Curriculum Overview

Contents

Homework Policy 

Our homework policy is developed through vertical collaboration from PreK to 4th grade, and supports our school mission, values and guiding principles. Central to our philosophy is the conviction that homework at UNIS should be targeted, personalized, and relevant to each student. We recognize that every student has different needs both academically and personally. We believe that students need time to explore and grow in areas besides their academic endeavors. Additionally, we acknowledge that parents often seek guidance on activities outside our curriculum, activities that can further enhance their child’s well-being, academic growth, and success.

HOMEWORK CONSISTS OF 

• Reading: reading alone, reading aloud, reading to parents, parents reading to children, reading to learn, reading to laugh, reading to feel, reading to share, etc…
• Numeracy: visualizing quantities, composing and decomposing numbers, reasoning about number and quantities in situations, relating number and quantity in situations
• Personalized homework: based on individual needs, some students may have specific homework on a specific day to address specific needs identified by the teachers, while others may not have assigned homework. Teachers will inform parents by email when their child is handed out personalized homework.
• Lists of suggested home activities for parents: per grade, non-mandatory, aligned with the curriculum, these lists aim to support parents who are seeking suggestions. They are shared with parents every few months.

REQUIRED PRACTICE 

• Literacy (Begins the first day of school):

• PK to J4: Daily reading in English to, with, and by parents or independent reading.

• Numeracy (Begins after Back to School Night):

• PK-J1: Math in Our World and Dreambox at least 1x week
• J2: Dreambox 2x a week; IXL in semester 2
• J3: IXL or Dreambox 3x a week
• J4: IXL or Dreambox 4x a week

​RESPONSIVE and OPTIONAL PRACTICE (beginning after Back to School Night)

• Personalized reinforcement tasks associated with classroom activities based on specific needs, mainly focusing on building automaticity and fluency in math and fluency in word work
• Reading, listening, engaging in activities in French/Spanish/ELL to extend the language exposure beyond the classroom.
• Gathering of additional information or materials
• Unfinished classroom activities
• Writing to respond to the students’ reading, based on grade and class expectations.
• Utilization of materials such as games, flash cards, quiz prep sheets, used in class and shared with specific students based on their needs to be used at home and brought back to school the following day.
• Suggested Activities - can be found in the JS Parent Portal by grade level.

J3 English Language Arts

Introduction to J3 English Language Arts

The J3 ELA program addresses the following concepts and skills, as outlined by the New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Standards:

UNIS homerooms are organized to encourage a love of reading and writing. Classroom libraries and engaging read alouds inspire children’s curiosity about books. Across the day and throughout the year, J3 students talk about books with the whole class, with partners and book clubs, and in conferences with their teacher. In addition to learning transferable strategies for thinking more deeply about general fiction and nonfiction, third graders study the genres of fairy tales and mysteries closely, noticing how authors set up these kinds of stories.

The writing curriculum offers opportunities for J3’s to bring their own experiences and ideas to the page in addition to incorporating information from research. As they move through the year, they will work on elaborating across different text types, using the writing process and receiving coaching in revision and editing.

J3 Humanities

Introduction to J3 Humanities

The primary goal of the UNIS Humanities Curriculum is to enable students to develop the knowledge, skills, and competencies to be active, informed citizens who are able to think critically, understand and explain the perspectives of others, make judgments, and communicate ideas effectively.

UNIS uses curriculum standards drawn from the British Columbia Social Studies Curriculum. It should be noted that Humanities/Social Studies does not appear as a ‘stand alone’ subject on classroom timetables - rather, the content and standards are embedded within our Humanities units of inquiry throughout the year.

J3 UNIS Humanities Program of Inquiry

J3 Mathematics

Introduction to J3 Mathematics

In J3, students focus intensively on these critical areas:

1. developing an understanding of multiplication and division and strategies for multiplication and division within 100;
2. developing an understanding of fractions, especially unit fractions (fractions with numerator 1);
3. developing an understanding of the structure of rectangular arrays and of area; and
4. describing and analyzing two-dimensional shapes.

J3 Math Units

Specialist Classes

Science/Design Engineering

In all grades, students attend a specialist lesson for Science/Design Engineering where instruction is guided by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). These standards pair Science and Engineering Practices with content knowledge to engage students in meaningful exploration of the world around them. The heart of our instruction is Doing Science to Learn Science. While actively engaged in practicing science processes to learn content and build conceptual understanding, students are developing understanding of science as a way to solve problems and make sense of the world. Students engage in and are assessed through the Science and Engineering Practices:

• Asking Questions (for science)/Defining Problems (for engineering) 
• Developing & Using Models
• Planning & Carrying Out Investigations
• Analyzing & Interpreting Data
• Mathematics & Computational Thinking
• Construct Explanations (for science)/Designing Solutions (for engineering)
• Engaging in Argument from Evidence
• Obtain, Evaluate, Communicate Information

Visual Arts

In the Art Studio, students respond creatively to problems, develop new techniques and skills and engage with different materials and employ their senses in various ways.

In studying Visual Art and its social function, Junior School students see, imagine, and reason from different perspectives in order to expand their capacity for creative thought and action. Learning from the special worlds that artists create, students discover how art shapes the present from the past, and helps them invent the future.

UNIS, by virtue of both its diverse community and location in New York City, enables students to study Visual Arts from many cultures through firsthand experience. Visual Art encourages them to understand and celebrate their differences, fulfilling the UNIS mission that is rooted in the peaceful objectives of the United Nations.

Music

The UNIS Junior School music program offers students from PreK-J4 the opportunity to function as skilled and literate performers, active listeners, passionate creators and informed critics. Participants become part of a group dynamic, developing an understanding of their unique role as an individual in that group. Music making enriches the mind, the body and the spirit and motivates students to go beyond their comfort zone, find solutions, and explore the full range of human emotion which ultimately provides the model for participation in a global community.

At UNIS we believe that a rich musical experience involves the exploration, study and performance of music from diverse cultures. The curriculum includes the extensive study of various musical styles and techniques, the study of music notation, as well as the tradition of music making and performance. As students deepen their musical understanding both collaboratively and independently, they are able to demonstrate their abilities to apply musical knowledge and skills in context.

Theatre

The J1-J4 theatre classes focus on developing students into confident performers and artists who are embracing qualities of self-reflection and improvement. Students are challenged to devise and tell stories, evaluate performances, and act both solo and in groups.

Students develop their inter and intrapersonal communication skills, collaboration strategies, problem-solving, and empathy. Through the natural quality of theatre being a mirror for life, students will find intersections between performance, culture, society, and art.

Physical Education

UNIS’ Physical Education program is to engage a student’s interest in physical development and competence through lifelong fitness, recreational and competitive activities. The curriculum aims to promote the acquisition and application of movement, skills, knowledge, and character. It provides a diversified program allowing for opportunities to think critically, to collaborate and to reflect, as each student creates and awareness and ability to define their personal growth and physical well-being.

Students in J2, J3 and J4 will have mandatory swimming lessons during designated PE classes. During swimming, students learn various strokes and skills, using safety devices if necessary, while becoming comfortable in the water. Classes take place at the Waterside Plaza Swim & Health Club swimming pool, just a short walk away from our school.

Modern Language Department: French and Spanish 

Learning languages builds on the curiosity and enthusiasm of children through developmentally appropriate activities. Our program challenges children to develop communicative strategies and promotes receptiveness and interest in languages within the linguistics diversity at UNIS. Students have the opportunity to use languages creatively through songs, games, role-play, stories and property. They acquire sensitivity to the sounds and rhythms of the target languages.

We believe that learning must be active, engaging and filled with real-life situations. Through the study of Modern Languages, students acquire a better understanding of their own language and culture within a multicultural society. The content of the Junior School curricula is integrated into the Modern Languages curriculum as appropriate and relevant.

UNIS uses an external set of curriculum standards drawn from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR).

French/Spanish

Mother Tongue Program

At UNIS we celebrate the many cultures and languages we have within our community. We promote the appreciation of diversity and encourage students to maintain the fluency of their Mother Tongue, while valuing the acquisition of other languages. We believe it is important for students to not only learn their mother tongue, but also maintain culture and traditions.

The Junior School language program offers two options based on the student’s language profile:

• French or Spanish as a second language
• French or Spanish at a Mother Tongue level

Note that enrollment in the Junior School Mother Tongue Program is subject to a placement test.

In the French Mother Tongue Program, students learn Language, Math and Humanities in French. In the Spanish Mother Tongue Program, students learn Language and Humanities in Spanish.

Whenever possible and appropriate, the French/Spanish Mother Tongue programme supports or is integrated into the Humanities units of inquiry. There are times when the Mother Tongue programme offers independent inquiry into related ideas and concepts or skill-based teaching.