Early Childhood and Lower School (PK2 – Grade 4

Early Childhood and Lower School

PK2, PK3, JK and SK and Grades 1–4

By the ages of 2 and 3, children are already in the active learning process and have an effortless ability to absorb information. Lausanne’s Early Childhood and Lower School foundation nurtures each child’s development emotionally, academically, physically, socially and artistically every day.

Through an introduction to a collaborative learning environment, creative play, hands-on learning, reflection and discovery through Units of Inquiry, the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme provides a strong foundation for what is to come throughout each child's ongoing academic experience.

During the formative years of Early Childhood and Lower School, it is essential that children develop a deep sense of self. Students at Lausanne learn to realize their ability to contribute to a group while capitalizing on their innate curiosity about the world around them. Teachers work to instill and maintain a sense of wonder and excitement for learning in all of our students as they eagerly and confidently grow through Lausanne’s Early Childhood and Lower School classes.

We believe that each child has his or her own unique personality, learning style and interests. At every grade level, differentiated classroom activities foster each student’s academic, social and emotional well-being. Art, music, physical education, early engineering, science and community service experiences, as well as daily Spanish and Mandarin classes, all enhance children’s development of strong personal interests and values while simultaneously focusing on global mindedness.

The Primary Years Programme generates a stimulating and challenging learning environment, nurturing children’s natural curiosity, creativity and ability to reflect while fostering a lifelong love of learning in every child.

Students delight in the encouragement of their peers and teachers. Lausanne’s innovative teaching techniques, including hands-on projects, group, paired and individual studies, are designed to enhance students’ preparation for the Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme.

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EARLY CHILDHOOD & LOWER SCHOOL: PK2–GRADE 4

• Units of Inquiry – Teachers work with their grade-level teams and co-curricular teachers to create units of inquiry guided by the six transdisciplinary themes of the Primary Years Programme. Who we are Where we are in place and time How we express ourselves How the world works How we organize ourselves Sharing the planet

Units of inquiry interweave subject areas such as mathematics, language arts, science and social studies, enabling students to make stronger connections to core subject areas and their context in the world. Through this process, children develop strong critical thinking, research, collaboration and communication skills. Several units of inquiry have culminating events when students present what they have learned to parents and peers. While PK2 students work through introductions to these interdisciplinary themes, our

PK3 and JK students participate in four units of inquiry. Senior

Kindergarten through Grade 4 students participate in six units of inquiry throughout the year. Examples include observing the life cycle of a chick in SK, a study of human habitats in grade 1, robotics and coding in grade 2, marketing and inventions in grade 3 and human exploration in grade 4. • Small Class Sizes – Lausanne is dedicated to keeping class sizes small to forge meaningful relationships between students and teachers. While PK2 (avg. student to teacher ratio 6:1) and PK3 (7:1) have the most placement availability, there will be a few openings per

grade level available each following year. Class sizes remain small throughout a child’s Lower School experience with three sections of each grade level and an average class size of 14 –16 students. • Daily Mandarin and Spanish Classes – Daily world language instruction reflects the vision of the national standards of world language learning stated in the “5 C’s” by ACTFL (American Council on Teaching of Foreign Language): Communication, Culture,

Connections, Comparisons and Communities. It also exemplifies

Lausanne’s ongoing response to globalization, interaction among different countries and knowledge and respect of other cultures. • Reading and Writing Workshop – Lausanne’s Lower School teachers are all trained in the Reading and Writing Workshop at the Columbia University Teachers College under the direction of Lucy Calkins. Each classroom, SK through grade 4, has its own unique library system designed to engage students at every reading level. Blocks of time are dedicated to both reading skills and writing skills each day. Both mini-lessons and independent and group work are included. Teachers differentiate instruction based on students’ strengths and challenges while working on strong reading comprehension and creative and responsive writing.

All students in grades 1 through 4 publish a book during the year and celebrate at the end-of-the-year Writers Guild Celebration featuring a published author. • Everyday Math – The Everyday Math program developed at the

University of Chicago, is a comprehensive Lower School math curriculum that emphasizes conceptual understanding and an early introduction to the six major mathematical content areas: number sense, algebra, measurement, geometry, data analysis and probability. Students also work on memorizing math facts while working through a spiral curriculum of review and introduction of new material to prepare them for the integrated math program in

Lausanne’s Middle and Upper Schools.

• Co-Curricular Classes – During a seven-day rotation, students visit the Lower School Library at least once and daily attend one of a variety of co-curricular classes, including two art classes, two music classes, two physical education classes and an ANTS class (Acquiring

New Technology Skills). Early Childhood students also have a dance class. ANTS begins in SK. Additionally, students in grades 1 through 4 go to the science lab twice during the seven-day rotation. • Field Trips – Each grade level participates in at least two field trips during the school year to do field research for their units of inquiry.

Everyone looks forward to the 4th-grade rocket unit and day trip to

Huntsville Space and Rocket Center. • Learning Specialists and Counselors – Early Childhood and Lower School students benefit from an average of nine different professional teachers each week. Additionally, two learning specialists and a counselor work both individually and in small groups with all students as well as through classroom presentations. These lessons include both advanced and support work as well as Social-Emotional Learning practices such as mindfulness for all students. • Technology – Each Early Childhood and Lower School classroom is equipped with iPads, touchscreen laptops and smart TVs. Students also make regular trips to the maker space and innovation lab in the library to enhance their creative design technology practices, where they also have access to the 3-D scanner, printers and projector. • Student-led Assemblies – Each month, a grade-level class works together to present one of their inquiry units on the Elder

Performing Arts Center stage. Additional programs throughout the year include musical presentations at Grandparents and Family

Friends Day and Lausannia. • The PYP Exhibition – The Exhibition is an important part of the

Primary Years Programme (PYP) for all students. In the 4th grade, students work collaboratively to conduct an in-depth inquiry into real-life issues or problems. Students collectively synthesize all of the essential elements of the PYP in ways that can be shared with the whole school community. It is exciting for our 4th graders to demonstrate their independence and the responsibility they are taking for their own learning and showcase all of the International

Baccalaureate Learner Profile attributes they have developed throughout their Lower School experience. The PYP Exhibition is a wonderful celebration of their readiness to transition to the Middle

Years Programme in the Middle School. • Outdoor Discovery Center and Early Childhood Playgrounds –

The only one of its kind, the Outdoor Discovery Center has 14 uniquely different structures representing world monuments placed on a multi-colored turf, a replica of a Rand McNally map of the world. SK through Grade 4 students can travel from Cape Horn,

South America to the Great Wall of China without touching the ground, traveling through six continents, and interacting with seven monuments on their way. Students can zipline from the Horn of

Africa to Australia without getting their feet wet, climb Big Ben, balance on the Eiffel Tower and explore the Taj Mahal. The Early

Childhood Playground, for our PK2 through JK classes, reflects imaginative hallmarks of both our school and our city, including the

M bridge and the Memphis pyramid. The playground's theme also correlates with the Primary Years Programme (PYP) unity of inquiry on "Who We Are."