34 CULTURE OF INNOVATION PRESCHOOL (18 months–4 years old) USchool’s preschool programs are centered around a 5C Curriculum Framework (critical thinking, concept development, communication, cooperation, and creativity). They are among the fewer than six percent of early childhood programs nationally that are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, to name just one certification they have. PK1 Even at 18 months old, children are in school, not day care. Sensory play develops understanding of how we use touch to relate to the world around us. One session explores sticky, soft, squishy, and hard textures. Think bubble wrap, shaving cream, and contact paper. PK2 Fine motor skills help students create an ocean in a bin. As they learn about marine life, students add blue food coloring, sand, shells, and toy sea creatures. Sink-and-float experiments with different-sized containers follow. PK3 While exploring the concept of self- identity, students create, share, and compare All About Me shoe boxes. Interest and connections are made before moving on to a team engineering project: constructing a house complete with towers and interior artwork. A PEEK AT PRESCHOOL JUNIOR KINDERGARTEN (4 years old by September 1) In addition to a college preparatory curriculum, JK students dive deeper into five themes on a weekly, rotating basis: Science and Research, Environmental Science, Fine and Digital Art, Create and Construct, and Innovation Lab. A sense of inquiry is nurtured as students are introduced to the scientific method. Explorations and tasks prompt young scholars to observe, hypothesize, predict, test, and, based on evidence, draw conclusions. Natural living lab activities translate weather-pattern tracking and planting and caring for USchool’s garden and butterfly/wildlife habitat into making informed and responsible decisions about issues, such as sustainability. Exploring art involves technique, technology, and manipulation of media and materials, along with questioning assumptions about what constitutes art. Digital storytelling and stop-motion animation add a host of skills, while further expanding creative horizons. A “Think It, Draw It, Build It” process sparks novel solutions and ethics discussions, as students reflect on how their work will benefit, rather than harm, their world. Project-based challenges involve engineering, programming, and robotics. Collaboration and critical-thinking skills sharpen along with intellectual curiosity. Topics complement regular experiences focusing on language development, math concepts, letter recognition, phonemic awareness, and handwriting. o MIDDLE SCHOOL MUSINGS ADRIAN WALTERS, Middle School Math Teacher, NSU University School “Making the content culturally relevant helps students apply math to real-world scenarios. It helps them discover ‘aha’ moments and allows them to explore and dig deeper into why and how it is applicable.” JANET SCHROEDER, Middle School PE Teacher, NSU University School “I tell my students that our greatest quality is our attitude. One thing we come close to having total control over is our thoughts. We choose what we carry around every day. My goal is to help students feel good and successful, enjoy what they are doing, and be at peace with themselves and those around them.” JIA HONG, Middle School Chinese Teacher, NSU University School “Mandarin is regarded as a difficult language for English speakers to learn, but it is one of the most widely spoken in the world. When I hear that any of my former students are doing well and are well respected by the people surrounding them, I am so proud.”
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