Upper Elementary(Grades 3-5)

GRADES 3-5

The Upper Elementary program asks students to expand their skills and knowledge by exploring new topics in greater depth and continuing to build a strong foundation in basic academic skills.

Curriculum:

• Reading: ISW uses high-quality children’s literature to teach reading. Typically, our students read 8 to 10 books per year. Previous titles have included: See Saw Girl, Frindle, Number the Stars, The Penderwicks, and The Secret Garden.

• Language Arts: a writing-intensive approach with an emphasis on grammar, spelling, handwriting, and composition
• Math: Pearson’s MCP Math
• Science: Based on Science and Technology Concepts , developed by the National Science Resource Center, the National Academies of Science, and the Smithsonian
• Social Studies: a three-year rotation among United States history, early modern global history, and 20th-century-to-present global history
• Performing Arts: drama, poetry, dance, choral music, and public speaking
• Studio Art: weekly classes integrated with other studies
• Experiential Ed: weekly workshops, speakers, community events, and service projects

Key Elements in ISW’s Upper Elementary program:

• Small class size with hands-on learning
• Multi-age classrooms that allow students to learn to lead and to follow
• Individual attention
• Joyful, loving atmosphere
• Opportunity to work independently and in groups
• Mastery learning rather than traditional grades
• Student-paced work.
• Technology, beginning in 5th grade, including Google Classroom