Elementary School Curriculum

At AIS-R, we teach for understanding and transfer. Transfer is about independent performance in context.  When we fully understand, we are able to apply learning without someone telling us what to do and when to do it.  For students to thrive in and shape their world, they will need to be able to intelligently and effectively draw on a repertoire of knowledge, skills, and understandings to face new contexts and situations. Our goal is for students to be able to apply their learning independently.

In our school mission, we identify the school-wide transdisciplinary transfer goals for our students.  

• Inquisitive Learner - An inquisitive learner uses curiosity and critical wonder to question and explore their world.

• Independent Learner - An independent learner invests in the learning process and engages in self-reflection to push learning forward.

• Resilient Learner - A resilient learner is adaptable and perseveres through challenges.

• Influencer of Positive Change - An influencer of positive change is an open-minded, courageous community member who leads by example.

In addition to the transdisciplinary transfer goals outlined in our school mission, each discipline has an underlying philosophy and a set of transfer goals that provide insight into teaching and learning in that subject area across from Early Years to Grade 12. You can read more about disciplinary and understanding goals on the AIS-R Website.

Concept-Driven
Conceptual learning moves learning from discrete disconnected facts to larger understandings that are relevant and significant in the world. Through concept-driven units of study, students recognize the interconnectedness of knowledge and make connections across disciplines. Our learners are equipped with tools that enable them to delve deeper, pose intricate questions, and relate their learning to broader contexts.

Inquiry-Based
Teachers use essential questions, phenomena, and provocations to evoke inquiry and discussion that leads to deep learning. Classrooms become hubs of exploration as students observe, question, hypothesize, experiment, and create meaning from their findings. Inquiry-based learning fosters understanding and instills a sense of wonder and excitement about the world. 

Standards-Aligned
Coherent learning progressions identified in KG2-Grade 12 internationally recognized curricular standards provide the foundation for curriculum development in all areas.

• English Language Arts: Common Core Standards For Literacy

• Math K-10: Common Core Standards For Mathematics 

• Social Studies: AERO Social Studies Standards

• Science: Next Generation Science Standards

• Physical and Health Education: National Physical Education Standards  

• Arts: National CORE Arts Standards

• World Languages: World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (ACTFL)

Teachers use the Understanding by Design (UbD) framework to plan for learning. Through backwards design, we align curriculum, instruction, and assessment to learning outcomes. Students acquire essential knowledge and skills that support them in developing understandings that ultimately leads to independent transfer in new contexts. Curricula is regularly updated and revised to reflect current best practices and research.

You can find more detailed information about your child’s grade level curriculum on the AIS-R ES Curriculum Site, including the Year at a Glance and overviews of each unit of study.

At the beginning of each unit, teachers will send home a Unit Overview which outlines the transfer goals, understanding goals, essential questions, and learning targets for the unit.  

At any time, parents can contact their child’s teacher to find out more information about the curriculum and/or their child’s progress towards the grade level learning goals.

Homework

In a culturally diverse learning community, opinions on homework are divided. Our students have a long day learning at school and so we ask that time after school allow students to play, interact with others (preferably in person), take responsibility for appropriate chores and engage with family. AIS-R fosters a thriving reading culture and so students of all ages are expected to interact with books at home, daily. 

Regular routines for home reading are essential for student development in this critical skill and can become a cherished family tradition. Parents are encouraged to read to or with their children every night. All ES students can borrow books from the Learning Commons or their Grade Libraries; some students will bring home leveled books as well as own-interest texts. 

For upper elementary students, other homework tasks may be assigned as appropriate. Teachers will communicate these tasks with students as assigned. 

Assessments  

AIS-R Elementary School uses a variety of assessments to inform instruction, evaluate student performance, and ensure student progress and growth. These assessment practices include: diagnostic assessments, formative assessments, performance assessments, self-assessments, and external assessments. 

Parents may contact teachers at any time to schedule an appointment to discuss a child's progress and growth. 

MAP Testing

The Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth tests are administered three times annually (spring, winter, and fall) for our Grade 1 to Grade 5 students.  

Student results can be accessed via Skyward after the completion of the K-12 testing window under the “Portfolio” tab. 

MAP tests are only one of the many assessments that we use to measure the performance and progress of our elementary school students.  Parents are encouraged to meet with their child’s homeroom teacher to discuss and better understand their child’s test results.  Additional information, such as parent toolkit resources, can be found at www.nwea.org.

Parent Conferences

Scheduled conversations between parents, teachers, and students are important because they provide an opportunity to share information about a student’s academic and social-emotional growth.  During conferences, teachers, parents, and students are encouraged to share information that will help foster a partnership.  

Each school year, there are two calendared conferences for the elementary school.

The first calendared conference is scheduled for the fall.  This conference is an opportunity for parents and teachers to meet to discuss students progress and performance toward learning goals and targeted learning behaviors.

The second conference, calendared in the spring, is led by students.  This is a time for students to share a portfolio that represents their learning, including self-assessments and reflections.  

If you would like to meet with your child’s teacher(s) outside of the calendared conference days, please contact the teacher(s) directly.  All parent meetings must occur on a school day.  

Report Cards

Report Cards are published at the end of each semester and can be accessed via Powerschool. 

Report cards will not be issued before the end of the semester. Any student withdrawing early will continue to have access to Powerschool in order to access the report card when it is published. 

If your child is missing an AIS-R book or your child has a negative account balance on the student card, a notice will be sent to you by email. Student accounts must be reconciled with the Finance Office before the final report card will be published. 

After School Activities: Clubs, Sports, & Learning

After School Clubs, After School Sports, and After School Learning sessions are offered on Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm for students in Grade 1 to Grade 5.  Students must have parent permission to participate in these activities.

After School Clubs offer a wide range of activities for elementary school students.  Most of the activities are designed by individual teachers and are aimed at specific grade levels. These activities may include sports and recreation, arts, music, technology, and service learning.

After School Sports are for students in Grade 4 and Grade 5.  There are four seasons which include soccer, badminton, basketball and track and field.  Tryouts are conducted by the coaches and students who make the team will practice three times a week (Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays) during the season. Usually the sports season ends in a friendly tournament with another school in Riyadh.

After School Learning provides enrichment opportunities for our elementary school students.  Students enrolled in After School Learning will be provided extended learning opportunities and challenges aligned with the AIS-R curriculum.

Information regarding After School Clubs, After School Sports, and After School Learning will be shared with students and their families prior to each session.  Students are required to register through Powerschool.  Once registration is complete, students should plan to attend each scheduled club meeting or sporting practice.

Students must remain with their After School Club, After School Sports, or After School Learning supervisor from 3:30-4:30 in the designated location. The supervisor will accompany all students to their dismissal location at 4:30 pm.

Field Trips

Field trips are an important part of school life and learning. Students participating in a field trip must have all documentation returned by the communicated deadline (permission slip, medical form, etc.). Student attendance is dependent on this documentation being provided.

AIS-R transportation is used for all field trips that are off-campus (excluding field trips to Al Bustan facilities). All students must travel to and from a field trip location using AIS-R transportation. 

The off-campus and open-ended nature of field trips require great levels of trust in student behavior. Student participation in field trips depends on AIS-R appropriate behavior being demonstrated. School expectations for behavior on trips aligns to expectations while on campus and we celebrate that our students can be Eagle Ambassadors to the greater community. 

Week Without Walls (WWW)

For one week each year, ES students participate in Week Without Walls.  The Week Without Walls program is an integral part of our elementary school curriculum.  The experiences we provide are educational and enriching, and they enable students to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in the classroom to authentic contexts outside of the classroom.  Week Without Walls also provides opportunities for students to discover and develop their personal strengths through exploration and participation in new activities.  Furthermore, Week Without Walls is a time for classes and grade levels to build stronger bonds as they take on new adventures together.

As with field trips, the open-ended nature of Week Without Walls requires great levels of trust in student behavior; student participation is dependent on AIS-R appropriate behavior being demonstrated and school expectations for behavior on trips aligns to expectations while on campus.