Students develop conceptual understandings, content knowledge and skills in science and social studies through a guided inquiry process. Inquiries are designed so that students have opportunities to wonder and tune in, ask questions, conduct research, engage actively and draw conclusions throughout a unit of study. Students are encouraged to take action around what they have learned whenever possible. This may take the form of a change in behavior, the understanding of new ideas, and reflection on oneself and one’s choices. Throughout the inquiry cycle, students are invited to reflect on their learning and make real world connections.
Standards for the Lehrplan 21 Natur, Mensch, Gesellschaft have been adopted in alignment with our international track science and social studies. Our science curriculum is vertically aligned balancing learning across the physical, earth and life sciences. Units of study give students opportunities to take on STEM challenges (develop lab experiments) and use the local ecology for observations and develop an understanding of the natural world. Our social studies curriculum is vertically aligned, addressing big ideas in civics, history, geography, and economics. Units are designed to guide students to make connections between their own experiences and a real world context. Character development plays a role in each of the units, in which students inquire into concepts of community, culture identity, diversity, and civic responsibility and engagement.
Evidence of learning is collected in student notebooks. At the end of each unit, students complete an engaging summative assessment task. Included in the Bilingual class summative assessment task are the agreed upon language functions and vocabulary for the unit.