Lower Elementary Program
Snacks and LunchFor details about snacks and lunch, see the Food at School page. CurriculumThe Lower Elementary Curriculum is divided into the following areas: Language/CommunicationOral and written expression is fundamental to human relationships and understanding. Through manipulative materials and literature, emphasis is placed upon penmanship, mechanics of language (capitalization, punctuation, etc), spelling and vocabulary, grammar, sentence analysis, listening skills, and open-ended research that develops writing, composition, and speaking skills. ReadingOur goal is to have children reading with fluency and understanding. This is accomplished through individual and small group settings that allow practice/study in decoding, fluency, and comprehension. Daily reading is integrated into every area of our curriculum. Teachers read aloud to children regularly, and children are encouraged to read to each other. MathematicsAs in many curriculum areas, there is a three-stage progression in mathematics from use of concrete materials/manipulatives, through abstract understanding, to real-world application of knowledge. The curriculum spans the study of numeration (counting, place value); the four operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division (static and dynamic work); the memorization of facts, and fractions (family recognition, equivalencies, operations, and improper fractions). Application of knowledge is practiced through word problems; the study of money, measurement, and time; and through graphing and sequencing. Geometry is also studied, with emphasis on lines, angles, and plane figures. Cultural Studies – Science, History, GeographyScience, History, and Geography are interwoven through the study of the Great Lessons, a series of impressionistic stories that incite children’s imaginations regarding the beginning of the universe and life on earth. Biology (botany, zoology, and study of human body) is fundamental to our science curriculum, with additional study in physical science. History is a broad look at the development of mankind, based on the fundamental needs of humans. The concepts of time and cultural evolution are studied. Geography encompasses political/cultural studies, the physical universe, and the physical topography of our Earth. |
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