Upper Elementary (Grades 4 and 5)
Whole class, small group and individual work continue to shape the reading and writing program for Upper Elementary students. Children work in self-selected reading groups as well as teacher designated groups, developing a sense of self and strength as readers. Students lead literature discussions with increased skill as they negotiate meaning of complex narratives and expository texts. Students consider large themes across multiple texts, comparing and contrasting elements of story and structures of expository texts as they become insiders in the world of reading.
The Upper Elementary writing student write across a wide range of genre with an understanding of craft and mechanics(spelling and grammar) that allows them to express themselves artfully and communicate with clarity. Now familiar with the process of writing, Upper Elementary writers develop flexibility and expertise as they spend more time on refining their writing during extended revisions. Vocabulary instruction continues to be intricately linked to writing and discussion skills.
In social studies for the young child has focused on the complexity of cultures and a lens of compassion for others. These two facets of early social studies education provide the bedrock for Upper Elementary students’ study of culture clashes. The students’ content knowledge, perspective of compassion and understanding, coupled with their developmental stage make this a ripe time to investigate the political overlay and its effect on cultures. The Upper Elementary student shows leadership in the identification, planning and implementation of local and global service projects. The organizing theme for Upper Elementary social studies is Conflict and Change.
This theme is echoed in the Upper Elementary study of systems, adaptations, and disruption in science. Science incorporates the study of life, earth and physical science content, science processes, tools of investigation and politics. 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. Students are engaged in complex guided inquiry and content discussion. Service projects and outdoor education highlight the ability to adapt when systems are disrupted and to develop solutions locally and globally.
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 continues to be applied to everyday use and will be 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.
Students to read, write, and speak in Spanish and Mandarin. Upper Elementary students play and compose at the keyboard and sing in the whole-school choir. Upper Elementary students often accompany choir with the keyboard or instruments that are part of their independent study. Upper Elementary students explore the arts as subjects of study, as well as ways of composing their growing understanding of the world and themselves. Movement classes incorporate balance, strength, grace, and skill as students expand their personal repertoire of physical competence and expression in yoga, karate and outdoor games.
