Grades One Through Five

A well-rounded education includes extensive exposure to art and music which allows children to make connections across disciplines, to develop interests and skills in a number of subjects and to build a rich, expansive world view through the arts. Faculty trained in art and music education provide an integrated, vertical curriculum and teach in spaces specifically designed for these subjects. The time and space given to these subjects reflects the high value we place on these curricular areas as part of the Lower School experience and helps children learn to express themselves outside of the classroom. In fifth grade, the art and music curriculum culminates in a year-long, integrated “Creating Original Opera” program in which students write, compose, design and perform their own opera.

The concept of a larger world and the need to help others is introduced in the Lower School. Children collect food and toys for the needy and participate in relief efforts. Fifth graders who want to run a fundraising campaign must first present their idea and plan to a Senior Leader of the Fundraising Council which exposes them to Upper School students who are adept at fundraising and who help them polish their plan.

Health and Wellness classes provide a time for students to be active, to age-appropriately learn to problem solve, to collaborate and to develop motor and planning skills in the setting of traditional and nontraditional games. There is always an emphasis on having fun and learning about good sportsmanship.

A well-coordinated library program and well-stocked library supports all areas of the Lower School curriculum. While each class has its own classroom library, additional resources in the library ensure the Lower School has ample literature to support a wide range of interests and curriculum topics. The librarian introduces readers to new genres, unfamiliar authors, contemporary texts and works closely with teachers to match books to readers and writers. To meet the needs and interests of young readers, the library pays close attention to both fiction and non-fiction.

The Science curriculum is a vital part of the Lower School curriculum. Instead of science experienced through a textbook, Lower School children in our “Exploratorium” science classroom investigate the natural world outside their classroom, generate questions and search for answers. Students begin to develop the skills and habits of minds to be active and engaged problem solvers in an increasingly complex world. As part of the science curriculum, the Lower School garden is a resource for understanding and appreciating the natural world, as well as a concrete way to focus on sustainability.

The Social Studies curriculum is organized around “big ideas” that students encounter with increasing complexity as they move through the Lower School. How communities allocate resources can guide a first grade study of houses and homes, and similarly focus a fourth grade study of World Peace Games. By organizing units around questions first and then skills and content, we communicate to students that learning about the past is inquiry-based: by asking and exploring good questions, we delve deeper into the topic.

Lower School students begin studying Spanish in our early childhood program. The focus of language instruction is meaningful and purposeful communication, thus language classes are conducted primarily in Spanish with opportunities for students to understand and speak Spanish, with grammatical mastery following later. Students are regularly exposed to Spanish-speaking culture from around the world, past and present. Simulations such as ordering in a restaurant, asking for directions, and describing the weather promote a comfort level with speaking and a willingness to take risks as students learn a new language.

There are specific technology skills at each grade level, and technology is embedded into all areas of the curriculum. Lower School students use technology in ways that support creativity, critical thinking, and promote the sharing of ideas in new and flexible ways. iPads and laptops are readily available for students, and SMART boards, as well as wireless classrooms, integrate the use of technology into all aspects of the classroom.