Lower Elementary:
Grades 1 through 3
Lower Elementary is an exciting time as children begin to become competent readers, avid geographers, expressive writers and budding mathematicians. The Lower Elementary Program stresses basic skills in arithmetic and language, but children are encouraged to use these tools to extend and enrich their learning, and to explore subjects of their own interest at greater depth. Concrete materials, similar to those used in the Primary classrooms, are used to teach math and grammar, but other materials are drawn from real life to teach about geography, world cultures, science and human experience. In third grade, students write and perform a play about a topic they have studied during the year.
At this age, children are seeking greater social and intellectual independence. Their relationships with other children in and outside of school become very important. Within this developmental shift, students build on physical and academic skills developed during their Primary years. As children become more independent and responsible, their style of learning shifts from fact absorption to questioning and reasoning. They are curious about the origins of life and the structure of the earth. They learn about geology, biology, botany, zoology, geography and history. Students develop personal strategies for learning, continue making choices and begin to find the passions that will carry them into adulthood. They seek opportunities to work in groups with both older and younger students and embrace larger projects that require more integration of learning.