ELC Curriculum Overview
As an International Baccalaureate (IB) school, the framework for our Primary School Curriculum comes from the Primary Years Programme (PYP). In every grade, the learning design has several key elements: ● Transdisciplinary Theme: A broad, global framework shared by IB schools worldwide that provides a real-world context for students to explore big ideas and connect knowledge across different subject areas. ● Central Idea: A concise, overarching statement that serves as the core focus of a unit, guiding student inquiry and helping them build a deep understanding of how the world works. ● Concepts: Timeless, universal big ideas (such as Change or Responsibility) that act as mental lenses, helping students look beyond isolated facts to understand deeper patterns and transferable principles. ● Lines of Inquiry: A small set of specific focus areas or questions that break down the central idea, guiding students' research and keeping their learning structured throughout the unit. The learning in the Early Years is divided into four Units of Inquiry. ELC Units of Inquiry Overview: How We Express Ourselves
Who We Are
Students will discover how physical spaces, both inside and outside, can be reimagined as places of self-expression. By transforming and adapting these environments, they will explore creative ways to bring their ideas to life while also learning that they are all members of a community who take responsibility for themselves, one another, learning, and the school environment.
In this unit, students will learn how their senses help them to explore and understand the world around them. They will investigate how people use different senses every day, see how sensory experiences help them learn and grow, and discover that everyone can experience the same things in unique ways.
How the World Works
Sharing the Planet
In this inquiry, students become scientists who, through observation and experimentation, make sense of how the world works. From discovering how natural things grow and change to testing how everyday objects work, they’ll build early scientific thinking through hands-on explorations. We’ll guide them to make careful observations, test their ideas, and experiment safely using standard tools and simple techniques.
Our students will discover what it means to be alive by exploring how plants and animals grow, change, and go through different life stages over time. They will learn about the essentials every living thing needs to survive and thrive—such as food, water, air, and a safe shelter. They will also build empathy and a sense of responsibility as they practice gentle care and respect for the natural world around them.
PYP Area
Who we are
An inquiry into identity as individuals and as part of a collective through:
How we express ourselves
How the world works
Sharing the planet
An inquiry into the diversity, voice, An inquiry into the understanding of perspectives, and expression the world and phenomena through: through: ● Inspiration, imagination, creativity ● Patterns, cycles, systems ● Personal, social, and cultural ● Diverse practices, methods, and notes and practices of tools communication ● Discovery, design, innovation, ● Intentions, perceptions, possibilities, and impacts interpretations, and responses
An inquiry into the interdepen of human and natural worlds through: ● Rights, responsibilities, an dignity of all ● Pathways to just, peaceful reimagined futures ● Nature, complexity, coexis and wisdom
sciplinary theme
● Physical, emotional, and spiritual health and well-being ● Relationships and belonging ● Learning and growing
Focus
Science, PSPE, Language
Social Studies, PSPE, Math, and Language
Science, Math, and Language
Science, Math, Social Studies Language
Idea
Our senses help us collect information about ourselves and our surroundings
We create and adapt spaces to express our ideas
Through observation and experimentation, people make sense of the world around them
Living things have needs that be met to ensure their surviva
ed Concepts
function, causation, perspective
function, change, responsibility
function, connection, responsibility
form, change, responsibility
nal Concepts
senses, behavior, safety, similarities and differences, perception
play, physical environment, creativity, interactions
properties, safety in science, the behavior of materials
life cycle, growth, caretaking
f Inquiry
● How people use their senses ● Learning through our senses ● Differences in sense perception
● How we express our ideas ● Using our inside and outside classrooms responsibly ● Reimagining space
● The way things work ● Natural and man-made phenomena ● Experimenting safely and accurately
● Characteristics of living th ● Growth and life cycles ● Our responsibility in carin living things
Our Math Curriculum, aligned to the Primary Years Programme (PYP), the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards (NCTM), is separated into five interconnected domains. Where possible, math outcomes are woven into the transdisciplinary theme of the Unit of Inquiry. For example, in the ELC, students collect data on their taste preferences in the “Who We Are” unit on the senses, or measure the materials needed for a science experiment in the “How the World Works” unit. Below is a summary of the key takeaways in ELC mathematics.
In ELC math, your child will build number sense by discovering that numbers represent, describe, and communicate quantities in flexible and diverse ways. Through hands-on experiences, they learn that quantities remain constant regardless of spatial arrangement, can be broken into smaller parts, and change when amounts are added or removed. Students will also learn to measure and compare the length, height, and weight of objects, using non-standard units, and how to collect and represent data about themselves or their inquiries. They will recognize patterns in their environment and learn to create their own patterns. Finally, they will describe, compare, and sort shapes by their physical properties.
Number
Shape & Space
Through concrete materials, drawings, and symbolic notation, students explore relationships between numbers. They build an understanding that numbers express "how many" or "how much" of an object or group exists
Students recognize shapes in the real world. They understand that shapes have characteristics that can be described and compared.
Measurement
Data Handling
Students find out if things are longer, shorter, heavier, lighter, bigger, or smaller by comparing them side by side or by using non-standard measurement. Measurement of time will happen through daily routines and by recognizing repeating patterns in their lives.
Pattern & Function Students use patterns in their daily life to predict what comes next. They create their own patterns in a variety of ways, and begin to identify the rule behind a repeating pattern.
Students practice gathering facts and information about themselves and the world around them and begin to organize them visually.
Some Assessed Outcomes
Sample Tasks
What We Learn
Count a small set of physical objects. Number: Counting and Cardinality ● Counting up to 5 or 10: Count and sort objects of various sizes, shapes, and arrangements, and understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.
We are looking to see if your child counts each item once, assigning each one a number name. This is one-to-one correspondence. Being able to state how many the set has without counting again demonstrates cardinality.
How many are there in all?
Measurement: Length ● Understands: Identifies objects that are long and short, and compares them using the terms longer/shorter
We are looking to see how a child compares the towers. Do they place them side by side? How do they justify their thinking with actions or words?
Build a tower with the cubes. Compare with another tower. Which one is longer?
Assessed Outcomes
Pattern & Function: Patterns ● Identify patterns: Identify repeating patterns in real life. ● Extend patterns: Identify a repeating pattern and extend the pattern by continuing to add to it.
Sample Tasks
🟦🟩🟦🟩🟦🟩 What do you see? Can you continue the pattern?
What We Learn
These tasks show us whether your child can identify patterns and repeat them. We are looking to see whether your child can begin to explain what they see and extend an existing pattern.
Sort the objects. Shape & Space: Attributes ● Sorting shapes: Sorting shapes by different attributes.
By sorting different types of objects, we’re observing what attributes children use to sort. Can they describe the objects/shapes and say why they grouped them together?
All our Primary School students are learning at least two languages in a full immersion setting. They are learning how to listen, speak, read, write, interpret, and represent their thinking and learning in a multilingual environment, connecting what they know in their home language to their new language. Our Language and Literacy Outcomes are divided into three broad categories. They span across our five program languages. ● Interpretive Communication: Your child makes sense of language by listening to spoken words or reading text, even if they aren't talking back or writing a response yet. ● Interpersonal Communication: Your child actively interacts with others by speaking or writing back and forth to share ideas, feelings, and information. ● Presentational Communication: Your child creates spoken, written, or visual messages to share information or stories with an audience without direct back-and-forth interaction. Below is an overview of the ELC Language and Literacy Outcomes.
In the ELC, students develop foundational language and literacy skills by listening to and following directions, using simple words and phrases to express needs, and learning key phonological awareness skills such as identifying rhymes, hearing word boundaries, and counting syllables. They explore books as sources of information by using picture clues and pictograms to answer questions and retell stories, while building fine motor strength and directional control through drawing, scribbling, and copying print to prepare for future writing.
Interpretive Communication (Listening & Reading) ● Listening to Understand: Students are learning to focus their attention so they can follow directions, respond to simple questions, and react appropriately in different classroom situations. ● Phonological Awareness: Through songs and chants, students learn key phonological awareness skills like identifying rhyme, hearing word boundaries, counting syllables, and noticing distinct speech sounds (phonemes). ● Reading Comprehension: Students recognize books as a source of information. They can answer questions about books/retell the story by using picture clues, vocabulary, or pictograms.
Interpersonal Communication (Speaking & Writing) ● Speaking to Communicate: Students will use language to make themselves understood. They will begin by using a variety of highly practiced, memorized words, phrases, and sentences to express some basic needs, express some preferences and/or feelings, provide personal information/knowledge, and respond to questions. ● Pre-Writing: Students build fine motor strength by exploring with crayons, markers, and paint. They naturally express their ideas through scribbles, drawings, shapes, and early letters while learning to copy words and print they see around the room, developing the directional control and muscle skills needed for future writing.
Presentational Communication (Oral, Written, & Visual) ● Presentation Delivery Skills: Students learn to use body language and role-play imaginatively to convey their ideas. ● Planning & Using Visual Aids: Students practice planning what to say and begin to use drawings, colors, and symbols to bring their stories to life.
As a PYP school, our learning is transdisciplinary. Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE) learning is integrated through the Units of Inquiry. However, for clarity and simplicity, below you can find an overview of the PSPE content/concepts students will explore this year. Throughout Primary School and the PYP, students deepen their understanding of Personal, Social and Physical Education (PSPE) Studies through four conceptual strands: ● Identity ● Interactions ● Wellness ● Movement Below is a summary of the key takeaways in ELC.
In the ELC, students engage in personal, social, and physical education to develop self-awareness, build positive relationships, adopt healthy practices, and cultivate body awareness through active play. Through hands-on inquiry and play, students learn to recognize and regulate their emotions, interact respectfully with peers, practice self-care and environmental safety, and express themselves through physical movement.
Identity
Students build self-worth, emotional literacy, and perseverance. They learn to recognize feelings, practice self-regulation techniques, apply stop-and-think self-control, and evaluate problem sizes using age-appropriate problem-solving tools and empathy.
Interactions
Students cultivate positive relationships through collaborative play. They practice turn-taking, peer-inclusion skills, active listening, setting personal space boundaries, practicing consent, and using the "See, Stop, Tell" safety protocol.
Wellness
Students establish lifelong habits for personal health and safety. They practice daily hygiene routines, explore body parts and senses, identify environmental hazards, and learn to evaluate safe choices to manage risk during active play.
Movement
Students develop physical confidence and body control across varied settings. They refine locomotor and non-locomotor movements, manipulate fine- and gross-motor tools, adapt to physical space, engage in rhythmic expression, and build dominant-side consistency.
As a PYP school, our learning is transdisciplinary. Science learning is integrated through the Units of Inquiry. However, for clarity and simplicity, below you can find an overview of the Science content/concepts students will explore this year. Throughout Primary School and the PYP, students deepen their understanding of Science through three conceptual strands: ● Living things ● Earth and space ● Physical and chemical science Below is a summary of the key takeaways in Grade 2 Science.
In the ELC, students learn about the world by using all five senses to explore, ask questions, and test out their ideas through hands-on play. They use simple tools to discover how things work, notice basic cause-and-effect patterns, and see how things change over time. As they explore, students share their observations, using their own words and experiences to build foundational skills in scientific inquiry.
Living Things
Students explore the world through sensory investigation, discovering how humans observe, classify, and perceive their environment in unique ways. Through hands-on inquiry, students examine the traits of living versus non-living things, identify essential survival needs, and trace how animals grow and adapt over time. Ultimately, students build a foundational appreciation for how humans share and steward their environment alongside other living creatures.
Earth and Space
Through hands-on investigation, students observe environmental changes and identify recurring patterns and cycles in their lives—such as weather shifts, day and night, and seasonal transitions.
Students explore everyday materials and natural phenomena by Physical and Chemical gathering, sorting, classifying, and interpreting objects based on their Science observable physical characteristics and properties. They use simple tools safely to experiment, observe, and increase understanding.
As a PYP school, our learning is transdisciplinary. Social Studies learning is integrated through the Units of Inquiry. However, for clarity and simplicity, below you can find an overview of the Social Studies content/concepts students will explore this year. Throughout Primary School and the PYP, students deepen their understanding of Social Studies through four conceptual strands: ● Ways of knowing and systems ● Critical global citizenship and culture ● Continuity and change for reimagined futures ● Interconnected places, spaces and relationships Below is a summary of the key takeaways in ELC Social Studies.
In the ELC, students engage in inquiry-based social studies to better understand themselves, their peers, their families, and their school environment. Beyond their immediate surroundings, students build a foundational understanding of community roles, diversity, basic geography to show where they come from, and how shared responsibilities build a community of belonging for everyone.
Ways of Knowing and Systems
Students engage with multiple ways of knowing through play and investigative experiences. Students observe and discover how natural phenomena help people organize their lives. They describe firsthand experiences and the impact of these phenomena, e.g., changing clothes for different seasons, school during daytime, etc.
Critical Global Citizenship and Culture
Students explore their understanding of people and their lives, focusing on themselves, their friends and families, and their immediate environment.
Continuity and Change for Reimagined Futures
Students explore how stories come from different times, spaces, peoples, and places. They listen and ask questions to people from different generations to find out how stories evolved or to seek more information on a certain topic.
Interconnected Places, Spaces, and Relationships
Students explore their own school community, recognizing places that are familiar in the school locality. They participate in experiences that support belonging. They undertake collaborative and guided explorations of how to use indoor and outdoor space differently, using their imagination and creativity. They recognize the need for safety rules when playing together.
Teaching and Learning for Social Justice Our Social Justice Standards at AIS are taught within the PYP Program of Inquiry. We have drawn on several documents in refining our scope and sequence. Major conceptual ideas are developed over the entire primary curriculum, and inquiry is the main approach in the organization and selection of students’ activities. We have adapted the Social Justice outcomes from the Learning for Justice organization, which are categorized into four domains: Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action. These outcomes foster age-appropriate learning about social justice, equality, and inclusion both within our school and in the wider community.
Identity
Diversity
Justice
Action
Healthy sense of self and others
Respect for and appreciation of differences
Awareness of unfairness and harm at all levels
Thoughtful and courageous individual and collective action
I know and like who I am, and I can talk about my family and myself, and name some of my interests and identity groups.
I like being around people who are like me and different from me, and I can respect and value everyone.
I know that some people are treated unfairly because of their group identity.
I care about people and treat them kindly and fairly, repairing harm when I cause it.
I can feel good about myself without making other people feel bad.
I can describe some ways that I am similar to and different from people who share my identities and those who have other identities.
I know that some people have more or less access to opportunities and resources for reasons that are not always fair.
I can and will do something when I see exclusion or unfairness around me, even if my friends do not.
I see that the way my family and I do things is both the same as and different from how other people do things, and I am interested in both.
I want to know more about groups of people who believe different things and live their daily lives in different ways.
I know about people who helped stop unfairness and worked to make life better for many people.
I will join with others to make a positive change.
As a PYP school, our learning is transdisciplinary. In the ELC, all of our curricula are taught by classroom teachers, incorporated into the Units of Inquiry.
Personal and Social Education (PSE)
Physical Education (PE)
The ELC Counsellor also supports our PSPE curriculum through bi-weekly sunshine circles, push-in support, and small group intervention.
Through playful movement and physical activity, students build body awareness and essential motor skills. By engaging in locomotor, non-locomotor, and creative play across diverse environments, they safely explore what their bodies can do and develop a lifelong foundation for healthy, confident movement.
Visual Arts
Library
Students discover that they can express their ideas and feelings through creating art based on a range of stimuli, whether working independently or collaborating with peers. They learn that creative inspiration comes from personal experiences, play, curiosity, imagination, and exploring the artwork of others.
AIS Library strives to complement the curriculum. 3K and 4K will visit the library on a regular basis for activities such as listening to picture books, storytelling, library learning games, and author studies. In addition, students will have the opportunity to borrow library books weekly.
Music Students build musical understanding and creativity by using their voices, bodies, and instruments to explore sounds, create patterns, and express imaginative ideas through play. By integrating music into broader units of inquiry, children naturally deepen their language skills and broaden their cultural awareness.
As a PYP school, our transdisciplinary approach encourages students to explore big ideas through various subjects, linking what they learn directly to real-life situations and the global community. We prioritize meaningful learning—if a natural connection to the central idea isn't possible, we teach that subject as a stand-alone unit rather than forcing a fit. Below is an example of how the learning within one unit links to the central idea. Before each unit, your child’s teacher will share the specific outcomes for that unit. Example: Sharing the Planet
Language & Literacy
Mathematics
Science
In an immersion environment, young children build early vocabulary, express ideas using practiced phrases, and copy environmental print related to living things.
Children explore math by measuring plants, comparing weights by feel, and building with 2D and 3D shapes
Children observe, sort, and classify living things to discover what plants, animals, and people need to survive.
Social Studies Children learn to care for living things and work together on simple, hands-on community projects
Central Idea Living things have needs that must be met to ensure their survival.
PSPE Children notice how their bodies grow and change while building confidence in new physical environments and active play.
Music
Visual Art
Social Justice
Children explore rhythm, melody, and sound by moving their bodies to musical patterns.
Children express curiosity about the natural world by creating art inspired by living things and using natural materials.
Children develop empathy and inclusion by noticing, respecting, and celebrating differences in others.