Nothing but a visit will really give you a complete picture of
our curriculum, but to whet your appetite for what we offer,
please take a look at a little snippet about each grade and
specialists’ class.
Pre-Kindergarten
Parents often describe their children’s experience
in Pre-Kindergarten as magical. From the shady grove of the play
area, to the bright, colorful, and whimsical classroom, Pre-K is
infused with the wonder, curiosity, and creativity of our young
learners. Their master teachers create an environment rich with
opportunity to explore the world through a play-based,
developmentally appropriate, Reggio Emilia inspired program
infused with academic skill work that prepares our students for a
head start in our kindergarten program.
Each joy-filled day includes both structured and unstructured
time that builds vocabulary and communication skills; sharpens
powers of observation and reasoning; builds mathematical concepts
with number, shape, and spatial explorations; and develops the
fine motor skills that are necessary for success in school and
life. Students are introduced to the letters and their sounds
through the animal characters of Zoophonics — a multi-sensory,
fun, and engaging program to develop reading readiness.
Throughout this program of discovery and learning, the teachers
scaffold social relationships and foster self-initiated learning
strategies. The children learn to work independently and
cooperatively and build the skills to become masters of
friendship and inclusive problem solvers.
Pre-Kindergarten students thrive with visits to our beautiful
garden, library, music and movement where specialist educators
enrich their experiences.
Kindergarten
Our richly integrated literacy program supports and
encourages a broad range of learners to develop and extend early
reading skills and introduce them to decoding and encoding
language. Wilson Fundations, blended with other well-researched
methods create a balanced approach to reading acquisition, giving
students tools and strategies to put sounds and symbols together
with meaning.
Hands-on math experiences develop deep conceptual understandings
by discovering patterns in nature and within the number system;
learning the symbols of math and how to manipulate them in
equations; comparing and contrasting shapes, sizes, and
measurements; and developing spatial awareness.
Scientific explorations sharpen powers of observation, develop an
understanding of cause and effect and the ability to make
predictions and hypotheses, and focus on scientific vocabulary to
describe various phenomena in nature and the relationship of
living things to their habitats. Students have frequent access to
our school garden where they hone their skills as scientists
under the guidance of our experienced garden supervisor.
Daily experiences encourage children to communicate their ideas
and feelings through art, music, and dramatic play. The children
develop empathy for others and the skills and vocabulary to
navigate the social scene and resolve conflicts happily and
peacefully. Students are introduced to world language and culture
through lessons in French and Spanish. Our specially trained
Movement Education experts nurture students’ bodies as well as
their hearts and minds with activities that emphasize health,
sportsmanship, and caring for others. Our stunning library
introduces them to a wide world of literature, and our art
specialist steeps them in fine art creation and appreciation.
They become comfortable public speakers and performers through
our music and performing arts program.
First Grade
Exploding with color and creativity, our first grade
classrooms set the scene for a dynamic program of integrated
learning. Thematic units of study blend rich explorations of
literature, artistic expression, creative fiction and
non-fiction writing, and hands-on experiences to promote
understanding and concept development. Wilson Fundations®
provides research-based materials and strategies essential to a
comprehensive reading, spelling, and handwriting program.
Field trips take our scholars into the world to experience
first-hand the ideas they are exploring in their classrooms. With
a focus on the individual learner’s unique skills and challenges,
students are nurtured and supported to grow at their own pace so
that the learning stretches them appropriately without creating
anxiety or stress. Readers and Writers Workshop engage students
at their individual level and pace for literacy and give them
tools to explore the world and express their learning and ideas.
Real-life problems develop essential reasoning skills while
building deep understanding of the patterns and functions that
are the basis of mathematical concepts. Science and social
studies often provide the framework through which language arts
and math skills are interconnected. Respect and compassion for
and among the children is intrinsic in the environment, and
kindness and peaceful conflict resolution are modeled and
encouraged daily.
Visits to our beautiful library, lessons in world language and
culture, music and performing arts, projects with our art
specialist, exploration in the garden and daily physical
education round out a first grade program that honors and
nurtures the whole child.
Second Grade
Second grade is steeped in the wonder of discovery as children
develop their focus beyond themselves to understand more about
the bigger world around them. Students grow in their independence
and in their responsibility to themselves and to each other, to
their classroom community, and to the greater world.
Science explorations bring students into closer connection with
their environment. We open their eyes wider, but also focus on
small details, as we build observation skills and introduce the
scientific method. Social studies allow them to know and
appreciate the contributions and impacts of a diverse community
of world citizens. Language and reading skills are individually
nurtured through Readers and Writers workshop techniques so that
children may grow at their own pace to become more independent
readers. Our budding mathematicians develop number sense as they
look for patterns, connect math to everyday activities like
telling time and using money, begin working with larger numbers
and play games that build fluency, and read and write story
problems that develop their problem-solving skills.
Our art specialist, librarian, music, world language, garden and
P.E. teachers work with the second grade teachers to ensure that
their programs integrate with the activities in the classroom to
deepen and extend the learning.
Third Grade
Ahoy, Mateys! The third grade adventure begins on
the seven seas as our swashbucklers embark on an epic voyage of
exploration and discovery. Emphasis is placed on the many
different experiences and groups as they are “Coming to
America”. From the Colonial period through modern day
immigration, our third graders are immersed in a classroom that
puts creativity and critical thinking ahead of the simple
acquisition of facts, all with a keen sense of developmentally
appropriate discourse and activities.
Students develop their reading and writing skills to gather,
evaluate, and share information. Third graders begin to
understand the interconnectedness of habitats and inhabitants as
well as their own impact on others and their environment. Math
concepts deepen as their understanding of patterns and functions
are applied to real life situations and basic math facts become
more automatic. As they are given more responsibility for their
individual work, students become better organized and better
managers of their time and materials.
Enrichment in music, art, literature, world language, and
physical education round out a complete educational program.
Fourth Grade
In 4th grade we really put the “live” into Living
History! Opportunities abound for students to express themselves
in writing, and public speaking as students research the folks
who have impacted the growth of California. The rich natural
environment and history of California serves as the central theme
of 4th grade studies.
Hands-on, experiential, literature-enriched, and project-based,
our curriculum encourages children to find the connections among
the literary, historical, and scientific information that make
their learning truly meaningful.
As cross-curricular themes are explored both cooperatively and
independently, children build a framework for understanding and
analyzing cause and effect and interdependence. Mathematical
activities build on the concepts introduced in earlier grades and
put those skills to use to solve real-world problems. Technology
is integrated into activities and enhances research, practice,
and presentation skills.
Specialists provide instruction in performing and visual arts,
world language and culture, library skills, and physical
education.
Fifth Grade
Thinkers, explorers, scientists, problem solvers, data
collectors, poets, artists and performers our 5th graders are
busy making sense of increasingly abstract concepts and building
a sophisticated set of tools to express themselves and
demonstrate their understanding and solve problems.
Independence and self-reliance grow as students take on more
responsibility for their own learning. With the safety net of a
supportive relationship with caring teachers, students are
encouraged to stretch their wings, solve their own problems, and
advocate for their own learning.
In preparation for middle school departmentalization, 5th graders
are responsible to two main academic teachers- one for math and
science, the other for language arts and history. The teachers
work closely together to integrate their subjects as much as
possible.
Team building activities and discussions help students develop
their core values and learn to support and appreciate each other
as they begin to experience the joys and challenges of the
transition into early adolescence. Their development as kind and
empathetic people is as important to us as their academic
achievement.
A more academic approach to world culture and language brings
them additional responsibility, as does learning an instrument
for the band or orchestra. Physical education helps channel some
of their energy and enthusiasm into healthy choices.