Grade 2
CURRICULUM GUIDE
‘Igniting curiosity the Clarion way’
CONTENTS
Welcome………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3
Clarion Curriculum………………………………………………………….………………………………..….4
What is Progressive Education? ……………………………………… ……………………………..………5
Clarion Student Profile…………………………………………………………………………...……………..7
Elementary Grade 1 – 5 Overview…………………………………………………………………………….9
Inclusive Education………………………………………………………………..……………………….…..10
English Language Learners………………………………………….………………………………………..10
Technology……………………………………………………………………………………………………...11
Grade 2 Expectations………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Assessment…………………………………………………………………………………………………..….17
Moral Education …………………………………………………………………………………………………19
2
GRADE 2
Curriculum Guide
2017-2018
WELCOME to Clarion School Dubai
This is an overview of the Clarion School Curriculum & Instruction Program as it connects to each grade
level following the Bank Street Philosophy and American Common Core Standards. It highlights our mission
to provide a challenging, engaging and supportive educational program, enriched by the innovation of
Dubai, strengthened by collaboration with parents and external partnerships and delivered by the highest
quality of faculty.
Our mission is to cultivate inspirational and creative opportunities to develop each student’s potential. We
will nurture intellectual curiosity, reflection and higher order thinking through experiential and meaningful
learning and innovative applications of understanding and skills.
Our students will be challenged to high expectations and engaging with the world as collaborative,
productive and responsible members of a global community. They will be prepared for acceptance into
competitive universities in the United States and across the world, as well as for future success in work and
life.
To make the learning meaningful and engaging, our curriculum and pedagogy incorporates many aspects
of the local environment and culture, forming a significant part of the learning experiences of our students.
The challenge of getting to know a school is time-consuming and complicated. As we mention throughout
the process and within our materials, it is our goal to provide you with as much information as possible
about our educational program and community so that you can make a well-informed decision based on
the type of school community your family values.
In helping you to better understand Clarion School, we will make every effort to make both you and your
child feel welcome and comfortable at every point along the way. We invite you to review the following
Grade Level Curriculum Guide, research materials and website and to freely ask questions in order to learn
more about what we have to offer. We hope you find this information helpful and respectful of your
commitment to Clarion School.
As important as WHAT we study, is HOW we study and HOW we know we have achieved
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CLARION CURRICULUM
WHAT we study
As children become more aware of a widening world, they can begin to explore their own past and present
and how history shapes the present. Regardless of age, a “study” is by definition broad so that children
may find areas of special interest, but also because this is how human beings encounter phenomena in the
real world – as complex, entangled dilemmas.
Each grade level has a set of Learning Goals: end points in each core subject area. These learning goals
incorporate goals aligned to emotional growth, social justice, action and advocacy. Tracking student prior
knowledge and experiences and eliciting their questions and wonderings about what they are learning about
through their study and the Common Core Standards forms the platform for teachers to develop
opportunities for students that are meaningful, relevant, significant and challenging.
Foundation Skills: How students apply core skills to everyday tasks: Literacy, Numeracy, Scientific Literacy,
ICT Literacy, Financial Literacy, Cultural and Civil literacy.
HOW we study
Children want to feel like part of the community, and when they feel connected to a community, they are
likely to invest effort in it especially when they are expected to participate in its functioning from day to day.
In order to achieve this type of classroom culture, the first weeks of school are crucial and become the
foundation for routines and expectations throughout the year.
Children will be engaged in learning that provides opportunities for them to:
• Closely observe, experience, analyze, and make sense of the world around them.
• Build intellectual curiosity and develop skills to gain new understandings.
• Build equitable communities in which they participate, learn and advocate for one another and what
they believe.
• Think critically to analyze issues and design solutions to solve problems that are current and
relevant to themselves, their communities and the world.
• See themselves and each other as whole people and active members of society.
• See the interdependent relationships of human created systems and Earth systems.
• Reflect on their learning and draw connections between new ideas and prior experiences.
Enhanced Skills: How students approach complex challenges: Critical thinking/problem solving, creativity,
communication, and collaboration.
HOW we know
Our students will be challenged to high expectations as they engage with the world as collaborative,
productive and responsible members of a global community. By igniting curiosity, they will be willing to
take risks, be active participants in their own learning, demonstrate flexibility of thinking, make connections
in their learning across the core subjects, synthesize and confidently articulate their understanding.
Students will be guided to demonstrate their understanding of the big ideas and questions underlying and
guiding their study by demonstrating the following:
• How to ask questions – thick and thin questions (who, what, when, where, why, how?)
• How to find out answers to questions (use 5 senses, books, experts, visits)
• How to sort the information found (group into categories, lists, Venn diagrams)
• How to analyze the information found (findings and hypotheses for findings)
• How to present the new understandings (poster, skit, block building, painting, book)
• How to work independently and collaborate/work together
Character Skills: How students approach their changing environment: Curiosity, initiative, persistence/grit,
adaptability, leadership, and empathy.
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Social
Student
Centered
Learning
Intellectual Physical
Developmental
Interactive
Approach
Emotional
WHAT IS PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION?
At Clarion, we believe in progressive education. Progressive education is dynamic, student led, and not
easily defined. Progressive education stresses the importance of experience, rather than learning facts.
Students are taught how to think, rather than being told what to think about. Our children learn through
experiencing, asking questions, and exploring.
In a progressive classroom, you will not see students sitting in desks while a teacher stands in front of the
room. Students are the focus of our classroom, and thus drive the classroom experience. This means that
no two classrooms will have the same experience. You will see hand on learning, opportunities for students
to share their ideas with support from adults and peers, so they know their ideas matter. The teacher is a
mediator in the classroom, not the leader. We take our resources from a variety of sources, often selected
by the students, rather than textbooks. Our students are not judged on external timelines, or tests, but are
rather evaluated on the products they create; we allow them to show us what they have learned, rather
than us telling them what they did not learn.
We use an integrated, themed based curriculum, following the New York State Early Learning Guidelines
and State Common Core Standards, which allows our students to see connections between concepts.
Students are encouraged to collaborate and learn from and with each other, their teachers, and parents.
Our classroom is not limited to four walls, but extends into the community, were we learn social
responsibility. By experiencing events beyond our class, we learn important social and emotional skills. We
learn that mistakes happen and ideas fail. We understand these mistakes and failures are essential to
learning; it is through fixing our mistakes that we improve. Our students become active learners, who are
passionate, curious, critical thinkers who evolve, adapt, and contribute to a rapidly changing world.
WHAT DO PROGRESSIVE EDUCATORS DO?
• Respect the child as a capable individual who is a member of a community.
• Respect the child’s work (We do not write or draw on children’s work. Our opinions of their work
are not what is important.)
• We give genuine and specific praise for growth and cooperation by naming the positive and setting
goals. (Rewards come from success and the joy of learning. No stickers, no smiley/frowny faces)
• We know that everyone makes mistakes. When we correct children’s behavior, we help them learn
from their mistakes. (It is the behavior we are correcting, not the child.)
• We guide children toward independence. (We don’t do for them.)
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HOW WILL WE KNOW WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL?
• Assessment by evaluation of the student projects and productions (not testing)
• Student presentation of work for the community at the end of each learning set / Student articulation of
what they know and can do in individual/small group/class group learning celebrations.
• Compliance with Ministry mandates in order to use data to inform curriculum development, review,
teaching and learning.
o MAP to monitor student progress and attainment
o CAT 4 to identify student cognitive abilities
WHAT DOES A PROGRESSIVE CLASSROOM LOOK LIKE?
At Clarion, the children are given the tools, materials, opportunities and guidance to pursue their own
interests within the curriculum in deep ways. Students are taught how to think rather than being told what
to think about. Our students learn through experiencing, asking questions and exploring. Doing this means
it will be ‘theirs forever’.
Furniture Arrangements
Our spaces are often defined by the work we do in each area. We have tables in clusters and a meeting
area in every room. Children learn as individuals, in small groups and as a whole group. Tables are arranges
so that children experience each other as resources and for inspiration – with an emphasis on the fact that
everyone has strengths and skills to work on. Collaborative work is encouraged, but boundaries are
respected so that children can feel ownership over their own work.
Classrooms are rich in resources and materials
Early Years classroom shave many open ended materials, Exploration is encouraged and designed to
support discovery and master in a range of domains. Didactic materials are also used to support skill
development
Elementary classrooms have print rich environments as well as defined areas to support Reading, Writing,
Math, Science and the Arts. Use of technology by children becomes a larger part of the curriculum in Grade
3 and continues to develop into the Middle School.
Rooms are deliberately organized
Areas are clearly defined according to function. Shelves are labeled with words and/or pictures and
schedules are prominently displayed so that children develop familiarity with the routines of school and feel
in control of the space, materials and the flow of time. Everyone in the classroom community contributes to
the appearance and organization of the environment and helps to develop and maintain it.
Our walls and bulletin boards
Pictures, charts, schedules and graphs tell a story for each classroom about the work that children are
engage in, the things they are wondering about, the social relationships they are developing. Art, Literacy
Math and Unit of study work is displayed both inside and outside the room and demonstrates the integration
of curriculum areas as well as the importance of all subjects that children participate in. The work displayed
represents all of the students in the class.
The Language you hear
Teachers use language to affirm, redirect correct, encourage, limit or elicit ideas from children. Adults are
often heard framing their observations and questions to affirm the behavior they would like to reinforce.
Open ended questions, space for the quiet thoughtful child in meeting, limiting an impulsive behavior are
all done from the foundation of respectful trusting relationships among adults and children. We expect that
children will learn from this model and engage with their peers similarly.
Classroom Structure in the Clarion Classroom
Classroom structure and curriculum take into account the developmental stage of students. The younger
children are in a self-contained classroom with a Master Educator and a Teaching Assistant, and often a
support member of staff. Their classroom is the center of all learning activities with Social Studies, Science,
Literacy and the Expressive Arts, Arabic, French and Technology integrated into the daily work and play of
the children. Although they leave their room for outdoor time, and time with specialists in Physical Education
skills and swimming. Their classroom life offers them the emotional security provided by a small stable
community and familiar environment. As students progress through school, informational demands
increase in the various subject areas and children see more specialist teachers. While subject areas are
clearly defined and studied, the concept of the self-contained classroom continue to influence the schedule
and classroom organization.
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CLARION STUDENT PROFILE
ACQUIRING ACADEMIC WHAT IS WORTH
CLARION STUDENT PROFILE SOCIAL ACHIEVEMENT FOUNDATION SKILLS TAKING ACTION WITH
ACADEMIC
KNOWING
ASSIMILATING
LEARNING HOW TO
CHARACTER SKILLS
LEARN
CHARACTER
APPLYING
CIVIC
ENHANCED SKILLS
SERVICE WHAT YOU KNOW
Our educational goals are best reflected by the Student Profile we seek to develop in support of
successful engagement with the world that our students will inherit.
Academic Goals
Clarion students will:
• Develop higher order thinking skills including critical thinking, creative thinking and problem solving
• Master the subject standards
• Graduate with a proficiency in Arabic (advanced for non-native speakers, superior for native speakers)
• Graduate with an advanced proficiency in technology, information and media literacy
Social Goals
Clarion students will:
• Be responsible for their own learning
• Be resourceful, adaptive and creative as well as willing to take calculated risks to extend themselves
• Have compassion, empathy & tolerance for others driven by an open mindedness and the ability to view
issues
• from multiple perspectives
• Have a respect and appreciation for the diversity of people and cultures
• be able to self-reflect and have a self-awareness to contextualize themselves and their actions within a
larger framework, allowing them to act appropriately and self-regulate
• Have strong social skills including effective communication and collaboration skills
• Have a strong work ethic, proactivity, perseverance and resilience to meet challenges planned or
unplanned
• Have a healthy balance to life including a commitment to staying healthy
Civic Goals
Clarion students will:
• Understand that their actions have consequences
• Have a sense of responsibility to others and the environment
• Participate as active members in the community and the world at large and contribute positively to all
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Our curriculum is crafted into three sections:
The Composed Curriculum: As important as WHAT we know is HOW we know it and, WHY it is worth
knowing
Grade Level Units of Study are based on 9 Meta Concepts of which have the NY Standards woven into
them. These specifically written, developmentally appropriate units of study specifically focused on Dubai
as the laboratory for learning.
The Coached Curriculum: As important as WHAT we learn is Learning HOW to learn
Experiential learning, integrated studies, student centered planned teaching and learning engagements.
Differentiated, authentic, relevant, connected learning opportunities for students to collaboratively problem
find and solve.
The Considered Curriculum – As important as WHAT we do is HOW do we do it.
Students demonstrate what they have learned and what they know. With guidance students apply their
knowledge and skills in meaningful investigations and projects. Students reflect, share and celebrate.
Unit of Study
GRADE 2 – DUBAI NOW AND THEN
Enduring Understandings:
People create buildings to meet many needs. Buildings need to be designed, built to
accommodate climate. Buildings in Dubai have changed over time.
Observational skills are essential when learning how to learn
Scientific practices and investigations provide a deeper understanding of matter.
In general, second graders can be described as eager and industrious. They are excited by their growing skills and
are happy to be “real” school children starting to do more of what they envision as what the “big kids” do. They are
ready to be more independent students and they can learn, through modeling and practice, to collaborate effectively
with peers, both asserting their own ideas and hearing and incorporating those of their partners. Second graders
need experiences through which they can learn first hand. Field trips, science experiments, interviews, games,
dramatic play, and art experiences are all crucial.
Cognitively, seven-year-olds are growing in their abilities to hold one thing in their minds while doing something
else. They strive for mastery of basic skills and they compare their skills to those of others actively, which can have
emotional and social implications for them. Children entering the second grade will come with a range of academic
abilities that can sometimes seem quite wide. For example, some might still be struggling to master decoding
simple text and some might be ready to read chapter books. Some might be doing two and three digit addition and
subtraction mentally and others may be solidifying basic one digit addition and subtraction facts and needing to
count by ones. Some might be autonomous workers and others will need a lot of support to complete tasks. You
can also expect everything in between. There is a range in their executive functioning skills as well. Some will need
a great deal of support to organize belongings and materials and to time to return to it in order to be able to move
on.
Concepts like city, state, country, continent are still solidifying and distances to faraway places are very abstract. By
mid-year, they are still working on those concepts of long ago and faraway. With a strong foundation in and
understanding of place, they can begin to think about what may have occurred in that familiar place long before
they themselves got there.
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ELEMENTARY – Grade 1-5
In the Elementary Years, the curriculum will maintain its interdisciplinary nature focusing on both
developmental and academic goals. Elementary school subjects taught are the following, which are
vertically aligned to the Early Years developmental domains.
Arabic (from Grade 1) t
* Islamic Education is for Muslim students only
* Arts will be broken into Visual Arts, Dance, Drama and Music
* MoE Social Studies will be integrated into Social Studies.
Subject offerings are broad and balanced holistically building the students’ knowledge, understanding, skills
and attitudes as well as providing them the opportunity to explore and discover their interests. Each discrete
subject will have its own scope and sequence broken into different units geared towards meeting subject
standards. These standards are appropriately spiraled and scaffolded to provide for the progression of
learning where knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes advance and deepen over time. (We do
acknowledge that learning is a developmental process and that the phases a learner passes through are
not always linear or age related).
Through the Study, the teachers will be able to meet learning goals using a relevant, rich and engaging
topic bringing subject standards to life in meaningful ways that are tied to real world experiences. The Study
will be coordinated and systematic, focusing on essential questions while addressing the diverse subject
standards as well as Learner Profile.
Each Interdisciplinary Study will have its essential questions. However, the Study itself will have an
emergent aspect that allows for the pursuit of students’ interests and their own questions. It also provides
students an opportunity to take responsibility for their own learning. This not only makes the learning fun
and engaging but allows for unplanned problems and questions which require students to apply increasing
higher order and critical thinking skills. This also means that the way a Study evolves or the very Study
itself may change from year to year to reflect the interests of the current cohort.
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INCLUSIVE EDUCATION
Clarion School is dedicated to positive growth of its students in all areas of life. The aim is to provide a
well-rounded program appropriate to the diverse intellectual, social, emotional and physical needs of
students at both ends of the spectrum of ability, the Determined Ones as well as those who are Gifted
and Talented
Currently, Clarion follows a mixed model of support. Students with additional needs will be classified as
needing support at either Wave 1, 2 or 3.avigation
● Wave 1 provision: In class teaching through differentiation with the application of any accommodations
and modifications that have been identified as necessary.
o The classroom teacher will provide this support
o Students may be on a reduced timetable with the agreement of the student and
parents/guardians.
● Wave 2 provision: Small Group withdrawal for literacy and numeracy
o The LSA will provide this support and the parents will be asked to pay a nominal fee per
session
o Students may be on a reduced timetable with the agreement of the student and
parents/guardians.
● Wave 3 provision: Students needing long term or intensive support
o intensive support will be provided by the ILSA
o Students may be on a reduced timetable with the agreement of the student and
parents/guardians.
For more detailed information please view the school’s ‘The Determined Ones Policy’
ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
Our mission is to help students acquire proficiency in the English language, to ensure academic success,
and to help them confidently participate and integrate as an active member of the Clarion School
community. We believe that all students should have equal access to the curriculum and should be
immersed into the mainstream classrooms whenever possible.
Students are strongly encouraged to maintain their mother tongue, enhancing both cognitive development
and English language acquisition.
We believe and practice the following:
• English is the primary medium of instruction, and teachers work collaboratively to provide a program of
English language learning for all students to address their academic needs.
• All staff members are language teachers and are responsible for addressing and meeting the needs of
all students of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
• We believe that ELL students are best educated in a sheltered instruction environment.
Our students are instructed in a mainstream classroom setting with learning support push-in and pull-out
support when possible.
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TECHNOLOGY
The goal of the technology program, is that technology is integrated seamlessly into the curriculum, and
used as a tool to enhance creativity, learning, and thinking. This goal is achieved by our innovative
programs, by having technology and resources in the classrooms and in the Exploratorium, and
integrating design thinking into all subjects. We also have a variety of programs aimed at helping students
to find their passions, and become innovators. Programs such as the Clarion Hackathon, robotics teams
(FLL Jr and FLL teams), and Passion Hour.
In the Elementary years, students will continue to develop their computational thinking and design skills,
by being introduced to more tools and technologies. In the Elementary years, students will:
• See technology as a tool that can be used to solve problems
• Invent, design, and build various machines to solve problems
• Begin to use design thinking in a habitual way
• Program different robots to using multiple programming languages
• Utilize computational thinking practices, perspectives, and vocabulary when programming
• Begin using variables and conditionals in coding
A Clarion student will be a(n):
Innovative Designer
Students identify problems in the community around them, and utilize the design process to build
solutions.
Students:
• find and identify problems to solve
• know and use the design process to build innovative and creative solutions to the problems
Intuitive Engineer
Students design, build, and use various machines and structures.
Students:
• question and explain how different machines work
• build various machines, structures and products
• problem solve while building and tinkering
Computational Thinker
Students utilize computational thinking practices, perspectives and concepts when coding.
Students:
• give various kinds of technology step-by-step instructions
• understand and identify common computational thinking concepts of sequence, loops,
parallelism, events, conditionals, operators, and data, that are found in every coding language
• use computational thinking practices of experimenting and iterating, testing and debugging,
reusing and remixing, and abstracting and modularizing while coding
• utilize computational thinking perspectives of expressing, connecting, and questioning while
coding
Robotics Creator and Programmer
Students successfully design, build, and use robots.
Students:
• design and build a variety of robots
• program robots to perform various tasks
• explain how different robots work
Collaborative and Creative Technology User
Students can safely use various kinds of technology and formats to share ideas, locate information, and
collaborate effectively with others.
Students:
• find, evaluate, and use information in a variety of formats
• collaborate with others both locally and globally using technology
• communicate clearly and express ideas creatively using various platforms, tools, styles, and
formats
• use technology safely and responsibly to accomplish desired goals
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GRADE 2
OVERVIEW & EXPECTATIONS
Language
New York State Common Core Standards
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/common_core_standards/pdfdocs/p12_common_core_learning_standards
Literacy Continuum: http://www.fountasandpinnell.com/continuum
Most students will begin the year with a repertoire of known words and some experience in drawing and
writing to express their ideas. Some may be only beginning to realize the functions of print. They will benefit
from rich demonstrations of writing through shared and interactive writing for a variety of purposes. Students
benefit from the use of the writer’s workshop where they write independently, conference with the teacher
and share with their classmates. By the end of the year, they demonstrate writing narratives, information
texts, a variety of functional texts, and some poetic texts. They demonstrate the use of conventions in terms
of lines, spaces, many correctly spelled words, and may good attempts at more complex words.
Opportunities to draw extend their thinking.
Children's reading experiences range from whole and small group to individual instruction; from the
development of phonetic and comprehension skills and understanding to a focus on the more advanced
skills of prediction, characterization, and author's language; and from discussions about specific books
aimed at developing an appreciation and love of literature to the individual exercises aimed at supporting
reading and writing skills. Throughout all these experiences children listen to stories, read their own books,
read recipes and math sheets, write observations and answer questions on trip sheets, work from
workbooks, and write their own pieces in various genres.
Our writing program offers children a variety of genres. Teachers expect children to respond to assigned
writing and to originate their own topics. Students use writing to explore and express their beliefs; to
synthesize information and to incorporate the conventions of writing spelling, punctuation, paragraphing,
and organization in to their written work. Learning how to revise and edit is a major emphasis in our work
with students. Students recognize teachers and other adults as learners and writers, meet with peers for
help and advice, and share work in both small and large groups. They feel the importance of having the
authority to make some choices about how and what they write, and they realize that rethinking and revising
are natural and essential parts of the writing process.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Listening
• Gain meaning by listening
• Follow multistep directions
Speaking
• Speak clearly and conveys ideas effectively
• Follow conversational rules and begins to adjust language to varied contexts
• Use expanded vocabulary and language for a variety of purposes
• Present knowledge and ideas.
Reading
• Use phonics and word analysis skills to decode
• Read with fluency at appropriate instructional level
• Use knowledge about the craft and structure of text to construct meaning
• Recount key ideas and details from text and integrate knowledge when applicable
• Analyze, integrate and evaluate knowledge and ideas from text
• Read for varied purposes.
Writing
• Use writing strategies to convey ideas
• Use conventions of writing
• Write for different purposes in different formats
• Clarifies or elaborates writing
• Gather and use information for research purposes
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Math
New York State Common Core Standards
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/ciai/common_core_standards/pdfdocs/nysp12cclsmath.pdf
Bridges Math: https://www.mathlearningcenter.org/bridges
The Elementary Bridges mathematics program emphasizes conceptual understanding of mathematical
ideas. Students explore relationships and properties of number through the use of materials, including
cubes, Place value blocks (Base 10 materials), color cubes, and pattern blocks, before they write down
their discoveries. They learn to perform fundamental operations and derive algorithms (common
procedures for addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) by using manipulatives. Elementary
children relate mathematics to practical and real-life situations through measurement, telling time, money,
mapping, graphing, patterns, spatial relations, and statistics.
The program provides a balance between the development of a strong number sense and problem solving
skills on the one hand, and practicing computational skills on the other. Math instruction involves a variety
of experiences, including investigations with materials, class discussions, games, projects, and paper and
pencil work. At each age level, students review, consolidate, and build on prior knowledge. Teachers
encourage students to develop their own intuitive mathematical sense and to trust their hypotheses. There
is as much emphasis on the strategy, process, and mental exercise used to solve a problem as on getting
the right answer. Valuing the process as well as the product is an essential part of the school's philosophy
regarding learning; we believe learners internalize new concepts through a thorough grasp of the process
involved. Mathematics is taught by the classroom teacher.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Processes and Practices
• Make sense of problems and uses simple strategies to solve them
• Reason quantitatively and uses tools strategically
• Communication and represent mathematical thinking
• Identify patterns and make simple generalizations
Number
• Count with understanding
• Show understanding of whole numbers, quantities and relationships
• Estimate quantity with reasonable accuracy
Operations and Algebraic Thinking
• Use understanding of addition and subtraction to solve problems
• Demonstrate basic number combination and computational fluency
• Understand the base ten system (place value)
• Show beginning understanding of multiplication and division
Measurement
• Order, compare and describe objects that can be measured
• Use tools and techniques to estimate and measure
Data Analysis
• Collect, classify, represent and interpret data
Geometry
• Explore and solve spatial problems using manipulatives and drawings
• Analyze shapes and their attributes
• Compose and decompose shapes
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Science
Next Generation Science Standards: https://www.nextgenscience.org/
The science program emphasizes original thinking, inquiry and scientific investigation. Across the age
groups, the study of science is hands-on, interdisciplinary and incorporates math and language acquisition
while teaching scientific principles applicable to the whole curriculum.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Inquiry Skills and Practices
• Identify questions and problems and suggests solutions during investigations
• Plan and carry our simple investigations and experiments and collect, record and display data
• Formulate ideas, solutions, and explanations based on evidence from their own experiences and
observations and those of others
• Communicate science information and ideas in a variety of ways and engages in argument from
evidence.
Physical Science
• Observe, describe, and compare properties of matter and how they change
• Observe, investigate and describe force, motion and stability of objects and materials
• Investigate, observe and describe the properties of light, heat, and sound.
Life Science
• Observe, describe and compare the characteristics of living things and how they grow change and
survive
• Investigate how living things depend on and interact with the environment
• Explore variation and diversity of living things
Earth Science
• Observe and describe phenomena related to the sun, moon, and stars
• Investigate, observe and describe e earth’s nonliving environment and how humans and other living
things use and conserve its natural resources
• Identify patterns in weather and seasonal changes.
Social Studies
The philosophy and practice at Clarion School begins with the idea that children are makers of meaning
through their interactions in the human world. As such, social studies serves as the core interdisciplinary
curriculum. Teachers integrate concepts and skills from the other academic areas within children's daily
experiential work. The program addresses two major themes: (1) the study of human life as it presents itself
from moment to moment, e.g., sharing, working together cooperatively, resolving conflicts; and (2) the study
of the connections and relationships necessary for physical and psychological survival in the world around
us.
The social studies curricula in Elementary gradually moves from the "here and now" in Grade 1 to "long
ago" in the Grade 2 and to long ago and far away in Grade 3. Students continue to learn primarily from
direct experience; however, as they get older, they also employ other sources of knowledge such as books,
museums, pictures, documents, and information from the internet.
Through this kind of work, children begin to make powerful connections between historical and distant
occurrences and the situations they experience in their everyday lives. All of the social studies curricula
draw upon and extend children's developing skills as readers and writers. In each study, children have
opportunities to participate in interdisciplinary activities that enrich their learning in a variety of ways.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should through their unit of study on
COMMUNITY should:
People, Past and Present
• Identify similarities and differences in people’s characteristics, habits, and living patterns
• Show beginning understanding of past and present.
• Show beginning understanding of how the past affects people’s lives
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Human Interdependence
• Identify how people rely on other for goods and services
• Identify how technology influences people’s lives
Citizenship and Government
• Demonstrate some understanding of the reasons for rules and laws
• Show beginning understanding of what it means to be a leader
People and Where they live
• Use simple mapping skills
• Identifies how the environment affects how people live and work
• Recognize some ways people affect their environment.
The Arts - VISUAL
NSAE - Kennedy Center for Art Edge Standards https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/standards
In their first year in Elementary, children come to the art and shop studios for the first time. Painting, drawing,
clay, collage and construction, paper mache, and printmaking are done in the art room. Shop has wood, a
variety of construction materials, and carpentry tools. As children gain an understanding and appreciation
of the expressive qualities of materials, they develop skills and discover their potential for creating
increasingly complex subject matter in art and shop.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Expression and Representation
• Explore materials and techniques in the arts
• Use the arts to express and represent ideas, experiences, and emotions
Understanding and Appreciation
• Interpret and extract meaning from artistic products and experiences
• Recognize cultural and historical connections with art.
The Arts – MUSIC
https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/standards
The Elementary music curriculum is largely influenced by the philosophy of Kodaly, while also including
techniques from the Orff approach. Singing traditional songs of various cultures and time periods provides
the foundation for musical literacy and for studying the comparative and structural elements of music;
among these are pitch, dynamics, tempo, texture, and form. Students are able to take ownership of these
concepts when they use them in their own compositions and improvisations. Along with accompanying
songs with instruments, children create original music in their instrumental work. In an age appropriate
manner, all students improvise.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Expression and Representation
• Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
• Use the arts to express and represent ideas, experiences, and emotions.
Understanding and Appreciation
• Students use appropriate terminology in explaining music, music notation, music instruments and
voices, and music performances.
• Students demonstrate perceptual skills by moving, by answering questions about, and by describing
aural examples of music of various styles representing diverse cultures.
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Personal, Social and Physical Education
SHAPE America’s National Standards https://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/pe
Physical education teachers introduce activities based on their approaches to children's cognitive and
physical development in order to give all children an opportunity to succeed. In physical education, as in
other areas of the curriculum, staff members encourage and support the participation of all students in
activities, but allow the children to develop at their own pace, free from any pressure to perform at certain
skill levels at a particular age.
At the completion of the academic year, students in GRADE 2 should:
Gross Motor Development
• Move with agility, balance and control
• Coordinate movement patterns skillfully to perform simple tasks
Fine Motor Development
• Use strength and control to perform tasks
• Use writing, drawing, and art tools with some control
Self-Care, Health and Safety
• Use complex strategies for personal care and health
• Show understanding of safety rules and issues through actions and words.
World Languages: Arabic and French
Students meet for World Language instruction in smaller groups throughout the Elementary School, and
the program builds on the work done in the Early Years. Whereas the focus in the Early Years is on
receptive language and creating a disposition for language learning, the emphasis in the Elementary School
is on helping students develop strategies for acquiring and retaining the language. Arabic A is instruction
in Arabic on a daily basis. Arabic B is learning Arabic through English 3 lessons per week. Two lessons of
French are offered each week.
The learning of World Languages aligns with the same expectations we have for children’s literacy learning
in English. Our goal is to:
• Use and apply ‘learning to learn’ tools and strategies across all subject areas
• Integrate world languages across the curriculum in all grade levels
Library
Building on skills acquired through formal instruction, discussion, and storytelling, students become
proficient in the following areas: finding information, selecting books, understanding fiction/non-fiction, using
shelf markers, comprehension and appreciation of folktales, assisted use of the computer catalog,
awareness of genres, and how to care for books.
With the cooperation of classroom teachers, students embark on research that enables them to become
discerning and capable users of information. They learn how to gather data efficiently and effectively,
evaluate it critically, and then use and present it accurately and creatively. As children get older, they
become proficient and independent library users. In order to support their independent research, they
continue to develop their skills in evaluating print and on-line materials for accuracy, currency, and bias.
During weekly interactions with library material and teachers, students read and discuss stories from
different literary genres. Children borrow books and learn about the organization and uses of the library.
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ASSESSMENTS
The purpose of assessment is to gather and analyze information about student performance. It is
designed to inform teaching and learning. It identifies what students know, understand, can do and feel at
different stages in the learning process.
School-Based Assessments that support student learning
These assessments are varied and may include depending on the developmental age of the students.
• Running Records
• Math Assessments pre, during and post each unit
• Observational monitoring
• Performance assessments
• Process-focused assessments
• Selected responses
• Open ended tasks
National Assessments that support student learning
MAP – Measure of Academic Progress
Mandated by the Ministry of Education MAP assessments are administered 3 times across the year:
September, January and May.
MAP assessments are unique in that they adapt to be appropriate for your child’s level of learning. As a
result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward
assessments. And with MAP assessments, we can administer shorter assessments and use less class
time while still receiving detailed, accurate information about your child’s growth.
After each assessment period you will receive a report showing your child’s results. In class, teachers will
use this data to guide students in ongoing specific goal setting, monitoring and reflection.
We are truly excited to begin a new era that focuses on every child’s individual growth and achievement.
Partnering to help all kids learn, parents and teachers can have a profound positive effect on the lives
of our children.
For more information on resources for parents, download the Parent Toolkit.
We give students MAP assessments to determine your child’s instructional level and to measure
academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year in the areas of:
• Grade 2: Reading, Language, and Math
• Grade 3,4,5: Reading, Language, Math, and Science.
Your child will take the assessments on a computer.
CAT 4 – Cognitive Abilities Test
Mandated by the Ministry of Education CAT 4 Assessments are taken at the beginning of each school for
students in Grades 3 and above.
The Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT) is a suite of tests that assesses a students reasoning (thinking) abilities
in key areas that support educational development an academic attainment. CAT 4 consists of the
following aspects:
Verbal Reasoning – thinking with words
• Verbal classification
• Verbal Analogies
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Quantitative (or numerical) Reasoning – thinking with numbers
• Number Analogies
• Number Series
Non-Verbal Reasoning – thinking with shapes
• Figure classification
• Figure Matrices
Spatial Ability – thinking with shape and space
• Figure analysis
• Figure recognition
Information gleaned from these assessments, which are shared with parents, is to inform teachers about
the abilities of their students, identify students with particular / similar characteristics, better identify
student needs and target resources to support student learning and growth over time.
While we are aware that students’ preferences for learning are influenced by other factors we know that
our teachers take the time to know their students. They use resources to determine students’ interests,
learning styles, and multiple intelligences. This data is used in effective instructional planning and
classroom organization.
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Moral Education
Moral Education is an innovative, engaging curriculum designed to develop young people of all nationalities
and ages in the UAE with universal principles and values, that reflect the shared experiences of humanity.
At Clarion School, Moral Education is embedded in the very ethos, vision and values of who we are
as a school.
Moral Education 20/20 Vision Clarion School Vision
‘A journey to preparing a generation of young ‘Our students will be challenged to high
people who are responsible, resilient and expectations and engaging with the world as
knowledgeable who can contribute to their collaborative, productive and responsible members
community locally and globally.’ of a global community’.
At Clarion the Moral Education Curriculum is best illustrated and evidenced in Social Studies.
Social Studies is made up of several components that provide opportunities for teachers and
children to:
• Learn in an interdisciplinary way—using literacy, mathematics, science, and art for example, as
means for exploration and expression.
• Examine the interaction between people and their environments and analyze how human life
is shaped by the environment and how people have reshaped it;
• Study human technologies from the simple to the complex, and how technology serves the
basic human needs of food, clothing, and shelter and communication;
• Explore the social systems—family, community, work, laws, taboos, customs, and beliefs—
that determine a people’s way of life and structure individual and group behavior;
• Study cultures through myths, religion, science, and art to gain an understanding of how a
people arrive at a sense of meaning;
• Recognize that we live in an ever-changing world and examine the competencies needed to
meet and challenge that world
• Prepare to live as citizens by being part of a classroom where children have the opportunity to
participate in making decisions, learning to work collaboratively, listening to each other’s ideas, and
coming to respect different points of view.
Social Studies includes the social fabric of classroom life. EVERYTHING is Social Studies.
EVERYTHING is Moral Education.
At Clarion, the implicit curriculum refers to —how children interact with each other, how they speak
to the adults in the room, what happens when playing outside or in the lunchroom. This is why the
routines and setting of expectations for classroom living are so important in the beginning of the
year. The organization and the management of the classroom reflect the kind of values we share
as a community.
As important as WHAT we Study, is HOW we Study.
The Moral Education program is designed using the following 4 pillars. These pillars are reflected in our
Clarion Student Profile:
• Character and Morality
• The Individual and the community
• Cultural Studies
• Civic Studies
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Links to Curriculum Standards:
Subject Link
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