Building independent thinking
Welcome to ISB's Lower Elementary Grades - Kindergarten to Grade 2. Our students are developing their natural curiosity in learning and our teachers have the rewarding job of guiding them to build their self confidence, advocacy and independent thinking. Our Lower Elementary grades are a safe and friendly environment where students can begin their journey to achieve their academic potential; be passionate and reflective learners; become caring global citizens and lead healthy, active, and balanced lives. We strive to make learning enjoyable and challenging.
GRADE LEVEL PROGRAMS
KINDERGARTEN
KINDERGARTEN
Language Arts
Balanced Literacy
Recent classroom research shows that literacy develops best
when a balanced program is in place. At the center of our program is the reading
and writing workshop, which includes a mini-lesson (explicit modeling and guided
practice), independent reading or writing, and partner time. In addition to the
workshop, the other components of a balanced literacy framework include:
Interactive read-aloud, shared reading/writing; Phonics/Word Study; Small Group
Instruction (guided reading, strategy lessons, and interventions).
Reading
At ISB, our curriculum aims at creating independent, lifelong readers through the
development of students’ comprehension, fluency, and stamina. Kindergarten
students will begin with a focus on narrative sense by retelling rich literature by
“reading” the illustrations. Throughout the year, students will focus on developing
their reading skills and related strategies with both fiction and nonfiction texts.
Writing
Kindergarten students will begin with a focus on storytelling and personal narratives,
moving from oral telling about the story they’ve drawn, to labeling and adding
words and sentences. Students will develop their skills within the following types of
writing: narrative, informational, and opinion. During writer’s workshop, students will
engage in the writing process of generating ideas, rehearsing, drafting, revising,
editing, and publishing.
Listening and Speaking
Speaking and listening are woven into many areas of the curriculum throughout the
year, especially in their partnership work in literacy, math, and science, as they strive
to develop skills related to attentive listening, collaborative communication and
clear presentation of ideas.
Mathematics
We believe mathematics is an essential universal language, necessary as a
reasoning tool to solve problems and make sense of our world. At ISB mathematical
thinkers use reasoning and apply skills to solve problems and make informed
decisions about their world. The Kindergarten content standards and practices are:
Counting and Cardinality
● Know number names and the count sequence.
● Count to tell the number of objects.
● Compare numbers.
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
● Understand addition as putting together and adding to, and understand
subtraction as taking apart and taking from.
Number and Operations in Base Ten
● Work with numbers 11-19 to gain foundations for place value.
Measurement and Data
● Describe and compare measurable attributes.
● Classify objects and count the number of objects in each category
Geometry
● Identify and describe shapes.
● Analyze, compare, create, and compose shapes.
Mathematical Practices
1. Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
3. Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
4. Model with mathematics.
5. Use appropriate tools strategically.
6. Attend to precision.
7. Look for and make use of structure.
8. Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Science
All science units are taught using hands-on, inquiry activities that are designed to
further the understanding of the content and foster the natural curiosity of
elementary children.
Connections to Our World: This unit explores the use and properties of materials. It is
an inquiry into the natural world that surrounds them, how materials are used and
interact with each other and their connections within our environment. It focuses on
our responsibility to share and conserve both natural and human made resources.
Growing and Changing: In this unit, students observe how living things change over
time. They become gardeners, learning how to care for a community of living plants.
Kindergarteners collaborate to identify the needs of plants and how best to provide
those basic needs. Through this authentic context, learners develop a deeper
respect for living things including their own needs, compare and contrast living and
nonliving things, and reflect on how careful observation and recording can show
how things change over time.
Social Studies
Students are encouraged to reflect upon their own cultural identities as well as to
recognize and respect cultural similarities and differences within a global
perspective. Kindergarten students will develop their social skills through the All
About Me lessons, which are woven throughout the day and year as students look at
Why am I Unique?, How am I Special?, and How Are We Alike and How Are We
Different?
Health and Wellbeing
The curriculum provides the basis for developing knowledge, understanding and skills
for children to lead healthy, safe and active lives. Students have opportunities to
learn about their strengths and simple actions they can take to keep themselves and
their classmates healthy and safe. This is integrated throughout the year through All
About Me and Growing and Changing.
Typical Kindergarten Daily Schedule
7:40-9:00 Core Learning Block 1
9:00-9:20 Recess
9:20-10:10 Core Learning Block 2
10:10-11:30 Specialists (Art, PE, World Language, Music)
11:35-12:30 Lunch and Recess
12:30-2:20 Core Learning Block 3
FIRST GRADE
Language Arts
Balanced Literacy
Recent classroom research shows that literacy develops best when a balanced program is in place. At the center of our program is the reading and writing workshop, which includes a mini-lesson (explicit modeling and guided practice), independent reading or writing, and partner time. In addition to the workshop, the other components of a balanced literacy framework include: Read-aloud with accountable talk, shared reading/writing; Phonics/Word Study; Small Group Instruction (guided reading, strategy lessons, and interventions).
Reading
At ISB, our curriculum aims at creating independent, lifelong readers through the development of students’ comprehension, fluency, and stamina. Throughout the year, students will focus on developing their reading skills and related strategies for both fiction and nonfiction texts.
Writing
Students will develop their skills within the following types of writing: narrative, informational, and opinion. During writer’s workshop, students will engage in the writing process of generating ideas, rehearsing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
Listening and Speaking
Speaking and listening are woven into many areas of the curriculum throughout the year, especially in their partnership work in literacy, math, and science, as they strive to develop skills related to attentive listening, collaborative communication and clear presentation of ideas.
Mathematics
We believe mathematics is an essential universal language, necessary as a reasoning tool to solve problems and make sense of our world. At ISB mathematical thinkers use reasoning and apply skills to solve problems and make informed decisions about their world. The Grade 1 content standards and practices are:
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
- Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
- Understand and apply properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction.
- Add and subtract within 20.
- Work with addition and subtraction equations.
Number and Operations in Base Ten
- Extend the counting sequence.
- Understand place value.
- Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.
Measurement and Data
- Measure lengths indirectly and by iterating length units.
- Tell and write time.
- Represent and interpret data.
Geometry
- Reason with shapes and their attributes.
Mathematical Practices
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
- Model with mathematics.
- Use appropriate tools strategically.
- Attend to precision.
- Look for and make use of structure.
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Science
Science units are taught using hands-on, inquiry-based activities that are designed to build understanding of the content and foster the natural curiosity of elementary children.
Pebbles, Sand and Silt
The Pebbles, Sand, and Silt unit consists of four sequential investigations, each designed to introduce concepts in earth science. The investigations provide experiences that heighten students’ awareness of rocks as earth materials and natural resources.
Insects
This unit provides experiences that heighten students’ awareness of the diversity of animal forms. They come to know firsthand the life sequences of a number of insects. Students observe life cycles of insects and compare the stages of metamorphosis exhibited by each species.
Social Studies
The purpose of the Social Studies program is to develop in students the ability to think critically about the human condition in order to make informed decisions that guide social action. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their own cultural identities as well as to recognize and respect cultural similarities and differences within a global perspective. In building classroom and school community, Grade 1 students will build their understanding of Rules, Responsibilities, Relationships, and Respect and will explore their own history and that of Thailand.
Health and Wellbeing
The curriculum for 1 supports students to make decisions to enhance their health and safety. The content enables students to explore their own sense of self and the factors that contribute to and influence their identities. Students learn about emotions, how to enhance their interactions with others, and the physical and social changes they go through as they grow older. They explore goal setting and ways to achieve personal health goals.
Typical Grade 1 Daily Schedule
7:40-9:15 Core Learning Block 1
9:15-9:35 Recess
9:35-10:25 Core Learning Block 2
10:25-11:45 Specialists (Art, PE, World Language, Music)
11:45-12:30 Recess and Lunch
12:30-2:20 Core Learning Block 3
SECOND GRADE
Language Arts
Balanced Literacy
Recent classroom research shows that literacy develops best when a balanced program is in place. At the center of our program is the reading and writing workshop, which includes a mini-lesson (explicit modeling and guided practice), independent reading or writing, and partner time. In addition to the workshop, the other components of a balanced literacy framework include: Read-aloud with accountable talk, shared reading/writing; Phonics/Word Study; Small Group Instruction (guided reading, strategy lessons, and interventions).
Reading
At ISB, our curriculum aims at creating independent, lifelong readers through the development of students’ comprehension, fluency, and stamina. Throughout the year, students will focus on developing their reading skills and related strategies for both fiction and nonfiction texts.
Writing
Students will develop their skills within the following types of writing: narrative, informational, and opinion. During writer’s workshop, students will engage in the writing process of generating ideas, rehearsing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
Listening and Speaking
Speaking and listening are woven into many areas of the curriculum throughout the year, especially in their partnership work in literacy, math, and science, as they strive to develop skills related to attentive listening, collaborative communication and clear presentation of ideas.
Mathematics
We believe mathematics is an essential universal language, necessary as a reasoning tool to solve problems and make sense of our world. At ISB mathematical thinkers use reasoning and apply skills to solve problems and make informed decisions about their world. The Grade 2 content standards and practices are:
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
- Represent and solve problems involving addition and subtraction.
- Add and subtract within 20.
- Work with equal groups of objects to gain foundations for multiplication.
Number and Operations in Base Ten
- Understand place value.
- Use place value understanding and properties of operations to add and subtract.
Measurement and Data
- Measure and estimate lengths in standard units.
- Relate addition and subtraction to length.
- Work with time and money.
- Represent and interpret data.
Geometry
- Reason with shapes and their attributes.
Mathematical Practices
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
- Model with mathematics.
- Use appropriate tools strategically.
- Attend to precision.
- Look for and make use of structure.
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
Science
Science units are taught using hands-on, inquiry-based activities that are designed to build understanding of the content and foster the natural curiosity of elementary children.
Air & Weather
This unit introduces earth science concepts to young students – they explore the natural world using simple tools to observe and monitor change.
Solids & Liquids
This unit provides experiences that heighten students’ awareness of the physical world. This unit gives students introductory experiences with two of the three fundamental states of matter, solid and liquid.
Social Studies
The purpose of the Social Studies program is to develop in students the ability to think critically about the human condition in order to make informed decisions that guide social action. Grade 2 students will study the following social studies areas: Peaceful Community, Global Community, and Sharing our Planet.
Health and Wellbeing
The curriculum for Grade 2 supports students to make decisions to enhance their health and safety. The content enables students to explore their own sense of self and the factors that contribute to and influence their identities and ways to keep safe.
Typical Grade 2 Daily Schedule
7:40-9:40 Core Learning Block 1
9:40-10.00 Recess
10:00-11:00 Core Learning Block 2
11:00-11:45 Lunch and Recess
11:45-1:00 Core Learning Block 3
1:00-2:20 Specialists (Art, PE, World Language, Music)