Curriculum

Scholarship. Long-term assessment; strategic language acquisition; verbal proficiency in pairs and groups; comprehension through reading, listening; cross-cultural presentations and connections.

U.S. History. Comprehensive civic analysis cultivating critical inquiry, constitutional literacy, cultural fluency, and informed, self-aware leadership.

Physical Science. Matter, atomic structure, forces, energy, electromagnetism, and climate, developing scientific literacy and critical research assessment skills.

Physical Fitness. Students develop strategic gameplay, demonstrate sportsmanship, collaborate inclusively, and identify personal activities to promote lifelong fitness and well-being.

Scholarly Writing and Discourse. Students analyze literature and literary devices, explore diverse texts, and develop strong writing, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion skills.

Percussion Ensemble II. Students explore global music styles, master polyrhythms and syncopation, and perform in ensembles featuring Cuban, Haitian, and diverse world rhythms.

Algebra I. Students develop skills and conceptual understanding of algebraic and geometric representations through writing and small group work. 

Portfolio and Purpose. Students explore currency and logo design, figure drawing, 3D prototyping, silk-screen posters, installation art, and independent, public art projects.

World Cultures. Global medieval civilizations, examining politics, economics, and culture through writing, analysis, and critical thinking.

Life Science. Experiments, research, and modeling, exploring evolution, genetics, health, and mentoring younger peers in science projects.

Value of Teamwork. Students develop strategic thinking, practice good sportsmanship, and collaborate with all peers to foster teamwork and respect in game situations.

Pre-Algebra. This course develops understanding of proportions, geometry, algebra, data, and problem-solving, fostering real-world application skills.

Critical Analysis and Rhetoric. Students explore diverse literature, analyze themes and literary elements, develop writing and research skills.

Fluency. Students engage in active, project-based Spanish learning through culture, communication, grammar, and creative expression using music, games, and presentations.

Concept and Critique. Students explore global art traditions through drawing, sculpture, printmaking, and public art, developing techniques and cultural understanding.

Percussion Ensemble I. Students explore global rhythms, cultural traditions, and complex patterns through ensemble performance, deepening musical skills and community understanding through drumming.

Accelerated math. Algebra-prep, geometry and spatial reasoning, computational fluency, analytics and data literacy, real-world reasoning and financial literacy.

Proficiency. Total Physical Response storytelling model, Realidades resources, and practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening through conversation and assessments.

Ancient Civilizations. Cultural universals, archaeological ethics, ancient Egypt and Maya, farmworkers' rights, public speaking, and research methodologies.

Earth systems. Lake Merritt ecology, chemistry fundamentals, FBI unit on fungi and bacteria, product testing, and kinematics in physics.

Analytical Argument & Interpretation. Students develop reading fluency, comprehension, and literary analysis through book projects and discussions.

Self-responsibility. Students learn effective warm-up and cool-down techniques, take responsibility for independent practice, and demonstrate sportsmanship in competitive game situations.

Communal Choir. Sixth graders strengthen choral technique, advance conga skills, master rhythmic cycles, and collaborate in instrumental band and drum ensemble performance.

Identity & Interpretation. One-point perspective and perspective collages. Symbolism, abstraction, critique skills, intentional design choices.

Literary Analysis. Reading and writing across genres and themes, vocabulary, and author's intent, while developing research, grammar, and presentation skills.

Civil Rights. Students analyze primary and secondary sources to study the African American Civil Rights, European WWII resistance and indigenous activist movements.

Body Awareness. Students develop specialized movement skills for team sports, engage in health-enhancing physical activity, and explore body type’s impact on performance.

Formative Number Sense. Skills with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals while exploring geometry, estimation, data analysis, and problem-solving strategies.

Interconnectedness. Redwood ecology, climate change, states of matter, and the Earth’s relationship with constellations in scientific inquiry.

Technique & Expansion. Students refine value, form, and perspective while exploring pop art, caricature, and civil rights narrative.

Emergent. Students enhance Spanish skills through high-frequency words, novel study, cultural exploration, listening, speaking, writing, and mastering verbs, pronouns, and articles.

World Music. Students explore American, Caribbean, and Irish folk songs, blues, Indian classical singing, conga techniques, scales, and band performance.

Design & Impact. Contour drawing, portraiture, watercolor, clay, printmaking inspired by Warhol, self-portraits like Van Gogh, Kahlo, and African masks.

Analytical Literacy. Students build Spanish skills through reading, verb conjugations, vocabulary, conversation, and cultural exploration, enhancing listening, speaking, and grammar proficiency.

California. Geography, historical events and figures, government studies, and analysis of primary and secondary sources for perspective, bias, and context.

Quantitative reasoning. Math fluency and problem-solving: operations, fractions, geometry, measurement, algebraic reasoning, and structured strategies, including note-taking and computation methods.

Interpretive and Analytical Writing. Book projects and discussions strengthen writing, grammar, and presentation skills. Small-group literary analysis.

Sportsmanship. Students build muscle strength and endurance while developing leadership, cooperation, and consistent practice to improve physical performance and overall fitness.

Performing Arts. Global music traditions—including American, Irish, Caribbean, and Indian styles—while learning rhythms, repertoire, scales, arpeggios, and basic music terminology.

Energy. Energy, waves, and animal adaptations, natural disasters and solutions that reduce their impact through hands-on science investigations.

Expression & perspective. Students explore expressive drawing, painting, clay, and collage inspired by artists like Carle, O’Keefe, and Ringgold through diverse creative projects.

Language Foundations. Reading, verb conjugations, vocabulary, cultural exploration, and guided conversations, enhancing comprehension and communication abilities.

Place-Based Cultural History. Bay Area geography, Ohlone culture, multicultural history, and personal heritage through field trips, performances, and biographies.

Ecosystems. Explore bird conservation, study electricity, forces and motion using the scientific method in collaboration with seventh graders.

Vocal Expression. Students deepen musical skills through rounds, solfège, rhythm, and vocal work while refining movement, drama, and music terminology including scales and dynamics.

Fluency. Place value, operations, fractions, geometry, measurement, and time, applying knowledge to complex, multi-step problems and real-world challenges.

Comprehension and Composition. Writer’s Workshop, research projects, multicultural literature, grammar, cursive, and presentations, strengthening creativity and critical thinking.

Teamwork. Students develop focus and independence, use feedback to improve, express themselves through physical activity, and practice sharing equipment respectfully with peers.

Complex shapes & color. Students explore media and famous artists’ techniques through collaborative projects, painting color wheels, and creating masks, puppets, and performance props.

Basic Fluency. Students develop vocabulary, pronunciation, speaking, and comprehension skills through songs, fostering multilingualism and cultural understanding in a global society.

Observation. Plant-animal relationships, material properties, engineering design, and changing landforms through hands-on investigation and modeling.

Building Fundamentals. Students develop agility and strength through movement and swimming, while learning emotional awareness, sportsmanship, and teamwork in cooperative games and activities.

Vocal Development. Students engage in group singing, solfège, and rhythm activities, building musicality, pitch recognition, and creativity through movement and drama games.

Number sense. Solving problems using place value, operations, measurement, geometry, and data, while applying multiple strategies and mathematical vocabulary.

Fluency and Composition. Comprehension strategies, daily reading, genre-based writing, grammar, handwriting, and presentations using the Writer’s Workshop model.

Changemakers. Students build community through People Power Skills, explore identity and create a socially conscious Second Grade Zoo integrating multiple subjects.

Decoding. Students build vocabulary, pronunciation and phonemic awareness, and develop comprehension skills and familiarity through songs and speaking activities.

Identity. Community, relationships, and conflict resolution. Build collaboration through empowerment and empathy using People Power skills. Women's studies.

Inquiry. Life cycles, engineering, and the solar system by exploring nature, designing objects, and observing patterns in the world around them.

Teamwork & coordination. We help each child learn to process the important life skill of gauged risk taking to develop physical awareness through direct experiential learning versus relying solely on what they are being told.

Imitate. Students develop musical skills through group singing, solfège, and rhythm instruments, while expressing creativity with movement and drama-based musical activities.

Numbers. Exploring shapes, time, and money, while practicing addition, subtraction, measurement, estimation, and real-world problem solving.

Literacy Skills. Phonics, guided reading, research, and peer collaboration, building fluency, comprehension, sentence structure, and independent reading stamina.

Foundations of Form. Students explore line, shape, texture, and color through watercolor, tempera, collage, weaving, and more in creative, cross-curricular art projects.

Awareness. Exposure to Spanish comes through songs, simple vocabulary, and short phrases. This playful introduction helps children gain comfort with language learning.

Community. Conflict resolution, diversity awareness, non-violent communication, Earth stewardship, and meaningful cross-grade relationships through Buddy Projects.

Exploration. Hands-on experiments, studying motion, senses, animals, and sustainability, while developing observation, prediction, and environmental awareness skills.

Locomotion. Students develop physical skills through movement, ball play, cooperative games, and swimming, while learning safety, coordination, and positive sportsmanship in active play.

Literacy foundations. Phonics, handwriting, and journal drawing, learning to connect spoken and written words. Writer’s Workshop, merges stories and pictures to build confidence.

Music Theory. Solfège singing, rhythm instruments, and expressive movement and drama games, building coordination, creativity, and joyful musical expression.

Exploring & creating. Students explore art through color mixing, media experimentation, and artist studies, building confidence and creativity with cross-curricular projects and diverse artistic techniques.

Core concepts. Numbers, patterns, time, and shapes to develop counting, graphing, money, and estimation skills through hands-on, engaging early math experiences.