Lower School (Grades PK-5)

English language arts (ELA) is one of our core academic subjects in Lower School. Classes are dedicated to students enhancing their reading comprehension, fluency, phonics, and writing skills. Journal writing, critical literary analysis, Writer’s Workshop, and instilling a love of reading are essential to a Lower School language arts education. 

Lower School students learn about the people, places, and events that shape our world. Our social studies curriculums foster engagement with important concepts such as stereotypes, social justice, geography, and cooperative learning. Even our youngest learners are continually asked to reflect and to answer how and why. Students learn history from ancient Egypt, the Indigenous Piscataway people, Greek mythologies, the American Revolution, and more.

Lower School students enhance their mathematical foundation and skills in a number of ways by using math manipulatives, engaging in math games, completing worksheets, deconstructing word problems, and more. Students develop their skills in estimation, number sense, mental math, place value, fractions, multiplication/division, and quantitative and abstract reasoning.

Lower School scientists are encouraged to be inquisitive and curious stewards of the Earth as a reflection of our Quaker identity. The science curriculum integrates with homeroom classes, aligns with current science standards, and is designed to provide students with hands-on science experiences in a structured environment. All students spend time observing, exploring, predicting, and discussing experiences in the classroom and outdoors. In celebration of diversity, students continue to develop an appreciation for differences in the natural and human world, and continue to reflect on how their personal choices affect the environment and people around the world. Students have exposure and experience with elements of engineering and design, biology, chemistry, and the scientific process.

Being able to gather and discern information is essential for all aspects of learning. Library and Technology are the heart of that work. Students learn to engage in discussions of a variety of types of literature, locate information in an encyclopedia or our digital library, expand their word processing skills, create animations, videos, graphs, and more. Our librarians and tech integrator are also able to be a resource for teachers when they are creating their unit plans, changing their classroom libraries, or preparing for an upcoming project.

In Spanish class, students practice understanding and speaking Spanish through conversations, storytelling, and some writing as well. Our Spanish program is not only dedicated to learning and becoming familiar with the Spanish language, but also to the cultures and people from Spanish-speaking countries. We sing, dance, cook, and take virtual trips to El Salvador, Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and other Spanish-speaking countries. Students have the option in Middle School to continue their knowledge of Spanish or try a new language in either French or Russian.

Art - Lower School art students explore art deeply through a variety of tools and learn how to manipulate these tools while exploring several processes. The curriculum integrates with what the students are learning in social studies. Students experiment with drawing, painting, printing, sculpting with mixed media and clay, puppetry, as well as fiber arts.

Music (2-5) - In music class, students work to master musical concepts and expand their music literacy, including rhythm symbols, composition, and transcription. Students practice learned concepts using pitched barred instruments, drums, and participate in activities such as songs, movement, dance, and games. These activities are chosen from different cultures and different time periods. Students create music using music technology and music-making apps. Our music activities address both skill-based objectives and literacy objectives. Twice a year, students showcase their skills in a concert!

3rd-Grade Exploratory Music: 3rd-grade students engage in exploratory music where they have their first opportunity to learn and use a formal instrument, from violins, trumpets, cellos, and more. This helps 3rd graders make the decision for what instrument they would like to play in 4th and 5th grade during Bandestra.

Bandestra (4th and 5th) - Starting in 4th grade, students are introduced to Bandestra. This class provides students with the opportunity to study a band or orchestral instrument of their choice, including violin, viola, cello, bass (orchestra), or flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and percussion (band). Each student is issued (without fee) a School instrument, the necessary consumables to get started (reeds, rosin, oil, etc.), and a method book for online instruction. Between lessons, home practice will be essential for success. Recent brain research documents many amazing benefits that accrue from learning to play a musical instrument. Students continue this learning in the 5th grade with the same instrument. Fourth and fifth grades meet in our Upper School rehearsal rooms, helping paint a picture of the performance opportunities they will have as they continue their journey at Friends.

Health, safety, and movement skills form the basis of our physical education program. Through a variety of class structures, students explore dance, relaxation techniques, and balance, as well as individual and team sports, with an emphasis on establishing lifelong fitness goals.

The Lower School also celebrates its annual Field Day, where our Pre-K through 5th-grade students showcase their communication, athletic, and team-building skills through games, obstacles, and sports.