Lower School

Students absorb and internalize the essential elements of literacy through consistent practice of phonemic awareness and phonics skills, leading to word decoding, word study, spelling, and sentence structure. Students discuss fiction and nonfiction texts in read-alouds and small groups, practicing skills such as retelling stories, identifying the main idea and details, and finding evidence to support their comprehension. Additionally, Class I students apply elemental writing mechanics and spelling rules in their creative, narrative, persuasive, and research writing. Our learners cultivate and enhance their writing through the proper sequencing of events, pertinent details, and robust vocabulary.

After focusing on identity and community building in kindergarten, students participate in a year-long study of New York City’s five boroughs. Students study transportation, geography, and our city’s vibrant and diverse cultures.

In Class I, students focus on speaking and listening skills. Units of study include hobbies, seasons, food, emotions, and animals. Students are also introduced to basic Pinyin reading. Additionally, students gain exposure to Chinese culture by learning about different holidays and traditional foods. Students learn poems, songs, and games designed to playfully introduce oral communication in Mandarin.

Students listen to stories; learn to find books in the library; explore world trickster tales and folktales; and work on collaborative research projects.

Students read, sing, and play musical patterns derived from the pentatonic scale. They learn to listen through dictation, create through improvisation, and compose rhythms using simple rhythmic elements. Students sing at all gatherings and large assemblies.

Class I FunFit focuses on form and technique related to fitness concepts and gymnastic skills. Students are introduced to handstands, cartwheels, and springboard jumps, as well as basic balance beam and bar concepts. They also explore rock-wall climbing, body control exercises, balance, strength, and flexibility. Throughout Class I, FunFit students develop self-confidence, a better understanding of their bodies in space, and a sense of accomplishment.

Class I students develop their understanding of numbers through 100 as they use number bonds to compose and decompose, compare, add, and subtract multi-digit numbers. Students study shape attributes, ordinal numbers, non-standard measurement, grouping and sharing, halves and fourths, time, and money.

Students study the structure and function of teeth, bird identification, states of matter, the solar system, snails and squids, and soil chemistry. Class I scientists explore different types of gardens and conduct experiments on soil chemistry to distinguish between nutrient-rich and contaminated soil.

As part of our general health education program, students learn to identify feelings and coping skills, understand the perspectives of others, and practice problem-solving skills. Students also review sexual health themes from kindergarten related to identifying personal boundaries and asking for and receiving consent.

Students are introduced to the tools, techniques, materials, and practices of the art studio; they learn concepts through a variety of imagination-based projects, based on line, initiating their studio experience through a sequential journey of a simple dot as it becomes a line, and travels through two-dimensional space. This dot is the beginning of our fundamental graphic language: It teaches how to transform a dot into different qualities of line, how a line creates infinite shapes, and how to sustain concentration and stamina. Studio citizenship is emphasized throughout the year.

Students dive into our ballet unit, in which they investigate the historical origins of ballet, develop basic technical knowledge, and use the steps and positions they have learned to create narrative dances. Students develop foundational knowledge of ballet, hip-hop, and jazz to explore a variety of movements and learn about the origins of each dance style, including the study of Isadora Duncan and a collaboration with science to create dances inspired by nature. Each unit culminates with short dances choreographed by the students using their newly learned steps.

Students engage with locomotor patterns, functional movement exercises, and individual sport skills.

Students develop reading fluency, reading comprehension, and inferential and analytical skills. Their comprehension of fiction and nonfiction texts becomes more sophisticated; they share supporting evidence in discussions and write with growing proficiency, and they hone skills such as summarizing, identifying character traits, and naming the main idea and details in a text. Students write creative, narrative, informative, and opinion texts. Instruction emphasizes the writing process, which includes brainstorming, planning, drafting, editing, and revision. Students study more advanced spelling patterns and writing mechanics, and learn joined italic cursive.

Students consider the impact of geography on one’s life, as well as the roles and civic responsibilities of members of the community. Students learn about the Lenape of Mannahatta and the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam. Through stories, primary source investigations, and discussions, students analyze the ever-evolving needs of individuals and groups in historical New York City.

Students focus on speaking and listening skills. Units of study include family, calendar, food, sports, animals, time, location, seasons, and daily routines. Students are expected to respond to questions in Mandarin as the year progresses and practice reading and writing Pinyin. Additionally, students explore Chinese culture through the study of various holidays and traditional foods.

Through our class lessons, students grow to understand story elements, explore diverse characters and authors, and research animals and changemakers collaboratively.

Students investigate the concept of overlapping and combining shapes to create compositions of complex forms in space. Color values and patterns are introduced to enhance the importance of individual form. Students learn about symmetry and repetition through exploration, paired with learning about the world of art. Studio citizenship is emphasized throughout the year.

Building on foundational skills, Class II students expand their knowledge by learning structured movement combinations in jazz, hip-hop, and social dance. Students are introduced to the cultural roots and history behind select dance styles, helping them understand how dance reflects different communities and time periods. They also explore basic choreography sequences, collaborating in groups to experiment with shapes, patterns, and storytelling through movement.

Class II students continue to develop a wide range of activities and motor skills. They engage in a rope-jumping unit, basketball dribbling and shooting, the use of scoops, and striking with a variety of implements.

Students apply their understanding of place value and addition and subtraction skills to numbers through 1,000. Students build their fact fluency and apply the part-whole concept of number bonds to the traditional algorithms, with and without regrouping. Students investigate standard units of length and weight. Class II students explore multiplication and division, model and compare fractions, and work with two- and three-dimensional shapes.

Class II scientists explore botany, ecology, biology, geology, and chemistry. Students design their own plant experiments, study the behavior and anatomy of earthworms, investigate rocks and minerals, and conduct tests to determine the chemical and physical properties of six household powders.

Students engage in a wide array of topics that encompass both social-emotional well-being and aspects of sexual health. The lessons are intended to promote empathy, reduce stereotyped thinking, practice being assertive and kind, and learn about the relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Students are also introduced to reproduction and ways to keep their bodies healthy and safe.

Students study digital citizenship, animation, coding, computational thinking, robotics, and pattern recognition. They are also introduced to design to enhance their understanding of coding concepts such as sequencing, basic true/false conditionals, loops, and debugging.

Students sing, move, and play musical games derived from the methodologies of Carl Orff and Zoltán Kodály. They cultivate the joy of making music while developing essential skills such as maintaining a steady beat and singing with accurate pitch. They learn to read, sing, and play patterns using notes derived from the pentatonic scale and an evolving set of rhythms.

Class II FunFit focuses on form and technique related to fitness concepts and gymnastic skills. Students are introduced to handstands, forward and backward rolls, cartwheels, springboard jumps, and basic balance beam and bar concepts. Students learn how to combine skills to create a mini routine. Rock-wall climbing, body control exercises, balance, strength, and flexibility are introduced and practiced. Students develop self-confidence, a better understanding of their bodies in space, and a sense of accomplishment.

Students develop inferential thinking through book discussion and writing about text. They practice analyzing character traits and motivations, summarizing and identifying themes, and making connections within and between texts, all with an emphasis on citing specific details to support their interpretations. Additionally, Class III writers craft longer and more advanced narrative, expository, argumentative, and persuasive paragraphs, sharpening their writing structure with strong topic sentences and supporting details. Lessons on advanced spelling patterns, grammar, and conventions are woven into the writing curriculum.

Class III students build upon their understanding of identity and community from kindergarten through Class II. They study United States geography, the fundamentals of the United States government, and the women’s suffrage movement in the United States.

Students continue to practice character recognition and write simple characters, learn sentence composition, and continue exploration of Chinese culture through the celebration of various holidays.

Students explore the Dewey Decimal System, understand the role of periodicals as information sources, and hear from Upper School students and alumnae about the highlights and challenges of working on a newspaper. Students research a U.S. state in conjunction with the social studies curriculum.

Students develop their understanding of drawing and constructing 3D forms by building on their knowledge of overlapping shapes. Lessons involving the preliminary study of materials, design, and construction allow students to learn to navigate volume, layering, painting complex form, and mixing color. Projects are inspired by nature and global artistic traditions. Studio citizenship is emphasized throughout the year.

Students have two periods of music a week. One period is devoted to elementary theory, singing, and rhythmic percussion exercises. The second class is an instrumental period in which students learn violin, viola, cello, or recorder.

Class III FunFit focuses on form and techniques related to fitness concepts and gymnastic skills. Body control exercises, balance challenges, rock-wall climbing, and strength and flexibility training are incorporated throughout the year.

Class III mathematicians increase their understanding of place value with numbers to 10,000; compute multi-digit addition, subtraction, and division problems; explore scaled picture and bar graphs; expand their knowledge of fraction concepts and equivalency; measure with standard units; analyze angles and shapes; calculate area and perimeter; determine elapsed time; and add and subtract money.

Students design and construct bridges using newspaper and study sustainability, engineering, water chemistry, systems of the human body, as well as the behavior and anatomical structure of crayfish.

As part of our health education programming, students learn more advanced conflict resolution skills and emotional regulation strategies, including how to identify important qualities in friendships and how to be upstanders. They also practice mindfulness and cultivate a growth mindset. As part of our sexual health programming, students learn about the importance of positive body image, how to keep their bodies healthy and safe, and begin to explore the social-emotional and physical changes in puberty.

Students complete an engineering unit through the study of simple machines. They study robotics and explore block coding through various online and offline activities.

Students develop spatial and mechanical skills using basic tools and woodshop practices, and build a small functional object.

Students learn about jazz and hip-hop by exploring the history and cultural roots of each style. They develop technical skills such as isolations, footwork, and rhythmic precision. The students are introduced to dance composition by creating short movement phrases. Through guided improvisation and collaborative exercises, they begin to craft their own choreography.

Class III physical education explores the application of sports skills and introduces defensive concepts in dynamic gameplay. Students develop an understanding of sportsmanship while exploring competitive activities. Through functional movement exercises, students develop coordination, balance, and stamina while increasing their fitness capacity.

Readers refine their comprehension skills, making inferences, summarizing increasingly complex texts, analyzing character development, and identifying themes. Students interpret literature within a historical context studied in social studies. Class IV readers move beyond the literal understanding of a text and examine symbols and figurative language. Students develop the habit of citing textual evidence in both written analysis and literature discussion. Students study advanced grammar and mechanics, and spelling instruction focuses on morphology. In writing, students engage in a thoughtful process of planning, drafting, and editing as they craft increasingly complex opinion, narrative, expository, and creative writing projects. Students analyze verse and write their own poetry inspired by mentor texts.

Class IV engages in a yearlong study of migration and immigration in the United States. Students analyze push and pull factors that drive migration, the ways in which migrant communities have enriched and contributed to the culture of the United States, and issues of social justice. Students research Ellis Island, life in the Lower East Side tenements, Angel Island, Mexican immigration during the Great Depression, and the Great Migration.

Students continue to speak, write, and listen, focusing on consolidating previously learned material. Students perform a short play in Mandarin.

Students engage in further study of the Dewey Decimal System; they work collaboratively to research reptiles with the science department, among other topics; and listen to short stories from around the world. Students also conduct a book study to reinforce developing advanced vocabulary, sharing comprehension and understanding, and to discuss literary style and genre.

Students rotate through the following three courses, each of which takes place over ten weeks:

DRAWING WITH GEOMETRY: Students are introduced to artistic measuring techniques and tools, such as the compass and straightedge, to create patterns inspired by works that date back to ancient Egypt and ancient Greece. Students also learn about the natural geometry of flowers and create floral geometric designs, realized in cut paper and collage, with attention to symmetry and color.

PHOTOSHOP: Students are introduced to the professional-level digital image editing software Adobe Photoshop. They explore how to edit digital photographs and create original digital images, gaining confidence in using powerful features like layers, selections, adjustments, and the text tool. Their work culminates with shooting digital photographs around the School and the neighborhood. Using Photoshop, they combine and layer their photos to create colorful digital collages based on their visions.

PRINTMAKING: Students are introduced to printmaking vocabulary and asked to consider how printmaking differs from other visual arts media. They practice observational exercises as they make preparatory still life drawings on thick watercolor paper and collage them with paper and string to build matrices for printing polychrome collagraphs (a form of relief printing). By combining aqueous pigments with a paste binder, they make their own paints and print multiple impressions by hand with a baren.

Class IV students explore foundational grooves, isolations, and footwork while studying the cultural roots of hip-hop. They then focus on composition and choreography. During structured rehearsals, students develop original group pieces, learn to collaborate, give and receive feedback, and make choreographic choices that reflect their personal expression. The year culminates in a student-choreographed dance showcase.

Students deepen and extend their computational fluency and understanding of mathematical concepts. Topics include place value with numbers through 1,000,000; techniques for rounding and estimation; multi-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems; multiples and factors; fractions and fraction operations; decimals and decimal operations; line graphs and line plots; measurement with compound units; area and perimeter; angles, lines, shapes, and solids. Math instruction emphasizes challenge, collaborative problem solving, and flexible thinking.

Class IV scientists investigate acids, bases, and pH; examine sustainable energy; and explore the structure and growth of mold, including designing experiments. Students also study the behavior and anatomy of snakes and conduct student-led experiments that culminate in the Lower School Science Fair.

Through picture book read-alouds, role-play scenarios, and creative activities, students develop their sense of self and identity during a time of transition from Lower to Middle School. Lessons emphasize developing a growth mindset and embracing mistakes and imperfections as part of the learning process. Students practice mindfulness techniques as they learn more about feelings, emotions, and self-regulation. Special focus is given to navigating changing friendships in adolescence and handling social conflict in positive ways. Students have many opportunities to lead and give back in their community and are supported in assessing their strengths, areas for growth, and goals throughout the year. Students also discuss healthy food choices and body image, and continue to build on their knowledge from Class III about the physical and social-emotional changes in puberty.

In Class IV, students explore the Snap interface by coding animated short stories and engage in an independent research project focused on women in STEAM. They use digital and print sources, present their findings, and engineer a moving sculpture to represent the achievements of their STEAM pioneer. Their unique automata offer a way for students to explore mechanical elements, such as cams, levers, and linkages. We conclude our year with an exploration of physical computing by programming robots to interact with the environment.

Students continue their two periods of music per rotation, with one period devoted to elementary theory, singing, and rhythmic percussion exercises. The second is an instrumental period in which students build on their previously acquired skills in violin, viola, cello, or the recorder. Class IV students also participate in handchime ensembles, which perform at the main assemblies of the year.

In Class IV physical education, students explore competition through modified gameplay in a variety of sports and movement games. They demonstrate an understanding of rules and strategy and learn to work together as a team