Academics

The kindergarten language arts program helps each child develop reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills beginning with each child’s level of readiness. Many different experiences are offered to meet varied learning styles and include:

• sight word recognition
• phonetic skills
• modelling
• shared and guided reading
• learning games
• individual writing

Children are given explicit instruction as well as many opportunities to practice their new skills. Reading and writing skills are integrated throughout every subject area.

Kindergarten mathematics builds on the range of knowledge each student brings to the classroom. Manipulatives are an integral part of the program. Every concept is introduced and reinforced using hands-on materials. Students practice each concept using a game, a math tub, or a play situation. Concepts include:

• number sense
• addition and subtraction
• measuring
• telling time to the hour and half-hour
• identifying patterns
• recognizing coins
• working with fractions
• counting tally marks
• solving everyday problems

Each concept is continually revisited in a spiral format. Individual instruction is provided in small ability groups.

Kindergarten science is presented through a hands-on approach. Each child is encouraged to:

• question
• observe
• experiment
• compare
• record
• come to a conclusion

Many of the investigations are woven into the thematic content of the curriculum. Planting seeds, investigating the properties of a pumpkin, and experimenting with magnets are a few of the activities that the children will experience.

In addition, open-ended engineering challenges are presented that require students to stretch their thinking skills in order to solve a problem.

The social studies program introduces students to their environment by broadening their awareness of differences and similarities in cultures and people. Students discover their world by studying unique aspects of themselves, their families, their communities, their nation, and their world. The children gain a better understanding of history by studying individual contributions of famous Americans.

Kindergarten students continue to build strong art awareness by studying different art styles around the globe and using a variety of tools and materials. Units include:

• American children’s book illustrators
• Chinese brush painting
• Japanese printmaking
• American Indian symbolism
• European artists such as Monet, Picasso, and Van Gogh
• collage quilt patterns
• animals in art
• clay pinch pots
• carving into clay

Students visit our texture center frequently to build tactile awareness.

Kindergarten students study an introduction to Spanish, building on prior knowledge and language-learning skills. The program seeks to develop students’ listening and speaking skills through engaging classroom activities using theme-based vocabulary. Students acquire vocabulary through the use of songs, games, visual aids, and activities.

Hispanic cultures and customs are experienced through holiday celebrations and the use of authentic materials throughout the course. The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

Kindergarten students grow their love for reading and books as they are exposed to different literature based on subjects taught in the classroom. The children also learn basic library skills such as book care, the proper way to hold a book, and parts of the book.

Students are excited to have the privilege of taking their books home and exchanging them each week. Students are also encouraged to exchange books as many times as they would like during the week, including before and after school.

Students appreciate and enjoy music by participating in a variety of musical experiences. Children:

• sing age-appropriate songs with repeated words and melody patterns
• develop gross and fine motor skills through music by walking, galloping, and skipping (gross) and hand and finger movements and clapping (fine)
• learn to maintain a steady beat through body percussion (clapping, pat/clapping) and non-pitched rhythm instruments
• recognize notes and rests
• distinguish between high and low sounds (pitch)

The students learn to cooperate and gain self-confidence while preparing selections for one grade-level performance and two all-school performances.

Kindergartners stay active, refine their motor skills, and work on the importance of:

• following directions
• organization
• lines
• boundaries
• sharing

Students work on directional movements as well as starting and stopping movements. Classes emphasize working with partners and basic patterns of play and games. Students also complete a tumbling unit and use the scooters to enhance their loco-motor skills and strengthen their bodies.

Technology instruction enables kindergartners to become safe and competent technology users, and it expands and supports all learning. Students:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, and iPads
• develop basic computer skills and learn keyboarding
• pick up beginning computer programming skills

First-graders become active members of a literate society through reading, writing, blogging, speaking, researching, and presenting information to a wide audience. Lessons and activities are designed to:

• build on previous skills
• embrace and explore learning styles
• tap into student interests
• meet individual needs

Guided groups based on on-going assessments allow students to practice their skills and knowledge in reading. Individual writing conferences serve to stretch students as they develop as writers and bloggers, and large group presentations allow students to share their knowledge and interests and further their communication skills and confidence.

First-graders build conceptual understanding and mastery of math skills and concepts through:

• informal exposure and concrete experiences
• formal and directed instruction
• various types of practice through games, explorations, and projects by working in cooperative groups

Concepts and skills are revisited throughout the year through a spiral approach using assessment to guide grouping and instruction.

First-graders explore science topics by using:

• experiments
• technology and text resources
• guided discovery
• projects
• guest speakers
• field trips

During the study of force and motion, each student designs, builds, and tests a rocket. Students delve into topics of their choice in the owl and space units. They become experts as they research, write, illustrate, and present their knowledge to their classmates.

First grade cultivates and nurtures a sense of worth in students and helps them know who they are emotionally, physically, intellectually, and culturally as individuals and as vital members of families, communities, and a diverse world. Students:

• learn to recognize and respect different life experiences and perceptions through shared reading, writing, art, singing, and performances
• explore geography, landmarks, customs, music, art, literature, traditions, and the daily life of children in other countries
• connect and develop unique friendships with an Upper School senior and a member of a sports team

By studying art styles from around the world, students gain knowledge of the vast richness of art in our world. Students explore different periods of art on a large art timeline.

Materials, both dry and wet media, are combined to create visual solutions to critical art questions. Units include:

• stamp and collage design
• watercolor techniques
• clay and bead work
• European artists of the Impressionism and Post-Impressionism periods
• African folktales and American illustrators as inspiration
• nocturnal animals on fabric panels
• American pop art
• Chinese culture
• the use of wooden tools to scratch into the surface of a layered design

First-graders review and expand upon their Spanish language skills with added vocabulary, new and varied resources, and an introduction to writing and spelling in the foreign language. Students become more proficient at listening and speaking in the target language and become more autonomous in identifying emphasized vocabulary.

Students use a variety of activities to hone skills:

• memory games and counting rhymes
• student-produced picture books
• word recognition games

Cultural experiences of the respective cultures continue to be woven throughout the curriculum all year long. The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

This program equips students with the skills to become researchers and independent learners. The librarian shares literature with students to enrich their classroom learning. Students are encouraged to exchange books as many times as they would like during the week, including before and after school.

First-graders enjoy and appreciate music as they continue to develop singing and rhythmic skills. Children:

• learn to maintain a steady beat through body percussion (clapping, pat/clapping) and non-pitched rhythm instruments
• recognize notes and rests
• clap or use non-pitched instruments to perform rhythms
• learn the names of classroom instruments and the differences in their musical sounds
• recognize and vocally imitate sol-mi patterns

Students learn to cooperate and gain self-confidence as they participate in a classroom performance and two all-school performances.

The first-grade curriculum focuses on helping students develop a positive self-image about their physical abilities. Students continue to start each class with stretches and exercises as well as warm-up running activities. Classes emphasize:

• the ability to work cooperatively
• following directions
• comprehension of basic strategies in play and games
• ways to solve more complex tasks, such as dodging and evading

Students continue to use more equipment, from tumbling mats to exercise balls to scooters, to strengthen their bodies and improve their balance skills. The principles of good sportsmanship are an overall focus of the year.

Technology instruction enables first-graders to become safe and competent technology users, and it expands and supports all learning. Students:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, and iPads
• develop basic computer skills and learn keyboarding
• begin to blog to communicate their ideas to an audience and receive responses
• pick up beginning computer programming skills

Students become confident readers, writers, listeners, and speakers by participating in a variety of instructional activities throughout the day.

Reading instruction is literature-based; the students are taught reading through a variety of literature experiences:

• chapter books, poems, and story books
• selections from basal readers
• literature from the Junior Great Book series, A to Z Readers, short stories, fairy tales, and folk tales

Students have a wide variety of writing experiences to build fluency and proficiency. Second-graders write:

• poetry
• short stories with a beginning, middle and end
• paragraphs, nonfiction research pieces, and journals

Each student writes and publishes an autobiography highlighting important events in their lives.

Students become competent communicators by sharing presentations with their classmates and being active audience members for others.

Second-graders develop an understanding of math skills and concepts through rich experiences in mathematics. The students work with concrete materials, such as pattern blocks, counters, money, and clocks, to explore:

• number patterns
• geometry
• time
• money
• place value
• decimal concepts

Problem solving is an integral part of the entire mathematics curriculum, with activities that encourage the students to work collaboratively, as well as independently, to find solutions to a variety of problems.

The goal of the second-grade science curriculum is to respond to a child’s natural curiosity, while teaching scientific content through exploration and investigation. The curriculum covers:

• scientific investigation through reasoning and logic
• earth science
• physical science
• life science

As the students work through the scientific process, they record and reflect on their observations and conclusions in journals. They develop critical thinking skills through reflective discussions and oral communication.

Students develop an understanding of themselves and their place in the world and a sense of history through studies of geography and historical events and people. They:

• learn about maps and their uses, and landforms and their impact on people
• discover the nature of exploration and how it influenced American history
• connect with forbearers through a study of a pioneer family
• compare and contrast life on the frontier with modern life in a specific states

Students increase their art vocabulary by learning the elements of design. Each element is incorporated into a different unit of study. By examining a variety of art by specific artists and time periods, each unit provides new ways students can express themselves with personal creation. Units include:

• positive/negative space
• sculpture in the round
• layering shapes and colors to create depth in a picture
• Dragonology (the study of the history and creation of dragons in art throughout the world)
• American artist Edward Hopper, Edgar Degas, and pastel
• Van Gogh and lines to create variation
• papier-mâché sculpture
• monochromatic painting
• picture quilts from American artist Faith Ringgold
• local landmarks and artists (including Gari Melchers)
• Japanese culture and clothing
• mixed media techniques

In the second grade, students expand the writing skills introduced in first grade. The introduction of a workbook helps students practice writing both vocabulary and more complete sentences. They are introduced to:

• the alphabet
• question words
• classroom objects
• the calendar
• advanced numbers

Speaking and identification of vocabulary continues to be a focus of the curriculum. Students progress at devising descriptive phrases by using previously-learned and new vocabulary. The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

This program equips second-graders with the skills to become researchers and independent learners. The librarian shares literature with students to support classroom learning. Students learn about the Dewey Decimal System during their weekly library visit.

Students are encouraged to exchange books as many times as they would like during the week, including before and after school. The teacher will often suggest that the students check out books to supplement classroom units of study.

Students appreciate and enjoy music by participating in a variety of musical experiences.

• study rhythm and beginning notation
• distinguish the sounds (tone color) and ranges of various instruments
• sing songs with verse and refrain and read song verses
• develop self-confidence and work collaboratively to prepare for a grade-level performance and two all-school performances

Second-graders' motor skills continue to develop through refinement and mastery of complex forms of movement and body control. Students:

• improve skills in kicking, throwing, catching, and hitting through a variety of games
• practice working cooperatively in both small and large groups
• use a variety of equipment
• follow directions
• strengthen their bodies
• improve their balance skills
• continue to learn and practice principles of good sportsmanship

Technology instruction expands and supports all classroom learning, and enables second-graders to become safe and competent technology users. Students:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, and iPads
• develop basic computer skills and learn keyboarding
• blog to practice writing, express ideas for an audience, and receive responses
• learn beginning computer programming skills

Third-grade students have multiple opportunities to become more confident, skillful readers who enjoy reading for a variety of purposes. Students:

• better comprehend their reading through predicting, summarizing, sequencing, and drawing inferences
• read independently and write responses to their readings
• share their interpretations and theories with their peers
• read and discuss a variety of genres

Students develop a love of writing through many and varied opportunities. Writing Workshop enhances their skill development and provides academic choice. All students write in many genres, across all subject areas and on a daily basis.

Students become critical thinkers, problem solvers, and see math concepts in their daily life. Third-graders:

• manipulate numbers through a million and beyond
• estimate and determine the reasonableness of an answer
• refine their knowledge of multiple‐digit addition and subtraction with regrouping
• master foundational concepts before formal instruction in multiplication and division
• learn multiple algorithms for solving math problems
• practice math using manipulatives and games

Students become problem solvers and productive world citizens by understanding the scientific and technological world. Third-graders:

• study the impact forces have on objects and their motion
• experiment with simple machines
• think critically about machine inventions and their uses
• investigate matter and its physical properties
• learn about animal life cycles, simple food chains, and the effects of environmental changes on animals

Their year concludes with a comprehensive study of endangered species. This culminating, interdisciplinary unit includes a presentation of their research on an endangered animal.

Students develop geographical and historical perspective of their world as they study people's journeys over many centuries and across many places. They learn the impact of the past, the importance of knowing our history, and the skills needed for such study. Third‐graders:

• study Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome
• compare and contrast cultures
• examine the first explorers of the Americas
• learn about U.S. presidents
• study influential African Americans throughout history

As students develop their appreciation of art, they experiment with many materials in the third grade:

• fabric
• wood
• coils in clay
• four different types of paint
• pastels

They continue to use the elements of design with increased art vocabulary. With our art library, students build an awareness of art history and become familiar with certain styles and artists. Units include:

• house design
• Mexican design in wood sculpture
• watercolor workshops
• Monarch butterfly design
• migration
• map skills
• compass roses
• paper as sculpture
• symmetry
• European artists as inspiration for foreign language collaboration paintings
• Leonardo da Vinci’s art and inventions
• nature-inspired American artists of the 20^th century
• fiber arts

Students improve their foreign language writing and speaking skills, while a focus on reading is introduced. They:

• write descriptive short paragraphs
• study vocabulary
• develop comprehension skills
• give oral presentations describing clothing on a fashion runway
• give weather reports

Students and teachers increase the use of the target language during classroom interactions and activities. The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

Students gain library competencies through practice with the Dewey Decimal system and using the library catalog. They:

• develop reference skills that support classroom research
• appreciate award-winning literature
• listen to books read aloud to the group, and connect themes to their personal lives through discussion

Students are encouraged to come and exchange books at any time during the school day, including before and after school.

Students appreciate and enjoy music by participating in a variety of musical experiences. Third-graders:

• increase their song repertoire and their ability to read music
• continue the study of rhythm and beginning notation
• distinguish the sounds (tone color) and ranges of various instruments
• study of various composers and their place in musical history

A grade-level performance and participation in two all-school performances are highlights of the year.

Third-graders start to see why movement and activities are important to their physical well-being. Students:

• master the fundamentals of throwing, catching, hitting, and kicking through a variety of games and skill work
• learn high-strategy games to develop motor skills, hand-eye coordination, teamwork skills, and their understanding of the rules and strategies of games
• begin their swim instruction with a focus on safety and skills

Students use technology to assist them in their everyday learning activities. They:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, and iPads to enhance research and reporting
• develop computer skills that help them become proactive learners
• blog to express their thinking in writing and for an audience and learn from peer responses
• research and create multimedia presentations
• learn about digital citizenship through group projects using Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Google Slides
• learn beginning computer programming skill

Fourth graders become competent, interested readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. They explore reading, writing, and world topics as individuals, and in small and large guided and interest groups. Students:

• discuss text across all content areas
• read class novels in guided groups and self-selected titles for their independent reading experiences
• use the writing process to develop proficiency, fluency, and mechanics
• ask and answer questions in reading and writing logs
• collaborate and work independently on multi-media projects and presentations

Fourth-graders think about math in the real world on a daily basis. They continue to develop an understanding of concrete and abstract concepts and improve math fluency to be confident and competent critical thinkers and problem-solvers.

Students explore all concepts using:

• math games, projects, and investigations
• manipulatives to make math a hands-on experience
• literature that connects with mathematics
• Discovery Channel math videos
• formal and directed instruction

Students develop an interest in STEM through an integrated, engaging, and hands-on approach. Inquiry-based instructional and learning strategies in a student-centered class generate interest, success, and a love for science.

Using the scientific method, students explore:

• force and motion
• the structure and interaction of land and water, creating stream boxes to observe these interactions
• forecasting and observing the weather using numerous instruments
• electrical currents and the design and function of electric circuits

Students end the year studying inventions and inventors. They look at real-world, everyday problems and develop an invention to help solve their chosen problem. Students share their original inventions and the learning process with the school community at their annual Invention Convention.

Through purposeful and meaningful learning experiences, students gain independent and cooperative problem solving skills to address social and personal concerns. Fourth-graders develop these skills while studying an in-depth, high-quality, and challenging journey through the history of Virginia.

Students look at history through story and from a wide variety of perspectives, working to understand how "they" got to this point. The students explore, discuss, and debate:

• state geography and where they fit into the puzzle as well as how geographic dividers shaped history
• the cultures of the American Indians
• the struggles of colonization and the conflicts between European settlers and indigenous peoples
• plantations and the "need" for indenture and slavery
• conflicts over land with France and Britain
• the concept of “United” States and government
• the collapse of civility with the Civil War

Students develop their appreciation of art through working with materials as well as participating in a local visiting artists program. By meeting a variety of artists and experimenting with their materials, students see fine art personally, gain exposure to working artists, and understand the process behind their work. Fourth-grade art students use:

• paint
• clay
• book-making materials
• Chinese inks on rice paper
• tile
• watercolor, colored pencils, pastels
• Tyvek
• fabric, yarn and weaving materials, and tissue paper

Fourth-graders in Spanish and French review and expand upon previously introduced vocabulary and skills. Each topic is introduced with a review designed to help acclimate students who are new to the language program.

Students practice reading and writing skills and are introduced to grammatical topics. A variety of listening and speaking activities help students to communicate more effectively in their target language.

The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

Students use library competencies to complete research and presentations. Read-aloud books are selected and shared based on subjects taught in the classroom.

Students are also taught how to help other students in the library. They assist the librarian in the morning by picking up library books in the classrooms, running books between the two libraries, checking in new books, and various other library tasks.

Students are encouraged to come and exchange books at any time during the school day, including before and after school.

Students appreciate and enjoy music by participating in a variety of musical experiences. Fourth-graders:

• review rhythmic notation and the names of the notes
• learn how to play the soprano recorder
• explore biographies of famous composers and participate in structured listening activities to explore their music
• categorize elements of period music
• learn the basics of composition and compose and notate short original melodies
• sing in simple harmonies, rounds, and partner songs

A grade-level performance and participation in two all-school performances are highlights of the year.

Fourth-graders continue to develop an understanding of why movement and activities are important to their physical well-being. Students:

• work on swimming stroke techniques, safety skills, and enjoy adapted water games
• participate in sports to work on team building, agility, mobility, and strategy
• develop their motor skills, hand-eye coordination, teamwork skills, and their grasp of rules and strategies through sports and games

Students use technology to assist them in everyday learning activities. They:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, and iPads to enhance research and reporting
• develop computer skills that help them become proactive learners
• blog to express their thinking in writing and for an audience, and learn from peer responses
• research and create multimedia presentations
• learn about digital citizenship through group projects using Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Google Slides
• learn beginning computer programming skills

Students use their accumulated, analytical, and critical thinking skills with competence and confidence to best comprehend the written word. Fifth-graders expand these skills through:

• guided reading groups explore different genres by reading and discussing a variety of texts
• whole and small group instruction related to reading strategies and interdisciplinary themes.
• multiple opportunities to collaborate on critical thinking projects where they analyze and evaluate, write, research, create, and present

For example, fifth graders write, edit, film, and produce the Lower School bi-weekly newscast using the green screen film studio in the classroom.

Students develop essential math and logic skills by connecting concepts to real-life events and other disciplines. Students make these connections through flexible small groups, which may change daily.

Students gain their knowledge through exploratory projects and whole-class instruction, all of which allows math to connect to other disciplines. Careful and thorough communication of their thinking is also stressed, with an emphasis on process as well as product.

Students develop a respect for and curiosity about their world through scientific investigations. They develop a sense that they can make a difference. Fifth-graders investigate topics in geology, light and sound, and living systems through the use of the scientific method and hands-on lab experiments. Throughout the year, students participate in weekly STEAM activities to further enhance the subject of study and help to foster a love for science.

History is more than just dates and names. Students discover underlining themes related to topics in U.S. history from Reconstruction to the 1920s, and how these themes correlate to life today. Through collaborative groups and novel studies in their guided reading groups, students:

• look at the social and historical significance of the events
• take part in simulations, such as the Transcontinental Railroad development
• analyze artifacts from the time period in small groups to gain an empathetic view and truly understand the impact of the era

In fifth grade, art students explore their world through books, websites, artists, and art journals. By having a variety of materials to learn from, students are encouraged to think about the world and their role as developing young people.

Students explore ways to incorporate art into their lives as an extension of themselves. The students create mixed media art in conjunction with their study of biomes. Students create art in many different media:

• print-making
• painting
• book-making
• carving
• sculpting
• graphing images with measuring devices
• drawing with pencil, chalk, charcoal, marker, and ink

Students continue to participate in a local visiting artists program monthly throughout the year. Each visiting artist conducts a presentation about life as an artist, what inspires them to create, and how they make each type of artwork. Students are then led through a process of creating a similar piece of work.

Students deepen their appreciation for either French- or Spanish-speaking cultures and develop their ability to read, write, and speak a second language. Fifth-grade topics are introduced with a review designed to help acclimate students who are new to the language program. Projects, classroom plays, and celebrations bring their studies to life.

The needs of many learning styles are accommodated through kinesthetic, auditory, visual, and interpersonal activities.

Fifth-graders use the library as an extension of the classroom to research, develop, and create projects and presentations. Read-aloud books are selected and shared based on subjects taught in the classroom.

Students learn the many responsibilities of organizing and operating a library. They help other students in the library and assist the librarian in the morning by picking up library books in the classrooms, running books between the two libraries, checking in new books, and various other library tasks.

Students are encouraged to come and exchange books at any time during the school day, including before and after school.

Students combine the skills they have learned to create music and ensemble presentations for classmates and larger audiences. Fifth-graders:

• develop band and performing skills through a variety of experiences with musical instruments
• learn to identify notation and rhythmic values
• explore biographies of famous composers and participate in structured listening activities to explore their music
• categorize elements of period of music
• sing simple harmonies, descant, and partner songs

Two grade-level performances and participation in two all-school performances are highlights of the year.

Fifth-graders develop an understanding of that movement and activities are central to health and wellness in their daily lives. Students:

• work on swimming stroke techniques and safety skills, and enjoy adapted water games
• participate in sports to work on team building, agility, mobility, and strategy
• develop their motor skills, hand-eye coordination, teamwork skills, and their grasp of rules and strategies through sports and games
• participate in a fitness challenge, earning the school's Golden Falcon at its successful completion. This adapted fitness challenge prepares them for the Falcon Fitness Challenge they will complete in Middle School.

   

The fifth-grade program develops skills for and creates interest in the Middle School athletics program.

Fifth-graders integrate technology across the curriculum and throughout the day as they become responsible, independent digital citizens. They:

• use our computer lab, classroom and interactive projectors, iPads, and Chromebooks to complete research and reporting
• incorporate their computer skills as they engage in proactive learning
• blog to share their thoughts and reflections with an audience, and learn from community responses
• complete multimedia projects using Google Docs, Google Classroom, and Google Slides
• learn computer programming skills