The transition from the Lower School campus to the Upper School campus is smooth thanks to the collaboration between our 2nd grade and 3rd grade teams beginning almost a year in advance. As our 3rd graders enter the Upper School campus, they are matched with 8th grade students who commit to being prayer partners and mentors to our newest arrivals.
In Social Studies, students learn about communities, history, geography, government, and economics. Physical science is the center of third-grade science study. Weekly trips to the Science Lab afford students opportunities for hands-on experiential learning. In Math classes, students receive explicit instruction in concepts and skills. Varied approaches to problem-solving help students develop a deeper understanding of concepts. Concepts and skills are introduced in a concrete setting, proceed through pictorial representations and finally to the abstract application of these concepts and skills. Activities are related to students’ life experiences, to help them recognize and apply mathematics to their world. Students practice automaticity with basic math facts on a daily basis. Language arts provides integration of direct instruction in vocabulary, comprehension, phonics, and grammar with a variety of reading and writing activities. Students gain access to complex text, collaborate with peers, and become accomplished at writing to sources.
Highlights: Prayer partners with eighth grade, STEM fair Solar Oven project, a field trip to Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture, "Multiplying for Pizza" our self-paced math incentive program, Accelerated Reader, and service projects.
