Minds-In-Motion™: A curriculum designed to stimulate visual processing, auditory processing, and motor skills. Learners participate in the MAZE obstacle course daily.

Bal-A-Vis-X: Fun, challenging, and captivating activities using bean bags, racquet balls, and balance boards to engage the auditory, visual, and motor systems while encouraging crossing the midline in three dimensions to improve information processing, listening, attention, and communication.

MNRI™ The Masgutova Method™: A set of movements focused on reflexes, whole body coordination, better brain function, and sophisticated sensory-motor integration.

Therapeutic Listening: Strategically selected and modified music delivered through specialized headphones to activate auditory centers of the brain through frequency modulation.

Science

The Academy’s science curriculum features hands-on exploration of new concepts. Two-minute “mysteries of science” start each lesson, followed by real-world problem solving, labs, and academic conversation. Mystery Science™ is aligned to the national Next Generation Science Standards, which include science and engineering practices, disciplinary core ideas, and crosscutting concepts. Geo-Inquiry™ is National Geographic’s learning framework that is used at the Academy to teach learners to ask questions and become empowered in exploring the world and making it a better place.

English Language Arts

The Academy’s approach to literacy includes instruction in reading fluency and comprehension to result in strong, confident readers who enjoy discovering multiple genres; spoken communication for effective expression of thoughts and development of interpersonal peer relationships; and writing for explaining thoughts and ideas to others. The curricula resources include: MyView Literacy, Haggerty Phonemic Awareness (K-3), Handwriting without Tears, and Tattum FAST.

Mathematics

The Academy’s selected math curriculum deepens understanding of mathematical concepts, builds fluency with procedures, and creates opportunities for learners to solve problems they may see in their daily lives. Illustrative Mathematics is a problem-based core curriculum designed to address content and practice standards to foster learning for all. Learners learn by doing math, solving problems in mathematical and real-world contexts, and constructing arguments using precise mathematical language.

Social Studies

The Academy has adopted the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Social Studies 2021. The Academy embeds social studies instruction into a literacy block to reinforce reading comprehension and various styles of writing. The TCI Social Studies Alive! curriculum is constructed with inquiry-based instruction at its core. Teachers use engaging inquiry projects, debates, and experiential exercises in every unit to enable every learner to investigate and master key concepts.

The Arts

Smart Moves Academy provides music education through two methods that help learners discover the beauty and pleasure of music within a culturally relevant social environment. Learners are first invited to experience music through movement, instrument play, and singing as a foundation to learning music composition, theory, and performance. The Orff Schulwerk™ method allows access to creative music performance through singing and instrument play at the start of learning. Learners participate in playful, improvisational experiences that build creativity, emotional expression, and a greater understanding of music. The Kodály™ method develops the musical skills needed for instrument training through singing and movement, including reading and writing music.

In visual arts, Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS)™ is a thoughtful, facilitated discussion of art that activates transformational learning accessible to all. VTS discussions are set around curated sets of paintings, photographs, and collages from which teachers prompt learners to discuss what they are seeing. Museum visits are a part of VTS and offer the chance for learners to put their skills of detailed observation to work.

Across core subject areas, visual Thinking Maps™ are consistent visual patterns linked directly to eight specific thought processes. By visualizing one’s thinking, learners create concrete images of abstract thoughts. These patterns help all learners reach higher levels of critical and creative thinking — essential components of a vigorous education. Thinking Maps help establish a consistent Language for Learning across the grade levels.

Maker space time, integrated multi-media arts, and song and dance are a regular part of learning at Smart Moves Academy.

Character Development

Social-emotional learning is embedded into every lesson at Smart Moves Academy. Character virtues are taught explicitly and modeled on a daily basis as part of a larger classroom management approach using Whole Brain Teaching. The Academy’s learners and staff share a community-wide character goal: to exemplify the following five character virtues. Glorious Kindness — exemplified by doing something for others, using “please,” “ok,” “thank you,” and “you’re welcome,” helping others in need, and giving someone a sincere compliment. Positive Leadership — exemplified by following classroom rules, standing up for others when needed, being a positive influence to others, encouraging others, and leading by example. Selfless Courage — exemplified by making a smart choice even when it’s a hard choice, teaching others, and being a friend to someone new. Invincible Grit — exemplified by doing what needs to be done without complaining, helping someone who is struggling, responding with determination when faced with difficulty, and asking questions when needed. Brainy Creativity — exemplified by doing more than the minimum, using new vocabulary in context, finding new ways to show kindness, and creating solutions to challenges. In addition to embedding character development into the core curriculum, the Academy organizes learners and staff to participate in community-based service learning each month.

• Florida Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) standards for English language arts and mathematics;

• Next Generation Sunshine Standards for all other core areas; and

• The Academy’s physical literacy standards, which are proprietary and informed by the components of movement that improve cognition, academic achievement, and social-emotional well being.

To maintain a trajectory of success, each learner is given an annual goal to:

• meet or exceed their annual individual growth targets in brain processing as measured by the Integration Quotient;

• meet or exceed their annual individual growth targets in physical literacy;

• achieve at least a year’s growth in a year’s time in reading and math as measured by NWEA MAP©;

• achieve at the 80th or higher percentile in reading and math as measured by NWEA MAP© if enrolled at least two consecutive years; and

• exceed their annual individualized academic and therapeutic goals if utilizing and Individual Education Plan.