The music curriculum includes the three major areas of musical learning: appreciation, literacy, and technique/repertoire. Through a systematic study of instruments and instrumentation, students learn to appreciate first the beautiful diversity of folk music and then the logical history of art music. The goal is for each student to be able to recognize a given piece of music as either coming from a particular area or belonging to a specific era. Students are also taught to become literate in – that is, able to read and write – music. Performance of repertoire, whether exhibiting proper vocal or instrumental technique, happens as an extension of the student’s ability to read and write music as well as recognize music from around the world and throughout the ages.

Over time, students learn about rhythm, pitch, and melody. They sing. They also learn to play instruments, from body percussion to Orff instruments to bellboards to recorders. In addition, students learn movement and folk dance during music classes. Along with preparing hymns for our weekly chapel service, students sing songs that assist them with cross-curricular, multicultural, social-emotional, and service learning. All instruction is sequenced to ensure that students understand concepts and gain skills on one level before going on to the next. The entire program is thus driven by essential learner outcomes that are age-appropriate.

The heart of Grace’s library program is creating a foundation for lifelong reading and learning. The cornerstones of this foundation are a love of literature and the ability to find and use information. A strong library program is crucial for teaching children to evaluate and use the information sources that best suit their needs. Therefore, the library curriculum at Grace consists of two basic parts: fostering a love of literature and developing information literacy.

Grace students at all grade levels are encouraged to love literature by listening to great stories being read aloud or told. Exposure to these works of children’s literature, including folktales and mythologies of diverse cultures, fosters a desire in the students to read more on their own. Beginning in Grade 4, book talks are added to library classes to provide some guidance for students’ independent pleasure reading.

Beginning in Grade 1, students are introduced to the notion that libraries have a specific
arrangement for the purpose of helping them locate books for both pleasure and information. As the years progress, students acquire increased skill in the areas of finding and evaluating sources of both kinds. Every year, during National Library Week, children in each grade hear about and celebrate some aspect of the history of books and libraries.

By concentrating on these areas of study, students will leave Grace with both the desire and the ability to use their school, public, and possibly even local university libraries. The Grace library program supports students for a life of reading, learning, and thinking.

The science program for Early Childhood children encourages students to develop an awareness and appreciation of the natural world. Life, earth, and physical sciences are explored through hands-on experiences integrated throughout the curriculum. Children have opportunities to work with simple scientific tools and to observe, question, compare, classify, predict, experiment, and record. Indoor and outdoor learning experiences encourage excitement about phenomena such as: seasonal changes; caring for the environment; animal habitats and life cycles; the growth and health of our bodies; movement and gravity; and magnetism.

For Grades 2-5, science comes to life through experiential, hands-on activities that allow students to explore the natural world. Whether on our nature trail, in our rain garden, or in the lab, students work in an environment that sparks curiosity and fosters enthusiasm. Explorations, labs, and demonstration are integrated into the earth, physical, and life science topics cycle. Through this engaging curriculum and approach, students develop a working mastery of scientific processes while gaining a fundamental understanding of the concepts being addressed.

Students at Grace participate in a well-developed physical education curriculum that encourages fitness and a lifelong love of physical activity. The physical education program for our youngest students provides movement experiences that encourage children to explore spatial relationships, develop physical skills and enjoy movement challenges. A variety of activities and equipment are used to increase agility, coordination, and strength.

Students use the skills developed in the earlier years to engage in sports, fitness, and team building activities. The importance of daily exercise and healthy nutrition is emphasized. Both organized sports and informal sports are available to students as they progress through the grades.

Spanish at Grace is a six level program that begins in Kindergarten and ends in Grade 5. It develops the skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing in a gradual, logical progression. The students participate in language learning activities in a positive, creative environment. As Grace welcomes new students at any grade level, many of whom have no previous experience with Spanish, our Spanish classes include review of fundamental elements of the language every year.

Students in Grades 2-5 receive Spanish instruction two to three days a week. At all levels, students gain linguistic competence by hearing, speaking, reading, and writing Spanish in contexts that are meaningful and fun.

In Grades 2 and 3, we use a combination of materials that children find accessible and engaging. We use the Symtalk method, following the curriculum of Mi Mundo, Levels 2 and 3, to get kids thinking in Spanish without the tendency to translate from English.

In Grades 4 and 5, the textbook En español provides the foundation of the curriculum. En español takes a broadly differentiated approach to the language, providing audiovisual dimensions to all lessons and promoting an increasingly sophisticated grasp of culture and grammar. A wide array of materials supplements the textbook. The goal is to inspire students to want to continue learning Spanish throughout their lives and to give them the tools to do so!

Technology and computers are viewed as teaching tools to be integrated into the learning experience. Grace believes that students should learn computer skills through the subjects that they are studying. The classroom teachers design activities that complement the development of computer skills with the content being taught in the classroom. The technology teachers are available to assist with planning lessons, helping students, and/or teaching specific computer skills.