Home > Pre-K - 8th > Elementary > Elementary Curriculum

ELEMENTARY CURRICULUM

Personalized Language Arts
A student's learning style determines the best individualized reading approach. Every afternoon, each student reads independently, a practice that improves skills and fosters reading for pleasure. In addition, reading skill activities are completed individually or in skill groups.  Literature groups introduce students to many genres of writing.

Writing skills are emphasized.  Daily writing topics include both student-selected subjects and teacher-directed assignments.   Students create journals, poems, short plays and stories.

Hands-On Mathematics
Math at New Morning means manipulatives.  Methods for concretely counting, adding, multiplying and dividing, and fractions are used hand in hand with a paper and pencil approach. Geometry, measurement, time and word problems round out the program.

Social Sciences
Children learn to get along with peers and adults.  Student responsibility to the group is part of the social science curriculum.  Additionally, students receive instruction in geography, history, current events and map reading.  The process of learning is emphasized along with the subject matter. 

Annual themes have included:

• Inventors

• Explorers of the 1400s

• Lewis and Clark

• The Oregon Trail

• The Underground Railroad
• Japan

Computer Expertise
Computer skills are integrated into the daily classroom schedule.  Children use the computers for skill reinforcement and as an information gathering tool.  Beginning keyboarding, word processing, spreadsheet and multimedia skills are introduced. 

Museum Studies
Each winter, a student museum is developed with children choosing individual subjects of interest.  Topics are researched and shared in creative displays and multi-media presentations.  Skills are integrated as students read, write, graph, measure, draw and make models.  These in-depth studies and displays are shared with families and the community on Museum day.

Field Trips
Field trips augment units of classroom study.  Recent trips have included outings to the Marquis Theater, Lansing Hands-On Museum, Belle Isle Aquarium and the Detroit Science Center.

Specialized Curriculum
Students meet regularly to explore the subjects listed below.

Science
Science is taught outside the regular classroom.  Experiments and hands-on activities support group discussion, making science fun, challenging and interesting.

Spanish
Spanish class exposes children to the oral and written language as well as cultural information.

Music
Younger students participate in vocal music.  Older students may elect band. Performances are scheduled three times during the school year.

Art
Students experiment with various art media and techniques through weekly art instruction.   They are encouraged to be creative.

Physical Education
Physical education classes at school develop students' large motor skills and improve their cardiovascular health.

Back to Elementary Main Page