Grade 4
Writing Workshop: This provides structured practice in the writing process–generating ideas, writing a rough draft, holding writer’s conferences, making revisions, and then publishing. Students will create stories and poems.
Art: Students will learn basic drawing techniques, and will also design and make pop-up books to illustrate their stories.
Chess: Students will learn history and geography associated with the rise of the game around the world, the movement of the pieces, and basic tactics.
Literature: While learning about the concept of Culture, students will look at ancient Greek, Roman, and Norse cultures, and see how the myths of those cultures affect us today; they will also learn history and geography that relate those cultures to the United States. Students will be introduced to basic map and globe skills.
Rockets: Students will learn about the history, structure, and function of rockets, and participate in demonstation flights.
Grade 5
Art: Students will learn watercolor techniques and the fundamentals of perspective drawing; they will then combine the two concepts in their artwork.
Geometry: Students will learn to use a protractor to measure angles, and to use a compass; then they will use those skills to draw patterns with which to make three-dimensional space forms.
Economics: Students will learn about the stock market, make hypothetical investments, and monitor their progress throughout the year, charting their progress on line graphs.