K4 - 12 American Curriculum in Singapore

Elementary School


Elementary School

Message from the Principal

Thank you for visiting our website! We are deeply committed to helping ICS students develop their individual potential intellectually, academically, socially, and spiritually. Fully accredited and based on ICS’s approach to curricula, our program integrates the best of American academic content standards and child development theories. Our curriculum is also anchored in Biblical Worldview Integration (BWI). 

With high expectations and a deep love for learning, our qualified and dedicated teachers provide a safe and nurturing student-centered community. Our classrooms reflect a low student-teacher ratio and students from over 26 nations. ICS teachers regularly collaborate in preparing students to negotiate the demands of living in an ever-changing world effectively. 

Additionally, our Related Arts programming helps students and society better interpret and understand the world around us, and is an essential part of the ICS elementary learning experience. The six-day rotation schedule allows Elementary School students to often access the benefits of a quality Related Arts education experience at an early age. Furthermore, academic rigor is balanced with our team’s commitment to instilling the "Knight" pride, respect, and responsibility within every student. We want them to learn how to contribute productively in their growing roles as members of a global society.

We invite you to visit our Elementary School web pages, or better yet, schedule a visit to our classrooms to learn more about our wonderful program and school. We believe you will discover a journey that allows your child:

- to create and reflect upon his/her work

- seek and construct meaning

- establish a sound cultural and historical understanding of the arts and

- discover both the personal value and significance of their education 

We are on a journey to educate your children. We strive to cultivate a learning process that is positive and engaging for our inquisitive students instilling a love for lifelong learning and pursuits of excellence. 

Please contact me if you have questions about our Elementary School, or visit our calendar for the latest information about our school and all things uKNIGHTed.

Blessings to you and your family throughout this 2019-2020 school year!

Once a Knight, always a Knight,

 

Tina Michels-Hansen
Elementary School Principal
esprincipal@ics.edu.sg

Partnership with Parents

We are excited to get to know you and your child! The elementary years are critical times of development for students. We want your child to have the best educational experience possible, and we know that this only happens through a partnership between home and school.


Small Class Sizes

As we cater from Junior Kindergarten through Grade 5 with an average class size of 16 and a teacher ratio of 10:1, our dedicated staff of professionals are passionate about teaching and are here to help support your child through their educational journey.
 


Fostering a Love of Learning

As a Christian school, we are able to spend time focusing on integrating a Biblical worldview into every subject we offer. This allows us to give students the opportunity to ask questions and figure out the world in a place where Christ is the center and those around them genuinely care about their development. We hope to foster a love of learning in each student we have in our care. We encourage opportunities for students to gain responsibility, to be well-rounded, and to reach their highest potential.

Academics

Students work on their core subjects with their homeroom teachers, and move to different areas of the school for the related arts classes taught by subject area specialists.
 

2019-2020 Elementary School Program

Core Subjects

Bible

The study of basic Biblical Truths and personal application.

English Language Arts

ICS uses the Common Core State Standards - English Language Arts.  If you would like specifics of what topics and skills are covered at each grade level, you can find that information here.


At ICS, elementary school teachers use the Journeys program to teach these standards at all elementary grade levels.  Each week students focus on a reading skill, vocabulary development, a writing construct, and a grammar skill.

Math

ICS uses the Common Core State Standards - Mathematics.  If you would like specifics of what topics and skills are covered at each grade level, you can find that information here.


At ICS, our math program focuses on helping students think about how numbers work, rather than simply memorizing math facts.  Students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 follow the Envision 2.0 Mathematics program. This curriculum introduces topics and then provides students with opportunities to master those topics.

Social Studies

ICS has developed its own social studies curriculum based on the American Education Reaches Out (AERO) standards.  The social studies program is designed so students study increasingly larger circles of communities and countries, from learning about family structures in Kindergarten to a comparative study of Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States in Grade 4.  Grade 5 students study ancient civilizations. More information about the specifics of topics and skills covered at each grade level can be found here.

 

Science

ICS uses the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for science instruction in the elementary school.  Students have the opportunity to experience science through asking questions, modeling the world around them, and investigations. More information on the NGSS standards can be found here. 

Related Arts

Music

Lessons will be designed to effectively implement music curricula called “Game Plan” and “Making Music” to successfully achieve the National Core Arts Standards (NCAS). Students will learn to corporately play various percussion and melodic instruments as well as sing songs of various genres and cultures. (Meets twice every six days.)

Art

Throughout the year, students will be working towards achieving benchmarks from the National Core Arts Standards. These standards focus on creating, presenting, responding, and connecting to art. We will learn art-making techniques and art history, and we will work with different mediums, such as graphite, charcoal, paint, and clay. (Meets twice every six days.)

Physical Education

Within the units taught, we will be focused on achieving all the the National PE Standards (NASPE) for each grade level. Each unit comes from an award-winning curriculum called SPARK. The units include many different sports skills and team building exercises, as well as lots of motor skill development. (Meets every other day.)

Mandarin

The standards for our Mandarin curriculum are based on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards, which focus on communication, connection, comparison, culture, and community. Each year, students in the Mandarin program will participate in our annual Elementary School “Mandarin Day” performance. This performance is a great opportunity for students to showcase what they have learned in class. Parents will receive more information about their child’s Mandarin syllabus after he or she is placed into his or her Mandarin class level. (Meets every other day.)

Library Media Center

See our Library Media Center page.

Inquiry and Digital Design

Throughout the year, students will develop critical thinking skills, communication skills, creativity, and collaboration with print and digital tools. Using both the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards Framework and the International School Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards.

Students will discover how to be empowered in their learning, making decisions to best share their ideas and solutions in safe and age-appropriate ways. Through a series of projects allowing students to curate, explore, and engage with both print and digital information tools, young designers will create artifacts that demonstrate their learning with an emphasis on inquiry and design thinking to build quality products. Various types of technology will be explored, emphasizing that technology is a tool for creating and contributing to society, not simply a form of entertainment

Meet Our Elementary Teachers

CPE Reg No: 199303918N
Reg Period: 06/07/19 to 05/07/23