Primary School Program

CURRICULUM

Our Primary school program is located at our Waldo School location. We currently offer grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. All of our primary school students participate in the International Baccalaureate curriculum, taught by teachers who participate in IB-accredited professional development opportunities.

Students inquire into the core subject areas each day, including mathematics, language arts (reading and writing), science, and social studies.

• In mathematics, students study the five content strands, including number, shape and space, measurement, pattern and function, and data handling. Students first begin with constructing meaning about mathematics using hands-on manipulatives and math games. Students then progress to performing more symbolic mathematics before eventually applying what they know to real-life situations.
• In language arts, students work on developing their reading, writing, listening and speaking, and viewing and presenting skills. Teachers use a range of instructional strategies in the classroom, including small group guided reading, reading and writing workshop, and independent reading and research time.
• Students inquire into living things, Earth and space, materials and matter, and forces and energy as part of the science program, and human systems and organizations, history, culture, and natural resources in social studies. All science and social studies instruction is taught within the context of the six units of inquiry, with connections made to other subject areas where appropriate.

In addition to the core curriculum, student learning is supplemented throughout the week by extracurricular subjects, each of which is taught by a specialized outside instructor. Physical education, art, music and Spanish classes are taught by IB-certified teachers, and connections are made to the classroom unit of inquiry wherever possible. Students are also introduced to swimming, chess, and robotics and programming. Primary school students have access to a range of additional learning areas within the school, including a gymnasium, indoor pool, outdoor play space, and multimedia and library space.

SCHEDULE

Throughout their day, students are engaged in a range of both core and supplementary school subjects. In the afternoon, students also have the option of participating in our extended day program, which includes a snack period and daily extracurricular activities, such as soccer, gymnastics, ballet and silly science, among many others.

Below is a sample schedule for our primary school program:

A LOOK INSIDE THE CLASSROOM

Throughout the week, you will find our students engaged in a range of inquiry-based and exciting learning experiences, which might include:

• Using classroom iPads to control our Dash and Dot robotics system to learn the basics of computer science and coding
• Researching homes around the world and conducting experiments to learn about the materials they are made of as part of a kindergarten unit of inquiry
• Developing inventions to solve everyday problems at the first grade Invention Convention
• Experimenting with splatter painting as they explore the techniques of Jackson Pollock in art class
• Tracking the weather in our own community and comparing it with countries around the world
• Interviewing family members to learn about their ancestry and family heritage as part of a second grade unit of inquiry
• Working collaboratively to construct and engineer towering skyscrapers made from Lego bricks
• Reading nonfiction and fiction books and articles independently to learn about influential people in history