Academic Excellence

English
Focusing on the theme of community and awareness, teachers use Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, The Giver, and other novels to build on literature learnings from prior years including elements of novels, character development and story structure. Children demonstrate their understanding of literature through written work, including essays, reader's responses, poetry, as well as through tests and quizzes. Spelling instruction continues to build vocabulary and writing skills, and grammar delves more deeply into diagramming of compound and complex sentences.

Mathematics
Children are grouped by ability and learn operations with integers, practice more complex work with fractions and decimals, use percents in equations and develop an understanding of ratios and proportions. They are introduced to probability and basic statistics, formulas with variables, and inequalities. Children attempt two-and three-step word problems, review the Pythagorean Theorem, use technology to learn about geometric shapes, complementary and supplementary angles and apply all of these skills in specially designed projects.

History
Through the study of ancient civilizations, students learn about the development of arts, communication, religion, government, as well as the importance of the physical characteristics of a location. The foundations of democratic thought will be covered through an in-depth study of Ancient Greece and its political institutions. After Ancient Greece, students survey major civilizations from Rome to Medieval Europe.

The focus is on ideas as well as people and events that have shaped how people live today. We explore the role played by the three major monotheistic religions of the West as well as Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism in the East. While the students must master a wealth of factual information, they, more importantly, will be exposed to major themes of our collective history.

Science
Children apply the scientific method to questions associated with astronomy and earth science. Through astronomy, children learn about the universe beyond the surface of the earth. Earth science is composed of a number of disciplines including geology, geography, and meteorology. Children examine the key concepts of each discipline in order to understand the positions, distribution, motion, composition, and energy of the universe along with the origin, structure, and physical phenomena of the earth. Children take part in hands-on classroom activities and field trips that support their science studies.