Engaging heart, mind, and spirit.

St. James’ EPISCOPAL s c h o o l

curriculumO V E R V I E W

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st.james’

episcopalS C H O O L

ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL SCHOOL has a proud tradi-

tion of high standards and academic excellence.

Our program challenges students to become inde-

pendent, resourceful learners and encourages

them to discover new ideas, talents, and interests.

We believe that a balanced program focusing on

essential skills and spiritual development will help

our students develop into global citizens and lead-

ers. Each child’s homeroom experience includes

opportunities in the core areas of reading, writing,

mathematics, and social studies. The academic

scope is further enriched by regular study in art,

library, music, physical education and health, reli-

gion, science, Spanish, and technology.

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st.james’

episcopalS C H O O L

The mathematics program at St. James’ strives to help students make sense of math in ways that are meaning-ful and relevant. Our math program – Everyday Math - extends well beyond the traditional core curriculum; students are encouraged to notice and evaluate spatial and quantitative relationships that define the world around us. The curriculum emphasizes conceptual understandings while building a mastery of basic skills. This program emphasizes increased competence and problem-solving skills by introducing major mathemati-cal domains – number sense, algebra, measurement, geometry, data analysis, and probability – beginning in kindergarten. These important concepts are taught over consecutive years through a variety of formats. Each grade level builds on and extends concepts and under-standings so that children approach each new chal-lenge from a firmly established foundation. Students demonstrate competency through varied assessments such as individual and group quizzes and tests, authen-tic performance tasks, hands-on activities, and projects. This everyday approach, along with traditional methods of instruction, helps ours students become inspired and resourceful mathematicians.

St. James’ has developed a program that places empha-sis on writing, grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and oral expression. A process of writing approach is used which encourages students to organize and refine their ideas in a series of drafts before producing a finished product.

language arts

mathematics

Daily writing activities include journal writing, book reports, research papers, and poetry. Students display their writing in class, write for newsletters, and write for various St. James’ publications and participate in a variety of activities designed to develop oral expression including “show and tell”, oral book reports, and poetry and choral recitations.

The reading program at St. James’ strives to develop a child’s reading and analytical skills, to foster a love for literature, and to encourage lifelong reading. In the early grades, St. James’ has chosen a reading program that utilizes a strong phonetic approach in combina-tion with teaching methods such as guided reading and small group instruction. Later grades progress to a basal reading program, then to a literature-based program, which develops sequential reading skills and vocabulary. Students are assessed through a variety of means such as oral and written book reports, essays, exams, and creative projects. The reading program is enhanced by activities such as reading aloud, litera-ture circles, sustained silent reading, weekly visits to the library, author visits, and other special events to promote the joy of reading.

The social studies program at St. James’ is a study of communities that influence students’ lives. These communities range from the family and the neigh-

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reading

social studies

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borhood community at the primary level to the world community at the Sixth Grade level. Along the way students practice map skills and discover the importance of geography and its role in the success of a community. They learn of the adaptability and the contributions of Native Americans. They travel the path of California’s rich heritage and its significance in the development of the West. Students explore the course of events that shaped our United States, and finally dig into past civili-zations such as Egypt, Mesopotamia, China and Greece to recognize the connections of the present to the past. Our Social Studies curriculum is further enhanced by our community’s diverse population, special program-ming such as African American and Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations, relationships with sister schools in Haiti and Korea, and everyday interaction with people from a variety of backgrounds.

Additional subjects broaden the scope of the subjects offered in homeroom and provide students with a well-rounded, challenging educational program. The school week is enriched by classes in art, health, library, music, physical education and health, religion, science, Spanish, and technology.

The art experience at St. James’ is designed to build confidence and creativity while introducing students

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SPECIALTY SUBJECTS

social studiesart

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library

to a wide variety of concepts and techniques. Students work with different media including paint, pastel, pencil, crayon, ink, and more. Using recycled materials is a core value of our art program. Kindergarten through Second grade students develop eye-hand coordination and learn basic design elements such as line, shape, form, color, and texture. Third through Sixth Grade students exercise their creativity, develop a visual vocabulary, and learn design elements and principles that include value, contrast, pattern, space, rhythm, and symmetry. Projects are influenced by cultures around the world and inspired by master artists such as Romare Bearden, Harriet Powers, Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, and Wassily Kandinsky.

The goal of the Library program at St. James’ is to teach library and research skills, to promote the joy of reading, and to encourage students to make reading a daily part of their lives. The library is a vibrant center of the school. It is open before and after school, and every class visits the library weekly for thirty minutes. Resources are current, attractive, informative, and entertaining, and the collection continually evolves in accordance with the best elementary-age literature available. Teachers and staff often use the library to generate ideas for engag-ing lessons and projects. The library curriculum exposes students to a wide variety of multi-cultural literature through oral language activities, storytelling, reading aloud, and book talks. Students check out books for pleasure reading, book reports, and research, and learn to become effective users and producers of informa-

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tion. There are several library-sponsored events and activities throughout the year to help promote reading, including author days, book fairs, book clubs, and book dedications.

The goal of the music curriculum at St. James’ is to lead students to read, write, and improvise music with a level of proficiency comparable to that with which they read and write their own language. We use the Kodály method, which is based in the belief that musical abili-ties are most deeply trained through unaccompanied singing. In Kindergarten through Second Grade, time is devoted to establishing music literacy readiness and a solid base of song repertoire, and learning the melodic and rhythmic components of written notation. As students mature, they continue to gain awareness of new concepts through three modalities: physical, aural, and visual. Activities include singing, listening, moving, and from the First Grade onwards, reading, writing, and improvising. Meaningful connections are made to music. The primary source material is folk song, drawn from various cultures. Extra-curricular activities offer students the opportunity to explore further their musical interests. Choir is open to students in grades Three through Six, and the auditioned Handbell Choir is open annually to a limited number of Sixth Grade students.

Through the mediums of sport and movement, students participate in a sequential, differentiated program that

music

phys. ed. and health

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effectively fosters personal health, fitness, and safety. The curriculum is designed to build upon each indi-vidual student’s level of strength, flexibility, and endur-ance. The development of critical social skills, including respect, communication, teamwork, and sportsmanship is emphasized and refined. The promotion of a coopera-tive learning environment, combined with the exposure to a wide variety of individual, dual, and group activities provide students with the opportunity to make educat-ed decisions regarding both the achievement and main-tenance of a healthy lifestyle. Kindergarten through Second Grade students focus on fundamental physical skills such as body movement, coordination and reflex development, and foundational sports skills. They also discuss health topics such as community health, safety, family and social health, feelings, and cooperation. The Third though Sixth Grade program concentrates on skills enhancement in individual and team sports such as football, hockey, track and field, yoga, and soccer, and discuss health topics such as nutrition, anatomy and physiology, and global health.

Worship and religious instruction have always been an integral part to the St. James’ curricular and extra-curricular program. Students and staff attend weekly chapel services and participate in daily classroom devo-tions. Once a month, the school convenes together for All-School Chapel. During the year, some of our special services include a remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and celebrations of African American History

religion

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Month and Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day. The Head of School, the Chaplain, and the Religion Teacher conduct weekly religion class. Both worship and reli-gious instruction are offered in the spirit of inclusivity. As appropriate to each grade level, students learn about God, how others practice religion around the world, and about principles such as love, peace, community, and environmentalism. Students also complete community service projects through a variety of fundraising and outreach projects such as cross-age reading, collect-ing items for our sister school in Haiti, visiting a local preschool, helping in the school garden, and serving in the St. James’ Church soup kitchen.

The science program is experiential (hands-on) and inquiry based. Kindergarteners and First Graders study science in the classroom with their homeroom teacher. Second through Sixth Grade students leave their homeroom and study with a science specialist in the science lab. The goal of the program is to build on students’ natural curiosity and teach them the skills they need to become independent scientists. Students are encouraged to ask questions, design experiments, and share their ideas. In the lower grades, students are introduced to scientific inquiry by learning skills such as classifying, making a hypothesis, posing questions, and experimenting. They explore a variety of topics such as air and wind, plants, invertebrates, balance and motion, and measurement. As students progress through the curriculum, they learn how to gather and organize data, identify variables, interpret data, and

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design experiments. The upper grade curriculum includes topics such as genetics, animal and plant cells, body systems, astronomy, and marine biology. The Fifth Grade curriculum is enhanced by a three-day research trip to the Catalina Island Marine Institute, and the Sixth Grade by a three-day research trip to Astrocamp. Our annual science fair is an integral part of our science program because all of the projects are generated by students. In 2009, using environmentally-friendly materials, we remodeled our science lab with updated technology to enhance our science curriculum. The lab is equipped with six ceiling-mounted, multi-directional computers connected to the Internet, an LCD projector, and a Sympodium. We also have six lab stations with built-in sinks.

The Spanish program is designed to develop a strong foundation in the four areas of language learning: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. In addition, students will expand their knowledge of Spanish-speaking people and cultures around the world. The Spanish program is aligned with the World Languages National Standards to enrich students’ learning experi-ences and to prepare them to participate in a diverse and multicultural society. Students in Kindergarten through Second Grade are introduced to pronuncia-tion and the sounds of the alphabet. They develop strong listening skills with repetitive drills and build up vocabulary by identifying images, reciting words, playing games and singing songs. They learn basic

spanish

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greetings, learn to express themselves, and begin to ask basic questions. Students in Grades Three through Six are introduced to basic grammar and reading skills. As they mature, they are introduced to more complex vocabulary, grammatical structures, rules, and parts of speech. With the introduction of a standard textbook series in Fourth Grade, Spanish instruction becomes more formalized in preparation for secondary school. Skills across grade levels are learned and reinforced orally and through daily routines involving written activities, games, songs, essays, and oral presentations. The Spanish program is enhanced by activities such as the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Spanish literature in our library collection, guest speakers, and through participation in our Around-the-World-Week celebration.

We believe that the technology curriculum is best implemented within the outcomes and activities of other content areas. It is considered a tool that facili-tates and enhances instruction of other content areas while also exposing students to real-world skills that will be used in higher education and the workplace. Tech-nology’s benefits best emerge when integrated into project-based, cross-curricular instruction. Through these types of lessons, students develop an under-standing of ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and its safe use. Our technological tools enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. St. James’ students are gatherers of data, problem solvers, and communicators of information.

technology

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W E B w w w . s j s l a . o r g

In Kindergarten through Second Grade, student learn to recognize, name, and label major hardware components, recognize the functions of basic file commands, use tech-nology to gather information, and use a variety of grade-level appropriate technologies for sharing informa-tion. As students move through the program, they learn to synthesize gathered information, write multi-page research papers, acquire in-depth research techniques, produce presentations using Keynote and PowerPoint, and creative movies and music using iMovie and Garage Band. The technology lab is equipped with Apple iMacs, a DLP projector, a Smartboard, an electric screen, multi-zone receiver, high performance speakers, color printers, camcorders, digital cameras, and microphones.

ST. JAMES’ EPISCOPAL625 S. St. Andrews PlaceLos Angeles, CA 90005

P H O N E (213) 382-2315