Lower School Overview

We view Grades 2, 3, 4, and 5 at Woodlawn as a prime opportunity to prepare our students for the rigor and new way of thinking that characterizes our middle school curriculum. With gentle nudging, students begin to learn how to find answers and respond to challenges for themselves.

Students in 4th and 5th grades do not stay in a contained class the entire day. Instead, they enjoy the freedom and independence of moving from class to class experiencing the advantages of having specialists in each of their core and enrichment classes. Their core classes consist of language arts, social studies, science, and mathematics. Students also rotate through enrichment classes in visual arts, Spanish, life skills, life sports, and music. The curriculum, like our middle-school’s, is project-based. Children are encouraged to become active learners. They read, write, perform, solve problems, and create on a daily basis. Frequent off campus experiences such as field trips and community service opportunities allow our students to learn in real-world settings. Driven by the social studies curriculum and the grade specific Essential Question, the students frequently integrate their learning through writing, science, and the arts.

Essential Questions:

Second Grade:  What is my role in the community?

Third Grade: How do communities change over time?

Fourth Grade: How does where/when we live influence how we live?

Fifth Grade: What is the world made of?

In addition to meeting our academic standards, students leaving our lower school program will be equipped with the skills necessary to be successful in our middle school program. They will have the ability to:

• act responsibly
• problem-solve
• recognize other’s points of view with respect
• organize information
• cooperate with groups of peers
• be flexible

Lower School Supply List