Subject areas

Language Arts in French and English

As of September 2011, FASRI follows the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts. Our French Language Arts curriculum follows the guidelines set by the French Ministry of Education.

Writing

Writing starts in Maternelle with the child’s name and increasingly develops to encompass writing, communicating and publishing. Writing is an increasingly powerful tool of communication. FASRI students develop coherent and eloquent writing skills in English and French. In both languages, they become able to write an persuasive opinion piece on a social matter, exhibiting the basic cultural knowledge that will shape their personal and social identity.  They can describe a science experiment with analysis and deductive reasoning and are comfortable in newer forms of written communication: emails, social media, blogs, wikis, etc.

Writing is introduced formally in English in second grade. First grade will give priority to public speaking and verbal skills: declamatory and verbal expression.

Public speaking

Students develop principal forms of speech and rhetoric as well as skills in active listening and memorization. They are able to eloquently recite a classic poem or a scene of Molière or Shakespeare. Students also learn to express and defend their opinions and debate in a small group or for a larger audience.

Reading

Our students become strong and passionate readers, knowledgeable of significant writers and poets in both French and English. They are increasingly able to search, find and analyze information, discriminate sources and apply critical thinking skills to both content and context.

The Maternelle curriculum builds the foundation of learning, including reading, writing, numeration and social skills. Reading is introduced in French in the first grade. The French alphabetic approach reinforces the vocabulary in the second language while presenting the systematization of a syllabic approach, which is easier to pick up than the morphophonemic English language.

During earlier years and up to Grade 1, children are introduced to advanced phonics and exposed to large vocabulary in English. This builds a strong and solid foundation and provides a smooth transferance of skills from French to English literacy in Grade 2.

Spanish

Spanish starts in Grade 6. Students discover the language and culture of the Spanish-speaking people of Spain and South America. Graduating students are prepared to enter high school at Level Two Spanish, according to the proficiency guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

Math

The math curriculum begins in pre-school with early development of math concepts: numeracy, logical thinking, problem-solving skills and simple geometry.

In the lower school, we combine the enrichment of the French and American approaches to math, creating students who can succeed in both. Problem-solving and fractions are emphasized in English, the metric system and geometry in French. The Middle School will develop sophistication of concepts with and in-depth approach to rational numbers, mental math, geometry and measurement, functions and algebra, and multi-step linear equations.  Students collect and analyze data and trends, compare statistics and probability, use combinations and permutations, and develop strategies to solve increasingly complex problems.

Science

Curiosity and imagination are the source of the scientific method. As early as pre-school, children are able to imagine, create, build, grow, observe, compare, analyze, and develop an understanding of the world around them.  The critical analysis of their exploration and experimentation and the acceptance of the reality of one’s own mistakes are fundamental aspects of a child's growth and development. Life, earth, and space sciences build up over the course of the curriculum, leading to the study of increasingly sophisticated concepts and notions at the Middle School level. The environmental portion of our science program focuses on Rhode Island, our Ocean State, and we take advantage of the community as our expanded laboratory.

Humanities

History

Students start building their social identity and developing an understanding of the concepts and rhythm of time and space as early as Pre-School. They begin to understand and express the difference between past, present and future, compare events and chronological units, and develop an understanding of the adaptability of humans to their environment.

At FASRI, students develop an understanding and appreciation of two parallel cultures. Focus is placed on France, Europe and America; events are compared and bridges are built between the civilizations and their cultures, strengthening our students' critical analysis.  From our beginnings in ancient times to the excesses of the Middle Age, from Islam to the Renaissance, from the Roman Empire and the beginning of Christianity to the French and American Revolution, the Civil War or the Industrial Revolution, students discover, analyze, and build up an understanding of our world, its people, and its organization through time.

Geography

Students develop basic skills in physical, and environmental geography. They learn about the relationship between people and their environments, and the implication and links between our actions and their impact on the planet. They are able to read a map and to locate themselves in the global world.

Civics/social curriculum

Civics in younger grade merges with the social curriculum and provides students with guidelines to grow and develop in a safe environment. They share their thoughts and exchange about their personal experiences and discoveries, leading to self-exploration and the discovery of individual strengths and weaknesses. They develop empathy and a sense of commitment to their immediate environment, and to the world. In Middle School, focus is placed on values and principles, equity, justice, non-discrimination, freedom, integrity, rights, and how man-made institutions are formed. Through this portion of the curriculum, we seek to develop students who are actively engaged in their local and global community.

Health

The curriculum focuses on the acquisition of accurate health information and the development of healthy attitudes and behavior patterns. Students learn content and practice skills at developmentally appropriate levels. Recess and physical activities are a substantial contribution to the health curriculum.

Arts

Visual Arts

Based on a number of artistic notions (space, light, color, material, body, and support), art encourages students to further develop their capacities of invention, to allow for personal and creative expression through various approaches.  For the student, art combines perception and action in a direct relationship with the process of expression. At FASRI, the Art and Music programs are supervised by the classroom teachers in the lower school and fully integrated into the curriculum. The Art Studio is a place where students feel free to define themselves, recognize the uniqueness of others, and appreciate the sharing of creativity and interpretation.

Art history is explored within the social and economic context of the people of the time period, while the creative and hands-on approach reaches out to Providence as our larger campus. Collaboration with RISD and local artists bring dynamism and technical creativity in the classroom and well as an enhanced aesthetic perception.

Music

Students develop their auditory skills to recognize sounds and instruments and to reproduce and create rhythms with percussions. They learn different types of music, instruments, styles and composers. An important part of the music program is also the experience of singing together, controlling the voice and enjoying the pleasure of sharing a song. The school has several choirs: Maternelle, lower school and Middle School. The choruses are run by teachers, and the songs are carefully selected to reflect and enhance the school's values and spirit of diversity. Musical history is linked to grade-related history studies and allows students to connect with the social aspect of communities and people throughout history.

Performing Arts

Our drama club allows students to enrich their French language experience in the Afterschool program. Classroom plays are also a fun and enriching part of the FASRI linguistic experience linking pleasure with the expression of the whole self.

Physical Education

Creative use of our space and the city of Providence as our larger campus provide many opportunities for our students to receive age-appropriate physical education. Physical activity starts in the gross motor room at 3 years old and continues in the gymnasium with gymnastics, basketball, badminton, or the development of team games. We also access the surrounding community for even more physical activities, including sailing, swimming, ice skating, hip hop, dance, biking, kayaking, and field days at India Point Park.

Technology

Technology is crucial to student development and is introduced as early as age three at FASRI. The younger students explore the classroom computer in small groups and visit the library/computer center once a week. Through recognition of simple actions, art design, and typing, the students increase their literacy. As they grow, they learn to search and find information, send emails, create spreadsheets, and edit photos, videos and recordings while becoming aware of social media and the ethical issues raised by the use of technology. In Middle School, computer science is fully integrated into the curriculum, and teachers collaborate to develop the necessary skills that our students will need to enter high school.

Library

The library is our project center. Teachers and students visit the library regularly to research information, print or scan documents, borrow books, and receive support and resources for projects. The library integrates technology into the lower school classrooms and supports and enhances interdisciplinary projects.