Elementary School
Curriculum Overview
AISA Elementary uses the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) framework. All subjects are taught through inquiry, with a focus on concepts, skills, and knowledge.
We follow:
- Common Core State Standards (CCSS) — English Language Arts and Math
- Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) — Science
- AERO Standards — Social Studies
The curriculum is transdisciplinary: science and social studies often form the foundation of each Unit of Inquiry, with literacy integrated throughout. The local UAE context is incorporated through ADEK frameworks — Arabic, Islamic Studies, Moral Education, and UAE Social Studies are integrated into units when they connect to the central idea. Specialist subjects (Art, Music, PE, Design & Innovation, Computer Science) collaborate with homeroom teachers to extend learning.
📖 Literacy Resources
- Heggerty — Phonemic awareness
- UFLI — Systematic phonics instruction
- Reading A to Z / RAZ Plus / Epic — Leveled readers and comprehension
- IXL Reading & Language — Skill practice
🔢 Math Resources
- Zearn — Core program aligned with CCSS, KG1–Grade 5
- IXL Math — Supplemental skill practice
🔭 Science Resources
- Mystery Science — Hands-on, inquiry-based lessons
- Science A to Z — Printable resources and leveled texts
🌐 Social Studies & Tools
- Text Sets — Curated by the librarian to align with AERO standards and Units of Inquiry
- Seesaw — Digital portfolios and family communication
- Magic School AI — Planning, feedback, and instructional support
Elementary Beliefs & Practices
Constructivist, inquiry-based teaching
Learning is an active, social process. Students build meaning by connecting new ideas to prior knowledge. Teachers help students answer: What are you learning? Why is it important? What are your next steps?
Standards-based curriculum & PLCs
Curriculum is mapped in Atlas and planned backward. Teachers meet weekly in PLC blocks with the PYP Coordinator and Grade Level Team. Reports go home three times per year on a standards-based card.
Assessment for learning
Learning goals and success criteria are shared with students. Formative assessment (conferences, exit tickets, performance tasks) informs instruction. English and math benchmarks are re-assessed in trimester 3.
Differentiated instruction & daily Acceleration Block
Whole-class mini-lessons are brief; tasks, groupings, and supports differ by student need. Every day includes an Acceleration Block of just-in-time support or extension based on data, including MTSS, ELL, and enrichment.
Visible thinking & high-impact practices
Techniques from Teach Like a Champion — cold calling, wait time, tracking — build engagement, equity, and rigor.
Positive behavior & school culture
Behavior is framed around four values: Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe, Be Kind — grounded in the IB Learner Profile and modeled consistently.
📱 iPads & the SAMR Model
Students in Grades 1–5 bring their own iPads. KG1 & KG2 share six iPad carts (22 each). Teachers receive Apple Macs and Apple TV with Smartboards in every classroom. AISA reflects on tech integration through the SAMR model by Dr. Ruben Puentedura.
🏆 IB PYP Programme
AISA was authorized as a PYP school in 2008 with reauthorizations in 2011, 2016, and 2020 (joint with IB, CIS, MSA). The synchronized review visit is scheduled for November 2025.
Teachers new to IB joining in 2025–26 will participate in a two-day on-site IB training on November 22–23. The Programme of Inquiry was redesigned in 2024–25 to embed CCSS, NGSS, and AERO within the inquiry framework.
Questions? Email Stephanie Brown (PYP) or Amira Al Turabi (Curriculum).
Middle School (Grades 6–8)
From Grade 6, all classes are gender-segregated in alignment with local guidelines. Students follow the U.S. Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in English, Humanities, Math, and Science, with a focus on critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication.
English & Humanities — analysis of complex texts and narrative, expository, and argumentative writing supported by reasoning and evidence. Literacy is integrated across all content areas.
Math & Science — students explain reasoning, justify answers, and reflect on thinking. Listening and speaking are practiced through structured discussions and presentations.
🎨 Exploratory & Electives
Grade 6 rotates through trimesters of Music, Art, and Computer Science. Grades 7–8 choose two of these as electives based on interest.
🌏 Languages & Local Studies
- Arabic — native and non-native tracks
- Islamic Education — required for Muslim students; non-Muslim students take a Tutorial period
- UAE Social Studies — required for all; English or Arabic depending on passport nationality
📱 Technology & BYOD
AISA is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school. All MS students bring an iPad daily. Every classroom has a Smart Board.
High School (Grades 9–12)
High School builds on Middle School foundations. Grades 9–10 follow the Common Core State Standards through a Standards-Based Learning approach — students are measured on progress toward specific learning goals, developing transferable skills in reasoning, analysis, and communication.
From Grade 11, students choose one of two pathways:
American Diploma
Continues through Grade 12 and aligns with U.S. university entry requirements.
IB Diploma Programme (DP)
A rigorous two-year programme recognized by universities worldwide.
Subject Offerings
Electives & Enrichment
Computer Science · Business & Marketing · Media Studies · Public Speaking & Debate · Personal Finance & Investment · Visual Arts · Sports Science & PE · World Languages (French, Spanish). Course availability varies by enrollment and scheduling.
👩🏫 What teaching looks like in HS
- Average teaching load: 5 classes and 3 preps
- Teach both boys' and girls' classes
- 55-minute classes with departmental common planning time during the school day
- BYOD: all HS students bring an iPad daily; every classroom has a Smart Board
The IB Diploma Programme
AISA has been a proud IB World School since 1996, and was the first school in Abu Dhabi to offer both the IB Diploma Programme and the Primary Years Programme.
The DP is a two-year academically challenging programme for students aged 16–19, with final examinations preparing students for university and life beyond. Students study six courses at higher or standard level over Grades 11–12, plus the core: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and Creativity-Action-Service (CAS).
AISA currently has 45 students enrolled in the DP. Grade 10 students may take the IB Preparatory Programme to build the concepts and strategies needed for the IBDP.
Subjects Currently Offered
DP Coordinator: Kelly Mejia
Secondary Bell & Teaching Schedule
Secondary teachers and students follow a 10-day cycle, Monday to Friday. Each period is 55 minutes with 5 minutes for transitions.
- Students leave at 2:45 pm Monday–Thursday
- Students leave at 12:00 pm on Fridays
- Days 5 and 10 of the cycle are Fridays — the Friday bell schedule applies
- Blank periods on a teacher's schedule are planning periods for lesson prep, marking, parent communication, and team collaboration
Community Circles
Community Circles are a cornerstone of student well-being and character development in MS and HS. They create a safe, structured space where students and teachers build authentic connections, promote empathy, and cultivate mutual respect.
When: Every Wednesday morning, 7:30–7:45 a.m. during the Moral Education and Homeroom period.
Each week students engage with a grade-specific Moral Education prompt covering values, identity, relationships, and social responsibility. Circles reinforce equality and inclusion — everyone's voice matters — through honest sharing, active listening, and respectful dialogue.
Standards-Based Learning (Secondary)
For five years, AISA has been focused on standards-based learning and reporting. Teachers assess students progressively against curricula (CCSS, NGSS, SHAPE, etc.) — students should have multiple opportunities over time to demonstrate proficiency with a standard.
In a standards-based system we only assess academic performance — not participation, attendance, tardiness, or homework completion. We measure what students can do with content knowledge in each discipline. This is a shift from traditional grading; ongoing support is provided across the year.
Teacher teams develop course- and unit-level KUDs (Know, Understand, Do) to define clear learning targets and scales.
Yet to Meet
Beginning
Progressing
Proficient
Exemplary
External Testing
NWEA MAP Growth
Twice per year — differentiated instruction support.
- KG2–Grade 1: Early Literacy & Numeracy
- Grades 2–10: Reading, Language, Math
- Grades 3–10: MAP Science
Results shared at parent conferences and on secondary report cards.
Arabic Basic Skills Test (ABT)
Standardized Arabic proficiency assessment.
Measures reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. Aligned with MOE standards to support targeted instruction and curriculum planning.
CAT-4
Diagnostic assessment of academic potential.
8 short tests across 4 ability areas. Administered annually to Grades 3, 6, and 9 to help teachers and students understand how they learn.