Lower School

See the renderings for the new Kindergarten classrooms in Lower School.

Mathematics

Kindergarten: Students develop thinking and reasoning skills in a natural developmental progression through an approach that encourages cooperative learning, experimentation, and real-life exploration. Math activities are integrated throughout the day. Students will analyze various data collected and discuss their findings. Students practice counting, writing corresponding numerals, composing simple math equations, and using comparative language such as “more than,” “less than,” and “the same.” In flexible learning environments, STEM materials are introduced, and specific skills are taught. Importance is placed on the language of math as students share their work and compare outcomes.

Reading

In Kindergarten, students build phonemic awareness and develop reading skills through an eclectic approach that reinforces the sound/letter relationship and combines phonics and whole language in a literature-rich environment. We instill a curriculum that is a systematic, research-based methodology that teaches proven reading strategies. Students use multi-sensory techniques to build a strong foundation of skills in handwriting, spelling, grammar, pronunciation, listening, and thinking. Students read in small skill-based groups, partnered with a classmate, and individually with a teacher. Beginning books contain repetitive text, limited vocabulary, and picture clues to support developing decoding skills. Phonics books focus on particular vowel sounds and contain limited, repetitive vocabulary. Comprehension is built at all reading levels as children respond to questions about story content and participate in literacy activities.

Science

In Kindergarten, science includes a variety of activities, tools, and discovery stations to support each thematic unit of study and emergent curriculum. Throughout the year, students study insects, earth science such as air, water, and weather, physical science, and health and safety. The emergent curriculum is built upon the interests and questions of students. Students are encouraged to explore individually or with classmates. Explorations often lead to great discoveries that they are shared with others. Through group science activities, the children learn to listen to classmates’ observations and hypotheses as they work together toward finding answers to their many questions.

Writing

Students are encouraged to write on a daily basis. The classroom offers a variety of materials for independent and teacher-supported work. The children write notes to friends, label structures, and write messages based on imaginative play. Students independently write narrative stories with a specific skill focus. Students are encouraged to label or write as much as they are able. In addition, children may be asked to dictate a response to a story, query, or idea. Early attempts to write are supported by teachers. While conventional spellings for commonly used words are offered, the children are praised for their attempts to spell words independently using inventive spelling.

Overview

1st graders build important foundational academic skills in reading, writing, and math while simultaneously developing confidence, awareness, and empathy inside and outside of the classroom. Creativity and collaboration are emphasized across the curriculum, and 1:1 iPads are used to enrich the experience. Teachers facilitate a classroom community that is caring, encouraging, and inspirational, giving our first graders the emotional safety to thrive.

Literacy

Word Study

• Daily lessons in phonics and word study using Fundations, a research-based approach to teaching reading, spelling, and handwriting

Reading Workshop

• Targeted mini-lessons in decoding, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and story elements.
• Individual student conferences and flexible small group instruction to provide on-the-spot coaching and support student growth.
• During workshop time, students read with a partner, independently, or in a teacher-led small group to practice skills.
• Daily interactive read-aloud exposing students to a variety of themes and content areas. Comprehension and vocabulary are discussed in context.

Writing workshop

• Students write across a variety of genres focusing on personal narrative, realistic fiction series, how-to, and an opinion piece.
• Mini-lessons with teaching targets are related to planning, generating and elaborating ideas, grammar and spelling, and editing and revising.
• Workshop time for student conferencing and small groups.

Math

• Focus on building a strong number sense and conceptual understanding, flexibility when problem-solving, making connections, and communicating strategies.
• Manipulatives and cooperative games are used to build conceptual understanding and practice skills
• Number Talks and Investigations are the primary resources.
• Topics and skills include place value, part/part/whole relationships, addition and subtraction strategies, and problem-solving.

Social Studies

• Our Responsive Classroom approach creates a safe and respectful classroom community to kick off the year.
• Topics and skills include family diversity, families around the world, and communities that are taught through read-alouds, class discussions, research, and projects.
• Reading projects and specialized activities help students better understand themselves and others, discover that our similarities and differences make us unique and connected, and learn the importance of being an upstander.

Science

• Our young scientists, equipped with their tools and trail bag, are largely outdoors for science class in the fall and spring.
• Lessons are designed to capture a first grader's natural curiosity to ask scientific questions.
• Students learn important skills to predict, observe, and draw conclusions.
• Our science lab and outdoor learning spaces create a myriad of hands-on learning experiences.
• Our favorite topics include: animals and adaptation, light and sound waves, weather, and plant science.

Signature Projects and Experiences

• Box Series Writing Project- First graders develop their own fictional characters and write a series of stories. There is a focus on revision and learning the techniques to bring the characters to life.
• Cookie Cutter Project - Inspired by a read-aloud, students design their cookie-cutter pattern, create it on the 3D printer, then bake and share their cookies with the Lower School.
• Flat Stanley - As an introduction to communities, students tour the campus and take photos on their iPads to create a class book.
• Research Project - In small groups, students use videos and non-fiction books to learn about families around the world to create a project and e-book.
• Tinker Lab - First graders learn responsible use of technology through our digital citizenship curriculum, and are introduced to coding through Code Monkey, Jr.

Overview

2nd graders continue building critical skills that allow them to dig deeper into their reading, write longer and more detailed stories, and approach math problems using efficient strategies. Students better understand global citizenship through read-alouds, guided research, and collaborative projects.

Literacy

Word Study

• Daily lessons in phonics and word study using Fundations, a research-based approach to teaching reading, spelling, and handwriting.

• Introduction to cursive handwriting.

Reading Workshop

• Individual student conferences and flexible small group instruction to provide on-the-spot coaching and support student growth.
• Targeted mini-lessons in decoding, fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and content knowledge.
• Focus on comprehension strategies and an Introduction to book clubs where students are learning to monitor their comprehension and engage in discussions about characters, lessons, and themes.
• Students dive into non-fiction and read several books about a topic. They are asked to compare and contrast, learn to focus on main ideas, details, and vocabulary, use the text features, and record notes.
• Daily interactive read-aloud exposing students to a variety of themes and content areas. Comprehension and vocabulary are discussed in context.

Writing Workshop

• Students write across a variety of genres focusing on personal narrative, informational, poetry, and persuasive writing.
• Mini-lessons with teaching targets are related to generating and elaborating ideas, planning, grammar and spelling, and editing and revising.
• Teachers rely on Workshop Time for student conferencing and small groups to better coach each student.

Math

• Focus on building a strong number sense and conceptual understanding, flexibility when problem-solving, making connections, and communicating strategies.
• Manipulatives and cooperative games are used to build conceptual understanding and practice skills.
• Number Talks and Investigations are the primary resources.
• Students begin to build fact fluency in basic addition and subtraction facts.
• Topics and skills include place value, addition and subtraction of larger numbers, geometry, fractions, time, money, measurement, and an introduction to multiplication.

Social Studies

• The year begins with creating a safe and respectful classroom community through a Responsive Classroom approach.
• Topics and skills include geography, cultures from around the world, and research and map skills.
• Reading projects and specialized activities help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and others, discover that our similarities and differences make us unique and connected, and learn the importance of being an upstander.

Science

• Our young scientists, equipped with their tools and trail bag, are largely outdoors for science class in the fall and spring.
• Learn important skills in asking scientific questions, making predictions and observations, and drawing conclusions.
• Hands-on learning experiences in our science lab and outdoor learning spaces.
• Our favorite topics include ecosystems, properties of matter, trees and rocks, and minerals.

Signature Projects and Experiences

• Stuffee Jamboree - In this stem project, 2nd graders design their patterns and learn sewing skills to create their stuffed animals.
• Puppet Show - 2nd graders make their puppets in art class and work together to put on a puppet show based upon a culture of study for their families and the Lower School.
• Writing Celebration - 2nd graders publish their non-fiction chapter books, and families are invited to a publishing celebration.
• Nokemon Challenge - 2nd graders research nocturnal animals, make their playing cards, and complete academic challenges to earn a full deck of Nokemon cards.
• Tinker Lab - 2nd graders learn responsible use of technology through our digital citizenship curriculum and are introduced to coding through Scratch.
• 8th-Grade Writing Buddies - Our 8th-grade friends visit our 2nd-graders to share their middle school wisdom and teach the importance of effective writing.

Overview

3rd graders delve into more complicated math concepts, engage in long-term interdisciplinary projects, and learn the responsibilities of digital citizenship using their 1:1 Chromebook that they will use for the remainder of their time in Lower School. Readers explore a variety of genres with a deeper focus on character development and non-fiction reading. These skills support elaboration, organization, and craft development in their writing. With teacher guidance, students experience increasing independence around study skills, organization, and homework.

Language Arts

• Differentiated spelling using Words Their Way, a research-based word study program
• Grammar
• Explicit vocabulary instruction using Vocabulary Workshop (begins mid-year)
• Cursive handwriting is practiced

Reading Workshop

• Targeted mini-lessons in comprehension, vocabulary, and content knowledge.
• Individual student conferences provide coaching and support student growth.
• Students transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” with a blend of fiction and nonfiction reading skills in character and plot development, inference, summarization, main idea and details, text structures, and extracting important information.
• Book clubs encourage active reading and communication about books and allow for teacher-led instruction in small groups.
• Read aloud for enjoyment and whole group instruction on comprehension and vocabulary in context.

Writing Workshop

• Students write across a variety of genres focusing on personal narrative, informational, persuasive, a mini-essay, and fractured fairy tale.
• Mini-lessons with teaching targets are related to the steps of the writing process.
• Workshop time for student conferencing and small groups to coach students.

Math

• Focus on building a strong understanding of concepts and number sense, flexibility when problem-solving, connections across operations and topics, and communicating strategies
• enVision Math and Number Talks are the primary resources
• Developing fact fluency in addition and subtraction and using efficient strategies for multiplication and division
• Content and skills include place value, addition and subtraction of larger numbers, multiplication and division, geometry, fractions, time, money, and measurement

Social Studies

• Establish expectations, rules, and routines to create a safe and respectful classroom community.
• Topics and skills include maps, regional study of the United States, Native Americans, timelines, Influential People through History, and the 50 States.
• Reading projects and specialized activities help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and others, discover that our similarities and differences make us unique and connected, and learn the importance of being an upstander.

Science

• 3rd Grade scientists, equipped with their tools and trail bag, are largely outdoors for science class in the fall and spring
• Students learn important skills in asking scientific questions, making predictions and observations, and drawing conclusions
• Hands-on learning experiences in our science lab and outdoor learning spaces
• Our favorite topics include birds including the use of our bird blind to observe local species, forces and motion, and weather and climate

Signature Projects and Experiences

• Influential People of the World - Reading, writing, social studies, art, and technology  are integrated into this project, an almost 50 year tradition. 3rd graders select and read about an influential person, create timelines, and write a short speech. Students collaborate to write skits starring their influential people and then perform for their families and the Lower School.
• Native American project - Students work in groups to research the historical homes of Native Americans from different regions across the United States. Students hit the 热博rb88体育 trails to collect materials to construct their models. Finally, as a group, they present the information and model home to their classmates.
• State Floats - Each student researches one of the 50 states and converts a shoe box into a state float to teach others distinguishing key features of their state.
• Mini-Society - A stem and financial literacy project introducing students to the basics of economy, marketing, and sales. Students design and produce their own products to sell to their classmates on Market Day. Throughout the unit, students create class currency and earn money to use on Market Day.
• Tinker Lab - 3rd graders learn responsible use of technology through our digital citizenship curriculum, and are continue their understanding of coding through Scratch.

Overview

4th graders expand their knowledge of multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals and become creative problem solvers. Students engage in a cross-curricular study of American history and demonstrate their understanding through integrated technology projects and a thesis driven essay. An emphasis is placed on vocabulary development and test-taking strategies.

Language Arts

• Differentiated spelling using Words Their Way, a research-based word study program
• Grammar
• Explicit vocabulary instruction using Vocabulary Workshop
• Year long study of figurative language

Reading Workshop

• Targeted mini-lessons in comprehension, vocabulary, and content knowledge.
• Book clubs encourage active reading, and book discussion and allow for small group teacher-led instruction.
• Focus on non-fiction reading strategies to extract important information (close reading, synthesis, compare and contrast, vocabulary, and text structure).
• Digging deeper into fiction (complexity of characters and plot, theme, inference, and synthesis).
• Read aloud for enjoyment and whole group instruction on comprehension and vocabulary in context.

Writing Workshop

• Students write across a variety of genres focusing on realistic fiction, personal and persuasive essay, informational, and poetry.
• Mini-lessons with teaching targets related to the steps of the writing process, writing a thesis, developing characters, organization and structure, and using research and evidence to develop an essay.
• Sentence mechanics, spelling, and grammar through drafting and editing.
• Workshop time for student conferencing and small groups instruction.

Math

• Focus on building a strong understanding of concepts and number sense, flexibility when problem solving, connections across operations and topics, and communicating strategies
• enVision Math and Number Talks are the primary resources
• Fact fluency in all four operations
• Topics and skills include place value, multiplication and division, fractions, decimals, adding and subtracting larger numbers, graphing, geometry, and measurement

Social Studies

• Establish expectations, rules, and routines to create a safe and respectful classroom community.
• Topics and skills include world geography and landforms, American history from early colonialism through the Civil War.
• Project-based learning: 3D landforms, a reenactment of a historical event, digital comic strip, historical puppet show, podcast.
• Reading projects and specialized activities help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and others, discover that our similarities and differences make us unique and connected, and learn the importance of being an upstander.

Science

• 4th graders increase class time to three times a week
• Learn important skills in asking scientific questions, making predictions and observations, and drawing conclusions
• Hands-on learning experiences in our science lab and outdoor learning spaces
• 4th Grade scientists, equipt with their tools and trail bag, are largely outdoors for science class in the fall and spring
• Our favorite topics include animal adaptations, waves and energy, chemistry, weathering, erosion, and soil, and the scientific method
• 4th Grade Naturalist in Training project, a year long collaboration with the Delaware Nature Society

Signature Programs and Experiences

• Stock Market Game - Students research and choose a portfolio of stocks and compete in a simulation against other students in Delaware. 
• 4th Grade Naturalist in Training - Students engage in outdoor activities on and off campus through a year-long partnership with the Delaware Nature Society. The science units of study and environmentalism are a focus during each visit. In the final culminating project 4th grade teams work alongside experts in the field to conduct their own experiments using the scientific method. 
• Wood Workshop - Students apply mathematics skills and learn to use hand tools to create a project in the Tinker Lab. 
• Greek Plays - Students learn about Ancient Greece, Greek gods and goddesses, and myths, and perform Greek Plays.
• May Pole - Each year the Lower School performs dances for the entire student body, faculty, and families at May Day. The featured dance is the May Pole performed by the 4th grade students. The May Pole dance at May Day has been a long-standing 热博rb88体育 tradition.
• Ukulele Program - In music class, 4th and 5th graders learn to play the ukulele, read music, strum along to hit songs, and perform at Community Gathering
• Battle of the Books - 4th and 5th graders are encouraged to read a selection of three - ten books and participate in an epic book trivia game against local schools. 
• Technology Class - Students are introduced to using their Chromebooks, Google email, classroom, docs and slides, digital citizenship, hour of code, Code Monkey, Typing Club, and more.

Overview

As the oldest students, 5th graders embrace their leadership in the Lower School. Their dynamic weekly schedule includes coding and robotics in STEM class, learning to play the ukulele, reading and writing with greater complexity, learning the roots of language, and collaborating on invigorating projects. In preparation for Middle School, students strengthen their independence and organizational skills as they manage classes taught by multiple teachers throughout the day.

Language Arts

• Focus on grammar
• Explicit vocabulary instruction integrated into reading, social studies, and science
• Focus on non-fiction reading strategies (close reading, explicit and implicit main ideas, vocabulary strategies, text structure, summarizing, learning from primary research)
• Digging deeper into fiction reading (analyzing and annotating, interpreting texts, comparing and contrasting, characterization, identifying theme, setting, vocabulary strategies, analogies, and figurative language)
• Students follow the steps of the writing process to write across a variety of genres focusing on personal narrative, literary essay, nonfiction research, essay writing, and a research based persuasive essay
• Reading and writing workshop time for student conferencing and small groups instruction

Global Studies

• Establish expectations, rules, and routines to create a safe and respectful classroom community.
• Topics and skills include geography, early humans, ancient civilizations.
• Project-based global studies projects - Ziggurat marble maze, mummify a hot dog, digital escape room, Parthenon and Roman aqueducts construction, and a Roman feast.
• Reading projects and specialized activities help students gain a greater understanding of themselves and others, discover that our similarities and differences make us unique and connected, and learn the importance of being an upstander.

Math

• Focus on building a strong understanding of concepts and number sense, flexibility when problem-solving, connections across operations and topics and communicating strategies
• enVisions is the primary resource
• Topics and skills include place value, decimals, multiplication and division of whole numbers and decimals, multiples and factors, fractions and all four operations, geometry
• Project based math projects - 5th Grade Bake Sale and Mini Miniature Golf Project

Science

• Learn important skills in asking scientific questions, making precise observations and accurate calculations, drawing conclusions
• Hands-on learning experiences in our science lab and outdoor learning spaces
• Lab experiences, guest speakers, outdoor stream and layers of the forrest study, projects including building a wind turbine, scale model of the planets, the Great Solar System Rescue Game, rocket construction and launch
• Topics include scientific practices and the scientific method, tree classification, air pressure and composition, climate change, water cycle and weather characteristics, air mass and fronts, space, and circuits

STEM

• 5th graders have stem twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes
• Robotics - students build and learn to code their robotos
• Lego League - All 5th graders participate on a 热博rb88体育 Lego League team. Students prepare codes, create an innovation project and several presentations for the competition

SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

• Students have a weekly class using the Fly Five Curriculum. There is a focus on cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.

Transition to Middle School

The 5th grade experience is a building block for the Middle School. We have targeted specific areas to support our students in a smooth transition to 6th grade.

• Students are assigned a homeroom teacher who supports them in their overall academic experience, study skills, and organization, as well as in their social-emotion development.
• The classes are semi-departmentalized into two areas, language arts/global studies and math/science. Students switch classrooms and teachers while learning important organization skills that will better prepare them for additional transitions in Middle School.
• Students earn traditional letter grades for the first time and students and parents utilize My 热博rb88体育, our internal portal, to review performance and grades.
• Students use an open locker set up which allows them to learn more about an organization system that works well for them while also allowing the teachers to monitor and provide support as needed.

Signature Projects and Experiences

• 5th Grade Camp Out - Students look forward to the annual 5th Grade Campout! This team building and bonding experience takes place on 热博rb88体育’s amazing campus. We set up camp, take an evening hike, roast smores and enjoy an outdoor movie.
• Rocket Launch - 5th graders build their own rocket and learn about the science behind the launch. 5th grade families and the entire Lower School gather on the front lawn for a celebration where each student launches their rocket and runs to catch their parachute.
• World Peace Game - A 5th grade experience like no other! This is a hands-on political simulation that teaches students the complexity of geopolitics and the importance of collaboration, communication and problem solving.
• Lego League - 5th grade is an intensive year for robotics culminating in participation in the Lego League competition. Students put their coding skills to the test and work in teams to prepare Innovation project and values presentations. Lessons in cooperation, communication, problem solving and an opportunity for public speaking are at the heart of the experience.
• Poetry Tribute - Students write and recite poems dedicated to a special person in their life. After analyzing a poem, students write their poem in a similar form integrating Spanish words and phrases. Families are invited to celebrate the special people honored through their poetry.
• Prima Lingua and Latin Day - 5th graders meet two times a week for their World Language class, Prima Linga. This class prepares students for the language classes they decide to take in Middle School. At the end of the school year, they join the 热博rb88体育 Latin students in competitive games on Latin Day.