Math - Our students learn to appreciate the power of mathematics and the role it plays in modern society. Mathematical skills and thinking are necessary for achieving success in the modern world.

Science - As implied by our name, science is a major area of emphasis at AMS.  Our school has a sophisticated and well-developed science program through all grade levels. The students are exposed to the inquiry method of science and participate in hands-on activities.  Our goal is to encourage scientific literacy and skills in our students.

Language Arts - Language arts at AMS encompass speaking, writing, reading, listening, and comprehension.  The goal of language arts is to create a life-long love of learning as well as develop the ability to communicate effectively.

Social Studies - Imbues students with an understanding of current and historical trends and structures.  Our goal is to develop students who will become engaged and knowledgeable citizens in our increasingly complex society.

Art - All art programs at the varying grade levels are structured around the fourteen principles of Art and Design.

Music - Our music program aims to equip students with knowledge and an appreciation of music, as well as to develop specific musical skills and abilities by direct participation in musical performance.

Computers - Computer literacy is becoming increasingly important in today's technologically advanced world.  Students at AMS are given the opportunity to progress from knowledge to skill application, in the fields of both hardware and software. AMS provides computer instruction as a tool for life-long learning.

PE - Modern convenience in today's society removes much of the physical activity from daily life. AMS understands the necessity of the creation and maintenance of a healthy body to match the healthy intellect of our youth.  Our P.E. program is designed to foster teamwork in a safe and fun environment while students develop physical fitness and an appreciation for a variety of sports.

Foreign Language - Learning a second language is highly beneficial to a student's progress in other subjects, enhancing both language skills and logic abilities. AMS provides students with opportunities to develop and expand their language skills by means of a comprehensive foreign language instruction program.

Special Education - All children are entitled to special education services at no cost to the family.

1. MATHEMATICS

Our students learn to appreciate the power of mathematics and the integral role it plays in modern society. Upon enrolling at AMS, each student is placed in one of several math programs according to their experience and skill level.

Students are exposed to geometry and statistics at each level. Within the selected program, both student and teacher work together to develop individual tasks and goals that are appropriate for the student based on his/her abilities and interests.

We use the SAXON mathematics materials for consistency throughout the grade levels. Please visit their site for a complete overview of these materials. Geometry is also incorporated into all grade level instruction. Research shows that grade-school children are ill-prepared when they begin learning geometry in middle school. In order to better prepare our students for formal geometry studies, we have added a complete program of geometry in grades K-5.

The program that we have incorporated has been carefully researched and developed by an international community of teachers, mathematicians, a pedagogical researchers. Students have the opportunity to build their knowledge base of geometry beginning at an early age by experiencing developmentally appropriate lessons and hands-on activities. This curriculum, developed by the University of Chicago and funded by the National Science Foundation, has been successfully used at schools throughout the United States. We are very excited to offer this geometry enrichment for your children!

2. SCIENCE

The Science program at AMS is an integrated, hands-on, standards based program. Students will be exposed to the following material:

Kindergarten:

• Matter and its properties
• Weather
• Rocks and minerals
• Life cycles
• Magnets

First Grade:

• Forces
• Seasonal changes
• The oceans and its effects on humans

Second Grade:

• Major landforms
• Identifying light and sound as energy forms
• Fossils
• Relationship between matter and gravity
• Organisms categorized by physical characteristics
• Changes in ecosystems

Third Grade:

• The water cycle
• Rock classification
• Plate tectonics
• How the Earth, Moon, and Sun interact
• Solar System
• Simple machines and their effects on forces

Fourth Grade:

• Simple atomic and molecular structure
• The Sun's effect on air
• The cell as the basic unit of life
• The theory of evolution
• How charged particles exert electrical and magnetic forces
• How energy can be transformed from one form to another
• The interaction and diversity of ecosystems

Fifth Grade:

• The organization of the periodic table
• The atomic structure of elements and compounds
• The Sun and that its effects on air results in changing weather patterns
• The Earth’s layers
• Plate tectonics and convection currents
• Objects and processes outside our Solar System
• Inherited and genetic characteristics
• Anatomical systems and how they work together to maintain life

The students will participate in lab activities that will utilize the Scientific Method outlined in Strand 1: Inquiry Process of the Arizona State Standards.

3. LANGUAGE ARTS

Reading and Language
Students at AMS use the Imagine It! Series and Houghton-Mifflin program, exploring genres of tales, poetry, plays, autobiographies, realistic fiction, non-fiction, biographies, historical fiction, and folktales. Students are also expected to read outside of class to expand their literary knowledge and develop a love for reading. Spelling and vocabulary words are context based. The primary goal of the language arts program is to develop accomplished readers and writers in all subject areas.  Through the selection of high-quality and relevant literature, we strive to nurture passionate, life-long readers who appreciate the value of a good book.  We provide a "print-rich" environment, offering the children endless opportunities to experience a love of literature and language.

Speaking and Listening
Students at AMS have a wide variety of opportunities to use language to express themselves.  Our small class size means that there is adequate opportunity for students to interact with teachers and each other.  Our classroom spaces are designed so that students can work in a variety of learning settings, including small and large groups, where they can develop the skills of listening and speaking.  Our school provides a nurturing environment where students who are non-native speakers of English feel supported as they acquire academic skills that are vital to their future success.

Writing
Students are exposed to the six traits of writing beginning at the kindergarten level. Students will work on developing and achieving mastery in writing through daily journaling and research reports.

4. SOCIAL STUDIES

In the primary grades students will become aware of their school and community and how people contribute to the well being of themselves and others. Different cultures and their influence on our own lives will be explored. Students will study the songs and symbols of the United States and comprehend that we are a nation of laws which provides a safe environment for them to live in.

The intermediate grade levels will explore the history of the United States by discovering the foundation of the United States beginning with the first Americans and ending with present day America and current events. Students will take a close look at the founding of our nation during and after the Revolutionary War. The history of Arizona will also be covered.

5. ART

All art programs and levels are structured around the fourteen principles of Art and Design. Each project introduces or reinforces art concepts and art vocabulary, while offering the students skill practice in various media and art techniques.

Each week, while completing a variety of engaging projects, students are introduced to fundamental art concepts and new media techniques. The history and work of famous artists are shared, and students develop a "visual vocabulary."

Examples of projects at this level are Pattern Bugs (which explores pattern and symmetry), Visual Rhythm with watercolors, and Overlapping Shape Landscapes. Other student projects use concepts from math and science, as they learn body proportion and the proper placement of individual facial features.

The students also complete a sculpture project, in which they build on their social studies and science learning by creating a model of an endangered animal and its habitat. This project is based on each student's own research and reporting.

6. MUSIC

The goal of the AMS music program is to provide students with a broad knowledge and appreciation of music.
AMS students have music two times per week, where they learn to play their choice of guitar or piano and to read and compose music.

These lessons culminate in two recitals each year.

In addition, students are taught the history of Western music, the music of other cultures around the world, and the skill of audiation (being able to think in musical terms). This is the most important skill for students to develop, as it prepares them for the most rewarding appreciation of what music conveys. By learning the language of music as one learns any other language, students develop the basis for a life-long relationship with music. Teaching methods include aspects drawn from Suzuki, Kodaly and Edwin Gordon. All instruction includes a strong playful element so that students are encouraged to be spontaneous and creative with music.

7. COMPUTERS

Computer literacy is becoming increasingly important in today's technologically advanced world. The AMS computer program provides a comprehensive view of the technological world, and provides grade-appropriate instruction concerning hardware, software and the Internet.

Students learn to use Microsoft Office 2007 software applications and the Internet for many practical purposes. Internet use is monitored through web-blocking software, and by ensuring that activities are carried out under adult supervision.

Introductory classes work on building computer and technology vocabulary. Students learn about computer hardware and its functioning, which provides a firm basis for progressing into knowledge application.

Intermediate instruction develops a skills base through a variety of typing exercises and exposure to software packages such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint slide show and spreadsheet applications. At this level, the computer instruction program also facilitates the application of the learner's expanding knowledge pool, by providing opportunities to actively and safely participate in Internet research projects and activities. Such activities are beneficial to other areas of the school curriculum, as they enable students to navigate through a wide range of reference sources.

Enthusiasm for computer course work at all levels is maintained when students participate in enrichment activities, such as Scavenger Hunts, or Web Quests, where students utilize online resources to answer assigned questions. Students explore the Internet as a reference source, and learn useful strategies to gather information for other subjects in the school curriculum.

Students involved in AMS computer instruction are given the opportunity to progress from knowledge to skill application, in the fields of both hardware and software. AMS provides computer instruction as a tool for life-long learning, with the application of skills outside of their original contexts.

8. PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Modern convenience in today's society removes much of the physical activity from daily life. AMS understands the necessity of the creation and maintenance of a healthy body to match the healthy intellect of our youth.

As such, AMS regards Physical Education as a very important part of a student's education. P.E. classes for all AMS students begin with a group stretch, followed by a calisthenics period to include jumping jacks, push-ups, and sit-ups.

Students exercise in two person teams, to foster encouragement and to allow students to assist in the completion of their partner's exercise repetition when they need help. They play a variety of games that require them to use both their large and small motor functions and muscles. Sports equipment such as hula-hoops, basketballs, soccer balls, volleyballs, and floor scooters allow for a variety of activities. Students learn the traditional rules of sports and are also encouraged to participate in creating their own games - past favorites have included scooter tag, scooter floor hockey, and scooter relay races. The ultimate goal of AMS's P.E. program is to foster teamwork in a safe and fun environment while students develop physical fitness and an appreciation for a variety of sports.

9. SPECIAL EDUCATION

AMS strives to include every person with disabilities in the general education under the inclusion model. This is facilitated through direct services, consultation and support offered by a Special Education Teacher.

General Information
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was last reauthorized in 2004. The law is known as IDEA 2004. Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (I.D.E.A.) states all individuals with disabilities from birth through 21 years of age are to receive a free and appropriate education (F.A.P.E.). This education must occur in the least restrictive environment (L.R.E.) and provide supplementary aids and supports when necessary. Curricular adaptations, which include both accommodations and modifications, are changes in the educational environment that allows the student equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement as their non-disabled peers. School districts, including charter schools, are responsible for identifying and providing special education services to students from 5 to 21 years of age. AMS provides support to students with disabilities and educates them as much as possible in the same physical environment as their non-disabled peers.

10. FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Learning a second language is highly beneficial to a student's progress in other subjects, enhancing both language skills and logic abilities. AMS provides students with opportunities to develop and expand their language skills by means of a comprehensive foreign language instruction program.

In elementary school, Kindergarten through 5th grade take Spanish once per week. Russian is offered to some elementary grades. All students have the opportunity to take Russian afterschool.

Explorations of the food, music, videos and literature of Spanish- and Russian-speaking populations supplement the AMS Spanish and Russian curricula.