Our curriculum offers a well-balanced and holisitc curriculum that focuses on the development of all aspects of learning and development. Teaching methods aim to help all types of learner's needs, abilities and learning styles and takes into account the key developmental stages of children. Aiwin curriculum ensures that students reach their fullest potential and smoothly transition to Elementary school when they graduate.
In Aiwin, the child develops as a whole through a good balance of child-initiated and teacher-planned learning experiences with strong emphasis on hands-on exploration, purposeful play and responsive care. Learning is driven by students with the guidance of professional teachers who help them arrive at the true questions about the things they really care about. Inquisitive learning integrates learning across developmental and content areas, and at the same time offers plenty of flexibility for students to contruct their knowledge based on their own interests. Students are motivated to develop a sense of ownership and responsibility of their learning. Ultimately, learning becomes rewarding and students develops drive for action and self-direction in the classroom and beyond.
Aiwin understands that true learning unfolds when a combination of teaching, learning and multiple asssessments methods blend well in the curriculum. As an international school, we utilize high quality standards frameworks that aligns with Aiwin learning goals and expectations for students. It is the heart of the curriculum and ensures progressive development across different learning areas. Our learning goals and expectations are based on research-based international standards as well as Japanese national standards of education. Whether our Aiwin graduates move up to international schools or Japanese schools, they can transition confidently and successfully.
- US Common Core State Standards
- Development Matters Early Years Foundation Stage
- The Head Start Child Development and Learning Framework
- Orton-Gillingham Approach to Literacy
Learning themes are exciting and engaging firsthand explorations of topics that are relevant to children’s everyday experiences. Aiwin has 4 main themes taught over 4 semesters. Under each theme are relevant topics and key questions that aim to spark children's interest and curiosity. Based on main themes, students pursue their group or individual projects. Theme exploration focus more on skills of "how to learn" more than the content. Students participate in mapping questions, finding relevant resources, analyzing and synthesizing information and documentation. This approach makes learning more web-like instead of traditional vertical and compartmentalized approach, where students creative reflection and inventive thinking are at the forefront. The objective is not the answer to the key questions but how students arrived with their answers. It appeals to all kinds of learners and fosters life-long learning.
Transdisciplinary Themes
Throughout the school year, students explore themes that expands from self up to the outer space which allows students to get a wider and deeper perspective of themselves and their environment. Students explore themes by working on interdisciplinary projects that reinforce multiple skills or knowledge areas.
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Spring Semester: Who I Am
Students explore their unique self, bodies, feelings, emotions and needs; they explore human relationships like families, friends and community and the values and traditions that ties them; and learn to make healthy choices, positive interaction, and successful collaborations.
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Summer Semester: How Great We Are
Students explore the great abilities of our mind, bodies and senses; they discover what human intelligence is capable of inspiring, creating and accomplishing for the advancement of life and society; students make a connection of the past and the present times through the valuable work of inspiring people.
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Fall Semester: Earth, Our Home
Students explore their interconnection with nature, the diversity of living and non-living creatures and the natural law of its existence; they gain deeper understanding of the impact of human actions in keeping a balance of these natural resources and grow a responsibility to care, protect and share these resources to support all kinds of life.
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Winter semester: The Stars, Our Neighbors
Students explore the environment outside the Earth and the great impact they have in human lives; discover simple scientific laws that controls our solar system and develop a deep interest and curiosity to perplexing concepts that cannot be easily observed first-hand; ultimately, they grow a wider understanding of the significant role of human society in our world and beyond.
Our curriculum framework includes important domains such as Key Questions, Main Concepts, Character Goals, Expected Skills and Success Criteria. Below is an example of how lessons are organized and presented to our students.
Kindy is curious about: Earth, Our Home
| Theme Focus | Animals |
|---|---|
| Key Question | How do animals grow? How do they protect themselves and their young? Why do animals become extinct and endangered? How can we help in protecting animals? |
| Main Concepts | Life Cycle of Animals Protective instincts and traits of animals Human behavior and natural phenomenon that affects animal survival Animal Protection Law |
| Subject Area | Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, |
| Character Goals | Balanced Communicative |
| Expected skills |
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| Success Criteria | I can explain the life cycle of an animal through a diagram. I can match animals and their young by words or pictures. I can protect animals by making a law. |
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Who I Am - Our body and its special functions
- Different ways to express ourselves through our body
- Ways to care for our body
- Different ways we interact with families and friends
How Great We Are - The use of our five sense
- Understand shapes, patterns in make up transportation
- Combining resources to make new things
- The different people in our community
Earth, our Home - Animals and how they move
- Natural resources that help us live and grow
- Learn about different living things we can find in the sea
- Actions that show care and respect to other living things
Stars, Our Neighbors - Compare our sky in the day and at night
- Explore characteristics of sun and moon
CLOSEEarly Nursery1歳児〜2歳児
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Who I Am - Understand and respect uniqueness of each person
- Know our similarities and differences from one another
- Identify interests and build on them
- Share roles and functions with our family and friends
- Practice ways of independence and growing self-confidenc
How Great We Are - Discover great abilities of our bodies and our senses
- Use resources and tools in flexible and inventive ways
- Understand shapes, patterns in make up transportation
- Learn about the role of our community helpers and how their role affects us.
- Imagine who they want to be
Earth, our Home - Categorize animals by characteristics
- Observe the needs of living things to live and grow
- Understand changing season as part of natural cycle
- Learn how creatures of the sea live underwater
- Take responsibility for a living thing
Stars, Our Neighbors - Understand changes in our routine in the day and at night
- Predict what we can find beyond the sky
- Investigate light from sun and moon
- Learn about Astronauts and space travel
CLOSENursery2歳児〜3歳児
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Who I Am - Unique features of a person and diversity
- Functions of body parts
- Creating a family tree
- Different kinds of homes
- Characteristics of a good friend and activities that friends can do together
- Community helpers and places they work at
- Sharing feelings, thoughts and ideas in an appropriate and respectful manner.
How Great We Are - Body parts that are associated with our five senses and how they function in our daily lives.
- Categories of transportation by air, land and sea
- Different functions of transportations
- Inspiring people who built and created wonderful works
- Being creative and imaginative in making their own transportation
Earth, our Home - Classification, Functions and Niche of Animals
- Favorable Home for a Pet
- Our changing seasons and relate it to our seasonal food.
- Living and Non-Living things and their interconnectedness
- Adaptation features of animals
- Human behavior that wastes water and ways to conserve it
Stars, Our ˜Neighbors - Characteristics of the Sun and Moon and its relationship with the Earth.
- Rotation of Earth and Phases of Moon
- Activities we do in the day and at night
- Effects of Moon and Sun on Earth
- Composition of our Solar System
- Roles of Astronauts
- Space suits, Space rockets, Space food
- Important works of astronauts in space and in Mars
CLOSEPreschool3歳児〜4歳児
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Who I Am - Unique features of a person and diversity
- Main organs in our body, their major function and where they are located.
- Unique talents of people with special needs
- Compare human families and animal families
- Concept of friendship and sharing
- Understanding similarities and respecting differences amongst people
- Community helpers and the tools and transportation they use
- Roles of community helpers in sustaining our society
- Becoming a productive part of our society
How Great We Are - Body parts that are associated with our five senses and how they function in our daily lives.
- Categories of transportation by air, land and sea
- People who make transportation and tools they use in making them
- Inspiring people who built and created wonderful works
- Being resourceful and innovative in making and presenting their own transportation
Earth, our Home - Interconnectedness of animals through their Life Cycle and Food Web
- Different natural resources
- Functions and use of natural resources in our daily lives
- Observe the needs of living things and that enable them to stay healthy
- Special adaptation features of ocean animals
- Human behavior that wastes water and ways to conserve it
Stars, Our ˜Neighbors - Effects of Moon and Sun on Earth
- Composition and Structures of the Sun and Moon
- Tools and machines used to learn and explore the sun and moon
- Eight planets of the solar system and their compositions as compared to Earth
- Sun as a star and part of Constellations
- Space travel and explorations
- Space suit, Space explorer and rockets
- Use imagination and inventiveness in making a space rocket
CLOSEJunior Kindy4歳児〜5歳児
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Who I Am - Communication using different parts of the body.
- Creating a healthy daily schedule, a healthy meal, exercise routine, etc.
- Our neighborhood map and Community helpers in our neighborhood
- Roles of community helpers
How Great We Are - Different functions of our senses that keep us safe
- People with disabilities or sensory impairment and ways to help and care
- Materials needed, process and steps to create transportation
- Listening and learning from creative thinkers and problem-solvers from the past and at present
- Inventing, creating and presenting own transportation
Earth, our Home - Natural Biomes, Hibernation and migration
- Natural calamities that affect human life
- Human behavior that causes natural destruction
- Human behavior that wastes water and ways to conserve it
- Role of ocean and its creatures in mother nature
- Reflecting on ways to protect our ocean
Stars, Our ˜Neighbors - Solar energy and gravitational pull
- Tidal effects and Eclipse
- Space travel and explorations tools and machines
- Eight planets of the solar system and conditions that support life
- Making a livable planet
- Roles of astronauts and the importance of their work in Mars
- Making a safe space travel to Mars
CLOSEKindy5歳児
