Lower School Curriculum

Language Arts

Our teachers provide students with a strong foundation in reading and writing, essential for success in Middle School academics and beyond. Students leave the Lower School as confident, fluent readers and thoughtful writers who possess an appreciation for the written word and a growing sense of their own voice. Working in collaboration with our reading specialists, our homeroom teachers incorporate a range of instructional techniques for reading, including guided reading and elements of the OrtonGillingham approach. In addition, reading groups and reading instruction is dynamic, flexible, and fluid to best complement each child’s individual growth. The result is young learners who are engaged, supported, and appropriately challenged throughout their development as readers.

Beyond classroom work, Gill St. Bernard’s fosters a culture of literacy on its campus. In this environment, students see reading and writing as enjoyable and essential elements of daily life. They regularly spend time working on reading activities with their reading buddies who visit from the Middle and Upper Schools. Library time each week provides further opportunities for exploring books, learning about genre, and simply enjoying stories. Literary circle discussions and whole class novel study are important parts of the third- and fourth-grade curriculum in preparing students for Middle School.

Writing is emphasized throughout the curriculum in homeroom classes, Related Arts classes, and in signature projects, such as the annual Biome Museum. Long-term projects in any subject feature a strong research and writing component and careful editing is taught as a vital part of the writing process. Throughout their Lower School years, students practice the elements of composition as they learn to organize, synthesize, and articulate their ideas in writing. This, combined with practice in many forms of writing, gives students a strong foundation for Middle School.

Preschool Language Arts

Our Early Childhood teachers nurture a deep love of reading and writing in students as they help them develop strong fundamental skills. In preschool, teachers introduce developmentally appropriate fiction, non-fiction, and poetry to teach the foundational skills of decoding and comprehension. Students learn to recognize uppercase letters and their corresponding sounds. By tracing and writing these letters, they become familiar with their form and sound. Students also practice identifying rhyming words to build phonemic awareness. Young learners begin to develop book-handling skills and print awareness by listening to stories, engaging with story images, letters, and words. Hands-on activities, such as using puppets, picture cards, and fingerplays, help children distinguish the parts of a story. As their awareness of stories grows, students begin to predict possible story patterns and outcomes through group conversations and activities.

Prekindergarten Language Arts

Prekindergarten students continue to develop skills for reading through listening and retelling stories and poems. Activities, games, and songs build knowledge of rhyming words, sounds, and syllables. Students learn to explore story elements, including characters, setting, and theme. They identify patterns and likely outcomes in stories that help them in their critical thinking. Students continue to develop their writing and reading readiness through handwriting instruction, understanding letter sounds, and weekly Writing Workshop sessions. The students label their drawings with phonetic spelling to further solidify the connection between reading and writing.

Kindergarten is a special time when emergent readers can make tremendous progress. Through classroom activities and ageappropriate literature experiences, students build a rich vocabulary, sight words, phonemic awareness, and comprehension skills. In addition to whole-group instruction, each kindergarten student meets one-on-one with our reading specialist once a week for personalized reading instruction. The reading specialist communicates weekly with parents to share a more comprehensive picture of their child’s reading journey. In both the classroom and the Reading Room, each student is appropriately challenged and supported as he/she continues to develop as a beginning reader.

As an important complement to our reading program, our kindergarten students write every day. Students engage in a variety of writing experiences, such as personal narratives, creative writing, and poetry. The writing process is captured in writing journals, which provide a record of progress and are a source of great pride for the students. In kindergarten, students are exposed to the beginning of writing mechanics such as capitalization, punctuation, and beginning sentence structure. As they build phonemic awareness and familiarity with high-frequency sight words, they can construct more complex and expressive sentences.

Grade 1 Language Arts

First grade continues to be a time of exponential growth in literacy. Our students work with reading teachers one-on-one and in small groups to ensure that they are appropriately challenged and supported throughout the year. Students routinely practice skills to help them become more confident and capable readers. These include phonics, sight-word recognition, building vocabulary, and using strategies to decode unfamiliar words. Emphasis is placed on supporting students to become more independent as readers. Practice with context clues, comprehension strategies, and story questions enable students to maintain meaning and fluency while reading a story. Leveled books in fiction and non-fiction are used during classroom independent reading times to meet each student at an individual reading level. As they grow in fluency, students continue to identify important elements in a story, including main ideas, characters, and events, and to draw inferences from a text.

The students begin to use a structured approach to writing through Writing Workshop. With a given framework and genre, students focus on topics that they find meaningful and interesting. In this process they write, revise, edit, and publish. First grade students record ideas and reflections in their journals and then select some pieces for further development. Through reworking and editing, students become more capable writers who are confident articulating their ideas and applying grammar and punctuation rules. Handwriting instruction and practice continue to prepare students for cursive writing in the second grade. To celebrate the accomplishments of our first-grade readers, each spring, the Lower School hosts its annual Reading Rodeo, giving first-grade students a forum to share their reading success with their families.

Grade 2 Language Arts

Second-grade students continue to become more independent as readers, exploring their interests through reading, building reading stamina, and applying reading strategies to maintain reading fluency. Second-grade teachers combine small-group and whole-class instruction in reading, and they also read to students each day. Students take part in Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) time. Children learn reading strategies that enhance comprehension and retention, such as retelling, making connections and inferences, identifying main ideas and key details, drawing conclusions, exploring text features, summarizing, and synthesizing.

Students are introduced to fiction and nonfiction, including biography, fantasy, historical fiction, mystery, poetry, and realistic fiction, and they continue in the Writing Workshop approach. Daily writing is inspired by curiosity about the world and personal experience and is modeled on the class literature. By engaging in writing that is personally meaningful and relevant, students become more articulate and more confident as writers. Students also learn to reflect on their own writing and to understand the importance of editing in the writing process. Instruction in grammar, punctuation, and spelling is interwoven into the writing process. Handwriting is refined, and cursive writing is introduced later in the year. Students practice their oral language skills by reciting poetry, participating in readers theater, and presenting book reports.

Students continue exploring fiction and nonfiction genres, including narratives, informational texts, fairy tales, and poetry, as they become increasingly more independent as readers. They continue refining their reading skills through individual and group instruction, Drop Everything and Read (DEAR), Reader’s Choice activities, and read-aloud time. Students practice reading for meaning, identifying the main idea, finding supporting details, and drawing inferences to further refine comprehension and critical thinking skills.

During Writing Workshop, students express themselves through creative and expository writing, including stories, journal entries, and poetry. Students also learn and practice editing skills, focusing on grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling. Spelling is reinforced through word lists that include frequently used words and content-area words. Research skills, such as note-taking, paraphrasing, and editing, are practiced through report writing. Cursive writing is taught and practiced throughout the year. The third-grade research project focuses on essential research skills and allows students to learn more about colonial life while exploring a specific colonial trade. In the spring, students present their findings at the annual Colonial Job Fair.

Grade 4 Language Arts

Students begin the Accelerated Reader program, which encourages independent reading and the further development of comprehension skills. Activities emphasize comprehension, vocabulary, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students learn to identify key ideas and details in a text: to differentiate between fact, fiction, and opinion; summarize and draw conclusions about what they have read, and to understand the use of figurative language in a text. Students also begin to analyze literature more thoughtfully through discussions about character, plot, setting, and style.

The Writing Workshop approach for creative pieces continues to be used as students delve more deeply into story structure. Peer editing remains an integral part of the writing process, allowing students to see the effectiveness of other styles and types of writing and to extend their own knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Grammar, spelling, and vocabulary are taught daily and integrated into the writing curriculum. Academic writing is woven throughout the curriculum, and long-term research projects encourage students to consider ways in which they can effectively present their ideas and projects to others.

Based on Singapore Math, the Math in Focus curriculum fosters deep conceptual understanding, flexible problem-solving, and strong computational skills. Students develop an appreciation of numbers, patterns, and problem-solving, growing in confidence as they apply mathematical thinking to a range of activities and problems. The curriculum provides a three-step approach in which concepts are represented through concrete materials, pictorial models, and numeric and algebraic equations. Working through problems using different methods, students become flexible problem solvers and achieve a genuine understanding of numerical and mathematical relationships. They work with real-world scenarios in the earliest grades and investigate word problems as they mature as mathematicians. The ability to solve problems in a way that makes the most sense allows students to develop mathematical fluency at an early age. As they progress through the curriculum, students apply problem-solving to larger and more complex numbers, including negative numbers, decimals, and fractions. Frequent problem-solving enables students to integrate logic and reasoning while simultaneously practicing computational skills. Because our math program is sequential and focuses on mastery and in-depth understanding at every stage, students are confident in their abilities and eager to tackle new and more complex material independently.

Preschool Mathematics

Hands-on activities introduce young learners to numbers and foundational mathematical concepts, including less versus more, part versus whole, and same versus different. Lessons involve counting, creating patterns, matching, sorting, sequencing, and tracing and writing numbers. The curriculum is based on mastery of numbers one to ten, allowing students to develop a strong number sense. Classroom activities are developmentally appropriate and foster directional and spatial skills, and gross and finemotor coordination.

Prekindergarten Mathematics

Young learners continue to explore fundamental mathematical concepts and relationships. Students match and sort objects by specific attributes; sequentially order numbers, events, and times; work with the concepts of more, less, and fewer; and create and identify the properties of two and three-dimensional shapes, including capacity, length, size, and weight. Throughout the year, number formation is also practiced and reinforced through our handwriting program. Moreover, concrete, hands-on exercises allow young learners to develop fluency with numbers, logical thinking, and creative, flexible approaches to problem-solving.

Kindergarten Mathematics

The curriculum emphasizes the concepts and foundational skills needed to solidify a strong number sense. By building upon this foundation, students acquire a deeper understanding of addition and subtraction. Working with numbers one to onehundred, students practice number bonds, extend their work with number comparisons, count by twos, fives, and tens, and understand and independently solve basic addition and subtraction problems. Students use mental math strategies to solve oral story problems that incorporate their knowledge of addition and subtraction. Students also learn about coins and their value. They practice telling time to the hour and the half-hour and explore the passage of time through calendar activities. As they learn new number concepts, they begin with concrete hands-on materials, move to pictorial representations, and then to the abstract use of numbers and symbols. Students employ each of these methods, or combinations of them, at different times. This allows our learners to explore new ideas in a way that feels the most natural. The Singapore Math approach fosters confidence, mathematical fluency, and a fuller understanding of abstract concepts. This program lays an essential foundation for success in future learning in the Lower School and beyond.

Grade 1 Mathematics

The curriculum builds on addition and subtraction skills, as students work with two-digit numbers and place value. Students also begin to explore the concepts of multiplication and division by adding equal groups and sharing equal groups. Other topics introduced in first grade include plane and solid shapes, charts, bar graphs, and picture graphs, coins and their values, and telling time to five-minute intervals. Hands-on activities, interspersed with more abstract work, enable students to practice and master basic concepts, learn mathematical facts, and strengthen their problem-solving skills.

Students gain increasing mastery with addition and subtraction skills, working with numbers up to 1,000, using mental math strategies, and solving word problems. Bar models are introduced to help solve word problems. Concepts in multiplication and division are further explored and practiced, as students count and group by sets of two, three, four, five, and ten. Students begin to identify, compare, and add fractions. Beyond these foundational skills, students continue to work with measurement using metric and traditional units. New skills include comparing the capacity of objects, reading graphs, and adding, subtracting, and using decimal notation for money. As concepts are reviewed throughout the year, students explore different problem-solving strategies, emphasizing the idea that there are several ways to arrive at the same answer. Continued work in deductive problemsolving encourages the development of critical-thinking skills.

Grade 3 Mathematics

Students continue to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with larger and more complex numbers. Also integrated throughout the year are units on graphing, measurement, and money. There is a strong emphasis on mastery of multiplication and division facts, and students also extend their work with fractions, learning to find the simplest form of a fraction and to identify equivalent fractions. This solid foundation, combined with practice in estimating and rounding, enables students to increasingly rely on mental calculations when solving problems, an essential step before tackling more abstract mathematical concepts. Students also take essential steps in the development of algebraic reasoning. They create bar models to represent complex word problems and begin to use variables in problem-solving. Elemental geometry skills are also introduced, as students learn to identify points, lines, and segments, differentiate between acute, obtuse, and right angles, and explore perpendicular and parallel lines.

Grade 4 Mathematics

More advanced work is introduced with decimals, fractions, algebraic reasoning, and basic geometry, while also stressing mastery of skills that will enable students to thrive in later math courses: proficiency with the four operations; quick recall of math facts; and facility with estimating, rounding and judging the reasonableness of an answer. Working with numbers into the millions, students routinely practice mentally calculating sums, differences, products, and quotients. The result is mathematical fluency and a solid foundation in numeracy that serves students well in later math courses. Work with fractions is extended to include conversion between improper fractions and mixed numbers, conversion between decimals and fractions, and adding and subtracting improper fractions, and fractions with different denominators. Students work with decimals in the four operations. Other skills include constructing and interpreting graphs and tables, as well as using the data in problem-solving; working with factors and multiples; finding the mean, median, mode, and range of a data set; estimating and measuring angles with a protractor; and solving problems involving the perimeter of squares, rectangles, and composite figures.

The social studies curriculum seeks to develop thoughtful and reflective students who see issues from perspectives other than their own, understand events from multiple points of view, and think critically about what they read, hear, and watch. Through social studies, students develop a greater awareness of and appreciation for the role they and others play in their family, school, community, and the world. The study of other countries and cultures fosters a fuller understanding of the world, as students take the first steps to become engaged, responsible citizens. Our students are encouraged to look at the world around them through a variety of lenses so that they can be thoughtful contributors. Experiential class projects and field trips complement the curriculum, and geography skills are incorporated throughout the program.

Early Childhood Social Studies

The program begins by helping children understand their place in the world from the perspective of the self within a community. During the early childhood years, children start by exploring their personal history as well as the structure of families and communities. They further broaden their lens of exploration by looking at their school community, surrounding towns, and the world around them. Through classroom activities, discussions, literature, and studies in geography, traditions and cultures around the world are explored. By kindergarten, current and historical events are incorporated into the social studies curriculum. Visitors to our campus, field trips, and exploration of our farm complement each student’s understanding of the world.

Grade 1 Social Studies

The curriculum explores the building blocks of community and how different communities are structured. Beginning with self and family, students examine communities from neighborhoods, cities, stats, and countries, to continents. Throughout the year, students learn geography and map skills as they explore various communities. In the spring, the study of bluebirds on our campus teaches students some of the fundamental tools for studying community. Children observe and record the behavior, diet, and habitat of the bluebirds and the relationship among them.

Grade 2 Social Studies

The curriculum builds on the concept of community, exploring the essential elements of a successful and thriving community. In the fall, students explore growth and fixed mindset and look at how their mindset can impact their thinking and their classroom community. Students then explore the English settlers in Plymouth Colony. They look at how the English and the Wampanoags interacted. Students continue to learn map skills and explore geography. Second grade also introduces the “Passport to the World” program in which students learn how cultures and communities all over the world are interconnected. Parent volunteers serve as tour guides to countries, and each student keeps a passport to document his/her travels throughout the year. This study of world communities helps broaden the diverse perspectives of students.

Grade 3 Social Studies

The course of study begins with a unit on Native Americans and continues to European explorers and the British colonization of North America. Students investigate the culture and contributions of Native American tribes; the interactions among the early Europeans and the Native Americans; how and why Europeans settled the Americas; the challenges they faced; the products and ideas that the settlers brought to the Americas; the reasons for settlement in the thirteen colonies; and the push and pull factors brought on by the government, economic, and religious preference of each colony. Throughout the year, respect for and understanding of other cultures is emphasized. Map skills, research projects, and reports reinforce the learning. Technology is integrated into assignments and projects throughout the year. As part of the map skills program, students undertake an independent study of a state, culminating in written reports and oral presentations.

Grade 4 Social Studies

The curriculum includes an in-depth study of the American Revolution, the United States government, westward expansion, and immigration. Students explore the major causes and effects of the American Revolution, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, roles of the three branches of government, civic responsibilities, and the push and pull factors of people both within and outside of the United States. In conjunction with the third-grade curriculum, students gain a solid foundation for further studies in United States history and human movement. Hands-on projects, class trips, debates, and exposure to rich text enhance the study of each historical period. Skills such as reading for information, note-taking, and report writing are taught in conjunction with research projects.

Our science curriculum builds on children’s natural curiosity, providing them with the scientific framework and tools to explore and safely investigate the natural world. Integrating phenomenon-based learning and place-based learning with the explorer mindset of the National Geographic Learning Frameworks, our program facilitates critical and scientific thinking, while developing a strong foundation in scientific and engineering knowledge and practices. Science topics spiral through domains: physical sciences, life sciences, earth and space sciences, and engineering, technology, and applied science. Through investigations in the classroom and on campus, students practice asking questions and defining problems; developing and using models; planning and carrying out investigations; analyzing and interpreting data; using mathematics and computational thinking; constructing explanations and designing solutions; defining ideas with evidence; and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating scientific information. Students act as engineers test different materials and design solutions in lessons from the Engineering is Elementary program. The abundant resources of our 208-acre campus are thoughtfully integrated into the curriculum. Beyond the classroom, Lower School Science Lab and Tinker Space science lessons bring students to the garden, apple orchards, greenhouse, farm, apiary, pond, streams, playground, and fields.

Preschool and Prekindergarten Science

Science explorations for our youngest learners introduce them to what scientists do and how they learn about the world around us. Through multi-sensory and play-based explorations, students learn to approach the world like scientists: describing and sorting objects, investigating the relationship between part and whole, examining the materials that make up everyday items, and looking for patterns. Students learn how flashlights work and experiment with light to create shadows. By exploring nature in their playground, visiting the farm, and other areas on our campus, they are learning about different types of living things and how they compare to one another. Early Childhood classes experience age-appropriate engineering lessons from the Wee Engineer program in which students test different materials and design solutions including designing a sound maker, a fan, a raft, and an animal shelter.

Kindergarten Science

The curriculum encourages the natural curiosity of young learners while introducing them to the science skills and tools to investigate the world around them. Students explore how the sun affects the land. They examine and experience how sunlight, heat energy, and weather change from season to season. Visiting our farm and natural areas on campus allows kindergarteners to learn where different animals live, where they find food, and how they eat. Students study how objects move and how different surfaces affect the motion of objects. Specialized labs on solution making in the fall and a bubble festival in the spring help students learn laboratory safety and explore the properties of solids, liquids, and gases. Kindergarten engineers test different materials and design solutions in the Kindergarten Engineering is Elementary program. A special unit on paper engineering and papermaking is a favorite each year.

Grade 1 Science

Students are introduced to many of the fundamental skills that scientists use. A study of trees as a habitat in the fall allows exploring ways in which plants and animals meet their own needs to survive and grow. Tree tours on-campus enable observation and identification of different types of bark, leaves, needles, seeds, and trees. In the winter, students observe and record patterns in the sky through direct observation and online astronomical resources. They learn about how light travels by experimenting with flashlights, shadows, and mirrors. These results are connected to sunlight, moonlight, and starlight. In the spring, students embark on a study of birds, learning about the body structure and the characteristics of different species. Through the study of birds and farm animals, including the chickens and baby chicks at Home Winds Farm, students explore how animal parents, and their offspring are similar and different. First graders learn about bird calls and sound. As engineers, students learn about the properties of sound and its many applications in fields from animal research to the design of musical instruments.

Students practice scientific investigations of butterfly and plant systems throughout the year. In the fall, our study of butterflies begins. Our campus garden, natural spaces, and hay meadows allow students to investigate the interdependent relationships between plants and insects. In collaboration with Spanish class, students participate in a citizen-scientist project sponsored by Journey North in which we track Monarch butterfly movement to and from Mexico. As part of their study of plants, second graders examine the needs of seeds and plants. They create models of flowers and seeds, design plant pollinators, and generate questions and investigations about seed germination and plant growth. Over the winter, second graders have a special unit all about candy chemistry to classify different materials and investigate chemical and physical properties of solids, liquids, and gases. The students explore different materials through engineering projects. After exploring the campus to observe how land and water interact, students gather information and create models to represent the kinds of land and bodies of water in an area. Students apply their understanding of the idea that water can change the shape of the land to explore and compare design solutions to slow the change.

Grade 3 Science

Beginning with observations of the sky and weather, third graders become meteorologists using weather measurement tools to predict the weather. Weather observations lead to understanding how weather impacts the climate. Through analysis and interpretation of fossil evidence, students form conclusions about animals and their environments long ago and how changes in climate can affect plant and animal life. During the winter, they study motion, balanced and unbalanced forces, and magnetism, and use their understanding of magnets and magnetism for engineering design challenges. Spring offers many ways to examine life cycles on campus with nature studies of plants and animals. Students use their developing skills as scientists to investigate traits and record evidence to explain variations. They learn about the variety of sheep at our farm and complete a behavior study, and they explore the history and technology of how wool is processed.

Grade 4 Science and the STREAMS Program

In fourth grade, students begin our STREAMS program, an acronym for sustainability, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, math, and service. STREAMS extends traditional coursework in science with fieldwork that continues to utilize the natural resources of the campus. The curriculum is ideal for students in this age group to gain a natural connection while using our campus as our classroom to apply science and engineering skills. Not only do students use iTouch devices during campus explorations to document observations, but they also learn the importance of nature journals/scientist notebooks for making mindful observations.

Our campus becomes our natural laboratory and part of a working landscape where students examine how we are responsible stewards of the Earth. Students learn how the functions of different body structures and body forms impact survival within the specific habitat. We examine eyesight, light, and electromagnetic (EMR) waves. We discover the importance of EMR to modern communication and mapping. The Home Winds animals and garden plants become model organisms for our study of adaptations and survival mechanisms. The importance of bees in agriculture and natural ecosystems is explored. Students examine rocks and minerals of New Jersey, and we see how geology connects to topography. We study earth’s features and learn how to interpret, create, and use topographic maps. We gain a sense of place as we examine how water and humans interact with the land when we look at land uses. Students expand from the local environment to the global as we examine the birth of rocks, while mapping volcanoes to determine if a volcano could erupt in New Jersey. Geothermal, solar, wind, fossil fuels, and water are investigated as sources of energy and connected with a study of electricity during tinkering sessions.

Lower School Spanish is a comprehensive exploratory program for all Lower School students. The program is sequential, spiraling within each grade level. The overall goal is the gradual development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in the target language. Students are introduced to the diversity of the Spanish-speaking world, so they will have a deeper understanding of their own culture and language while learning to value different Hispanic/Latino cultures around the world. This early exposure to Spanish instills a positive attitude toward learning world languages and exploring other cultures. Throughout the year, the Spanish program connects with the Related Arts curriculum in developing special projects to engage the entire Lower School community.

Preschool and Prekindergarten Spanish

The Spanish program begins with our youngest students by introducing vocabulary and expressions. Students practice greeting, the days of the week, counting number up to 20, farm animals, colors, feelings, family members, and body parts. Songs, games, crafts, and short stories will be used to engage students and promote growth in learning.

Grade 1 Spanish

In first grade, the students will start to write words in Spanish. They will develop a phonetic Spanish language book that will support their learning and recognition of the Spanish alphabet, words, and phrases in later grades. First grade students will learn to recognize and practice greetings, popular phrases, count to 100, colors, ABC’s and their symbols, and family members. Students will learn to write the date, seasons, feelings, and specific vocabulary words that connect to the curriculum. Grade 1 students will be immersed in a cultural experience using songs, carols and learning about Children’s Day in Mexico.

Grade 2 Spanish

In second grade, students will start reading words, phrases, and sentences in Spanish. At this level, they will begin to read larger passages and apply what they know about the language to decode unfamiliar text. Students will continue to practice and learn new greetings. Second grade students will learn to spell their names using the phonetics learned in grade 1. They will continue to practice writing Spanish letters, count to 200, the date, weather, clothing names, food names, and family members. Mexican holidays, such as Mexican Independence Day, The Day of the Dead, New Years, and Mother’s Day guide the cultural immersion at this level. Grade 2 students experience learning across the curriculum, as they apply their science knowledge about Monarch Butterflies to Spanish.

Grade 3 Spanish

In third grade, students begin to read Spanish stories with a more enhanced level of understanding. They are introduced to the book “Alba and Gael” that will reinforce previously taught vocabulary while introducing new words and phrases. This book also encourages students to practice their listening comprehension skills. Grade 3 students will begin to practice simple conversation, asking questions such as, “What is your name?” “How old are you?” “Where do you live?” “How do you feel?” They will also have consistent practice counting to 500 and writing vocabulary words for the days of the week, months of the year, seasons, clothing, school materials, foods, adjectives, and family members. Students at this level will also extend their learning to begin a more in-depth study about the Mayan culture. Mexican holidays, such as Mexican Independence Day, and Cinco de Mayo guide the cultural immersion at this level.

Grade 4 Spanish

In Fourth Grade, students will continue to expand their Spanish vocabulary and reading level. They will be reading and listening to “Alba and Gael 2”. This practice will help students to reinforce new vocabulary and practice what they have learned in previous years. Grade 4 students will practice simple conversations, count to 1000, learn how to conjugate verbs in past tense and form simple sentences. In fourth grade, students will have an in-depth study of Frida Kahlo and Puebla, learn about The Three Kings Celebration and Cinco de Mayo.

Our arts program builds on the inherent joy of creativity, providing students with the skills and understanding to express themselves with greater confidence and clarity through a range of art forms. Students explore a diverse studio experience working with many media, including pencils, paint, fiber, recycled materials, and collage. They cultivate an understanding of the elements and principles of art, gaining a deeper appreciation for art history while developing coordination, fine-motor skills, and visual sense. As students mature, they work more independently and begin to discover their own artistic styles and more fully incorporate their understanding of form, media, and technique. Art is cross-curricular by making connections to topics explored in other classes.

Preschool and Prekindergarten Visual Art

By creating art, young learners engage in discovery and develop creativity, independence, and problem-solving skills. The art curriculum focuses on self-expression, engaging each child’s imagination, and extending verbal and visual vocabulary. Preschool/ prekindergarten students use a variety of materials for experimenting and sensory exploration, which help develop fine motor skills and build control of large and small muscle groups. Through repeated practice, students build control, coordination, strength, and confidence in art. A teacher guides projects so that children become more adept at following instructions while having the freedom to make decisions and to make their projects personal. Some projects are guided, while others focus on the process and experience, giving students a chance to experiment with colors, shapes, textures, and individual style.

Kindergarten Visual Art

Students are introduced to the elements of art (line, shape, space, value, color, texture, and form) and learn about well-known artists and the unique styles they use to emphasize elements. Students learn the importance of colors, both primary and secondary, and how to mix colors through various media such as acrylic paint, homemade colored dough, and watercolors. For example, kindergarten students explore paper and shapes while constructing and designing collages. As a foundation for connecting art to other subjects, this course actively integrates children’s literature and reference books.

Grade 1 Visual Art

Building on the introduction of art elements in kindergarten, first-grade students continue to identify and describe concepts through various lessons. First-grade lessons are largely multi-media to aid in the further development of fine motor skills. Each lesson emphasizes the elements of art and principles of design and incorporates exposure to the work of a variety of artists.

Grade 2 Visual Art

Students continue to incorporate elements of art and principles of design into each project, allowing them to develop more purpose within their artwork. They form a better understanding of why various elements are used simultaneously. Students employ ideas and techniques from previous years and begin to adopt their own sense of enjoyment and style in the creative process. Throughout the year, a variety of artists and techniques throughout history to modern-day are introduced, exposing students to the role art plays in life.

Grade 3 Visual Art

Students begin to work independently on projects in the third grade. As their artistic styles continue to mature, they are increasingly able to recall and employ the elements of art and principles of design learned in prior years. Students combine techniques and incorporate color theory within their projects and learn how to convey emotions and opinions through visual art. Presentation of one’s work and creative process are introduced.

Grade 4 Visual Art

By fourth grade, students are better able to present their decision-making while working on projects. Fourth-grade lessons encompass the elements of art and principles of design. Students continue to be introduced to various artists and periods of art history with each lesson. Fourth-grade students are self-directed, using and applying their understanding of the subject throughout their Lower School years. Self-evaluation and critiquing skills are further developed with each completed piece.

Students experience the joy of music as they sing, move, and compose. They explore pitch, beat, and rhythm, play classroom instruments, and develop their singing voices. As they progress through the program, they begin to learn the elements of music, including musical notation and the form of musical compositions. Students also study composers and the instruments of the orchestra, as well as music from various cultures and celebrations. Concerts and performance opportunities foster a lifelong love of making music and allow students to apply and demonstrate what they learn in the classroom.

Preschool and Prekindergarten Music

Students learn music through singing, creative movement, and listening and playing classroom instruments. Songs reinforce regular classroom activities and celebrate the seasons of the year, holidays, and multicultural events. When applicable, lessons are coordinated with academic content, allowing students to make cross-curricular connections and gain a well-rounded understanding of each lesson. Preschool and prekindergarten students attend music class daily. Lessons and activities focus on developing a sense of a steady beat and finding one’s singing voice. Students study The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Paul Dukas to explore how music and sound can tell a story. Orchestra instruments are introduced through Sergei Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf. Students perform in two concerts each year, one in winter and one in spring.

Kindergarten Music

Students attend music class twice each week. Classroom instruments and body percussion are used to practice establishing and maintaining a steady beat. There is a strong emphasis placed on using the singing voice, both alone and in a group, along with matching pitch and rhythm in a variety of songs and chants. Students study Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals to learn about orchestra instruments and the elements of music. Students perform in two concerts each year, one in winter and one in spring. The winter concert includes seasonal songs representing a variety of holidays and traditions. They study and perform a fully costumed and narrated version of Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, a beloved GSB tradition for over three decades.

Grades 1-2 Music

A rich repertoire of rhymes, folk songs, music games, and movement are explored using varied music styles. Classroom instruments play an important role in music learning, as students explore the differences between beat and rhythm. Through making music, students learn to identify basic elements, such as rhythm, tempo, dynamics, and form. In the second grade, students identify and label these music elements and read and write simple rhythmic and melodic patterns. These skills are often applied when playing classroom instruments, creating a foundation for further music learning and performance. First- and second-grade students join with third- and fourth-grade students to present two concerts each year.

Grade 3 Music

Third-grade exploration of music includes singing, games, and movement. Students learn to apply their understanding of the basic elements of music to singing, moving, and using classroom instruments. Students also learn about composers and their music, styles of music, and how music relates to cultures around the world. Students attend music class twice each week. Thirdgrade musicians learn how to use their singing voices and are ready for the challenge of creating vocal harmonies. In addition to singing and using classroom instruments, students apply their music knowledge to learning to play the recorder. In preparation for two concerts each year, students learn the importance of practice and working together as a group to prepare for a performance.

Grade 4 Music

Students have already explored note and rhythm reading, form, pitch, dynamics, and tempo, and they are ready for an exploration of timbre and texture. General music education continues, as students learn about various composers and their music, conducting and conductors, styles of music, and how music relates to different cultures in society. Both musicianship and performance are emphasized, with students practicing singing in unison and in parts. Winter and spring concerts give students opportunities to demonstrate and apply their performance skills. Students attend music class twice each week. Fourth-grade students also explore wind and percussion instruments as part of their weekly music classes in preparation for becoming members of the Middle School Band the following year.

The Lower School library is one of three GSB libraries and houses over 6,000 volumes. Books are updated regularly and chosen to meet the curricular needs and interests of Lower School students. Each class visits the library once a week to select books and take part in a library lesson, where students learn research skills at every grade level. The Lower School library is open five days a week, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and students are encouraged to visit the library as often as they wish. The library hosts monthly reading challenges, Read Across America week, an annual bookfair as well as a reading passport program. Technology is a vital tool in facilitating learning across a range of subjects, and Lower School projects are coordinated with homeroom and Related Arts teachers to support the curriculum and allow students to use age-appropriate technology to enrich learning. Areas of study include digital citizenship; keyboarding and mouse skills; file and network navigation; research; device usage and etiquette; programming; document and publication design and formatting; and video, audio, and slideshow presentations. Students are also introduced to the fundamentals of computer science and coding.

Early Childhood Library

Students visit the library for story time each week, introducing them to a wide variety of children’s literature. Students learn how to find and select books in the library and practice using library vocabulary correctly (check-out, check-in, and renew). Every kindergarten student conducts individual research with the librarian and shares their findings with the class during a poster presentation. The research is tied into the annual biome research project. Students utilize books, articles, and a photo database for their research project with librarian guidance. In technology, students begin the year by touching on digital citizenship through Common Sense Media, with topics including media balance and well-being and privacy and security. Class time introduces students to the basic use of computers. Students develop mouse and keyboard skills, as well as basic Internet browser skills with an introduction to file menu navigation. Programming is presented through the coding app Kodable, the board game Robot Turtles™ and Bee-bot robots. Students also participate in the Hour of Code™. Kindergarten students use iPads to create and record a slideshow presentation using VoiceThread.

Grade 1 Library and Technology

In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt. Students practice alphabetical order to help guide them throughout the library. After a review of the parts of a book and the role of the author and illustrator, students learn about theme, plot, and tone. First-grade students pursue an area of study related to the biome project. Students also study poetry and culminate this work by writing animal poems for the biome study. In technology, students begin the year by completing a course on digital citizenship through Common Sense Media, with topics including media balance and well-being and privacy and security. Students continue to develop mouse and keyboarding skills along with basic programming through board games such as Robot Turtles™, as well as coding robots. They also participate in the Hour of Code™.

Grade 2 Library and Technology

In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt. Students review what the term “just right book” means and how to find them. Students review the difference between fiction and nonfiction books as well as spend some time learning about biographies. Students also review story elements and how to identify them in books. Students practice alphabetical order and begin learning about reference sources, specifically dictionaries. Students then move into research, learning about keywords and how to answer research questions. They then use these skills to complete their biome projects in connection with the science curriculum. In conjunction with the biome project, students write acrostic poems about their biome animal.

In technology, students begin the year by completing a course on digital citizenship through Common Sense Media, with topics including media balance and well-being, privacy and security, digital footprint and identity, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, and news and media literacy. Students are exposed to and practice their coding skills using Dot & Dash, Scratch Jr. and Code.org®, as well as non-digital options, such as Hop Scotch Coding. Students are introduced to and begin to progress through the EduTyping program.

In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt. They then do some practice locating books by call number. Students review fiction versus nonfiction and practice comparing the two on the same subject. Students explore Native American Folktales, learn about author’s purpose and practice their paraphrasing skills. Students spend some time learning about different types of references sources and how to properly use them including dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias and atlases. Students then move into research learning about databases, how to organize research, and reading for information. They use these skills to complete their biome projects. Students the biome project, students write Calligram poems about their biome animal.

In technology, students begin the year by completing a course on digital citizenship through Common Sense Media, with topics including media balance and well-being, privacy and security, digital footprint and identity, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, and news and media literacy. Students progress through the EduTyping program. Students are exposed to and practice their coding skills using Dot & Dash, Scratch Jr. and Code.org®. In addition, students begin to use the MS Office Suite to present information.

Grade 4 Library and Technology

In library, students continue to focus on research methods and strategies, learning to navigate the library spaces, and using a variety of sources. Students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt. They then do some practice locating books by call number. Students take a genre personality quiz followed up by a book tasting to get to know more about genres that may interest them. Students review the different types of reference sources including dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias and atlases. Students then move into research learning about databases, how to organize research, source credibility, and citations. They use these skills to complete their biome projects in connection with the science curriculum. In conjunction with the biome project, students write Haiku poems about their biome animal. In technology, students begin the year by completing a course on digital citizenship through Common Sense Media, with topics including media balance and well-being, privacy and security, digital footprint and identity, relationships and communication, cyberbullying, and news and media literacy. Students progress through the EduTyping program. Students are exposed to and practice their coding skills using Dot & Dash, Scratch Jr. and Code.org®. In addition, students use the MS Office Suite to present information, sharing what they learn through Word documents, posters, and slideshow presentations. Online presentation software, including VoiceThread and ThingLink, continue to be used. Working in groups, fourth-grade students write, direct, film, star in, and edit an iMovie about presentation skills.

Physical Education Health and Wellness

Physical education classes enhance brain development, improve focus, and contribute to overall health, well-being, and positive mood. Our physical education program teaches the importance of cooperation through skill development, games, and athletic activities. Physical education classes meet four to five times each week and emphasize the development of gross-motor control skills through running, jumping, throwing, catching, and other activities that enable students to develop body and spatial awareness. Students also build balance, endurance, flexibility, and stability.

Early Childhood Physical Education

Activities support the development of healthy social and emotional skills, fine and gross-motor skills, balance, and coordination. Students are provided daily instruction in group games and physical activity developing physical skills and exploring spatial awareness, body awareness, and movement in a fun and safe environment. Co-curricular instruction is implemented at this level where classroom teachers are consulted, and content is reinforced in the physical education setting.

Grade 1-4 Physical Education

The program provides structured, large-group activities and games that develop cognitive, physical, and social skills. Activities promote social interaction, team building, and sportsmanship. The progression of skill development lays the foundation for the transition to our Middle School physical education and athletics program. Our programs provide opportunities to introduce students to fundamental sports skill development, drills, and applying those skills in a structured and safe game setting. Technology is also introduced in classroom activities by using various forms of training apps and devices. Students are introduced to soccer, cross country, tennis, basketball, floor hockey, volleyball, track and field, lacrosse, baseball, and softball.

Health & Wellness

Third- and fourth-grade students are introduced to formal health and wellness classes. Social, emotional, and physical health literacy skills are studied in the classroom with the goal of continued practice and growth outside of the classroom. Topics include building self-confidence, nutrition and healthy eating, stress management, the importance of physical fitness, communicating emotions, human development and puberty, and strategies for building relationships and a healthy lifestyle.

Research indicates that social and emotional skills help students thrive in school and throughout their lives. Social and emotional learning comprises an essential part of our curriculum, as children learn to be good citizens, collaborators, and contributors while reinforcing values of acceptance, compassion, and kindness. Our social, emotional, and character development program recognizes and celebrates GSB’s Core Values of courage, integrity, respect, compassion, and excellence in our students. Guided by the principles of Responsive Classroom®, faculty create a safe and welcoming classroom climate where students can feel open and empowered to develop their social and emotional skills. Throughout each day, teachable moments are embraced to help students become aware of good character while encouraging the use of strategies to develop stronger character. Beginning with our youngest students, we recognize that children want to do the right thing, and we work to ensure our students develop strong character traits through a variety of social and emotional learning activities and experiences. Students model and practice appropriate language and behavior in everyday relationships and are taught problem-solving and responsibility of choice through “DeBug,” a proactive conflict-resolution strategy. This approach also teaches when to ask an adult for help in resolving a conflict or problem with peers. Through interactions with students in the Middle and Upper Schools, our youngest students learn how to connect with other members of our community. The Virtue of the Month Program and Wednesday Town Meetings enhance social and emotional learning experiences and opportunities as a Lower School community. Students participate in Friends and Feelings. This age-specific social and emotional curriculum, taught by our school counselor, helps build awareness and skills in friendship by first teaching students to understand their feelings, behaviors, and who they are. Students learn strategies to solve problems, the importance of accepting and celebrating our differences and similarities, and the value of cooperation, empathy, and respect. The GSB mission statement, Core Values, and monthly virtues are woven into our curriculum and lived each day in purposeful and intentional ways.