Primary Grade (4-6) School

General Information

Grades 4 through 6 mark late childhood — a transitional phase whose developmental characteristics we know well. We have built a pedagogical approach tailored to it: activities that prepare students for independent learning under the teacher’s guidance, alongside a deliberate focus on Arab-Islamic identity, on literacy in Arabic and English, on mathematics, on socially appropriate behaviour, and on the habits of learning itself.

Class Environment

From Grade 4 onwards, students move between subject-specific classrooms rather than staying in one room. This creates a more professional learning environment, with each classroom equipped to support its subject with the right resources and tools. The system also prepares students for higher education by building their time-management and self-discipline.

Characterization of Subjects

Islamic Studies

Tawhid, Fiqh, Hadith, Islamic Culture, and Tafseer: Each teacher is given special care by inculcating Al-Eiman (Faith), Tawheed Allah (unifying God), worshiping Allah, teaching Islamic behaviors and manners, and applying in students’ daily life. In the manner in which our good ancestor did, interpreting Quran verses, understanding his words, understanding the meanings and extracting the methodologies from the Suras, and applying them to reality, through the application of the Ministry of Education’s curriculum, and complimenting it with stories, films and pictures and carry out teaching strategies that develop thinking and research skills, dialogue, discussion and so on among students.

Arabic Language

Arabic is the language of the Holy Qur’an and our first language. Dar Al Fikr places exceptional emphasis on developing each student’s Arabic. Our enriched programme complements the Ministry-approved curriculum at every stage, with the aim of cultivating creativity in the language itself — not just mastery of it.

Accordingly, the Department of Arabic at the primary, intermediate and secondary levels has adapted the following approach:

First: Ministerial Curriculum
The ministry’s Arabic language curriculum is taught for all stages.

Second: Complimentary Reading
It is a special course for Dar Al Fikr schools, in which we seek to develop the student’s reading, analytical reading skills by selecting books suitable for students’ age group, orientation and interests.
Intensive reading is offered to primary students throughout the school year, while limiting it to the first semester of the middle and secondary school stages.

Third: Expressive Writing
It is a special course for Dar Al Fikr schools, offering students the correct expressive writing techniques in different writing forms and ways (such as narration and storytelling)
This course is given to primary students throughout the academic year, while it is given to middle and high school students only during the second semester.

Fourth: Integrative Curriculum
This course is specific to Dar Al Fikr schools, and is offered to intermediate and secondary students. It aims to develop the skills of the entire Arabic language by presenting various texts to be read, analyzed, and to apply grammatical and spelling skills on it.

Social Studies in Arabic

The subject of social and national studies is taught at all primary, intermediate and secondary levels in a self-learning manner, which depends to a great extent on the student’s collection of various information from reliable sources through internet networks, visiting the school library, and learning and studying, Research, and the development of comprehension skills, critical thinking and problem solving; thus the student has the motivation and desire to learn and love knowledge. Social studies subject is taught from grades 4 to 10.

Curriculum:
The schools of Dar Al Fikr teach 50% of the planned ministerial curriculum for all stages.

Skills:
Schools add extra skills to students outside the ministerial curriculum, including:

Cartographic skills.
Graphic skills.
The skill of preparing lessons and writing reports.
The skill of writing questionnaires and analyzing results.

PE

Physical education provides a positive and enjoyable experience for all students through a variety of exercises, cooperative games, individual sports (gymnastics, badminton, tennis, and expressive rhythms), and team sports (basketball, volleyball, handball, football ..) in closed or opened fields or stadiums.

The curriculum of physical education is designed to meet the student’s personal needs.

Main objectives:

Each student has the opportunity to grow, explore, and develop individual and group skills.
Encourages the student to demonstrate a sense of responsibility towards himself, and others in physical exercise.
Encourages students to participate in normal physical activities outside the school environment.
Enhances the importance of leisure time investment to the benefit of students.
The student will identify the type and quantity of the diet that supports physical activity.
The student will identify common injuries’ treatments, and first aid techniques.
It helps the student develop himself by learning the basic skills that help him to be a good trainee.
It helps the student develop himself by learning the basic skills that help him to be a good trainee.
It helps the student to be appreciative of the importance of physical activity, by introducing him/her to the laws and ethics required.
Allows students to participate in sports competitions, ensuring their fun and benefit.

Activities:

Athletics competitions.
Fitness competition.
Sports day contest.
Football matches.
Shooting with a bow, arrow, and karate (in the boys section).

Holy Quran

The Holy Quran has received special attention, through diligence to apply the Tajweed in both (recitation and memorization) and evaluation on a continuous basis, through the skills of the Quran Subject.

English Language

The primary stage English language program is designed to improve the student’s language proficiency level in the language used in everyday life. Multiple learning sources are therefore used. Dar Al Fikr schools are keen to ensure that the sources do not conflict with the established foundations of the students of Arabic and Islamic studies, and the ethics of the school, which was established strongly and firmly on keeping up with its Islamic traditions.

Objectives:
The English language subject encourages an experimental approach to achieve proficiency in English. The program is designed to integrate all English language skills and competitive activities, including speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills to ensure that all students are able to develop their English skills and fluency, regardless of their level of language before joining the school and support them equally to become proficient in the English language.

Math

Dar Al Fikr School Math program is based on and incorporates the Common Core State Standards, USA, and it is one of the core curriculum subjects for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12. We are currently using materials published by Pearson. At Dar Al Fikr School, Math is taught in English language by experienced and qualified Math teachers.

The Math curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs of the students. We use a wide variety of teaching strategies to implement mental Math skills that are used to solve mathematical problems.
Curriculum Domains:

Operations and Algebraic Thinking
Geometry
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
The Number System
Expressions and Equations
Functions
Statistics and Probability

Science

Dar Al Fikr Schools Science program is based on and incorporates the Common Core State Standards, USA, and it is one of the core curriculum subjects for students in Kindergarten through Grade 12

Science subjects are taught in English, through interactive and digital learning.

Subject domains:

Engineering Science and Technology
Biology
Earth and Space science
Physics and Chemistry

Objectives:
Encourage the student’s curiosity to explore, obtain appropriate interpretations, link what he has learned to life, and explain and evaluate his learning products.

CS

The Dar Al Fikr Technology curriculum integrates CS into the teaching and learning process and provides children with opportunities to use modern technology to enhance their learning in all subjects.

Students participate in activities that assist in the development of their ability to:

Use computer-based technologies to locate, access, evaluate, manipulate, create, store and retrieve information.
Express ideas and communicate with others using computer-based technologies.
Develop an awareness of the range of applications of computer-based technologies
Discriminate in the choice and use of computer-based technologies for a given purpose
Develop the confidence to explore, adapt and shape technological understandings and skills in response to challenges now and in the future.
Apply learned skills in Real-world scenarios and carefully graded activities to motivate students.

Art

Art builds the child’s personality as a means of expression and disclosure of what’s going on inside, without any pressure exerted on him which may result in suppressing them. Drawing in the early years of life – in particular – is considered a message to the organizers of the educational process, it’s a way to clarify what is going on in the child’s life and what he feels and senses inside whether negative or positive.
The goal of teaching art education

The development of fine muscles (fingertips) gives the child some manual skills through artistic activities.
Encourage the child to express his thoughts, feelings, and needs artistically with great fluency and freedom.
Development of child’s aesthetic sense and artistic taste.
Develop the child’s ability to express freely through visual art, and to express creatively.
Develop the child’s sense of beauty, love, and expression.

Evaluation and Reports

Continuous evaluation

Grading Criteria

Evaluation Tools

Academic Reports

Item	Components
Class participation and learning habits	Classroom participation Positive interaction within the classroom.
	Readiness Bring all learning tools for each subject. Bringing the computer ready to use. Enter the class on time.
	Classroom manners Adhering to the teacher’s instructions Dealing with the teacher politely, respectfully, and fitfully Dealing with peers politely, respectfully, and cooperatively. Keep the seat, and the contents of the classroom clean and intact.
Homework	Written homework Delivery on time. Accuracy in homework performance. Complete performance of the homework. Plagiarism, and copying others’ work.
Homework	Oral recitation of the Holy Quran’s Performance on schedule. The full answer. The correct answer Good performance.
Projects, research, and working papers	Our practical activities or applications are carried out by students with the aim of achieving certain educational goals, serving the scientific purpose of the subject, and working to focus and memorize information. The projects are evaluated according to specific criteria that vary from one subject to another according to the nature of the subject: Project theme. Management of the project. How to implement the project. Presenting the project, and conducting a discussion.
Technical evaluation	Home tests, open-book tests, oral tests, practical and experimental, periodic, performance evaluations, etc.
The Final Exam	It is a test of the end of the subject and is one of two:
	Oral Tests: It is held a week before the written tests through continuous evaluation. It is determined according to a schedule prepared by the administration.
	Written tests It is prepared three weeks before the start of the tests, which are determined according to a schedule prepared by the administration. The final test is worth 30 Marks. The start date is determined by the Ministry of Education’s timetable.

Test Type	Mark	Expected Test	Average	Passing Score	Notes
Class involvement & learning habits	10	–	10	–	Class involvement & learning habits are filed after each class
Homework	10	–	10	–	Homework will be filed after each submission
Module Project	5	Once for each semester	5	2.5	Each subject has its own criteria
Formative Assessment	30	Multiple quizzes	–	–	It can’t be redone
Mid-Term Exam	20	One Exam except for Math	20	10	The test can be repeated (retaken) in cases of illness, traveling, civil reasons, or in cases of funerals (God Forbids). It will be announced with a pre-set schedule
Final Exam	25	One Exam	–	6.25	The test can be repeated (retaken) in cases of illness, traveling, civil reasons, or in cases of funerals (God Forbids). It will be announced with a pre-set schedule

No	Evaluation Tools	Evaluation Mark
1	Class participation and learning habits	10
2	Homework	10
3	Projects, research, and working papers	5
4	Formative Assessment	30
5	Mid term Exam	20
6	The final Evaluation	25

** The teacher applies five tools of skills assessment – at least – during the semester
Educational and academic reports
Schools provide parents – each semester – with the following reports:

Academic report delivered to the student every 6 weeks
Academic report at the end of each semester.

Success and Suspension
Students are to be passed to the next grade if they meet the following success requirements:

A student passes the course if the final grade is not less than 60%.
The student with special needs is considered, based on the diagnostic reports issued by the School Care Center, as stipulated in the Ministry of Education’s assessment criteria.
The student will be tested for a supplementary test if he or she receives an average of less than 60% in one or more courses at the end of the first or second semester.
If the student does not meet the requirements for success in a course, or the final grade after the supplementary test is less than 60%, it will be transferred to the academic committee to relook at the student’s performance and determine the course of action through one of the following options:
- Check out the file for the last year (if the parent has already signed a home support pledge)
- Re-take the school year.