Core Academic Courses
Ironwood Academy continually strives to provide a learning community of adults and students in which stable, close, and mutually respectful relationships support the intellectual, ethical, and social growth of all students. Ironwood Academy challenges all students with robust curriculum and instruction while providing the structure and support needed to allow each one of our students to meet their personal achievement goals. Through the years, Ironwood students will develop the skills necessary to live and work in an increasingly interdependent, global society.
Lower School Courses
(Grades K-5)
At Ironwood Academy, elementary children accumulate knowledge and develop important skills through direct instruction from their instructors, collaborative opportunities for problem solving with their peers, as well as both independent and guided practice. Ironwood's elementary curriculum engages students in critical thinking and helps them master the ability to communicate their ideas to others. Children develop concepts and knowledge in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.
Language Arts
Ironwood provides its students with rich experiences in literature and composition to expand language experiences. Students will develop the oral and written language skills to become lifelong learners, with instruction that includes spelling, word study, grammar and usage. Ironwood nurtures strong verbal expression skills to support fluent reading and effective writing.
Mathematics
Ironwood students learn to value, understand and use math to problem solve and communicate their mathematical thinking. Students will develop understanding within the following areas of study: counting, operations and algebraic thinking, numbers and operations, measurement and data, plus geometry.
Science
Ironwood instructors instill a love of science through laboratory investigations and experiments that provide students with hands-on opportunities to develop the practice of observing and understanding the world around them. The curriculum covers basic concepts of life sciences, physical sciences, and Earth and space sciences that develop across the grades.
Social Studies
Ironwood's elementary social studies curriculum promotes students’ understanding of their families, school, community, country and world as they become aware of their roles as responsible citizens. The curriculum provides age-appropriate historic, cultural, geographic and economic knowledge, while integrating research skills to help students become independent learners.
Upper School Courses
(Grades 6-12)
At Ironwood Academy, upper school students continue to develop concepts and knowledge in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and History, while becoming culturally competent community members, critical and creative thinkers, as well as skilled problem solvers. Ironwood Academy provides a variety of experiences that encourage students to begin to look to their future to explore various career options, including Language Arts, the Humanities, Fine Arts, as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) jobs, and the preparation necessary to produce high quality work and achieve success in the world of college and work.
Language Arts
Through Ironwood's upper school English curriculum, students experience a wide range of text through poems, newspapers, short stories, nonfiction, essays, excerpts and novels. Students continually refine their skills in reading, predicting, decoding text, summarizing, visualizing, questioning, monitoring understanding, using clarifying and corrective strategies, reflecting and applying meaning. Writing is approached as a dynamic process evolving each day as students are challenged to write for a variety of purposes and a wide array of audiences.
Mathematics
Ironwood's upper school mathematics program gives its students a strong academic foundation and prepares students for a wide range of future academic and career options, including science, technology, engineering and business. It also helps them be successful, productive citizens who can use mathematics in their daily lives. While being introduced to important algebraic skills, students will continue to develop their mastery of skills in the following areas: patterns and functions, geometry, measurement, statistics, probability, as well as number relationships and computation. All courses are designed to teach students to communicate, reason, think critically, and become life long learners.
Science
At Ironwood, upper school students learn to use and apply scientific understanding by acquiring knowledge and constructing explanations of natural phenomena. Through hands-on activities and experiments, they then test those explanations and communicate their findings both in oral and written forms. Through this process, students develop a deep understanding of science that combines knowledge and facts with reasoning and critical thinking. Through Ironwood's science courses, students grow into successful and productive citizens who understand the impact of science on their daily lives.
History
Ironwood's upper school social studies curriculum envelops students in the history of many different civilizations from ancient to modern times. Students will gain an understanding of the economic, political and social systems that helped them evolve. In addition Ironwood's social studies curriculum supports each student's understanding of democratic beliefs and behavior and teaches them to act responsibly in the global community. Students will study commitment to human dignity and justice and how the democratic process works. Students will be challenged to be knowledgeable of current events, to critically examine all sides of an argument, and to conduct rigorous and respectful debate with peers on a wide range of relevant national and global issues.