Learning for Students Ages 4-10
Our younger students will spend their day exploring the topics of writing, science, history, music, art, and gym through hands-on and visual learning activities that keep their minds and bodies engaged. Forty-five-minute class times allow for deeper study and more extended experiments and demonstrations.
Within the group, we teach the older students and adjust activities and work for the younger students. Activities are age/grade appropriate so we can challenge the oldest of the group yet engage the youngest. This year, lessons will occur as a group, and then, if needed, students will be split up into two groups—pre-readers and writers and those reading and writing—for appropriate activities to reinforce the lesson.
We are excited to introduce our children to our country’s story, vermicomposting, and the world of plants, beat, rhythm, and how to use their bodies as instruments, new songs, color, line, texture, and different mediums for painting.
Just as important as academics are the social/emotional learning that comes through peer interactions, relationships, learning how to interact and behave in a group setting, and the critical character development that happens during group learning.
The Friday Schedule
9:00 a.m- Students arrive, and the day will be opened with prayer. We will then move through a devotional as a large group.
9:30 am— Our science class is studying Botany this year! We have also been awarded a grant from Cornell University’s Ag in the Classroom program and will be doing a year-long vermicomposting project, culminating in a final garden project to witness the benefits of compost-amended soil.
10:30 am- We will be loosely using the Brave Writer curriculum to introduce our elementary-aged students to literature, creative writing and the writing process.
11:15 am- In music, the focus is actively working all the muscles that grow strong musicians: beat and rhythm, ear training, and creative instruction. Using mainly their voices and bodies as instruments, students will experience choral pieces, improv, and write their own songs.
12:00 pm— Lunch has a purpose this year. Since the older students are studying American History, we will show the Liberty Kids episodes while the younger students are eating lunch.
12:30 pm-
1:00 pm- Our art class uses the Evan-Moor How to Teach Art to Children curriculum book as a jumping off point. We use lessons from this book to ensure each student is learning the elements of art: line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space. We will also do larger art projects throughout the year demonstrating the skills we have learned, so that each student will have a small portfolio of work by the year’s end.
1:45 pm- Reminiscent of library story time, Mrs Miller comes to read stories to the younger group of kids while the older group finishes their music class. There are also quiet activities set out for little ones who don’t want to sit for a story.
2:30 pm- Clean-up and dismissal time.