American Curriculum

Our English Language Arts (ELA) is a comprehensive program addressing the four areas of ELA Common Core Standards:

1) Reading
2) Writing
3) Speaking
4) Listening
5) Language

As students progress and move up grade levels, they will meet each year’s standards for that grade level. In their time at Rocklin International School, students will meet the requirements of college and career readiness in English language Arts and as set forward in the Common Core State Standards, and be prepared to attain success on the reading and Writing portion of the SAT.

Our Mathematics curriculum is a rigorous program that allows students to grow in mathematical knowledge and expertise throughout primary, middle, and high school years. It is based on the Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Content and Mathematical Practice and assessed by the framework laid out for each grade by AERO.

Our math progression is systematic and clearly defined from Kindergarten to Grade 12, culminating in students being prepared to achieve high marks in AP Calculus and AP Statistics and on the math portion of the SAT.

Our Science curriculum from Kindergarten to Grade 12 is based on the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and includes in each grade an integration of three dimensions:

1) Scientific and Engineering Practices
2) Disciplinary Core Ideas
3) Crosscutting Concepts.

The Next Generation Science Standards are supported by Project AERO’s Science Framework which provides detailed performance expectations at each grade level. The Project AERO Science Framework and NGSS standards guide our curriculum design to enable students to see how each level and area of science is an interrelated world of inquiry and phenomena, and not just a textbook of information to memorize. Throughout all grades, students will be conducting investigations, discussing open-ended questions, exploring multiple sources, and, as appropriate based on level, writing journals and reports to present their findings and arguments.

Our Social Studies curriculum from Grades Kindergarten to 12 is based on the AERO Social Studies Curriculum Framework that is designed to prepare students with the knowledge and intellectual processes, practices, and dispositions to be active, informed, engaged participants in public life. Social Studies is a critical subject that can develop students to become critical and creative thinkers that can then go on to impact the world in positive ways by bringing solutions to complex world problems.

The Social Studies curriculum is dependent upon five AERO Social Studies practices including:

1) Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries
2) Evaluate the Credibility of the Sources and Relevance of the Information to the Inquiry
3) Construct Coherent, Reasoned Arguments and Explanations
4) Communicate Conclusion From an Inquiry
5) Take Informed Action for the Common Good

The AERO Social Studies Framework also links the social studies units to existing ELA standards throughout grade levels which connects the curriculum standards to assessing the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts in all grades and Literacy Standards for History and Social Studies in the middle school and high school levels.

The Fine Arts Curriculum is composed of classes in :

1) Art
2) Drama
3) Music

Project AERO provides a Framework for Visual Arts and Music standards. Art, Drama, and Music instruction is grade level focused and includes an emphasis on art, drama, and music from around the world to assist in the goal of each student being a global citizen. Our Fine Arts program also integrates other subject-based standards depending on the grade level by including readings and history.

In agreement with Project AERO World Language Standards, we believe language learning and the ability to communicate in more than one language empowers students to adapt and grow in intercultural competency. Each student is offered the opportunity during their time at Rocklin to study another language than their mother tongue (for example, Bahasa Malay, Mandarin Chinese, Spanish, etc). We seek to follow the Project AERO World Language Standards (which also agree with the US-based Standards for Language Learning in the 21st Century).

The AERO standards promote an equal balance between the 5 C’s of Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities and add a focus on the impact language learning has on the development of 21st century skills. This includes:

1) Cognitive
2) Flexibility
3) Creativity
4) Critical thinking
5) Global preparedness
6) Engagement
7) Multicultural understanding

Our Physical Education and Health curriculum is based on SHAPE America, which sets the standard for health and physical education in the United States. The National Standards for K-12 Physical Education help structure our Physical Education and Health curriculum. The goal of physical education is to help develop students who have the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence to appreciate a lifetime of health-giving physical activity.