Kindergarten Through Second Grade
In the primary grades, we continue to build on the foundation set in preschool by integrating inquiry-based learning with the development of core academic skills. This stage of education focuses on nurturing children’s budding confidence and their rapidly growing abilities as readers, writers, and mathematicians. Through a responsive approach to literacy and mathematics instruction, we meet children where they are, guiding them toward mastery of foundational skills.
Grades 3 - 4
The intermediate program is designed to extend students’ academic skills while fostering greater independence, critical thinking, and collaboration. Building on the foundation set in earlier years, intermediate students engage with more complex tasks, develop advanced literacy and mathematics skills, and delve into deeper comprehension and analysis as they become more powerful and confident learners.
Kindergarten Through Second Grade
The primary literacy program builds a foundation of key mindsets, habits, and skills in emergent and early readers and writers. Understanding that all learners need different experiences to grow, our literacy program is tailored to the high expectations of our school community and responsive to the needs of individual learners.
Systematic, explicit, and multisensory phonics instruction promotes phonological awareness, encoding and decoding skills, and fluency. Responses to literature support the target skill with a focus on strategies for decoding, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary. Students learn to increase their stamina and practice habits of strong readers. Each classroom library includes high interest fiction and nonfiction texts that appeal to the curiosities and interests of children. Through direct instruction, small group guided instruction, and individual conferencing, children hone literacy skills and practice target strategies as they become more confident and independent readers and writers.
In writing, a workshop approach creates a learning environment where children write for authentic purposes and audiences. Children become proficient writers by practicing strategies employed by authors. Powerful writers develop through direct instruction and ample opportunities to practice craft moves. Mini lessons incorporate grammar instruction and word study. Handwriting is explicitly taught - manuscript in kindergarten, first, and second grades with cursive introduced in second grade.
Grades 3 - 4
A comprehensive literacy approach fosters high student engagement through experiences that develop proficiency in reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This approach encourages children to be reflective thinkers, expressive communicators, and thoughtful readers and writers. Explicit instruction in word study and comprehension strategies covers a range of genres as children read, analyze, and make connections with increasingly complex texts. Intermediate students increase stamina for reading, and they employ the techniques and strategies of proficient readers.
In writing, a workshop approach creates a learning environment where students write for authentic purposes and audiences. Students become powerful writers by practicing strategies employed by authors. In this evidence-based instructional design, teachers model an explicit strategy that students practice in small groups, partnerships, and independently. These lessons incorporate grammar instruction and word study in the context of authentic writing. Teachers provide feedback and coaching to help students hone their writing skills to meet their goals. Writing in intermediate grades becomes progressively more complex and is reflective of student voice through narrative, persuasive, and expository writing.
Kindergarten Through Second Grade
The math program is founded on mathematical inquiry, conceptual understanding, flexibility, and problem solving. Students develop confidence through mastery and recognize the relevance of math in daily experiences. Central to the Singapore philosophy, concrete models and visual representations provide a structure for children to manage complexity that leads to algebraic thinking. This concrete-pictorial-abstract learning progression supports mastery of concepts through real-world, hands-on experiences. Children develop flexible thinking and a deep understanding of numeracy, base ten, operations, measurement, geometry, data analysis, and algebraic thinking.
Grades 3 - 4
In intermediate grades, mathematics instruction introduces more complex concepts grounded in logical reasoning and problem-solving. Building on the primary foundation of numeracy, fluency, and base ten concepts, intermediate mathematicians solve multi-step problems of increasing complexity using visual models. The Singapore approach promotes mathematical inquiry, flexible thinking, and confidence through mastery, emphasizing mathematics concepts in authentic experiences. Central to the philosophy, concrete models and visual representations provide a structure for children to manage complexity that leads to algebraic thinking. With flexible thinking and mathematical problem solving as the central focus of this framework, a concrete-pictorial-abstract learning progression supports mastery of concepts through real-world, hands-on experiences. Children develop mathematical thinking and a deep understanding of conceptual meaning in addition to procedural knowledge and skills to solve authentic problems.
Kindergarten Through Second Grade
The primary program emphasizes the joy of discovery, as students engage in topics that encourage them to explore the world around them. Scientific inquiry and design thinking are vital elements of the program. Hands-on, inquiry-based exploration cultivates curiosity as we prepare the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders. Children model engaged citizens, scientists, and engineers as they learn to question, imagine possibilities, plan and design, create prototypes, and reflect and improve their designs. Life, earth, and physical science studies are augmented by engineering, coding, and robotics in the lab. Beyond academics, our primary program fosters empathy, leadership, and social responsibility through service projects and community engagement. These experiential learning opportunities, combined with the resources of our surrounding community, help students develop a strong sense of connection and purpose. We also focus on cultivating the mindsets and habits of scholars, encouraging children to approach learning with curiosity, resilience, and a growth mindset, thereby laying the groundwork for their future academic and personal success.
Primary students develop an understanding of citizenship by learning about matters relevant to our school, and they broaden their understanding by exploring their curiosities about our communities and our neighbors in Downtown Franklin.
Grades 3 - 4
The STEM program is inquiry-based, involving investigations into life, earth, and physical sciences, as well as engineering, coding, and robotics. Scientific inquiry and engineering design are vital elements of the program. Hands-on, inquiry-based scientific exploration cultivates curiosity as we prepare the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders. Children model scientists and engineers as they learn to question, imagine possibilities, plan and design, create prototypes, and reflect and improve their designs.
Opportunities abound to extend learning beyond the classroom. Outdoor gardens serve as an on-campus laboratory for life and earth science. Field experiences, such as the Corvette Museum and Mammoth Cave, offer in-depth and authentic experiences in physics and earth science.
Kindergarten Through Second Grade
Character education classes offer intentional opportunities to build character, though our values - character, scholarship, and excellence - reverberate throughout the school. Social skills, self awareness, and empathy are inherent in conversations as students learn to be good citizens. Service learning is an important component in developing a heart for others and social responsibility through service.
Grades 3 - 4
The social studies program reflects an inquiry-based approach to learning about communities, cultures, civics, history, geography, government, and global citizenship. Students are engaged as they think critically and collaborate to solve problems presented through authentic experiences. Students in intermediate grades tackle the tough issues faced by governments and cultures in a diverse society.
Students develop strategic thinking skills as they analyze challenges in the local or global community, consider various approaches and perspectives, and identify effective solutions. Entrepreneurial characteristics like creativity and persistence are fostered as children identify problems, investigate solutions, and build product prototypes or pinpoint services to solve problems. Students hone their oral and written communication skills as they present their findings to community members.
The focus on mindsets and habits of scholars encourages resilience, accountability, collaboration, and presentation skills, with opportunities for students to engage in creative projects such as “Shark Tank”- style presentations, enhancing both their academic and interpersonal abilities.
Character education continues to be a central component, emphasizing leadership, empathy, perspective-taking, and ethical decision-making as students prepare for the next stages of their academic and personal journeys.
VISUAL ARTS
The art program offers exploration of various media and creative processes while establishing a strong foundation in visual art. Each child’s unique creative expression will be recognized, encouraged, and supported through projects that explore various forms of mediums while considering art of the past and present. While celebrating their individuality, children achieve personal confidence that fosters positivity throughout their lives. The art studio cultivates an environment where curiosity and creativity thrive, and children develop original expression.
MUSIC
The music program is a child-centered, energetic, and engaging instrumental and vocal program that provides opportunities for children to create, perform, respond, and connect through musical elements. The diverse repertoire of music and activities include singing, playing instruments, reading and writing music, arranging, improvising, dramatizing, and active listening. Music nurtures the whole child, fostering creative and critical thinking skills, collaborative teamwork, self-discipline, emotional maturity, and self-expression. Opportunities are designed to encourage a lifelong love of music.
- PRIMARY: Singing, playing musical instruments (i.e. xylophones, percussion), reading music, creating music, exploring music in the context of history and culture, analyzing and describing music.
- INTERMEDIATE: Singing, playing musical instruments (i.e. recorder, ukulele, xylophones, percussion), reading music, creating music, exploring music in the context of history and culture, analyzing and describing music.
WELLNESS
The wellness program focuses on developing physical fitness, fostering positive attitudes about physical activity and athletics, and building a foundation for a healthy lifestyle.This holistic approach combines motor skill development, body management, balance and flexibility, nutrition, and overall fitness that benefits all students. Fundamental manipulative skills, such as throwing, catching, dribbling, and kicking, are incorporated into developmentally appropriate activities, and the values of teamwork and good sportsmanship are emphasized. Children learn the importance of physical fitness and wellness while engaging in healthy, physically active lifestyles.
- PRIMARY: Foundation for lifelong healthy habits; fitness; locomotor skills; non-locomotor skills; body management, balance and flexibility; fundamental sports skills; good sportsmanship; nutrition and illness prevention.
- INTERMEDIATE: Foundation for lifelong healthy habits; fitness components: aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition; sport-specific skills; rhythmic competency; social skills; good sportsmanship; nutrition and illness prevention
SPANISH LANGUAGE
The Spanish program is a language acquisition model that balances Spanish language proficiency with cultural competency. Students develop an enthusiasm for learning language, appreciating cultures, and recognizing global perspectives. The Spanish curriculum develops the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing through conversations, visuals, movement, songs, and games.
- PRIMARY: Students are introduced to the target language and culture. Songs, games, and movement maintain student interest in an engaging class.
- INTERMEDIATE: Students practice the target language by listening and speaking. Instruction includes varied teaching methods, such as conversations, visuals, movement, songs, and games. Students are assessed based on the World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages and will achieve novice level proficiency by 4th grade.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Character is one of our three core values, and nurturing character in our students is a key part of our mission. Daily integration of character lessons promote values such as empathy, respect, perspective-taking, and responsibility while nurturing a caring heart in service to others.
LIBRARY PROGRAM
The library/media program encourages a love of reading, appreciation for literature, and digital literacy skills. Basic research skills are introduced using a variety of print and digital resources. Destiny, our web-based online catalog, allows students to access the library collection as well as online resources from school or home.
- PRIMARY: Primary grades enjoy a designated library class and opportunities to check out books during flexible library times.
- INTERMEDIATE: Intermediate grades have a designated library class and a media class where they hone digital literacy skills through collaborative projects that combine information, media, and technology skills with digital citizenship.