Lower Elementary

Practical life in Lower Elementary is integrated throughout the classroom. It incorporates classroom work such as watering plants, feeding classroom animals, preparing snacks or meals for students, and cleaning around the room.

The math area is sequenced and begins with the Golden Bead materials. Students will work with concepts such as place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They will move from those concepts to study fractions, problem solving, graphing, measurement, long division, and algebraic equations.

Language skills that are addressed in this area include spelling, extensive word studies, creative writing and research skills. While students may still write in cursive as they did in Primary, they are also beginning to master print handwriting. Students will be exposed to many different types of literature and will be given opportunities to read aloud or act out narrative.

The Cultural Studies area include many areas of study in science and social studies. The scientific study areas include botany, zoology, and biology. Students will use materials to learn about specific plant and animals species, and to conduct their own scientific research. Students will also study geography and history, including the study of civilizations and countries around the world. Histoy is taught in a time linear fashion, and Lower Elementary students chart their research as they learn.

Peace education is a thread of learning that underscores all of our academics. This is where students learn how to work with others in the classroom, how to express themselves respectfully, and how to resolve conflicts. From this area we observe great strides in emotional independence as children begin to use the tools to talk to each other in helpful, peaceful ways. This work creates a classroom community of kindness and respect, and also allows room for hard conversations and finding solutions together.