STAR "3-to-3rd Project" Films

Table of Contents

Overview of STAR School "3-to-3rd Project"

STAR School’s 3-to-3rd Project is a unique and innovative program providing high-quality, culturally relevant early childhood education for our students from Age 3 to Grade 3. Recent research has increasingly pointed out the importance of early learning in a child’s development and the long range impact of this early learning on future school success.

In particular, it is becoming clear that early math learning experiences have a profound influence on not only later math success but also later success in reading. Unfortunately, research tells us, children who are behind early in math tend to stay behind.

It is for these reasons that we created our 3-to-3rd program to provide high quality math learning experiences for children from age 3 to grade 3.

This model has proven so effective that we have developed this multimedia guide demonstrating the core elements of our program for other schools serving similar communities to reference.

Click here to Read More About the STAR 3-to-3rd Project

STAR "3-to-3rd Project" Films...

Films about our Unique Curricula for Age 3 through Grade 3

Adopting and Adapting: Finding the right approach for the STAR 3-to-3rd Model

This short film illustrates how and why the STAR School 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) project chose to Adopt a Montessori approach and Adapt it for the school and community’s unique educational needs. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

A Focus on Math: High Quality Materials

This short film illustrates the use of guided instruction with high quality Montessori math materials for multi-sensory exploration of math concepts at the STAR School. This is one in a series of three short films demonstrating how and why the STAR School’s 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) project focuses on math. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

A Focus on Math: Áhi’iltaa, Math in Cultural Context

This short film illustrates the use of Dine’ (Navajo) Language and Culture in the math curriculum in the STAR School 3-to-3rd project. This is the second in a series of three short films demonstrating how and why the STAR School’s 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) project focuses on math. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

A Focus on Math: The Math Relationship

This short film illustrates how the STAR School 3-to-3rd Project recognizes the Relationship of Math to the world within their curriculum. This is the third in a series of three short films demonstrating how and why the STAR School’s 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) project focuses on math. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

STAR 3-to-3rd Multilingual Cognition: Sign Language

The STAR School 3-to-3rd Project infuses both American Sign and Navajo Languages throughout the daily curriculum. This short film, part 1 in a 2 part series, looks at the benefits of using American Sign Language with children age 3 to grade 3. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

STAR 3-to-3rd Multilingual Cognition: Navajo Language

The STAR School 3-to-3rd (age 3 to grade 3) Project infuses both American Sign and Navajo Languages throughout the daily curriculum. This short film, part 2 in a 2 part series, looks at the use of Navajo Language within the program. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

Place-Based Education in STAR 3-3rd Model

A short film demonstrating how STAR School utilizes Place-Based Education in the 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) classes. STAR is the 1st all off-grid charter school in the country, and is recipient of the 2012 US Dept. of Ed. Green Ribbon Award. STAR is located on the southwestern edge of the Navajo Nation and serves a majority indigenous population. This film is a production by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators; It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

The Prepared Environment in the STAR 3-to-3rd Model – An Expression of Care

This short film illustrates how a Prepared Environment in the STAR School 3-to-3rd (Age 3 to Grade 3) project is an Expression of Care. This film was written and produced by Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com) made for The STAR School as a part of a free training packet for educators. It is for non-commercial, educational purposes. You are welcome to freely share the above training film for non-commercial, educational purposes; appropriate attribution appreciated. This was made possible by a grant from The Rural School and Community Trust to the STAR School.

STAR Peacemaking

A short film in which STAR (Service To All Relations) School Students and Staff Demonstrate how Navajo Peacemaking is Taught and Implemented to Create a Compassionate and Responsive School Environment. Made by STAR School Media 7th / 8th grade students Keanu Jones, Kira Butler, Taylor McCabe, and Kristen Jones under the direction of Rachel Tso (tsoinspired.com). Based on “The Manual for Peacemaking” by Dr. Mark Sorensen and Thomas Walker Jr. This film is an official selection of: The Peace on Earth Film Festival in Chicago, The Red Nation Film Festival in Los Angeles, The Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival, and shown as a part of the Museum of Northern Arizona Navajo Show.

"3-to-3rd Project" Further Readings

This is a narrative and collection of citations -- with abstracts of research articles and literature -- relevant to each of the nine chapters in the "STAR 3-to-3rd Project Workshop Manual", arranged by chapter. Please feel free to use this collection of articles -- to pursue further information and understandings, about the subjects covered in the STAR 3-to-3rd Project.

Click here to see the full "3-to-3rd Project" Narrative and Collection of Citations with Abstracts"

To see the "Rural School Innovation Webinar: The STAR School" Click Here

For More Information or to Schedule a Workshop Please Contact:

info@starschool.org