skills associated with preparation for high school and academic work beyond high school.

To assist in the organization of their time, students will continue to have a study calendar. Students will be supported in the use of this tool and are required to transport it to and from school on a daily basis. All parents are encouraged to reflect on this with their student(s) and in some cases, initial at the appropriate place to acknowledge that their son or daughter has made them aware of what responsibilities they had throughout the day and for homework. Every family is asked to peruse the study calendar together on the weekend and acknowledge with a signature that you have had a chance to do this. This component is important to support and maintain now, as it will establish habits of communication that will not be formally in place in high school.

Advisor Groups
In an effort to respond to the needs and characteristics of the young adolescent, the Junior High team divides the students into Advisor Groups. These small groups meet regularly to address the concerns of the individuals and of the groups as a whole. Often the agenda for these groups will include items such as time management, grace and courtesy, conflict resolution, peer interaction, and evaluation procedures. These groups are intentionally diverse in age, gender, strengths and challenges.

In addition to the small group meetings, the advisor meets with each advisee on a regular basis. This assists in the support/challenge aspect of the young adolescent's development. It may mean that the advisor checks the study calendar, examines a goal setting follow-up or a daily schedule or simply offers the affirmation and support necessary for progress. The role of the advisor includes consulting with parents as well.