Our Kindergarten-8th Grade Curricular Progression
Informed by Warren Berger’s book, A More Beautiful Question, and grounded in neuroscience, the SF Day curriculum is framed by a sequence of grade level themes and “essential questions.” The themes provide a curricular framework for academic content and skills, and the questions encourage student inquisitiveness and interdisciplinary learning.
At the beginning of the 2017-18 school year, our teachers collaborated on murals to demonstrate the curricular progression from kindergarten to eighth grade. Each mural features interactive displays representing major themes and instructional units for a particular grade. Once the murals were posted for the start of school, students were encouraged to engage with the boards, move pieces around and study the concepts displayed.
Essential Questions
At SF Day, we believe in using inquiry-based learning to spark the curiosity and engagement of our students. Essential questions, or questions that aim to provoke thought and dialogue rather than produce simple answers, are meant to draw students deeper into lessons and projects. Posing essential questions at each grade level helps guide the overarching investigations that we are introducing to that particular grade.
To read the Essential Questions for each grade, click "read more" under each photo in the slideshow above.
Major Instructional Units
While our teachers help our students develop mastery of skills across core subject areas each year, there are also major units of study at each grade level. These "Major Instructional Units" represent significant projects that delve into exploring the essential questions posed to our students.
To read the Major Instructional Units for each grade, click on "read more" under each photo in the slideshow above.
K-8 Overarching Curriculum Outline
Grade |
Theme |
Essential Questions |
K | Context, Connections and Differences |
|
1 | Parts of a Whole: Communities and Systems |
|
2 | San Francisco: Identity, Empathy, and Equity |
|
3 | Interconnectedness: Exploring Relationships |
|
4 | Advocating for Ourselves and Our Community |
|
5 | Exploring Many Systems While Making New Connections |
|
6 | Discovering Voice and Place |
|
7 | Forces of Change |
|
8 |
Taking Action: Becoming a Responsible Leader |
|