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Music, art, drama, computer, outdoor education,
French, library and physical education are led by specialists who
meet with students regularly, beginning in kindergarten. These subject
area specialists work closely with homeroom teachers to integrate
curriculum in meaningful ways and consistently provide for the needs
of students throughout the day.
French
In the Lower School, French instruction begins in kindergarten and
continues through the fifth grade. The overall goal of the Lower
School French program is for students to develop comfort with the
language as well as an understanding of another culture.
The entire Lower School French experience is based
on a communicative approach to language learning. As the children
progress through the grade levels they become increasingly more
accountable for their language learning in all four areas of development
Á listening, speaking, reading and writing. Integration with the
child’s classroom curriculum is prevalent throughout and in
order to accommodate the diverse learning styles of the students,
various teaching techniques are implemented. Each class meets with
the French teacher two or three times per week.
General Music
Students in each grade meet with a music specialist. This teacher
works closely with other faculty, including those in visual arts,
drama, instrumental music and the classroom teacher.
The music curriculum in kindergarten, first and second
grade focuses on experiencing music through listening and doing.
Musical creativity and expression are developed using the voice,
Orff instruments, percussion instruments, Kodaly hand symbols, singing
games and movement. Students expand their experiences through learning
folk songs from around the world. Emerging language skills skills
are reinforced as students learn to describe musical sounds and
their emotional response. Early note reading and note writing skills
are introduced along with aural skills as students explore fundamental
concepts of melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics and timbre.
Third, fourth and fifth grade students build on
these emerging skills through application. Third graders apply
their knowledge
of fundamental concepts to learning to play the recorder and sightsinging
partner songs. Fourth and fifth grade students learn to interpret
and perform more complex notation, rhythm patterns, intervals,
and meter signatures, in addition to singing in two-part harmony.
Students
further expand their musical vocabulary through studying the instruments
of the orchestra, major composers and compositions, and a survey
of historical styles, genres, and non-Western music. All students
participate in curriculum-based musical performances, specifically
the winter concert and spring musical.
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Instrumental Music
The Lower School offers a few levels of group string instruction
(viola, violin, cello and bass). Cadet Strings, our beginning
class, starts in grade four, followed by Intermediate Strings
in grade five. The Micro Strings is an advanced ensemble designed
for students in grades K1, one, two and three who are studying
privately and are more advanced.
The Junior Strings is a similar group aimed at grades four and
five. Pianists, wind players and percussionists may also be
included
in these groups from time to time. All instrumentalists have many
performance opportunities throughout the year, including concerts,
piano play-ins, assemblies, community outreach projects, competitions,
clinics and special events.
Drama
Lower School drama uses theater games together with simple stories,
songs, costumes, and roleplaying to explore situations and settings
in a safe environment for students. Students work with memorization
and vocal production.
In the Lower School, art is taught in a spiraling
curriculum designed to lay the groundwork for future skills while
reinforcing those that came before. The introduction of new techniques
is sequenced so that it builds students’ confidence with materials
and equipment. These lessons are often integrated with homeroom instruction
or with other special subjects and typically reflect the interests
of the children and their diverse learning styles.
By learning about various artists, using their techniques
and having class critiques, students learn how to problem solve,
communicate their ideas and feelings, exchange multiple solutions
to an artistic problem and respect the work of others. When studying
the art of various cultures they begin to gain insight into the
beliefs and origins of their own culture. Developing good work
habits,
personal judgment about art work and an appreciation for good craftsmanship
are all outcomes of this art program.
Computer Technology
Students start on the Macintosh system, which
is ideal for elementary students due to its intuitive nature. Technology
is used as a tool to reinforce, extend and enrich what students
are learning in the classroom. In addition to attending regularly
scheduled classes for computer instruction, students also visit
the lab individually and in small groups to work on projects and
to conduct research during open lab times. Students are given guided
instruction and time for independent exploration with software,
which engages them in meaningful educational activities.
The technology curriculum in the Lower School is based on sound
fundamentals of age-appropriate activities and consideration of
the effect of visual technologies on a child's reflective thinking
and problem-solving abilities. In the primary grades, the
emphasis is on using interactive software to reinforce math, language
arts and social study skills. They are also introduced to paint
and word processing programs. Beginning in fourth grade,
students receive instruction in keyboarding. Third, fourth and
fifth grade students increasingly use productivity tools software
to
publish their writing,
conduct research, construct spreadsheets and graphs,
and to develop multimedia presentations. Access to the Internet
enables our students
to communicate with experts and other students around the world,
to participate in and contribute to scientific research projects,
and to access educational resources.
The Lower School Computer Lab is on the first floor of the Community
Resource Center. The lab has eighteen eMacs and two Mac G4's.
There is an LCD projector, a scanner, and a color laser printer.
Four digital cameras are available to Lower School students and
faculty.
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Library
The use of the library is flexible with classes scheduled on a whole
group or small group basis depending on teacher and student needs.
Each class is scheduled for one "book exchange" period during the
week, but students are always welcome to exchange books outside
of their regularly scheduled class time. The automated card catalog
provides all students with the opportunity to easily access materials
from the collection. Small groups of students can work in the library
at the same time to research, read, or participate in activities
related to books and reading. The librarian and classroom teacher
encourage pleasure reading through the sharing of literature, poetry
and storytelling. Library and information skills are taught to correlate
with the classroom needs of students and are integrated into the
curriculum to make the skills more meaningful and useful. The flexible
schedule allows students to research an item of interest immediately
to satisfy their curiosity and make for a better learning experience.
An author or illustrator visit is scheduled whenever possible to
expose children to the potential of a career in these fields.
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Outdoor Environmental Education
The overriding environmental education objective is to provide learning
opportunities in which the students cultivate their sense of wonder,
respect and appreciation of the local environment and community
through real world experiences. Utilizing our eighty-eight acre
campus and two-acre pond, as well as many area parks and resources,
the program provides individual and group experiences which investigate
environmental issues and foster personal growth. An environmental
education specialist coordinates our program, teaching students
and providing teacher resources in grades kindergarten through five.
A few examples of student activities include: animal
tracking, nature hikes, student development of garden areas, bluebird
box projects, observations of specific habitats throughout the seasons,
insect and pond studies, and making maple syrup from start to finish.
Most activities are integrated within the program of language arts,
social studies, science, math or visual arts.
The aim of the physical education program is to
provide a quality student-centered program that will contribute to
the total growth and development of each child: physically, mentally
and socially. The physical education program supports the philosophy
of the school by providing positive yet challenging experiences which
will contribute to one’s self-confidence, overall health, enthusiasm
for learning, as well as assisting each student toward making responsible
informed choices towards a healthy lifestyle. Students typically meet
with the physical education specialists three times per week, using
our full-size gym, track, soccer fields and tennis courts.
Movement education is the main focus at the primary
level which includes activities to develop locomotor, perceptual-motor,
rhythmic, manipulative, fitness and body management skills. A variety
of developmental games and activities are planned which allow students
opportunities to work together to improve social and cooperative
interaction skills.
For students in grades three through five, more emphasis
is placed on refining movement skills and manipulative skills related
to individual and team sports, as well as on the basic rules, strategies
and knowledge necessary to participate. Through participation in
group activities and games, students strengthen personal and group
membership/interaction skills. At all grade levels, students are
encouraged to set personal fitness goals and to demonstrate an understanding
of basic health-related fitness concepts.
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June 27, 2006
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