Academics

Lower School Course of Study

3P

The program provides an easy transition from home to school. Center time and units of study are used to integrate all the curriculum areas. The children also participate in art, library, music and character education classes. Readiness handwriting skills are presented through the Handwriting Without Tears program. In an atmosphere that promotes a sense of caring, emphasis is placed on interacting socially, developing independence and a positive self-image, accepting responsibility, and learning to listen and follow directions. This is a year for introduction to basic readiness skills: social, language, perceptual, and fine and gross motor. Hands-on, concrete activities and experiences encourage the learning process. Resource guests, field trips, and parental involvement extend the learning experiences.

4P

The Saxon Early Learning program is used to incorporate language development, literacy, mathematics, science and social studies skills. Other support materials and experiences from unit studies are used to reinforce language and math skills. The Handwriting Without Tears program reinforces handwriting skills and offers a variety of manipulatives for the student to understand the introduction to the correct formation of each letter. The children also attend classes in art, library, music, Spanish, and character education. Classroom interest areas provide an opportunity for children to interact with other children and the environment. Major emphasis is placed on learning to accept responsibility, to listen and follow directions, and to work independently and in groups. The classroom atmosphere promotes the development of a positive self-concept. Field trips and special guests enhance the overall program. Parents participate as class readers and take part in special activities. Each child is evaluated in the spring to determine readiness for the kindergarten program.

5K

The kindergarten curriculum offers an integrated approach to language with emphasis on phonetic instruction and the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Reading materials from Saxon Phonics and the Wright Group are used in developing language arts skills. Use of the Handwriting Without Tears program continues the development of handwriting skills. The classroom interest centers provide opportunities for children to interact with other children and their environment. The math programs, Mathematics Their Way and Harcourt math series emphasize the use of concrete materials to support the teaching of beginning skills. Students take weekly enrichment classes in art, library, music, Spanish, physical education, and character education.  Music reading skills are introduced in the weekly music classes. Computer classes begin in the second semester. The program encourages parental involvement in field trips and special activities. Parents also volunteer as class readers.

1st grade

Students remain in self-contained classrooms for the study of academic subjects. The Harcourt math series is used in conjunction with manipulatives and hands-on activities.  Students are ability grouped for reading using the Scott Foresman Reading Street series.  Accelerated Reader, a computerized reading program, begins at this level and continues through the sixth grade. Daily journal writing incorporates writing and spelling activities. The Handwriting Without Tears program provides developmentally appropriate handwriting practice through fifth grade. Students report to enrichment teachers for classes in art, library, music, Spanish, physical education, computer, and character education.  Networked classroom computers with Internet access are used for enrichment in all academic areas. Kid Pix Deluxe and other software for reading and math are introduced in computer classes. Field trips and special activities extend the learning experience. The students visit Tallahassee, FL where they explore The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science and the Challenger Learning Center.

2nd Grade

Unit activities correlate learning across the curriculum. Emphasis is placed on developing responsibility and good study habits. Students use the Harcourt math series and the Scott Foresman Reading Street series. Grouping in math and reading places students on or above grade level. Enrichment teachers of art, library, music, Spanish, physical education, computer, and character education correlate activities with the classroom teachers’ plan of study. Recorders are introduced as part of the weekly music classes. Students continue their use of computers to enhance their math, reading, and writing skills. Field trips, guest speakers, and special activities enhance the learning process. Students annually visit Gulf World in Panama City, FL.

3rd Grade

Developing good study and work habits are stressed. Students use the Harcourt math series and the Scott Foresman Reading Street series. Grouping in math and reading places students on or above grade level. To enhance writing skills, writing is incorporated into all subject areas. Enrichment classes include art, music, library, computer, Spanish, physical education, and character education. Students experience their second year of recorders in their music classes, and they begin keyboarding and using Hyper Studio 5.0 in computer class. Microsoft Office 2010 is also introduced. Field trips extend the learning experience. Students also visit Montgomery and the Capitol as part of the Alabama History class. Guest speakers in the areas of science and social studies expand the students’ learning opportunities.

4th Grade

Students use the Harcourt math series and the Scott Foresman Reading Street series.  Grouping in math and reading places students on or above grade level. Teachers incorporate the Novel Approach in teaching reading. Enrichment classes include art, music, computer, Spanish, physical education and character education. Microsoft Office 2010 including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Microsoft Publisher is continued. Clay Animation is taught using Tech4Learning Frames software. All students in grades four through six participate in the Lower School chorus. Students are further exposed to the arts through trips to the symphony, and ballet performances. Field trips and guest speakers extend the classroom learning activities. Students take an overnight trip to the Space Center in Huntsville in conjunction with their study of space in their science and social studies units.

5th Grade

Students use the Harcourt math series and the Scott Foresman Reading Street series. Teachers also incorporate the Novel Approach in teaching reading. Grouping in math and reading places students on or above grade level. Hands-on experiments and subject-related research projects extend the scope of the science and history studies. Field trips and guest speakers enhance the learning process. Enrichment classes include art, computer, Spanish, band, chorus, guidance, and physical education. All students are provided a band instrument and receive instruction three times per week. More advanced techniques for using Microsoft Office 2010 are introduced. In the spring the students enjoy an overnight trip to Birmingham in correlation with their studies in science and history.

6th Grade

Reading at this level is based on the Novel Approach. Comprehension, vocabulary, and various literary elements play an important part in the study of the five selected novels. Grouping in math allows students to perform according to their individual abilities. Hands-on experiments, field trips, guest speakers, student research, and presentations are used to broaden the science and history curricula. Enrichment classes include art, library, computer, advanced band, chorus, guidance, and physical education. Keyboarding classes are continued, and Microsoft Word skills are advanced using tables, tabs, charts, etc. Students use the Microsoft Publisher program to create a 3-panel travel brochure, PowerPoint to produce an in-depth presentation that is set up to run automatically, the Windows Movie Maker to create an animal poem movie, and the Excel program to produce bar and pie graphs. An educational two day trip to Atlanta and a banquet to celebrate the completion of the year conclude the Lower School experience.