The BMS Curriculum Philosophy
We’re not about dry textbooks and rote memorization. Our curriculum is all about real-world learning. It’s about sparking excitement and curiosity in kids, making them eager to come to school every day.
It is grounded in the real world. Students see the relevance of what they’re learning.
They understand how it applies to life outside school.
This makes them more engaged. More motivated. More excited to learn. Let’s dive into how we do it.
The 3 Es: Engage, Explore, Elaborate
We’ve designed instructional methods that reduce cognitive load while learning. What does this mean exactly?
It means our curriculum makes learning easier.
We don’t overload students with too much information at once.
We break it down. We make it digestible.
Our units span 6 weeks and are divided into 2-week cycles. Each cycle covers a new topic within the larger 6-week theme. Every 2-week cycle follows the 3 Es: Engage, Explore, and Elaborate.
First, we engage. Every two weeks, students kick off with something fun and thought-provoking—an audiovisual prompt. This grabs their attention and gets them asking questions. It’s the “notice & wonder” protocol. Think of it as setting the stage for an epic adventure.
Next, we explore. We give students explore boards filled with different activities designed for all kinds of learners. Whether a child loves reading, drawing, building, or experimenting, there’s something for them. This phase is all about discovery, letting students dive into the content in a way that suits them best.
Then, we elaborate. This is where things get hands-on. Students work on performance tasks, taking what they’ve learned and creating something with it—projects, presentations, you name it. They show what they know in tangible ways. It’s not just about memorizing facts. It’s about applying knowledge in real life.
Mastery Based Learning & Grade Bands
At Brilliant Microschools, we embrace mastery-based learning.
Students advance at their own pace, moving forward only after mastering each topic.
Traditional classrooms often leave gaps when students miss instruction, relying on a fixed schedule.
Here, each student follows a personalized pathway, allowing them to stay with and master each topic before moving on to the next.
For instance, if a students missed a lesson on the Constitution in a traditional US History class, she might struggle with understanding the Bill of Rights the next day. At BMS, she’ll stay with the Constitution before moving on, ensuring she’s ready for the next topic.
Since all students learn at different speeds, our teachers create structures - such as progress trackers and lesson classifications - that help learners stay on track while achieving mastery at the pace that works for them. Every learner gets the time they need to reach true mastery, and the teacher is there to provide support as needed.
This is why we’ve also opted for grade bands over traditional age-based classrooms. Grade bands group students by mastery levels rather than age, allowing for flexible and personalized learning paths. This ensures students advance based on understanding, not birthdays!
Eduprotocols and Explore Boards: Organized Chaos in Learning
We’ve mastered the art of balancing solo work and group projects through our innovative eduprotocols. These protocols ensure students remain individually accountable while seamlessly transitioning between different learning modalities. It’s like a well-choreographed dance of learning, where students switch from personal projects to team tasks effortlessly. This organized chaos keeps energy levels high and kids fully immersed in their education.
Eduprotocols work hand-in-hand with explore boards. While explore boards offer a variety of activities for different learning styles, eduprotocols structure how students engage with these activities. They mix solo tasks with collaborative projects, maintaining a dynamic and engaging learning environment. This balance ensures students develop both independent and teamwork skills.
For example, a student might start with a solo reading task from the explore board, then join a group discussion facilitated by an eduprotocol. This method keeps students accountable and organized, fostering a rich and diverse learning experience.
Differentiation: Low Floor, High Ceiling
At Brilliant Microschools, differentiation is key to our instructional design. We create lessons with a "low floor" and a "high ceiling" to ensure accessibility and challenge for all students. This means every activity starts with a simple entry point that everyone can grasp, but extends to more complex tasks for those ready to push further. By designing our curriculum this way, we make sure every student is engaged, supported, and challenged, allowing each individual to progress at their own pace and reach their full potential. This approach not only caters to diverse learning styles but also fosters a classroom environment where every student can thrive and excel.
Example in Math: In a math lesson on fractions, we begin with basic fraction identification and simple addition. This is our "low floor," where all students can participate and build foundational understanding. For those ready to go further, the "high ceiling" involves applying fractions to real-world problems, such as cooking recipes or budgeting, and exploring concepts like equivalent fractions and fraction multiplication. This ensures that all students, regardless of their starting point, are both supported and challenged.
Example in English Literature: In an English literature lesson, we might start with a universally accessible activity, such as identifying main ideas and themes in a short story. This low floor activity ensures everyone can participate. For students ready for more advanced work, the high ceiling involves analyzing the author's use of literary devices, comparing themes across different works, and even writing their own short stories inspired by the reading. This approach allows every student to engage with the text at a level that is appropriate and stimulating for them.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
At Brilliant Microschools, we cater to students with learning differences. From dyslexia to ADHD, our tailored approach ensures every student gets the support they need. For instance, we use visual schedules and graphic organizers for students with ASD. For those with anxiety, we create a safe, supportive environment.
This personalization helps students thrive.
We see each student as unique. We’ve moved beyond the outdated idea of disabilities.
Simply put, every child learns differently.
Our approach is more than just an educational framework; it's a belief in the potential of every student to achieve high levels of learning.
So, how can we approach different learning pathways for all students?
We’ve mastered the use Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This approach means we offer multiple ways to learn. We have differentiated tasks, scaffolds, and a diverse set of eduprotocols and explore boards mentioned above.
For example, a lesson might include videos, readings, and hands-on activities to cover all learning styles. Students can choose how they complete assignments, whether through writing, drawing, or speaking. This way, every student finds a method that works best for them.
By using UDL, we ensure no student is left behind. Every student finds their path.
How do we know it’s working?
We track progress through daily formative assessments, monthly performance tasks and annual MAP Growth evaluations.
We also use a set of adaptive learning software weekly, such as MobyMax, MathSpace, NoRedInk, CommonLit, Nearpod and Toddle.
These tools aren't tests; they're diverse methods to check understanding and application.
They provide a comprehensive picture of where students are thriving and where they need more support, helping us to adjust our teaching strategies accordingly.
Interdisciplinary Learning
Our curriculum blends subjects. ELA, Science and Social Studies—they all come together. We create interdisciplinary units. This means students don’t learn subjects in isolation. They see how everything connects. It’s like looking at a big picture, not just tiny pieces. And guess what? This makes learning more exciting. It feels real. It feels relevant.
Math is a bit different. It’s taught separately, but it still follows the same cycle—engage, explore, elaborate.
This keeps things consistent. Students know what to expect and move through math with the same excitement and understanding.
Content Map Library
Our content map library is a comprehensive resource that guides the curriculum, ensuring all educational standards are met across subjects. It includes detailed maps for each subject area, outlining key concepts, skills, and assessments. This library ensures that our interdisciplinary units are well-organized and aligned with learning goals.
The content map library supports the 3 Es by providing a clear framework for Engage, Explore, and Elaborate phases. Teachers can reference the library to design lessons that integrate various subjects, ensuring a cohesive and comprehensive educational experience for students.
Example 1: Identity & Representation for Grades 6-8
In our Identity & Representation unit, students walk in the footsteps of freedom fighters, exploring personal and cultural identity through history, science, and literature. They might create a family tree, analyze media representation, and conduct scientific experiments on perception. This unit covers key historical events, promotes scientific inquiry through experiments, and enhances critical thinking skills in ELA by analyzing various texts and media.
Example 2: US History for Grades 9-12
One US History unit for high school students digs into the struggles and triumphs of various movements. Activities include examining primary sources, engaging in debates, and conducting scientific investigations into social issues. Students explore the evolving landscape of American identity, from indigenous cultures to the contributions of immigrant communities. They analyze key moments like the suffragette movement, reflecting on how these events have reshaped public opinion and legislation. This unit meets standards by covering significant historical periods, encouraging analytical skills through debates, and applying scientific methods to social studies.
Example 3: Discovering Who We Are for Grades 3-5
In the Discovering Who We Are unit, younger students explore personal identity, community roles, and cultural representation. Activities include creating family trees, analyzing media portrayal, and conducting experiments on perception. This unit helps students understand themselves and their place in the world, adhering to standards in social studies, ELA, and science by fostering an understanding of community and self-awareness. They learn about the roles people play in their community, how media can shape perceptions, and conduct simple experiments to understand how they perceive the world around them.
Just-In-Time vs. Just-In-Case Learning
Picture this: your students are diving into a project about the new marina in Fort Lauderdale and its impact on local tourism. They're not just learning; they're exploring different subjects—math for calculating costs and tourism revenue, physics for understanding sea currents, geology for analyzing sand deposits, and social sciences for studying the local economy and culture.
As they work on the project, AI tools guide them every step of the way. Need to understand how sea currents change with the new marina? AI swoops in with fluid dynamics lessons. They might use math to model these changes and predict future erosion patterns on the beach.
For the social science part, they research the marina’s impact on the local economy and culture. They interview local business owners and residents to get firsthand accounts of the economic benefits and drawbacks. They analyze tourism data from before and after the marina’s construction to see changes in tourist numbers and spending. Plus, they explore the beach's historical significance and how its changes affect community traditions and identity.
By tackling this project, they hit several high school standards in one go:
Math Standards: They interpret functions in real-world contexts (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSF.IF.B.4) and use geometric methods to solve design problems (CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.HSG.MG.A.3).
Science Standards: They explain how natural resources, hazards, and climate changes influence human activity (NGSS.HS-ESS3-1), and analyze data to understand Newton’s laws of motion (NGSS.HS-PS2-1).
Social Studies Standards: They identify useful sources for answering questions and use economic indicators to analyze the economy (NCSS.D2.ECO.9.9-12).
Now, think about how different this is from a traditional classroom. In the typical ‘just-in-case’ learning approach, students sit through lectures, memorize facts for tests, and rarely see how their learning applies to the real world. They're overloaded with information and learning feels boring and disconnected. The theory of predictive utility suggests that our ability to remember something is related to how useful our brain predicts it will be in a given situation.
With a just-in-time learning approach, your students go from bored and disengaged to curious and motivated. They see the immediate relevance of what they’re learning. When they need specific knowledge, AI provides it right then and there. Learning becomes dynamic and fun. Students stay motivated and remember the material better because they use it in a real-world context.
Cutting down on information overload is another huge plus. Instead of overwhelming students with too much ‘just-in-case’ information, they focus on essential skills and knowledge for the task at hand. They’ll learn to pick up knowledge on demand as needed for their life and careers. Using AI-based chatbots and virtual assistants, they’ll get instant, thoughtful answers to their questions without having to search through lengthy materials.
Thanks to the AI revolution, students no longer need to absorb all knowledge just-in-case over a short 12-year span.
Instead, they’ll learn how to access information precisely when they need it, making education more efficient and engaging.
A Rock Climbing Analogy
Ultimately, you can think of learning at Brilliant Microschools like rock climbing. Clear goals show the way. Students see what they’re aiming for. They take different paths, learn through various modalities, and develop unique skills.
Safety always comes first with our Social-Emotional Homeroom.
We use scaffolds and supports, routines, and systems. Immediate feedback through visible learning boards helps students adjust their learning strategies continuously.