OUR PRIMARY CURRICULUM

The primary school years are critical in children’s intellectual and emotional development because so much is learned through the senses, the feelings, and the imagination.  With this idea in mind, the curriculum combines academic and artistic experiences that engage a child’s head, heart, and hands.

Each grade advances a special curriculum designed to deliver a developmentally appropriate academic challenge that is carefully integrated with academics, work in the arts, and extensive time spent in nature.  As children progress developmentally, the curriculum transforms to meet their changing inner requirements.

At Aurora, we aim to nurture the love of reading and writing. Students will develop their ability to express their ideas; we start with letters, continue to forming words and sentences and then by the end of the primary years, students will be able to see their work grow in sophistication as their vocabulary and grammatical understanding develops.

The school offers a broad and vibrant Library cultivating creativity, curiosity and imagination. Each year students will write their own stories and will have them formatted and printed into a bound book. Students will also have spacious time to play, as it is our experience that students love of storytelling is often integrated through this sacred time.

Basic French and Spanish will be introduced during these years. Be prepared for a trip to the local French bakery!

Students will develop their confidence with math skills and explore the magical world of numbers. We will start with an introduction to the abacus and the origins of counting. As students grow, the math curriculum will focus on the principles of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. At Aurora, we will make math learning as experiential as possible and create opportunities to integrate math skills into real world situations. 

All students will be given in a workbook for their particular age level which they can use at home. Students will also have access to computers and are able to learn coding through programs such as Scratch and Scratch Junior.

Science is all around and within us! With this in mind, the science curriculum will focus around these units.

  • Animals and their habitat
  • Food and Health
  • Compounds and experiments
  • Making structures

The science curriculum will be supported by Scientists in the School and the Toronto Wildlife Association visits.

At Aurora, students will develop an understanding of the world around them through an understanding of countries and continents and stories of people’s culture sand experiences. Students at each age will be invited to create a family tree and share stories of their own personal family history and the geographical paths that have brought them to the present day. 

At Aurora, we see the arts as an evocative and powerful gateway for self expression. Students will delve through the realms of their imagination using as many mediums as possible; (clay, acrylics, baking, play dough, sand sculptures, water colours, wooden and magnetic tiles. In fact, there is no end to the kaleidoscope of possibilities here!) Students will each be given a sketch book to harness and explore their creativity.

This will be an integral part of the school day and students will be encouraged to move their body, play together and learn new skills.

We have many parks in the area with a range of green spaces, beach, creek and woodland areas.

ASSESSMENT

At Aurora, we aim to reclaim assessment and move away from the more traditional and static school testing. Every step will be taken to ensure that students feel positive about themselves. 

Aurora’s assessment philosophy centres around feedback and reflection. Students will learn how to successfully hear and give feedback. Students will be encouraged to create their own rubrics and learning goals. What better way to empower students and put them in the driver’s seat of their own learning. Students will also have regular conferencing with the teacher to talk about individual performance and create next steps so that work is never stagnant. Student will be evaluated through performance tasks, projects, critical and problem solving thinking, communication and collaboration.  Students will also create a portfolio of the work that reflects the students best work and the work of which they felt the greatest sense of achievement. 

Homework will be optional but will be offered through the course of the week. Students will be given a selection of options for these assignments .  

Aurora Alternative intends to create open pathways for conversation between teacher, students and parents and to develop a caring and supportive team together. In addition, the school will provide two reporting documents, in Winter and Spring, and will also have two formal afternoons dedicated for parent -teacher-student interviews.