Curriculum

List of 9 items.

• Computer Science

  The Lower School Computer Science program’s objective is to develop innovative and imaginative skills in computer science and to foster an interest in the use of technology as a tool for productivity and creativity. Students at each grade level learn fundamental skills in digital citizenship and global awareness, productivity programs such as Google Apps and Microsoft Office, collaboration, cloud computing, block-based programming, robotics, keyboarding, and troubleshooting skills. Grades 1 and 2 use iPads, and grades 3 and 4 use Windows laptops. In all grades, students spend time learning in the corresponding classroom with designated portable technology.

• English

  The Lower School Language Arts program emphasizes skills in reading, writing, and speaking. In first grade, students are taught to put spoken language into written form. Then in-class lessons expand and reinforce skills in the areas of composition, handwriting, listening, speaking, and spelling. Students develop into independent readers with good silent-reading comprehension. A phonetic approach to reading and spelling is used primarily but not to the exclusion of other methods. Language arts classes in second, third, and fourth grades develop previously taught skills along with a wide range of new skills and a continuing emphasis on reading comprehension, composition (including proofreading and summarizing), vocabulary-building, grammar, and spelling. Organizational and study skills are also emphasized, and throughout the language arts program, children are exposed to good literature. Developing strong writing skills is considered a vital element in our curriculum throughout Lower School. In fourth grade, students begin our humanities program. This combination of language arts, social studies, and study skills is developmentally appropriate for the boys, and it helps prepare them for further humanities work in Middle School.

   

• Fine Arts

  Lower School Creative Arts – Classes help students become more visually and aesthetically aware. Students learn the basic art elements and language as they grow in their appreciation of art. They gain confidence and skill in using two- and three-dimensional art materials and become familiar with the work of various artists. Guest speakers and visual presentations enhance the program.

  
  Lower School Dramatics – Throughout grades 1-4, students learn the fundamentals of theater with an emphasis on creative collaboration. Using improvisation, puppetry, playwrighting, scene study and theater games, the students develop theatrical skills to successfully perform a show each year as part of their fine arts evenings. The performers will bring stories to life by working with folktales from around the world, musical theater, and even exploring classic works like Shakespeare. Through play-based learning and teamwork, students build confidence in public speaking, communication skills, and a deeper appreciation for storytelling across cultures and time.

  
  Lower School Music – Lower School Music students in grades 1 through 3 are actively involved with the elements of music through singing, listening, moving, creating, performing, and evaluating. They explore the process of building ensembles through an adaptation of Orff-Kodaly techniques and the use of instruments. They are exposed to various styles of music performances and receive beginning recorder instruction.

   

  NOTE: At the conclusion of Grade 3, a selection process takes place to aid the placement of students in choir, creative music, or stringsfor fourth grade.

   

  Novice Choir – This group of fourth-grade boys shares a special aptitude for singing and an interest in accelerating their vocal skills. Choir members study the performance and notation of music and develop vocal techniques. They learn the rudiments of singing and sight-reading through principles developed in Anglican choirs through the centuries. The boys lead singing in chapel and participate in the St. Mark’s Choir.
  
  

  Preparatory Strings – This class is for fourth graders who have not had previous instruction in playing a string instrument (violin, viola, and cello). A traditional music reading approach is used, with emphasis on correct technique and playing position. Instruments may be rented from the School, and there is a performance by the strings group in the spring.

  
  Music Exploration – Fourth-Grade Music Exploration class is a continuation of the spiral music curriculum which began in Grade 1. It includes the musical exploration of melodic and non-melodic percussion instruments. There is a weekly study of music theory, notation, and sight-reading. The study of composers and their music continues on a monthly basis. Singing, dancing, listening, and composing, as well as continued study of the recorder are elements of this class. At least two performances take place each year.

• Language

  The Lower School Spanish Studies Program focuses on both Hispanic culture and the Spanish language. The goals of the program include an initial understanding of the language, a clear sense of confidence and success at learning a foreign language, and a greater awareness of life in Hispanic communities. Boys begin the language in first grade and continue their studies through fourth grade. This program also provides the boys with a positive foreign language experience that is a foundation for further study.

• Library

  The Lower School librarian organizes classes once a week for boys in each grade. The librarian encourages boys to read a wide range of books and promotes the life-long habit of reading for recreation and information gathering. Lessons include the necessary skills for independent use of libraries. Students in all grade levels are taught to efficiently search the online library catalog.

  
  With students in the first grade, the librarian shares literature related to various subjects taught in the classroom. These titles include classics, folklore, current publications and Caldecott winners. The students also learn the difference between fiction and nonfiction books, and how to locate these books in the library.

  
  The second graders review the use of the online library catalog adding a slight level of complexity to their searches. They learn the arrangement of nonfiction books, and are introduced to our online subscription resources. These databases are specifically chosen for their appropriateness of grade level.

  
  In the third grade, the boys continue to hone their research skills using the online catalog and our subscription databases. They learn the basics of website evaluation to determine the accuracy, or lack of accuracy, of information found on the Internet. They are also introduced to our collection of electronic books via Overdrive. Lessons are presented on logging in, searching for titles and checking out ebooks. The boys participate in the Texas Bluebonnet Award program and vote for their favorite book in January.

  
  The fourth grade uses the library throughout the year to work on research projects related to the humanities, science, and Spanish curriculums. They use previously learned skills to find information in both print and electronic resources. The use of Overdrive, website evaluation and participation in the Texas Bluebonnet Award program continues.

  
  During each grade level’s weekly library time, all students may check out library books to take home. The library is also available to students during the day and before and after school for research and/or book checkout. Parents are encouraged to check out additional books for their children at any time.

• Mathematics

  The Lower School mathematics students learn the four whole-number operations in a step-by-step approach which seeks to develop mastery by the end of grade four. Number sense develops over time; therefore, students receive regular opportunities to identify a number by an attribute (e.g., odd, even, prime, composite), see relationships between numbers, and develop flexibility in thinking about numbers. At each level, students read and solve word problems using the number operations that they are learning. Place value, estimation, measurement, algebra, geometry, fractions, and concepts of numbers are introduced and reinforced. Frequent use of manipulative objects teaches concepts and reinforces understanding. In first grade, addition and subtraction are introduced. Students work extensively on multi-digit addition and subtraction, and the concept of place value is taught. This work is extended during second grade along with the introduction of more complex, multi-step problem solving, multiplication and division. In third grade, multiplication and division are emphasized, including the multiplication and division facts, long division with remainders, and two-digit multiplication. In fourth grade, the goal is for students to comprehend and apply whole-number theory which is taught and reinforced throughout the curriculum in grades one through four. Students develop their understanding of algebraic concepts and thinking as well as their mental math ability. Additionally, they further strengthen their understanding of numbers and the effects that operations have on numbers.

• Physical Education

  The Lower School Physical Education Program includes movement experience and body mechanics, rhythmic activities, simple game activities and relays, apparatus, stunts, tumbling, swimming, water safety, and water polo. In the third grade, we begin to place greater emphasis on sports skills and activities. Similarly, the fourth-grade program supplements the previous items with fitness routines and activities.

   

• Science

  The Lower School Science curriculum provides the boys with hands-on, minds-in experiences, introducing and teaching all aspects of science and how it relates to technology, reading, and writing, engineering, the arts, and mathematics. By using the scientific method, design thinking, and the engineering/design process, the program fosters curiosity, inventiveness, perseverance, and enthusiasm. The boys discover, problem-solve, and reflect on earth and space science, physical science, and life science. The curriculum includes virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), where appropriate, as well as rapid prototyping using a laser cutter, computer-aided design (CAD), and 3D printing. Classes are held in the world-class Winn Science Center which includes a dedicated Lower School science lab, a makerspace, and planetarium. In first grade, there is emphasis on physical science and the solar system while also learning specifically about the five senses, phases of the moon, and plants and light. Our second-grade curriculum covers the water cycle and animal adaptations with special attention to the environment. In third grade, we study simple machines, food chains, body systems, and design; the boys garden and learn about sustainability. Our fourth-grade curriculum includes research projects and design and build projects focusing on the study of the rock cycle, outer space, and magnetism.

• Social Studies

  The Lower School Social Studies curriculum is designed to introduce skills and to foster an understanding of the basic foundation skills of social studies: geography, history, sociology, anthropology, economics, and political science. The first-year curriculum is centered on learning about families and neighborhoods and on exploration and discovery. Students work with maps and learn about our country’s history. The second-year focuses on communities; students study their own community in Dallas, Texas. Map skills, geography, and the structure of our government are also included. Third-grade students study the use and conservation of natural resources and participate in related projects. The students also study how the people of the Netherlands and Nepal care for their land, solve problems at their national parks, and manage their resources. The fourth grade uses a humanities curriculum that focuses on Texas; the boys study the history, geography, and people of our state. World geography is also an area of focus. Appropriate map skills are taught at all grade levels in the Lower School.