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At LWA, Lower School is a place of energy and excitement for our students. Children learn foundational skills that set them up for success as they progress through the grades. Learning is personalized, and each student is met at their entry point with our small class size. Teachers are warm and nurturing and know each student very well. In addition to academics, we know that students need to be supported so that they are in a positive frame of mind to learn, so we focus on the social and emotional learning needs of our students. We truly believe that through our programs and with our talented faculty and staff that students will be lifelong learners and good decision makers who make positive contributions to their classroom community, our school community and the community at large.
Guided Reading is a designated class period where small-group instruction is conducted. Students are grouped together based upon their instructional level. The teacher assigns appropriate books/texts and work to support each reader’s development. Guided Reading enables students to read more challenging texts with assistance.
Several times weekly, students participate in Visual Arts, Theater and Music gaining exposure in all three areas from our award winning Arts teachers.
Wellness: At the start of the day, students check in with their teacher/advisor and advisors check in on students. Students participate in the Move This World wellness program which incorporates strategies for students to check in on and regulate their emotions and to be ready for the day ahead.
Community Meeting: Focus is on social and emotional learning. Students participate in the Harmony program where they engage in lessons and units of study around topics such as Diversity and Inclusion, Empathy and Critical Thinking, Communication, Problem Solving and Peer Relationships.
Physical Education- Students learn about and engage in activities that promote wellness, movement and teamwork.
KINDERGARTEN
Literacy: LWA uses the Balanced Literacy approach to learning reading, writing , listening and speaking skills. Using the “I do, we do, you do” philosophy, students see reading and writing modeled for them, share in the reading and writing with the teacher, are coached through guided reading and writing, practice independently and are actively engaged in phonics and word study. Students are truly learning to read so that they can read to learn. Students are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text which includes social studies and science content. Rich discussions and frequent sharing of ideas are also a part of the learning as we emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills.
Mathematics –. Students learn math from a conceptual perspective using critical thinking and reasoning. Math topics are explored through teacher modeling and guided practice as well as through math games and hand-on activities. Students are exposed to and develop math language through math talk and reading math themed books. Students tackle word problems having frequent opportunities to share their pathway to the final answer. Their thinking and solution path is just as important as the answer.
Social Studies- Students study “Self and Others” They learn about their immediate surroundings in school, about similarities and differences between children, families and communities and about holidays, symbols and traditions that unite us. They learn about respect for each other and the rights and responsibilities of individuals. They learn this through reading and writing together, having discussions, working on hands-on projects and celebrating traditions and holidays.
Science--. All students are curious about the world they live in. They are scientists. Science helps students to understand the world around them, to investigate and explain why and how things happen. We encourage our students to observe, ask questions, collect data, construct
explanations, predict, experiment, reach conclusions and share their findings. Topics covered in Kindergarten include the weather, solids and liquids, the environment, and motion of objects.
STEAM Students have the opportunity to explore and have hands-on experiences while learning science, engineering, math and technology skills. They work on various projects which enable them to investigate, design and build. These experiences help to broaden their thinking and outlook giving them experiences that may motivate them in STEM based careers.
GRADE 1
Literacy- LWA uses the Balanced Literacy approach to learning reading, writing , listening and speaking skills. Using the “I do, we do, you do” philosophy, students see reading and writing modeled for them, share in the reading and writing with the teacher, are coached through guided reading and writing, practice independently and are actively engaged in phonics and word study. Students are learning to read in this grade so that they are on the pathway of reading to learn. Students are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text which includes social studies and science content. Rich discussions and frequent sharing of ideas are also a part of the learning as we emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills.
Mathematics-Students learn math from a conceptual perspective using critical thinking and reasoning. Math topics are explored through teacher modeling and guided practice as well as through math games and hand-on activities. Students are exposed to and develop math language through math talk and reading math themed books. Students tackle word problems having frequent opportunities to share their pathway to the final answer. Their thinking and solution path is just as important as the answer.
Social Studies-– Students continue to study topics that were started in Kindergarten around family but there is a deeper focus. Students examine their own families and other families in the present and long ago. They learn through reading and writing, discussion and sharing, and through projects about why families are important and how they influence who we are, how families change and grow over time, about communities and how jobs and money affect communities.
Science- All students are curious about the world they live in. They are scientists. Science helps students to understand the world around them, to investigate and explain why and how things happen. We encourage our students to observe, ask questions, collect data, construct explanations, predict, experiment, reach conclusions and share their findings. Topics covered in grade 1 include exploring light and solar patterns, light sound and waves and structures and behaviors in living things.
GRADE 2
Literacy–. LWA uses the Balanced Literacy approach to learning reading, writing , listening and speaking skills. Using the “I do, we do, you do” philosophy, students see reading and writing modeled for them, share in the reading and writing with the teacher, are coached through guided reading and writing, practice independently and are actively engaged in phonics and word study. Students are now reading to learn. Students are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text which includes social studies and science content. Rich discussions and frequent sharing of ideas are also a part of the learning as we emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills.
Mathematics--. Students learn math from a conceptual perspective using critical thinking and reasoning. Math topics covered include operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base 10, measurement and data, and geometry. Students explore math through inquiry, using math language and playing math games in addition to the teacher modeling math concepts and guided practice for students along the way. Students tackle word problems having frequent opportunities to share their pathway to the final answer. Their thinking and solution path is just as important as the answer.
Social Studies-– Students in grade 2 focus on my community and other communities. Through reading and writing, discussions and projects, students learn how geography influences where people live and why and how and why communities change over time. They also explore how communities are the same and different as well as learn about what government is and why people need laws.
Science –-. All students are curious about the world they live in. They are scientists. Science helps students to understand the world around them, to investigate and explain why and how things happen. We encourage our students to observe, ask questions, collect data, construct explanations, predict, experiment, reach conclusions and share their findings. Topics covered in grade 2 include properties and patterns of water, changes to land over time and plant and animal interactions.
GRADE 3
Literacy –LWA uses the Balanced Literacy approach to learning reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. Using the “I do, we do, you do” philosophy, students see reading and writing modeled for them, share in the reading and writing with the teacher, are coached through guided reading and writing, practice independently and are actively engaged in phonics and word study. Students are reading to learn. Students are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text which includes social studies and science content. Rich discussions and frequent sharing of ideas are also a part of the learning as we emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills.
Mathematics-– Students learn math from a conceptual perspective using critical thinking and reasoning. Math topics covered include operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base 10, fractions, measurement and data, and geometry. Students explore math through inquiry, using math language and playing math games in addition to the teacher modeling math concepts and guided practice for students along the way. Students tackle word problems having frequent opportunities to share their pathway to the final answer. Their thinking and solution path is just as important as the answer.
Social Studies The focus in grade 3 is communities around the world. Students learn about geography and why it matters. They also learn about how culture, geography and history shape a community and explore world communities learning about how they are the same and how they are different. All of this is done through reading,writing, discussion and project based learning.
Science – All students are curious about the world they live in. They are scientists. Science helps students to understand the world around them, to investigate and explain why and how things happen. We encourage our students to observe, ask questions, collect data, construct explanations, predict, experiment, reach conclusions and share their findings. Topics covered in grade 3 include life cycles, inherited traits, diversity among organisms, organisms’ dependence/interdependence, climate and physical science.
GRADE 4
Literacy-. LWA uses the Balanced Literacy approach to learning reading, writing , listening and speaking skills. Using the “I do, we do, you do” philosophy, students see reading and writing modeled for them, share in the reading and writing with the teacher, are coached through guided reading and writing, practice independently and are actively engaged in phonics and word study. Students are reading to learn. Students are exposed to both fiction and non-fiction text which includes social studies and science content. Rich discussions and frequent sharing of ideas are also a part of the learning as we emphasize the development of listening and speaking skills.
Mathematics-. Students learn math from a conceptual perspective using critical thinking and reasoning. Math topics covered include operations and algebraic thinking, number and operations in base 10, fractions, measurement and data, and geometry. Students explore math through inquiry, using math language and playing math games in addition to the teacher modeling math concepts and guided practice for students along the way. Students tackle word problems having frequent opportunities to share their pathway to the final answer. Their thinking and solution path is just as important as the answer.
Social Studies--Students in grade four focus on New York State and Local History. They study the geography of New York State, the NativeAmerican first inhabitants of New York State, the colonial and revolutionary periods, the early years of the United States and how New York State played an important role in helping to shape the new nation. Students learn through reading, writing, discussion and through projects. They are exposed to primary and secondary source materials as they learn to think like historians.
Science – All students are curious about the world they live in. They are scientists. Science helps students to understand the world around them, to investigate and explain why and how things happen. We encourage our students to observe, ask questions, collect data, construct explanations, predict, experiment, reach conclusions and share their findings. Topics covered in grade 4 include light energy, energy and information transfer around physical and mechanical systems, waves, weathering and erosion over long periods of time and the relationship between energy and natural resources.
