Religion
Our Episcopal identity is at the heart of our school. In addition to attending chapel service each week, students attend Religion classes. Our Religion class employs the Godly Play curriculum, a creative, imaginative, Montessori-based approach to religious education. Children explore the mystery of God’s presence, finding direction in their lives, and making meaning through story, wonder, and play. The Godly Play curriculum is a three-year, spiral curriculum. Within this time, students explore core stories, expanded core stories, and enrichment stories that continue to stretch our student’s biblical knowledge. Lower School students serve as acolytes or readers in chapel services, roles they prepare for during Religion class. As part of our Episcopal identity of welcoming other faiths, students learn about other religious observances incorporated throughout the year.
Spanish
Lower School Spanish is designed to immerse young learners in the Spanish language. By aligning with the American Council on Teaching Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards, the curriculum ensures a comprehensive and effective language learning experience that fosters communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities. Lower School students build their communicative competence in the Spanish language through listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural activities. Meaningful communication is achieved through the use of TPR (Total Physical Response), which combines gestures with words to assist with comprehension in young students’ minds. Social studies, science, language arts, and math topics are integrated into Spanish class, which help students review academic concepts while also acquiring the Spanish language. Students enjoy creating artwork, singing songs, dramatization, and movement to deepen their understanding of the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking cultures and celebrations.
Music
Our music program introduces and builds upon fundamental musical concepts, with a focus on rhythm, melody, and notation. Early lessons teach students to distinguish between loud/soft, high/low, and fast/slow sounds through chant and melody, while introducing beat/rhythm, ta/tadi, and sol-mi. As they progress, students review these concepts while adding elements such as the quarter rest, half note, la, and do. Advanced lessons explore the do pentatonic scale, takadimi, quadruple meter, and internal/external upbeats, culminating in an enriched understanding of musical structure. Seasonal themes, including Christmas, are woven throughout the program.
Art
Lower School Art is designed to offer a comprehensive journey through the history of art, encouraging students to explore, create, and appreciate the diverse world of visual arts. By studying art movements, such as renaissance, impressionism, and modernism, students will develop a well-rounded understanding of artistic techniques, historical context, and cultural significance, fostering a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Library
Lower School students attend Library class one time every six days, but are welcomed into the library to explore and check out books several times each week. The school librarians love working with students to help them select diverse books from the robust collection. Lower School Library classes teach library skills, literacy skills, and research skills. Students learn skills needed to enjoy and navigate the library, such as using the catalog to search for books and place holds, checking books in and out, finding books in the library using alphabetical order or call numbers, and why and how books are shelved by topic in libraries. Literacy skills include listening to and learning about many genres and types of books as well as features of books. Students study award-winning authors and illustrators, and develop an awareness of characteristics unique to selected authors’ or illustrators’ books. They also learn research skills in Library classes that help them conduct research for their classroom projects, social studies lessons, and science classes. Students explore and practice using a variety of print and digital resources, including PebbleGo and World Book Online. Our Lower School librarian partners with classroom teachers to help students develop basic concepts of citing sources in 1st and 2nd grade, and independently cite sources by 3rd and 4th grade.
Technology
Lower School Computer Science teaches students how to safely and effectively navigate technology devices, learn through using technology, share their learning using technology, and code. Students participate in lessons about digital citizenship, learning how to be safe, respectful, and responsible online. They learn how to use functions and features of iPads, apps, and websites. They also learn how to use several apps to conduct research, and practice research skills by working on social studies or science projects. Research apps include online encyclopedias, databases, Google Earth, and online books. Students learn a variety of ways to organize and present information using technology such as Google Docs, Google Drawing, and Google Slides. They use Wixie to create presentations including both visual and auditory components. Students build their typing skills by participating in the TypingClub web app lessons throughout the year. As we move further into technology education, students develop computational thinking skills in preparation for learning to write code and solve other problems.
PE
Lower School students attend PE classes twice every six days. In PE, students learn form and technique for many physical skills such as running, throwing, and catching. They learn about good sportsmanship, strategizing with others, and working as part of a team. Formal rules of several sports, including basketball, soccer, and volleyball, are taught and practiced. Students participate in games that involve individual competition, group competition, and cooperation. In addition to PE, Lower School students have athletic opportunities in the fall, winter, and spring to play on competitive sports teams including soccer, bounce ball, and basketball. These teams are open to all students without tryouts, and they practice and compete after school or on the weekends.
