Lower School
Where learning comes alive.
The well-planned pedagogical approach in the Maternelle is maintained and reinforced each year at The International School of San Francisco, and continues into Lower School. The curriculum continues in both English and French in a way that makes learning exciting and challenging, while meeting the high standards of the U.S. and French educational systems. Students begin Grade 1 with a great sense of resourcefulness and independence, thanks to their blossoming bilingualism and their increased confidence and self-esteem.
As children progress through Lower School, they begin to see themselves in relation to others and think beyond their immediate emotional needs. They learn self-sufficiency as well as collaboration. They are encouraged to speak for themselves and express their own thoughts and questions logically, as well as actively listen to their classmates and teachers.
Collaborating with classmates and teachers from around the globe introduces our students to different cultures and puts them ahead of their peers and other schools in their understanding of diversity. Our English- and French-speaking teachers collaborate in their teaching to enhance the bilingual experience for our students.
By the time our students complete Grade 5, they have put their bilingual skills into action by staying with a host family in France for two weeks, and are inquisitive thinkers and risk-taking learners. Students enter Middle School with confidence, curiosity, and autonomy.
Through our social emotional learning program, our students become empathetic listeners,
cooperative partners, and responsible individuals.Pauline Dides,
Lower School Principal
The Best of U.S. and French Education
Our curriculum provides a rigorous bilingual academic curriculum that blends the best practices of the U.S education system with the high standards of the French national curriculum, the Cycle System.
The bilingual approach has specific objectives: by the end of Cycle 1 (Kindergarten), students begin to read in English. By the end of Cycle 2 (Grade 3), students read in both English and French. By the end of Cycle 3 (Grade 6), students are capable of tackling any academic subject in both languages, and are prepared for middle school and beyond with solid study habits and learning strategies.
Cycle 2
Fundamental Skills
U.S. Grades: Grades 1-3
French Equivalent: CP, CE1, CE2
French Immersion: 80% in Grades 1 and 2, 50% in Grade 3
In Grades 1-2, students continue to develop and acquire fundamental skills. With ever-increasing autonomy, they establish and consolidate their oral, reading and writing skills in both languages, while exploring other units of study. Students continue to learn through the French language 80% of the time in Grades 1-2, and make the move to a 50% split between the languages in Grade 3. This equips students with enough vocabulary, structure, and competency in understanding and expressing themselves to tackle any academic subject in Grades 3-5.
Cycle 3
In-Depth Study
U.S. Grades: Grades 4-6
French Equivalent: CM1, CM2, 6ème
French Immersion: Approx. 50% (plus specialty classes in French)
In Grades 3 through 5, students explore language arts, math, science, history, geography, and the arts at a much deeper level than previously. These are the years where balanced bilingualism is honed, with students spending approximately 58% of their classroom time in French, including specialty classes. Essential concepts are introduced in Grade 3, reinforced in Grade 4, and mastered in Grade 5. Experiencing two distinct national approaches to the same subject broadens students’ understanding of how another culture views the world.
Curriculum Highlights
- English Literacy and Language Arts
- French Literacy and Language Arts
- Questioning the World
- History and Geography
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- Art and Music
- Physical Education
