Lower School Curriculum

Grade 1 Curriculum

  • Language arts are taught creatively through drawings and paintings, helping to form letters. Each letter is introduced through artistic activities, allowing children to connect emotionally with language; vowels, in particular, are linked to the child's feelings. This imaginative approach helps children see language as more than just words on a page—it becomes a living expression.

  • Social studies focuses on human life through fairy tales that highlight universal experiences, values, and struggles. These stories teach lessons of courage, wisdom, and compassion while also introducing different cultures and histories. The goal is to nurture both intellectual and moral understanding.

  • Geography is taught through direct experience with nature. Rather than just studying maps, students explore the land and its features, fostering a deep connection with the Earth and its cycles. The beauty and harmony of the natural world are emphasized.

  • Science is experienced through storytelling, where children learn about nature through engaging narratives. The curriculum encourages curiosity about the natural world and includes exercises that stimulate all twelve senses—not just the traditional five. This approach helps children develop a deep, embodied understanding of science.

  • Math is introduced through counting, rhythm, musing, and patterns, building an intuitive understanding of numbers. The focus is on mental arithmetic and the natural flow of mathematics, encouraging children to approach math with enthusiasm and imagination.

  • Drawing helps children develop fine motor skills and an understanding of form and color. Starting with simple lines, curves, and patterns, children use block crayons to create expressive artwork, building the foundation for later activities like writing letters.

  • Wet painting with watercolors helps children express emotions through color and form rather than focusing on realistic pictures. This encourages imagination and a connection between their feelings and artistic expression.

  • Handwork, such as knitting, strengthens fine motor skills and concentration. These activities foster creativity and introduce basic math concepts through counting and rhythm. Handwork also engages the will and encourages patience and mindfulness.

  • Sculptural arts, often using beeswax, allows children to create stories from fairy tales. The soft material encourages creativity and spatial awareness through tactile learning, connecting children to personal and cultural narratives through sculpture and modeling.

  • Music is integrated into daily life, with children learning to play the pentatonic recorder and singing songs that connect them to nature's rhythms and seasons. Music fosters emotional, rhythmic, and listening skills, turning music into an embodied experience.

  • Circle and singing games promote physical coordination and social connection. These activities help children learn balance and synchronize their movements on both the left and right sides of the body while also teaching cooperation and empathy in a fun and creative way.

Grade 2 Curriculum

  • Language development continues with reading from personal main lesson books, building confidence and connection to the material. Simple sentences, rhyming words, and plays support language skills, while basic grammar concepts such as sentence structure are introduced through creative, interactive, and engaging lessons.

  • Language arts are built around storytelling, featuring fables, legends, and folklore from various cultures. These tales introduce children to archetypal characters and moral lessons, fostering an understanding of values like kindness, courage, and justice. Stories from Aesop, Celtic saints, Native American folklore, and local traditions help students connect with diverse cultures and develop empathy.

  • Children explore geography through local observation, field trips, and nature walks, helping them connect to their immediate surroundings. This hands-on approach enhances their understanding of the physical world and reinforces cultural studies through the lens of geography.

  • Nature studies deepen with an emphasis on sensory observation and exploration of the natural world. Experiential lessons encourage awe and respect for nature, fostering continuous and careful observation of plants, animals, and seasonal changes.

  • Math lessons focus on whole numbers, times tables, and simple arithmetic. Children work on number patterns, column addition, and basic problem-solving. Time and money are also introduced, helping develop logical thinking and a sense of order.

  • Second grade explores symmetry and balance through mirror drawing and form drawing, cultivating fine motor skills and harmony in their artistic work. Stick crayons are used to explore both abstract and representational forms.

  • Children learn about color through the study of secondary colors and their interactions. Painting exercises, including representations of animals and plants, encourage creativity and emotional expression while developing color awareness.

  • Students engage in crochet, creating items like pot holders and mats. This activity helps refine motor skills and teaches patience while fostering a connection between thought, feeling, and action.

  • Beeswax modeling continues, where children now craft figures from the stories they encounter, deepening their understanding of the narratives through hands-on work.

  • Music lessons center on the pentatonic scale, connecting to the themes of stories, fables, and folk songs. Through the recorder, children learn melodies that reflect the emotional tones of the stories while developing rhythmic and listening skills.

  • Games and movement classes focus on balance, coordination, and rhythmic movement, integrating brain development with physical activity. Games like jump rope and hopscotch enhance rhythmic timing and balance while toss-and-catch games improve hand-eye coordination and teamwork while promoting emotional and physical well-being.

Grade 3 Curriculum

  • Students begin to explore the building blocks of language. They learn the structure of sentences and the function of different types of words: verbs (doing words), nouns (name words), adjectives (descriptive words), and basic punctuation. Students practice language skills through dictation, writing simple sentences and paragraphs, and spelling familiar words. They also write simple descriptions of what they have seen, heard, and read in lessons. Speech work and class plays further strengthen these concepts in an engaging and creative way.

  • Students explore the rich tapestry of human history through storytelling. Hebrew stories from ancient history are shared alongside local Native American tales, offering an understanding of diverse cultures and traditions.

  • The study of local geography is deeply connected to practical life skills. Students engage in hands-on activities such as shelter building, farming, and clothing-making, all of which foster a sense of self-sufficiency, resourcefulness, and willpower.

  • The curriculum reflects an anthropological perspective on the history of humanity, tracing our journey from nomadic life to modern homes. Practical scientific work includes simple physics experiments and hands-on building with materials like brick, wood, and stone. Students also explore the natural world, learning about soils, farm life, and cultivating vegetables—especially root, leaf, and stem varieties. A continuing focus on the cycles of nature and the care of the class garden deepens their connection to their local environment.

  • Mathematics instruction focuses on whole numbers, times tables, number patterns, measurement, and basic concepts like carrying and borrowing. Students also engage with time-related problems and begin exploring prime numbers. Rhythm, movement, and song are interwoven into the math lessons to keep the learning experience dynamic and engaging, ensuring a holistic approach to numeracy.

  • Drawing lessons emphasize form drawings, where students explore the relationship between inner and outer shapes and structures. The use of finer drawing instruments, such as pencils, is introduced, allowing students to develop their artistic skills in more detail.

  • In painting, students work with luster colors and begin to explore the process of painting in connection with their main lesson work. A particular focus is placed on understanding how colors interact with each other, fostering a deeper appreciation of color theory, which will develop into fine arts in the upper grades.

  • Handwork classes introduce students to crochet, where they create larger items such as bags or small animals. This skill helps develop creativity, manual dexterity, patience, and willpower.

  • Beeswax modeling becomes integral to the main lesson work. Through sculpting with beeswax, students engage in creative expression and strengthen their understanding of form and structure.

  • Music education explores tonality through singing and recorder playing, with students beginning to understand music notation and playing simple songs. Students learn to play in parts as they progress, laying the foundation for future ensemble playing in the upper grades strings orchestra.

  • In games and movement class, the focus shifts to games that develop finer dexterity and coordination and introduce teamwork. These games often incorporate song and rhythm while helping students refine hand-eye coordination. Activities like balancing while throwing or catching are integrated, which will later build into circus arts in the upper grades.

Grade 4 Curriculum

  • The study of history focuses on local geography and community development. Students explore why early settlers chose to settle in their specific region and how they utilized the land’s natural resources to build thriving communities. This inquiry encourages an appreciation for both the land and its history, fostering a sense of connection to the past.

  • Students delve into Norse mythology, exploring timeless tales of gods, heroes, and creatures. They also begin to experience poetry, learning to appreciate the beauty of language and the inner world of the self. The curriculum focuses on cultivating an understanding of how literature can reflect and nurture inner growth and personal identity.

  • Students deepen their understanding of grammar by learning verb tenses, prepositions, personal pronouns, adverbs, and abbreviations. They are held to memorize grammatical rules and engage in speech work, including plays. Writing compositions become more advanced, emphasizing storytelling, letter writing, and attention to detail in spelling, form, and content. Oral book reports are introduced, helping students practice their public speaking and critical thinking skills.

  • Geography lessons emphasize students’ awareness of their immediate surroundings and local geography. Students learn to create maps, starting with their classroom, bedroom, and home, gradually expanding to include their neighborhood, county, state, and region. This observational approach helps deepen students’ understanding of their immediate surroundings.

  • Zoology becomes a focal point, with students studying animals. Descriptive studies of animals explore their relationships with each other, their environments, and human beings. This block helps students develop an understanding of the diversity of life and the interconnections between species in nature.

  • Math instruction continues with a review of the times tables and arithmetic operations through daily mental math practice. Building on skills from earlier grades, students tackle word problems, averages, and long division. Factoring and basic proofs are also introduced. Daily, real-world examples are woven into each lesson to demonstrate the practical application of math in everyday life.

  • Students refine their freehand drawing skills through geometric forms and dynamic Nordic patterns. These drawings focus on precision and attention to detail, with students using pens to create intricate, interlocking forms. This work strengthens the student’s artistic abilities and capacity for careful observation, spatial awareness, and problem-solving.

  • Watercolor painting shifts focus to form and light. As students continue to develop their artistic expression, they are encouraged to paint animals and local landscapes, bringing a sense of personal connection and observation into their work. Technical skills and creative expression are emphasized.

  • Handwork continues with cross-stitching and incorporates the use of embroidery techniques. Projects may include creating pincushions or detailed handwork bags. These projects foster patience, precision, and creativity while further developing fine motor skills.

  • Students are introduced to clay modeling, beginning with geometric shapes and progressing to more complex forms like animals. Through this process, students learn the value of patience and the importance of problem-solving through imagination, shaping their creations step by step, and adapting to changes.

  • Chorus and orchestra are introduced as formal subject classes, with students learning time values, harmonies, and both major and minor scales. They explore rounds and canons and develop music-reading skills from notation. This foundation prepares students for more advanced orchestra pieces in the upper grades.

  • Games and movement classes continue to emphasize endurance, coordination, strength, and teamwork. Students engage in running, jumping, and throwing games that build physical agility, coordination, and build confidence. Dance is also incorporated, balancing self-reliance with the ability to work together as a group. These activities promote both individual growth and group cohesion.