In the higher grades the human civilization is considered the starting point for the themes. In grade 4 children will be introduced to the Egyptians, the Prehistory, and in grade 6 we end with the Present time.
Within each theme all subjects of Science and History are discussed: Geography, History, Biology, Engineering, Sociology, Physics, Chemistry, Healthcare, and Philosophy (or view) of life. All subjects are integrated in one lesson a week. The remaining time is filled with assignments to process the information.
We are working top-down and, therefore, we start with an overview and step by step zooming in on more detailed information. We also make a mind map with each theme. As a result, children will see connections between themes, subjects, and their own knowledge.
In the higher grades (grade 4, 5, and 6) children will notice connections between facts. A world view is built from these connections. A child will be better able to place what is new in frames of what is learned in the past and will think about the place humans have in the world while considering the different cultures. It is essential that knowledge, and cultural and social skills are gained simultaneously; learning to handle norms and values. This is essential for social education.
The human civilization is the starting point for higher grades. In grade 4 the Egyptians will be discussed as well as the Prehistory and in grade 6 the themes are finished in the Present time. In the higher grades 10 themes are discussed:
These themes are the foundation of a solid curriculum. The themes are carefully chosen to cover all continents with its ideologies, philosophies, and cultures. The Asian people will be discussed next to the history of China, but also the human body from an Oriental medicine perspective. The dragons and reptiles, because the Asian history and culture is full of them. Rice as a plant, because China is known for its rice dishes. We also discuss: communism and modern China (sociology), the climates and landscapes (geography), Chinese inventions, and Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism (ideology). Each theme is comprised of subjects covering all subjects of Science & History.
DaVinci supplies the following materials for the higher grades:
