[Music]
hello everyone
thank you so much for joining us today
my name is travis and i'm the k3
curriculum coordinator here at loras
today i'd like to introduce our k3
curriculum to you
and take as a starting point our
decision
to become a cambridge international
school this video will be available to
watch up until monday morning june 21st
and we'll be accepting questions via
google form link
please find it in the video description
kindly submit your questions at any time
and the staff from the school your child
attends will be in touch with you soon
after
as we are still dealing with the effects
of the covert 19 virus pandemic we would
like to start off by discussing the
measures we are taking to ensure
your child has a rewarding and
fulfilling school life
despite this unprecedented situation
we recognize the trust and
responsibility you place in us
to keep your child safe and in good
health and thank you for this
the protocols we follow at loris include
reconfigured classrooms to encourage our
social distancing
measures improved ventilation in
classrooms
rigorous disinfection of our schools
including all classroom furniture
and equipment frequent hand washing
temperature checking on arrival and
periodically throughout the day
provision of protective equipment for
staff
students are encouraged to wear masks as
much as possible too
and we have adapted our curriculum to
reduce close physical contact while
maintaining our higher educational
standards
as part of teaching language skills
however there are times where it is
necessary for students and teachers to
remove masks
for effective learning to take place at
these times
we'll always ensure there is sufficient
ventilation and
speakers are appropriately distanced
teachers may use a transparent face
shield and students may remove their
masks
one at a time we also may remove masks
during pe
or karate classes or as a preventative
measure against heat stroke during the
hotter months
we appreciate your understanding and
cooperation in supporting our measures
and keeping our schools safe learning
environments
as i'm sure you're already aware we are
a registered cambridge international
school
and follow the specialized international
school curriculum
why cambridge we wanted to ensure
structure and consistency from an
internationally recognized program not
only
at our primary school but also for the
students who may wish to make the next
step
beyond our kindergarten pathways
cambridge international education
excels at preparing school students for
life
helping them develop an informed
curiosity and lasting passion for
learning
cambridge assessment is designed for
young learners from 5 to 11 years old
and is used in primary schools around
the world
the curriculum typically covers the core
subjects of english
esl maths science and ict
providing an excellent foundation for
later stages of education
for other school subjects it offers the
school the freedom and flexibility to
create a curricula
that fits the individual school's
philosophy
for us this means a strong focus on
project-based learning
tech integration and stem education
please note that in the uk students
start primary school after their fifth
birthday therefore during the k3 year in
japan
students actually begin studying the
first grade curriculum
we still name and refer to our classes
in the japanese way for clarity
and consistency with the japanese
schooling system
nearly a million students from 10 000
cambridge schools in 160 countries
now prepare for their future with an
international education
we believe education works best when
curriculum
teaching learning and assessment are
closely aligned
the program later moves on to secondary
and high school equivalent stages
cambridge international examinations is
one of the world's largest providers
of international education programs and
qualifications
for ages 5 to 19.
they strive to deliver excellence in
education with the purpose of creating
global-minded citizens
the textbooks used with the cambridge
curriculum for maths
science and english have an
international and modern approach
and have a lot to offer young learners
they provide hands-on
and inquiry-based activities to aid and
support
learning through stem education the
letters in the acronym stem
stand for science technology engineering
and mathematics students combine skills
from all four fields to solve
real-world practical challenges
the cambridge curriculum provides a
bigger focus on teaching students
the academic skills needed in order to
become confident and independent
learners
it has a variety of assessments that
help with the monitoring of children's
progress
and guides the teacher towards the areas
of learning that need to be targeted for
support
having a curriculum to go by and a
guideline from an external entity
provides the school
teachers and students with more focus
and common goals
our school aims to be safe progressive
and a nourishing environment that future
global-minded leaders require
in order to thrive next
let's take a look at the subjects taught
at the k3 level
and who teaches them as you can see the
homeroom teacher
teaches the full english curriculum
maths
social studies art ict and science
although a specialist teacher provides
science labs every month
and support for the homeroom teacher
various specialist teachers bring their
expertise to their particular subject
and help the homeroom teacher further
advance learning in these areas
these weekly visits often become the
highlight of a student's week
supplementing the core subject areas
visiting teachers provide targeted
lessons in stem
karate pe music
and as mentioned science at loras
science isn't about being fed
information and memorizing facts
it's about learning how to look at the
world for oneself
asking questions about what you can see
and providing strategies to answer those
questions
the curriculum we've created for our
schools is designed to reflect that
students
need core transferable skills just as
much as subject-specific knowledge
and the way we do this is through
stimulating and thought-provoking
inquiry-based learning
students at loris are supported in this
process
through opportunities to use relevant
scientific equipment
including thermometers magnifying
glasses and microscopes
students will investigate things that
they see around them
by making predictions and then testing
those predictions
in addition they will make
three-dimensional models and crafts
that help young learners visualize and
remember what they've read
or talked about next
i'd like to introduce each subject
individually
and provide a more in-depth explanation
of what is covered in the k3 curriculum
in science we use the cambridge endorsed
textbook top science that adopts an
inquiry approach
using engaging visuals and presentation
formats
with well-crafted activities to stir
students curiosity
about the world around them this
motivates students to learn
and enables them to better grasp key
scientific
concepts at the same time emphasis is
given to developing students inquiry
and processing skills critical thinking
as well as
21st century skills
top science also develops students
confidence
questions are provided at the end of
every chapter with advice and helpful
questions to guide students thought
processes
chapters include learning about the
human senses
materials around us forces and sound
here is an example from one of our
science classes
this lesson is about objects and the
materials they are made from
students will already be familiar with
these objects
but will likely have yet to think much
about where they come from
to stimulate the children's curiosity
teachers
introduce objects for the children to
see and touch
the children come up with answers such
as bricks come from
rocks which is incorrect or bells come
from metal
which is correct the accuracy of the
children's answers isn't important at
first
more that they think and form their own
ideas
throughout the year the einstein classes
also conduct several practical
experiments during science lessons
in preparation for their graduation
science project
at the end of the school year the
classes
also participate in a mid-year science
project
past projects have included egg drops
designing and building
roller coasters and studying the effects
of different colored lights
on plant growth loras also
offers students an einstein lab lesson
once a month
with our specialist science teacher
these classes contain a range of fun
hands-on activities with a strong focus
on doing science experiments that deepen
students
scientific understanding students will
learn about such things as
centre of balance organisms fossils
and the nature of light
in the picture on the left the children
are performing
balance related experiments they
initially tried to balance
pencils on a wooden block they
discovered
that with the help of some clothes pins
and wire
they were able to lower the center of
gravity and successfully balance a
pencil on a block
in the picture with the green balloon on
the right the students are experimenting
with yeast
a single celled microorganism yeast
sugar and warm water are mixed in a
bottle
when the yeast feeds on the sugar it
produces carbon dioxide gas
this carbon dioxide gas causes the
balloon to inflate
along the way while the students are
observing
predicting testing analyzing and
repeating the scientific process
they record this information in
workbooks as seen in the picture
at the bottom right
experimenting provides a strong sense of
discovery
and interest in the world around us and
encourages students to use science as a
means to uncover the mysteries of the
world
it forms a major part of our science
program in k3
to supplement what is learned in labs
and the classroom
students go on many science trips
throughout the academic year
providing fun real-life opportunities to
extend
upon taught content get hands-on
and see science in action previous field
trips have included
wenozu shinagawa aqua park
planetariums kidzania toshiba
science museum and tencu space museum
here the children are at toshiba science
museum near kawasaki station
learning about science-related topics
such as technology
static electricity light and
electromagnetism
in the picture on the left they're
learning about the nature of white light
and how it is made up of the colours of
the rainbow
but that the same colours of the
coloured water make black
this complements what they learn in one
of the science labs at loris
at the k3 level students study stem
once a week they learn a wide variety of
skills
using science technology engineering and
mathematics
to help them become confident critical
thinkers
our students focus on one stem project
per month
where they learn about programming
biology
entrepreneurship problem solving and
more
the activities encourage students to
explore their ideas
come up with solutions and test their
theories
and this gives them a lot more
confidence with sharing their opinions
with
other people our k3 stem curriculum for
this year looks like this
each project takes one month to complete
and works on all the different skills
that students need to become
confident organized researchers for
example
with the entrepreneurship project in
october students will establish
virtual shops in teams in previous years
students have created their own pizza
shop
designing pizzas with good topping
combinations
selecting prices that will attract
customers but allow for profit
and typing up menus that they can take
home to their parents
we have a custom curriculum based on the
digital kids starter syllabus
which helps young learners become
skilled in all basic
aspects of computing our k3 ict
curriculum
is designed to give students the
confidence and skills they need
for basic functions such as typing
documents
editing images as well as the creation
of their very own video game
through simple programming this is part
of a six year plan that lora students
follow
all the way from k3 to primary five
with students always building on the
skills that they learn
along the way our ict curriculum focuses
on
developing a range of interchangeable
skills on both computers and tablet
devices
the students start by learning the
basics of a computer before moving on to
typing
creating images and simple programming
each month has a set of manageable goals
with the students developing problem
solving skills
in the process next we will move on to
english
literacy k3 builds upon
reading and writing skills that have
been developed from k1
and k2 pathways via the internationally
recognized
jolly phonics program we use engaging
activities to help students develop
their letter sound
knowledge while a number of alternate
letter sound spellings are introduced
more tricky words are taught and basic
sentence structure is introduced in the
form of guided
writing exercises later in the year
students learn how to use their
knowledge of the alternate letter sound
spellings
for writing as well as for reading
additionally
a number of independent writing
exercises are used to encourage
students to write freely on their own
at the start of k3 students are
beginning to read and write simple
sentences
but by the end they are able to read and
write
longer more complex sentences and
are able to more thoroughly comprehend
and analyze the information
students who have completed the jolly
phonics program
of reading on average one to two years
above their actual age
some even three to four years above
their age
upon completion of student book 2
students proceed to the jolly yellow
readers
a set of 18 various readers of
interesting and engaging stories
written in the decodable language
introduced in the jolly phonic student
books
1 and 2. emphasis is also placed
on student comprehension of the texts
additionally
students are exposed to other readers
such as the popular leveled
oxford reading tree series as seen on
the right
phonics provides students with the tools
to decode words
from words students can then read
sentences
the reader books help students not only
read books
but to read books with fluency however
just being able to decode a word or a
sentence
doesn't necessarily mean a child
understood what they read
and that is why reading comprehension
plays a vital role
at loras bespoke worksheets extend upon
the readers to ensure students develop
a deeper understanding of the content
read
students also gain skill sets such as
being able to comprehend
and conceptualize the beginning middle
and end of a book
which in turn helps students understand
how to structure
their own creative writing and stories
summary with jolly phonics the code is
taught carefully
starting with the simplest skills and
gradually building up to more
complicated ones
parental support is always beneficial
and is very much appreciated by
everyone at school if you would like any
additional resources
a cd or workbook please ask a member of
staff
our english speaking classes make use of
cambridge global english textbooks
a stimulating nine-stage language-rich
english course
k3 english classes have been developed
to provide a comprehensive
support for students and take an active
creative
learning to learn approach that teaches
learners to communicate clearly and
fluently in english
laura's english speaking classes teach
vocabulary
use of english listening speaking and
also
include some light reading and writing
exercises
here is an example where students are
learning about cities
the page on the left asks the students
to think about what they see
and hear in the city what the
traffic-like colours mean
and to show how the boy can get home
from school
teachers bring this material to life in
the classroom by having the kids sing
songs go outside and use their senses to
see
and hear what is in the city and play
movement games to learn the rules of
traffic lights
at k3 loras is committed to the
promotion of technology within the
classroom
one such example can be seen with our
use of the raz kids award-winning
teaching application
that provides comprehensive leveled
reading resources
for students that they can read on our
ipads
this software offers thousands of ebooks
at various levels
of difficulty and an interactive portal
that keeps students motivated and
engaged
every ebook is available in online and
mobile formats and allows students to
listen to
read at their own pace and even record
themselves reading
every book has an e-quiz that the
students can take
once it has been read testing
comprehension and also
aiding future instruction needs
once a student has read 10 or more of
the leveled
ebooks and passed each of the
corresponding e-quizzes
they advance onto the next reading level
where they have access to
lengthier and more difficult books
the scope of this program is enormous
students are able to use this
application from learning to read simple
sentences
right up to reading full chapter books
designed for native
speaking teenagers mathematics primarily
makes use of the go math grade 1
textbooks and builds a strong foundation
of the subject
and introduces new concepts using
manipulatives
and engaging pictorials the top maths 1
textbooks
are also utilized throughout the school
year to cover topics such as measuring
directions counting money and telling
the time
at loras teachers are encouraged to use
textbooks as a point of departure
in bringing subjects alive through
hands-on and engaging activities
topics at k3 cover not only numbers
geometry
addition and subtraction but also
position and movement
doubles and tens money length
mass capacity time and
representing data content is clearly
structured and spiraled across the
levels
to ensure the gradual build up and
review of skills as students progress
up the stages emphasis
is also placed on developing students
problem-solving skills
critical thinking as well as other
contemporary skill sets
our k3 math course teaches general
skills and techniques necessary to
understand and solve a wide variety of
problems
it contains word problems that require
the children to think about
real-world practical situations and
solutions to them
it also includes more advanced problems
that encourage the students to think
deeper and outside the box
for example here students are learning
about how to add by making a 10
and then adding the ones to it this is
an important concept for the students to
understand since
two digit numbers are represented by
tens and ones
and once that is understood it becomes
simpler to add numbers by thinking about
them in terms
of tens and ones in class
students use blocks and ten frames to
get hands-on
and visualize the way numbers are
represented
in this manner the methods and thought
processes learned in loras math classes
develop mental skills enhance logical
analysis
and boost creative thinking these are
important lifelong skills
relevant in all career fields and we
believe
it is important that they are nurtured
from a young age
our math course is very language rich
students not only
learn to solve the equations they also
learn how to describe and explain their
findings
in addition to our go math and top math
textbooks
we will also be utilizing the japanese
design software application
sorrow touch students will have the
chance to use the soro touch app during
math classes
morning homeroom or during their free
time to assist them in building their
mental calculation skills
the software which the students can
access on school ipads
or at their home home on other devices
provides a digital abacus
games and other fun activities to build
upon the skills they are learning in
class
this is another way that loris is
incorporating the use of technology
and cutting-edge learning techniques in
our classes to build essential
real-world skills
that students can use throughout their
lives
k3 social studies makes use of the stage
1 textbook
my world social studies classes at loras
have clearly defined
learning objectives and are adapted to
fit the children's lives in japan
while providing international context
and perspectives
topics include personal development
health and safety
citizenship basic economics
geography culture and history
social studies lessons often make use of
role-playing
and hands-on activities to ensure the
students internalize and thoroughly
understand the subject matter
for instance when learning about maps
and directions
as seen here students create a map of
the school
with the locations of various objects
and with a partner
use their newly developed map skills and
spatial abilities
to follow the directions and locate the
objects
students go on field trips to expand
upon what they learn about in social
studies
including trips to the local fire
station post office
bakery and domino's pizza
students gain insight and experience
first hand
what the working world is all about
once a week students enjoy a music class
with our specialist teacher
areas covered include exploring and
making vocal sounds
performing songs performing sequences of
actions
rhythms low and high pitches
and musical notation specialist teachers
provide expertise in pe
and karate pe covers topics such as
motor skills
movement patterns gymnastics tumbling
skills
while also learning sports such as
basketball
volleyball and soccer
meanwhile discipline and self-control
are instilled in karate lessons
via a non-contact form of martial arts
called
shotokan art class
has monthly themed units including
painting
sculpting fruits and vegetables and
designing each unit has clear learning
objectives
lessons are focused on different
international artists
art movements and art techniques
students are not just creating works of
art they're also
learning about the science and history
behind the art and crafts
that they make for instance in
april and may students learn about the
primary colors
blue red and yellow and then experiment
with them
to create the secondary colors orange
green and purple
they learn about various painters their
painting styles and then
make their own works of a similar style
in addition to
all of our in-class activities and
programs
we have expanded opportunities for your
child to continue
learning at home too we are therefore
very pleased to announce the launch of
our brand new
digital learning platform for young
learners
this is available to all laura students
as a supplementary resource
for home study so you and your child can
enjoy learning and exploring a range of
scientific topics at home
loris online consists of original and
innovative content
developed by our in-house curriculum
team
using science as our basis our
fascinating variety of
themed units will inspire in your child
a thirst for knowledge
and a passion for learning setting them
up for
future success based on the latest
educational methodology and our own
experiences teaching in the classroom
we've created an e-learning platform
tailored to the specific needs
and interests of your child we offer
a supplement to international school
education with interesting content that
can be done at home
cross-curricular learning presented in
thematic units
there are original characters who
introduce and explain
concepts through engaging stories and
imaginative play
we provide families insight and
engagement with their child's education
we frame scientific topics in an
age-appropriate
and entertaining way
there is a wide variety of engaging
content
to make learning fun for students
in level 1 there will be 24 thematic
units
in each unit there are four books
narrated by
native speakers including fun sound
effects
the narration can be turned off to give
your child
reading practice too there are two
interactive videos in each unit thematic
content is presented
by our original characters
each unit has two vocabulary sets that
connect to the content
in the books and videos
there are two games or other digital
activities that will help your child
practice and consolidate the content of
each unit
there are two fun craft activities that
you can do at home with your
child and there are four printable
worksheets in each unit
including coloring pages matching
activities
cut and paste and many more
there is also a reward system where
students can collect stars
and trophies and view their progress in
their individualized
prizes section although
level 1 of this platform is primarily
targeted at younger children
regardless of your child's age we are
sure this will prove to be a useful
resource
to help your child to consolidate what
is being learned in class
increase their exposure to the english
language and
to practice english more outside of the
classroom
there will also be new pathways aimed at
older children coming out soon
please speak to the staff at your
child's school if you would like
more information homework is usually set
daily
and an opportunity to develop and build
upon concepts and skills taught within
the classroom
we recognize the young age of our
students and view homework as a chance
to build
positive routines and good communication
with parents
homework also provides a way for parents
to see what your child is studying
at school and a way for children and
parents to bond over
and discuss school or learn topics
as i'm sure you already encountered at
this age
your child may sometimes require your
support to complete homework
we ask for your understanding and help
with this process
homework may cover reading writing
spelling practice
problem solving worksheets or to
complete material not finished within
the class
it usually takes about 10 to 20 minutes
report cards are distributed at the end
of each term
teachers look not only at the targets
children have achieved
but also the process behind the learning
assessments are an ongoing process
through which both
parents and teachers can monitor the
areas where the students require support
the assessments not only evaluate skills
but also help teach skills
methods through which children are
assessed include classwork
writing research projects participation
during lessons
presentations practical work one-to-one
evaluations
and chapter or term tests
here is an outline of a sample k3
einstein weekly schedule at k3
the lesson length is 45 minutes each
block
is slightly longer than students did in
k2
while the study demands are increased
from that of the k2 pathway
children are still provided plenty of
opportunities for outdoor
activities and play
after the students arrive at school in
the morning they change
put their things away and then move on
to morning activity centres and home
room
during these times the children read
books write journals on various topics
and practice their public speaking
through show and tell
the children have three lesson blocks
each day plus lunchtime
and park time
each week there are four english classes
three math classes two science classes
and one social studies class stem
ict pe music and art class
the graduation ceremony is a formal
event that celebrates the achievements
of the academic year
while also providing closure to the
students attendance
of the loras kindergarten program
as well as accepting their graduation
certificate students give a personal
speech
present a science project with science
speech
display artwork and sing songs
past science project presentations have
included
magnetic levitation future
transportation
the solar system and beyond drone
delivery systems
and submarines preparation for
graduation is a big
undertaking and much like with
performance day
preparations begin months in advance the
kindergarten pathways
lay the foundation for the loras primary
school in meetup
continuing to follow the cambridge
international curriculum
stem and ict areas in particular
showcasing exciting cutting-edge
approaches to education
including the use of robotics 3d
printers
ipads chromebooks and other dynamic
forms of applied learning
this brings us to an end to our
curriculum presentation
i hope it was insightful for you thank
you for listening
please feel free to submit any questions
that you may have via the form
in the video description or ask directly
to the staff
in your child's school thank you very
much