Academics
Lower School
Lower School: Grades 1-4
Country School celebrates the exuberant curiosity of children. We believe true understanding is acquired when children have time to experiment, converse and create.
Engagement, Curiosity, Motivation and Hard Work
In Lower School, our students are developing focus and self-control. They are capable of a higher level of academic challenge while still experiencing the joy and wonder of learning. Our curriculum builds upon the foundational skills of literacy and computation through the exploration of literature, math, science, social studies and Spanish.
Just as important, through the use of class discussion, teachable moments and individual attention, our faculty helps students negotiate their budding social, emotional and behavioral growth.
Introduction, Practice, Mastery
Teachers intentionally design hands-on experiences and direct lessons to provoke thinking, engage conversations, foster relationships and connect ideas and concepts.
In Lower School, students continue to practice and master foundational skills while tackling more difficult concepts in deeper, more advanced levels of the same subject or in different situations in new subject matter.
Our subject-specific curricular objectives in the Lower School include:
- Language Arts: Learn to read effectively and write skillfully through a balanced approach that combines literature and phonics instruction.
- Mathematics: Learn math concepts using hands-on materials before being introduced to the corresponding abstract algorithms. Students use geometry, surveys, graphing, games and everyday problem-solving to make mathematics relevant to them.
- Science: Explore a variety of scientific fields, learning to observe and investigate the world around them.
- History and World Culture: Study cultural traditions, history, celebrations and stories which are integrated to complement social studies curriculum.
- Art/Music: Engage in movement, song and instrument play and begin to lay the groundwork for music literacy and aural skills. Older children play recorders and Orff instruments , sing in weekly chorus and are introduced to traditional band instruments.
- Foreign Language: Continue the study of Spanish, which is integrated into stories, songs, games and skits.
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Mrs. Mallin's Corner
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Lower School March Math-ness: Let the Games Begin!
The arrival of March meant only one thing for New Canaan Country School’s Lower School (Grades 1-4) families: March Math-ness! Designed to engage family and friends of all ages in a celebration of math fundamentals, the daily activities were held at-home with video tutorials and a packet containing necessary materials provided in advance.Read More -
Pandemic Self-portraits: Fourth Graders Document a Moment in Time
Nearly one full year into the pandemic, the fourth grade watercolor study has transcended the boundaries of regular art instruction and taken on a documentary quality, with each student painting a self-portrait wearing a protective mask.Read More -
Lower School Shares Silver Linings
Read MoreWhen Distance Learning began in Lower School, I gave my students an assignment: Have you ever heard the expression every cloud has a silver lining? It means that even during challenging situations, good things can come. The fact that we cannot be at school together is certainly a cloud! Your job is to think about what the silver linings are of our school buildings being closed. -
Hopes and Dreams in Lower School
Read MoreWhat a wonderful beginning we have shared! It has been a pleasure to welcome your children into our spaces and to have our classrooms and hallways properly buzzing with the joyful laughter and excited chatter of children. -
The Starfish Story: Making a Difference
Read MoreAt a recent assembly, I shared The Starfish Story with your children. For anyone unfamiliar, the story (adapted from The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley), goes like this: -
The Gift is in the Giving
I wanted to share our latest Lower School community project with you, as we will be carrying it out in these weeks before break. If you have been to LS assembly, you have likely noticed that we always open our gathering with important messaging of community. We talk overtly about what it means to be kind, how we can practice gratitude, and what it means to be our best selves.Read More -
Only One You Project Rocks Lower School
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Lower School has engaged in an inspiring and dynamic community-building project that quite literally rocks. This project, stemmed from the book Only One You, by Linda Kranz, has culminated with the creation of a meaningful and child-centered Lower School rock garden, which has our mission at its heart. -
Grade 1 Immersions – Beginning with Mindfulness
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Immersions is a new curricular initiative for our Grade 1 students designed to offer enrichment learning experiences and a deeper-dive into aspects of our program. -
Making Maker Comes Alive in Grade 1
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Innovative, hands-on, challenging, and engaging. These are just a few of the words that can be used to describe the Grade 1 Maker Program.
Lower School News
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Summer Reading
As the school year ends, it’s time to think about summer reading. Across all the school’s divisions, teachers have given a great deal of thought to creating a meaningful, and fun, summer of reading for your children. Our summer reading program emphasizes choice, giving children the opportunity to read books that interest them and explore and discover new authors and ideas. Specific requirements vary from grade to grade so please take a look at the appropriate links on the Summer Reading Resource Board.Read More -
From Sea To Shining Sea: Second Graders Cover a Lot of Ground in "States Exposition"
Second grade Social Studies students held a “States Exposition” in which they presented individual research projects and their knowledge of the five regions of the United States, including land and water forms, to parents and faculty assembled, by class, in the Welles Lower School Building, June 10. The multimedia event included video, poster board and recitations and was a culmination of their semester-long study of the United States.Read More -
Grade 4 Celebrates Ancient Greece with Performances, Essays and Art
Fourth grade students performed oral recitals by class and participated in a grade-wide video production of a traditional Greek play for parents, June 1-3. These culminating activities were part of a year-end celebration following their multidisciplinary study of ancient Greece, early democracy, myths and "The Odyssey." Dressed in costume, students also shared their final written thesis projects, along with a gallery of handmade replicas of characters and sailing vessels found in the myths and text of "The Odyssey. " View video.Read More -
3rd Graders Personify Historical Figures at Wax Museum
Read MoreThird grade social studies students performed a "Wax Museum" for parents, faculty, staff and peers in the Lower School Commons, May 26. The live performance, featuring individual oral presentations, was a culmination of a yearlong cultural identity study of how different groups came to America and contributed to the fabric of our nation. Each student selected a person of significance to research and then crafted a speech highlighting that character's lifetime achievements. Many dressed as their character or carried props to help the audience identify them. For a photo gallery of the event. -
Fourth Graders Highlight Social Activists in Multi-genre Research Project
Fourth graders prepared and shared multi-genre research projects on people who have made an impact on the world.Read More
“Jackie Robinson was an amazing baseball player and became the first African American to play in the Major League,” explained fourth grade student Topher Kern of New Canaan, at a publishing party for the grade’s multi-genre research projects held in the Lower School, March 30.
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