Lower School Courses

Our deep and diverse academic coursework—featuring accelerated work in science, engineering, technology and mathematics—is uniquely designed for the intellectually curious; preparing them for our challenging Upper School.

​All of our Lower School classes are delivered in block-schedule and each meet for 85 minute sessions.

Lower School Courses

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Language Arts: Writing, Grammar, and Literature
Each year, students work on grammar, writing, and reading literature, both English literature and literature from around the world. 

• Language Arts 4 & 5
  • Year A (2019-2020): Fairy Tales & Myths
  • Year B (2020-2021): Jr. Great Books 5 and Alice, Peter, and the Mole Trilogy
• Language Arts 6: Great Books Roundtable 1& Search Trilogy
• Language Arts 7: Great Books Roundtable 2 & Fog Trilogy
• Language Arts 8: Great Books Roundtable 3 & Shadow Trilogy
• Electives

Humanities: History, Social Studies, and Nonfiction 

• 4th & 5th Grades
  • Year A (2019-2020): Foundations of U.S. History: Pre-Colonial Times to 1865
  • Year B (2020-2021): World History: Science Throughout History: 14th - 19th Centuries
• 6th Grade: World History: Ancient History Through Modern Times
  
• 7th Grade:  U.S. History: 1860s - 1960s
• 8th Grade: U.S. Civics and Government
• Electives

​Community 
Each year, students work on developing a growth mindset, understanding perfectionism, managing emotions, study skills, digital citizenship, and gratitude. Students also undetake a community service project.  

​Mathematics

• Blended Classroom: Math 4, Math 5, Math 6, Math 7, PreAlgebra
• HS Algebra I (Honors)
• HS Honors Geometry
• HS Algebra II (Honors)
• Electives

Science (3x week)

• 4th & 5th Grades: Earth Science
  • Year A (2019-2020): Mineralogy, Geology, Geomorphology, plate tectonics, Meteorology, and Oceanography
  • Year B (2020-2021): Ecology, Wetlands, Climate, and Planetary Science
• 6th Grade: Honors Biology
• 7th Grade: Honors Chemistry
• 8th Grade: Honors Algebra-Based Physics
• Electives

Computer Science 
Each year, students work on progressively more challenging projects to cover each of these units: Computational Thinking, Robotics, Cybersecurity, Computer Science Fundamentals, and Problem Solving.

• Computer Science 4 & 5
  • Year A (2019-2020): Computer Science Foundations
  • Year B (2020-2021): Computational Design Introduction
• Computer Science 6 
• Computer Science 7 
• Computer Science 8 
• Electives

​Engineering 

• Engineering 4 & 5
  • Year A (2019-2020): Introduction to Environmental, Civil, Electrical, Transportation, Mechanical, and Materials Engineering
  • Year B (2020-2021): Introduction to Industrial, Bioengineering, Acoustical, Ocean, Aeronautical, Aerospace, Biomedical, and Civil Engineering
• Engineering  6: Engineering Foundations 
• Engineering  7: Engineering Explorations
• Engineering  8: Engineering Creations with CAD/CAM 
• Electives

Physical Education 

Electives: Foreign Language

•  Spanish
  • Enrichment Spanish 
  • HS Spanish I 
• Mandarin Chinese
  • Enrichment Chinese 
  • HS Chinese I

Electives: Fine & Performing Arts

• Art 101 & 102
• Photography 101 & 102
• Theater
• Improv
• A Capella
• Digital Music Production
• Drumming
• Groove Lab