Conceptual Units

Real-World Learning for Growing Minds

Conceptual units allow the students to delve into topics and subjects that are often overlooked and discarded in traditional school settings because they would have no detectable impact on standardized testing. We believe our conceptual units program equips our students to gather and connect information from a variety of events and sources to create a holistic view of their world. Each month, the conceptual unit changes, and students are immersed in a whole new section of the world in which we live. 

This year, our overarching conceptual topic is BDS University. Students from Kindergarten through eighth grade embark on an exciting journey through a variety of real-world subjects, each designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. Each unit is designed to work like selecting a “major” in college. These conceptual units introduce students to major fields of study, helping them develop foundational knowledge and skills that will serve them well into the future.

At BDS, parents play a large role in decorating each unit that the children study. Parents create hallways to serve as teaching tools and to create visual interest and excitement.

Conceptual Calendar

A Year of History

“Study the past if you would define the future.” -Confucius
During BDS’s Year of History, we will study how humanity has developed and progressed from Ancient Greece to the modern times. We will analyze the people and events that have shaped our world and apply this knowledge to how we can best create the future.

Unit 1: Ancient Greece and Rome
August 6th – August 28th

Unit 2: Middle Ages
August 31st – September 25th

Unit 3: The Renaissance 
September 28th – November 6th

Unit 4: Age of Exploration/Colonization
November 9th – December 17th

Unit 5: The American Revolution
January 5th – January 29th

Unit 6: Civil War and Reconstruction
February 1st – February 26th

Unit 7: Industrial Revolution/Immigration/World War I
March 1st – April 2nd

Unit 8: Great Depression/World War II/Cold War
April 5th – April 30th

Unit 9: Decades
May 3rd – May 21st