Elementary (Grades 2 and 3)
Whole class, small group and individual work continue to shape the reading and writing program for Elementary students. As reading competence develops, children begin to work in self-selected reading groups. Students lead discussions, assign readings and negotiate meaning with increasing independence. Students spend more time considering large themes across multiple texts, comparing and contrasting characters and plots and making connections across expository texts.
The Elementary writing students are growing in range and competence. Writers expand their repertoire to include new genres, while revisiting poetry, memoir and non-fiction. The developing writers move towards extended revisions and take more responsibility for editing. Spelling, vocabulary and grammar instruction are embedded in the students’ writing and reading workshop.
In social studies, students widen the definition of community as they continue to consider the individual within community. The students’ developing perspective is reflected in their increasing leadership in the identification, planning and implementation of local and global service projects. The organizing theme for Elementary social studies is Growth and Change.
This theme is echoed in the Elementary study of systems and seasons in science. Science incorporates the study of life, earth and physical science content, science processes and tools of investigation. Students use technology to connect their studies at The Cooper School to the work of scientists and students around the globe; collecting and comparing data while using science tools and process. Service projects and outdoor education highlight the need to plan for and respond wisely to growth and change within systems.
Our math curriculum is spiraling, so students will continue to work toward a complete understanding of number and operations, while expanding their understanding of geometry, measurement, algebra, and data analysis. Math is applied to everyday use and is integrated across the curriculum.
Spanish, mandarin, music, art, and movement will continue to be taught in a workshop format. This format allows the student to engage in a broad range of techniques, conventions and content with real purpose and increasing expertise. While all the instructional content is grounded in the theories and components essential to the full expression and understanding of these areas, instruction is developmentally appropriate.
The focus for foreign languages is the development of conversational Mandarin and Spanish and cultural studies. In addition, students will also begin to read and write in Spanish and Mandarin. Students play the keyboard and sing in whole-school choir. Elementary students often begin to accompany the school choir with the keyboard or other instruments. Elementary students explore art as subjects of study, as well as ways of composing their growing understanding of themselves. Movement classes continue to incorporate balance, strength, and grace as students expand their personal repertoire of physical competence and expression during yoga, karate, and outdoor games.
