Elementary School

At ASB, our fundamental goal in Literacy is for students to develop a true life-long passion for reading and writing. We offer a balanced literacy program which promotes reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Reading

Our approach to reading includes explicit and systematic instruction of early literacy skills. The workshop approach begins with a specific mini lesson and then allows students time to deeply engage in reading books at their independent level while the classroom teacher focuses on small group instruction and one-on-one conferencing with students. Through detailed assessments and conferencing with students, teachers are able to help each student to become a more skilled reader. In the workshop model, resources such as classroom libraries, guided reading books and online reading resources are used in harmony with interactive teacher “read-alouds”, shared reading, word study, and guided reading lessons to help students improve their reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. Teachers promote a love of reading in every student through exposing them to inspiring, interesting and thought-provoking literature from a variety of genres while guiding students to ask and answer deeper level questions about the texts they are reading. Our goal is for students to become independent and avid readers.

Writing

ASB uses Units of Study for Teaching Writing to guide our writer’s workshop lessons and unit plans. Students receive direct instruction in the form of a mini lesson where the teacher models a writing skill that many of the students are working on with guided practice in how to use the skill. Students are then given time to write, applying the skills and strategies they have learned to their own writing. Students then work through the stages of the writing process: generating ideas, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing different genres of texts. As students write, the teacher provides feedback through small group instruction and one-on-one conferences. Using the writer’s workshop model, teachers help students develop their skills and their voice as writers.

Speaking and Listening

Effective communication is a central focus throughout our elementary school. Students learn to speak confidently in front of small and large groups by having frequent opportunities to work collaboratively on small group reports, and to do presentations. Encouraging students to listen attentively and actively is also a goal that is promoted by teachers in every subject area.

Students engage in mathematical thinking and problem solving for 60 to 75 minutes a day using the Bridges in Mathematics curriculum. Math routines include solving problems, investigating big ideas, visiting math centers, and a daily all-class calendar routine called Number Corner.  

Our math curriculum aligns to the US Common Core Math standards. They integrate rigorous classroom reasoning, extended classroom time devoted to practice and reflection and high expectations for mastery and understanding. When you walk into a classroom during math time, you will see students interacting with mathematics in a variety of ways using many strategies to investigate problems and find solutions. Students learn to think critically, analyze their thinking and the thinking of others, and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

Elementary students engage with at least three science units per year focused in the areas of life science, earth science, and physical science. Additionally, students in grades 2nd-4th participate in a LEGO Robotics unit for the development of engineering skills. Grade 5 students participate in an integrated technology unit on coding. The pedagogy and lessons of our science program are based on the Next Generation Science Standards. We use an approach connecting hands-on experiences with reading, writing and inquiry. Building upon curiosity, exploration and experimentation, ASB students learn to observe, ask questions, test their theories and explain their findings following the scientific inquiry cycle.

Castellano

Our Spanish program offers different levels for the dynamic range of learners within our school. Our Castellano classes follow the Spanish national curriculum, studying language, grammar and literature at a national grade level. The Castellano students also take Sociales, which covers Spanish geography and history.

Spanish Language Learning

Students who are learning Spanish start in our Spanish Language Learners (SLL) program. The SLL program fosters the development of the four skills - listening, speaking, reading, and writing from the beginning of instruction. In SLL classes, students learn both social and academic language within the context of Spanish society which will enable them to fully participate in both local and school life.

The ASB Catalan program allows Spanish students to meet requirements set out by the Generalitat de Catalunya and is a requirement for all Spanish passport holders. It gives all students the opportunity to learn the language and customs of our host society through a combination of communicative and content-based teaching methods and appreciation of the unique culture of Catalunya. Classes are offered 2-3 times per week for both language learners and native speakers. International students who have not yet mastered the Spanish language or who need English language support may be exempt from Catalan.

Students read historical fiction and non fiction in our literacy studio and discuss issues of local and international history, culture, government, and geography. Students learn about their school community, their local community and their global community through interactive projects, readings and field trips. Barcelona is a wonderful place to explore history, geography and cultures past and present.

The elementary visual art curriculum is based on the National Visual Arts Standards. Students explore sequential hands-on learning experiences that encompass art history, art criticism, aesthetics and production. Art concepts are reinforced through projects based on the elements of art and principles of design. Students develop critical and creative thinking skills as they express themselves and experiment with varied media and techniques. The program strives to give each student the opportunity to develop a lifelong appreciation for art in general.  Students in 1st through 5th grade attend art once out of a 6-day cycle.

Elementary students have one to two music lessons every 6-day cycle. Students in grades 1 to 3 develop performance skills on percussion, ukuleles, recorders and voice and learn how to compose with increasing awareness of the musical elements. Students learn how to describe music using the correct vocabulary and identify music within its culture, time or place. Students are assessed using the National Core Arts Standards. Grade 4 and 5 students follow an instrumental curriculum, with every student learning to play an instrument in a band or in an orchestra with various performance opportunities throughout the year.

An integrated technology program is offered to our elementary school students. We believe that the use of technology is fundamental in the education of our 21st century students. We seek to provide a seamless integration with curriculum by following the National Education Technology Standards and applying these in the various subject areas. Value is given to developing technology skills in authentic, inquiry-based projects which allow students to communicate, create, research, and collaborate with peers near and far. We aim to put technology in the hands of the students and empower them to use it effectively to not only consume information but to be the creators. We see that every student’s device has the potential to be a studio, a library, a laboratory, and a publishing house. To prepare students to be responsible digital citizens, the homeroom teachers, technology coordinator, and counselor plan classes based on the Common Sense Media and Google’s Be Internet Awesome curriculum. 

We implement a 1:1 iPad program in grades 1-3, and a 1:1 Chromebook program in grades 4 and 5, with devices provided by the school. Students have access to a variety of software and apps to help support curriculum and projects. Some of our main platforms include the Google Suites for Education and the Adobe Creative Suite.

Our physical education curriculum focuses on developing motor skills, promoting physical fitness and wellness, emphasizes building a classroom community, sportsmanship, and creating a learning environment that allows every student to improve his/her level of success in sport. Students enjoy a variety of interactive and collaborative games that help develop fine and gross motor skills. Students learn the basic skills of many sports including volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, and soccer.  Students in 1st through 5th grade attend PE twice every six-day cycle.

English Language Learning

English Language Learning (ELL) support services are provided for English learners with the goal being to move students from one English language proficiency level to the next. Students learn the social and academic language that will enable them to fully participate in their mainstream classrooms. ELL teachers work closely with their students in the classroom or in small groups outside the classroom to support listening, speaking, reading, and writing needs.

Academic Learning Support

We provide interventions for students in reading and provide consultation to teachers in implementing classroom based interventions for math, writing, attention, language and behavior. We believe that all students have the potential to learn and that this happens at different rates for all students. We work as a team to provide students with the support they need to be successful inside and outside of the classroom.

Counseling

The school counselor works with students, parents, faculty, and community organizations to offer the following services: 

• Individual student planning: The school counselor helps students set personal and academic goals, both individually and in small and large group formats. 

• Responsive services: The school counselor works to address the immediate needs of all students, including through individual counseling or in small group settings. As members of the Crisis Management Team, they collaborate with other school personnel to ensure the safety of students in crisis situations. 

Indirect student services: The school counselor collaborates with school personnel, parents, community organizations and other stakeholders to help meet the needs of all students, including making referrals to outside agencies when students require additional assistance. also provide regular workshops for parents on a variety of developmentally relevant topics.