Montclair Kimberley Academy

Primary School Curriculum Guide2012-2013

Montclair Kimberley AcademyMission Statement

Montclair Kimberley Academy is a Pre-K–12 coeducational day school with an exceptional college preparatory program unified by the concepts of our school motto: Knowledge, Vision, Integrity. An MKA education is defined by the following commitments:

Knowledge:To cultivate a love of learning in each studentTo develop independent and autonomous learnersTo establish a foundation of academic excellence

Vision:To engage each student intellectually and personally with the worldTo graduate students who will excel in college and in their lives beyond MKATo recognize complexity and value empathy

Integrity:To strengthen each student’s intellect, character, and confidenceTo promote each student’s full and active citizenship and leadershipTo secure a life-long sense of honor through academic, athletic, and artistic achievement

With traditions dating back to 1887, MKA was formed by the merger of Montclair Academy, Brookside School, and The Kimberley School in 1974.

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Primary School children achieve academic success and educational happiness through a curriculum designed to enhance independence, curiosity and problem-solving abilities in a warm, encouraging atmosphere. As they grow academically, they develop their reading, writing, analyzing, reasoning, speaking, collaboration and study skills. As they grow socially and emotionally, children build caring and cooperative relationships, and they grow in confidence and trust. Children are encouraged to become risk-takers and lifelong learners in an environment where doing the right thing and leading a good life are valued.

In the Primary School, children spend most of their time with their classroom teachers. Morning Meeting sets the tone each day in every classroom. Students learn reading, writing, mathematics and social studies in their classroom. Classroom teachers work closely with other professionals in the areas of reading, math, science, technology, library, physical education, music, studio arts and foreign language to provide a rich, diverse educational experience. Students use technology to learn in the classroom, which has a computer center with desktop computers. Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade students have preferential access to mobile iPad labs to enhance their learning when appropriate and meaningful. First, second and third grade students also use mobile computer labs that provide each student with a laptop computer. Students use the full computer lab in the Library to further develop their information literacy skills. All programs are designed to encourage individual and personal growth while simultaneously maximizing student success.

Integrated EthicsSocial-Emotional Learning and Responsive ClassroomAt the heart of the Primary School experience is the development of the whole child. Beyond the child’s academic experience, attention to young children’s emotional, social and moral development is an integral part of the curriculum. Morning Meeting, an essential component of Responsive Classroom that begins each day, is an important foundation for developing social-emotional skills. The components of the meeting—greeting, sharing, group activity, and news/announcements––focus on helping students to develop the skills necessary to become respectful and responsible members of our school community and other local and global communities. In Morning Meetings, classes consider the MKA Character Standards and the Primary School Anti-Bullying Standards as they develop the classroom expectations that form the basis of their social interactions and collaborative learning throughout the day. During one Morning Meeting per week, students participate in a community-building exercise and discussion that focuses on the community's responsibility to not tolerate demeaning behavior or bullying. In addition, the Primary School counselor visits Morning Meetings to discuss topics that help children to develop empathy and understand emotions.

Service LearningThe Primary School introduces children to the joys of giving and the responsibility we share in helping members of our immediate as well as our global communities. The faculty provide a curricular foundation to support PAMKA Community Outreach projects, such as the Coat Drive, Food Collection, Giving Tree and Book Drive. Curricular engagement ranges from reading appropriate literature to participating in classroom activities designed to empower students to take caring action and bring about change. MKA strives to be an environmentally sustainable community, and our youngest students lead the recycling charge at the Primary School. Older Primary School students have the opportunity to serve younger ones by becoming mentors when our

The Primary School

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Montclair Kimberley Academy

classes “buddy” with one another. The entire MKA student body has the opportunity to provide service on Global Youth Service Day, one Saturday in April. All service-learning curriculum is designed to lend authenticity and meaning to actions that MKA's Little Cougars take.

Progress ReportingCommunication between parents and teachers is of the utmost importance at the Primary School because of the age of the children. Conversations with the classroom teacher are parents' first line of communication. Teachers contact parents on a monthly basis to share students' successes and discuss any concerns about their lives at school. Parents receive formal progress reports three times each year. Reporting takes the form of detailed narratives on students' academic and social-emotional growth. There are two scheduled conference days, one in the fall and one in late spring. At the May conference, teachers in kindergarten through third grade provide additional details about individual progress toward learning goals by sharing the student's Reading, Writing and Math Continuums. In addition, parents of children in grades one through three are asked to examine their child's science notebook, which is marked with specific feedback that helps them understand their child's growth. As part of the May progress report, second and third grade students also receive a report on their developing information research skills. These additional progress reporting tools provide a multiyear overview of learning that outlines the stages of Primary School students' development as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists and information researchers.

HomeworkStudents have homework in grades one through three. No homework is assigned on weekends or holidays. First grade students should spend approximately 20 minutes per night on their assignments. Students in the second grade should allow 35 minutes. Third grade students have approximately 45 minutes of homework each night. Teachers encourage students to engage in nightly independent reading and to further explore subjects of individual interest.

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Pre-KindergartenIn the pre-kindergarten classroom, children engage in active, experiential learning through guided play. They explore a thematic curriculum, integrating language arts/daily writing workshop, social studies, science, mathematics and foreign language. Throughout the day, children focus on developing individual strengths and positive social relationships in an atmosphere of caring and support.

In the language arts curriculum, children are actively involved in meaningful language experiences–including speaking, listening, shared reading, writing and creative dramatics–that build positive attitudes toward self, language and literacy.

Children begin to establish good writing habits during writing workshop. Students learn that they can create their own stories out of details from personal experiences and write them down. Their writing includes representational and non-representational illustrations, letter strings, environmental print, and approximate and some conventional spelling, all of which foster writing fluency. Throughout the year, children celebrate their writing at publishing parties with students in other grades.

The Core Works selections for pre-kindergarten include My Very First Mother Goose and Anansi, the Spider. The Mother Goose nursery rhymes bring the sounds and rhythms of language to children’s ears and speak to the essence of childhood. The messages in the rhymes promote attitudes of kindness, fairness, friendship, cooperation, responsibility and self-control. Through reading Anansi, the Spider, the children learn the importance of family values, the value of developing friendships and the significance of making responsible choices.

Through the social studies curriculum, children develop an understanding of self, school and family. They gain a multi-cultural perspective and appreciation for different families and cultures.

In the Everyday Mathematics curriculum, pre-kindergarten children learn at their own rates and have opportunities to explore math through a curriculum that incorporates their own interests. Students investigate a variety of materials and engage in concrete, meaningful experiences at learning centers and in small group activities. By providing a stimulating environment and encouraging children to ask questions, teachers help the children to discover relationships and practice problem solving in classroom situations.

Children have access to a computer center in the classroom and have 1:1 access to iPad technology, used to enhance topics of study and provide opportunities for skill practice when appropriate and meaningful.

The pre-kindergarten program fosters the development of the child in a holistic sense–emotionally, socially, intellectually and physically–and creates the foundations for children to view learning as an exciting journey through life.

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Language ArtsThrough the language arts curriculum, children learn to communicate effectively in written and oral discourse on their way to becoming lifelong readers and writers. They engage daily in the fundamental processes of reading, writing, speaking and listening. Children's study of spelling, phonics and grammar is derived from their daily reading and writing and becomes part of all written activities within the classroom. Children examine common language patterns and focus on accurate spelling of high-frequency and "no excuse" words. Students progress along the continuum from approximate spelling to spelling competency through strategies they learn in the classroom.

The workshop approach is an essential part of the reading/writing program. The format for a typical reading workshop includes a read-aloud period, shared or independent reading, small-group guided reading, conferring and sharing. During reading workshop, students select books of different fiction and nonfiction genres, read individually or in flexible groups, and discuss what they have read during conferences with teachers and peers. Each student keeps a record of books read. Students learn through the daily modeling of literacy skills, such as vocabulary, comprehension, language usage and questioning. They use three cueing systems–grapho-phonics, syntax and context–as the basis for developing reading strategies. Children benefit from conferences with the classroom teacher to develop individual reading strategies and promote their reading skill development.

Children explore different genres of writing through the writing workshop, which emphasizes the interrelation of reading and writing. In a typical writing workshop, children participate in a minilesson, draft, confer with a peer or teacher, revise, edit, publish and share a final piece with the class. Teachers model writing skills, confer with students, assess individual needs and guide students to improve their writing skills. Publishing celebrations occur three times per year where students share their writing in a particular genre with an audience of special friends and peers.

Children work with the teacher to assess their writing and their development of literacy skills. They begin by self-assessing their writing through the editing process and confer with the teacher for additional feedback. Sample work collected in a cumulative portfolio demonstrates the child’s development. The teacher and the student assess the portfolio together, and students learn to assess their own growth and define future literacy goals.

At each grade level, students participate in the staging and performance of a class play. The skills of listening, speaking and literary interpretation–as well as drama, dance and music–are developed through students' involvement in role playing and in shaping the production. Students contribute to the writing and interpreting of the script starting in kindergarten, and by third grade, students participate in writing their play.

KINDERGARTENChildren develop their literacy skills as they encounter literature from a wide range of genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry and fables. Students engage with print through read-alouds and shared reading. Reading workshop–which includes a minilesson, independent reading and partner reading–targets individual levels of development. Children develop skills in the areas of phonemic awareness, alphabetic code and linguistic patterns through songs, charts, nursery rhymes and word play that occur in daily reading and writing activities. To develop phonics understanding, students explore spelling patterns and help to create a Word Wall that they can reference.

During writing workshop, children are introduced to the concept of living the writerly life and to the many purposes of writing. They are encouraged to plan out their writing, to experiment with and practice many styles of writing, to build upon what they already know and to see themselves as writers within a writing community. Students share and celebrate their writing in group meetings.

The Core Works selections for kindergarten include The Aesop for Children and Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China. In their discussion of The Aesop for Children, students consider wisdom, humor and the universal lessons that fables teach. They grapple with central themes such as fairness and respect through reading Yeh-Shen. A comparative study of Yeh-Shen and Cinderella provides the basis for an important examination of the impact of culture on stories.

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FIRST GRADEImmersed in a literate environment, children continue to explore a wide range of literary genres, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, folk tales and fairy tales. Poems, lyrics and Big Books with enlarged print are used for shared reading and reading instruction. They provide the contextual framework for developing phonemic awareness, decoding skills and comprehension. With teacher guidance, children choose appropriate books for reading workshop from a variety of trade books. Guided reading and reading conferences help to address individual student needs and encourage students to read in varied genres. Specific instruction in phonics occurs during reading, writing and spelling workshops. Core Works selections include the study of Charlotte’s Web and The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

In daily writing workshops, students practice their craft by writing in a variety of genres–including personal narrative; "edge of the seat" stories; nonfiction, informational writing; and poetry–with attention to all stages of the writing process. They also continue to practice the formation of D’Nealian manuscript letters. Spelling and word study are incorporated within the reading and writing curricula, and conventional spelling of "no excuse" words is a focus. Teachers carefully monitor individual student progress during writing conferences. Collected writing samples are kept in portfolios to assess growth.

SECOND GRADESecond grade students focus on developing reading comprehension, phonics mastery and critical-thinking skills through both fiction and nonfiction texts. They self-select appropriate reading material with teacher guidance. When reading fiction, they focus on setting, character and plot development; and when reading nonfiction, they focus on format and topic-specific vocabulary. Students take part in reading workshop, guided-reading groups and paired reading, all of which provide appropriate support for them as they become independent readers. Reading good, timeless literature aloud to students is another integral component of the reading program. Literature is selected based on themes being explored in the classroom, or for wonderful language and illustrations. Through their study of the Core Work, The Wind in the Willows, children explore the virtues of good character, friendship and honesty. In The Rough-Face Girl, the second Core Work, they encounter themes of justice, fairness and perseverance. Both timeless stories serve as models of rich language and story structure.

Children study the patterns of spelling to enhance their phonetic development and increase their accuracy in the conventional spelling of high-frequency and "no excuse" words. As a class, students brainstorm words that fit a particular pattern, note similarities among the words and make generalizations. Word study offers students the opportunity to explore spelling patterns and manipulate word features.

Students keep writer’s folders to collect and generate ideas for writing topics. They expand selected topics through the steps of the writing process to produce published works, which they celebrate after each unit of study. Parents are invited to three writing celebrations each year. Students spend the year learning manuscript and cursive D’Nealian handwriting. By the end of the year, students compose, revise and edit a writing piece on the mobile lab computers.

THIRD GRADEFollowing the workshop model, children read appropriate, self-selected fiction and nonfiction individually and in small groups as part of defined genre studies, such as biographies, play scripts, and relevant colonial research sources. Read-aloud books continue to be an important part of the curriculum because they serve as a foundation for teaching and modeling skills. In addition, children read one whole-class book in the winter as part of their colonial unit of study. Through book clubs, children develop critical thinking skills as well as the ability to sustain conversation about a piece of literature. In the spring, students explore American tall tales, a Core Work, and become completely immersed in the genre as they read tall tales from a variety of regions and traditions. They also engage in an interdisciplinary study of the garden from the perspectives of a reader, writer, scientist and mathematician.

As children become more familiar with a variety of literary genres, they explore and make connections with their writing. As in second grade, students engage in inquiry and exploration of written language to enhance comprehension and spelling strategies. They continue to explore phonetically based spelling patterns, but they go into greater depth in their study of language to examine prefixes and suffixes. Throughout the year, the Writing Challenge serves as a guide for honing writing skills and is a benchmark for measuring writing progress. Formal instruction in D’Nealian cursive writing continues in third grade.

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Social StudiesWhile the Primary School curriculum at all grade levels and in all areas provides an understanding of the global community, children begin their social studies explorations with a study of local communities and culminate in grade three with a study of early United States colonization. Students often learn about social studies through a juxtaposition of at least two contrasting communities, cultures or perspectives. Sometimes the contrast is between “then” and “now;” sometimes it is a comparison of two societies; and often, it is a comparison of perspectives or points of view. As they come to understand the similarities and differences between various communities and cultures, children learn to connect to world societies.

Social studies units are designed to ensure the teaching of specific content and skills across five strands: history, geography, citizenship, ethics and economics.

The history strand focuses on development of community. Students begin by examining the personal histories of their immediate families and communities and build their understanding of national and global communities. Students become historians through comparing contemporary communities with historical communities.

The geography strand addresses five themes: location, place, region, movement and the interactions between humans and the environment. The National Geography Standards identified these themes to develop geographic thinking.

The citizenship strand in the Primary School emphasizes the responsibility of being a member of both a local community and a global world of communication. Students consider their responsibilities and their impact in their school community, in contexts such as service and sustainability. As citizens of the world, they move beyond simply learning how to use technological tools to exploring the ethics and moral responsibility inherent in effective communication. Students engage in discussion to explore the meaning behind holidays and observances that honor historical events and leaders known as models of good citizenship. In election years, the Primary School holds an election that allows students to exercise their right and privilege to vote on something of relevance to their school community.

The ethics strand incorporates MKA’s Character Standards, and students explore the economics strand when they study the evolution from the barter system to a free-market economy.

Children develop information research skills through the use of the Internet; a database of online resources; reference books; primary sources, such as maps and diaries; a variety of literature, including historical fiction and nonfiction; periodicals; and artifacts. Throughout their Primary School years, students work on developing note-taking, paraphrasing and citation skills as a foundation for analyzing and synthesizing varied information.

KINDERGARTENThe kindergarten students’ introduction to social studies begins with learning about collaboration in both small- and large-group situations. Students are encouraged to develop courtesy, responsibility and a respect for others while deepening their understanding of the value of interdependence in families, friendships and the school community.

Studying the world through a comparison of family traditions, children get a sense of what a community is as they become increasingly aware of the different groups and institutions to which they belong. The year begins by building a sense of community in the classroom through daily greetings, activities, songs and goal setting. Students then examine the school as a community. They meet with and learn the jobs of the school's many helpers, such as the members of the administrative, cooking and maintenance staffs. Finally, they study the town as a community with a focus on learning about the kinds of institutions they should expect to find in a town, such as a library, post office and fire house. Students learn the principles of good citizenship through a study of MKA's Character Standards.

Through a comparative study of communities and family traditions, students learn about the common threads that unite them with people around the world. Students are introduced to the concept of location as they find continents on a world map. They explore the concepts of cultures and communities through a comparison of the story of Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China, a Core Work, to variations on the story from around the world.

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A yearlong study of the tree and the forest environment integrates social studies and science. The study begins with the class adopting a tree on the Primary School property, and students observing and recording data about the tree’s changes as the seasons, weather and temperature change. They learn that the health of a tree is related to environmental conditions and consider the importance of sustaining conditions that help the tree thrive.

FIRST GRADEFirst grade students study farms and markets, as well as the geography that affects and determines what farmers in a particular region grow and send to market. First, they compare historical farms and markets with the farms and markets of today. Then they examine available natural resources and the effect of terrain, seasons, and weather on the crops grown in different geographic areas. Class trips are also an important part of students’ experience. Students visit working farms to explore the similarities and differences between farms. A visit to the local supermarket gives students the opportunity to understand the role of the supermarket in supplying the produce that is not grown locally.

Throughout the year, first graders engage in a study of sustainability through The Human Footprint Project. Children learn about the complexity of larger global issues through looking at the issue of sustainability in their own environment. They grapple with recycling, reusing and reducing solid waste at our school.

SECOND GRADEChildren begin the year developing an awareness of their new classroom as a community of learners who share a common value system. Students share their well-formed ideas and intentions when they write their own classroom standards and study the school seal to determine the values they want to stand for. They review MKA’s Character Standards, and each child writes a specific goal to adopt and develop throughout the year. Friendship is an integral part of this unit of study. Students learn the importance of how the actions of an individual affect the group.

Children spend much of the year exploring how a community develops into a town or city by grappling with essential questions that focus on how towns change and grow over time and how the geography of an area influences people to settle in a particular place or type of town. Students closely examine how towns differ and how population, economic factors and transportation have an effect on the infrastructure of a town.

Throughout their study of the town, students learn geography concepts and mapping skills. An additional unit of study focuses on the use of different maps for different purposes. Students explore regional, geographic differences within the context of terrain and weather; the concept of directionality through activities using a compass rose; and the importance of a map legend as an interpretation tool for reading a map. As they create their own maps, students are introduced to the concept of scale and birds-eye view.

THIRD GRADEStudents begin the year with a study of the Core Work, the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, which provides an understanding of the vision behind the founding of the United States. The study culminates in students creating a class constitution and learning team-building skills to create a democratic and supportive classroom environment. This early focus on cooperation, democracy and constitutionalism prepares students to examine America's growth and its commitment to ideals over time as part of a yearlong study of the United States of America.

A study of early colonial America allows students to see the historical context for the Founders' vision as they explore the colonization of Jamestown and Plymouth colonies as the predecessors to the development of the town and city. They actively engage with the MKA research cycle as they develop their own guiding questions; research, take notes and synthesize the information they gather from varied library and Internet resources; and publish their work in a group-produced newspaper containing individual articles representative of what they have learned.

Through their study of self-selected American tall tales, another Core Work, students gain insight into the American drive to expand. Students also see how settlers adapting to the natural environment helped create regional differences.

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MathematicsChildren learn to understand mathematics through the Everyday Mathematics Program, which reflects the most recent findings in math education research and provides a developmental structure of strategies that move from concrete to representational to symbolic/abstract. The spiraling nature of the program promotes mastery of concepts by repeating applications throughout the year at more advanced levels. Students see connections to their everyday lives as they explore connections with other disciplines through measurement, geometry and graphing data. Estimation, patterning, probability exercises and problem-solving skills further increase the development of thinking processes that students need to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world.

In math workshop, children gain a solid background in arithmetic, geometry, measurement and problem-solving skills. Through materials and activities that allow children to discover and understand mathematical concepts, children participate actively in experiences that foster insight, reasoning and problem solving while developing fluency with mathematical language. To support students' learning progress, teachers model mathematical thinking, encourage students to use representations to build their mathematical understanding, foster collaboration to promote learning, and require students to apply their understanding independently. Activities are rooted in real-life situations and problems.

Children deepen their understanding of mathematics and practice reasoning skills through problem-solving investigations, which are carefully integrated into the Everyday Math program to further reinforce and enrich concepts and skills. Students in grades one through three maintain an individual Problem-solving Investigations Journal in which they record and demonstrate their mathematical skills and reasoning powers, explain their thinking processes, assess their problem-solving strategies and develop personal learning goals.

Both games and more traditional methods provide students with practice and review to develop skills. Students' progress in acquiring basic skills is continually assessed, and instruction is appropriately adapted to meet the needs of students at all ability levels. To enhance skill development, children use technological tools, such as the calculator, iPad (particularly in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade), laptop (grades one through three) and iPod Touch when appropriate.

KINDERGARTENChildren's understanding of mathematical concepts develops during active participation in math workshop, which provides opportunities for students to learn about and explore many mathematical concepts. Children learn number sense through counting exercises, number grids and manipulative tools used in daily routines and center activities. They further develop math literacy skills as they discover basic patterns for estimation, measurement, addition and subtraction. In addition, students begin to explore geometry within their environment as they examine shapes and solids. They begin to use measuring tools to investigate and record length, weight and volume as well as to quantify time and money. Students also learn methods of data collection and interpretation. For example, they learn to create and read bar graphs that represent information about class members.

FIRST GRADEIn math workshop, students continue to develop number sense by extending their counting skills, counting forward and backward from numbers beyond 100, and looking for patterns. They identify addition and subtraction fact families with teacher guidance and learn to recognize place value and discuss the relationship between fractions and equal parts of a whole. Children also extend the use of measuring tools to the thermometer, calendar and analog clock; and they determine money equivalencies. They collect and graph their own data, and learn to create and read graphs and tables. Students explore two- and three-dimensional shapes using geometric solids, pattern blocks, templates and geoboards. Solids, pattern-block puzzles and games also enhance students’ appreciation for geometry and heighten their thinking skills.

SECOND GRADEDuring math workshop, second grade students continue to use concrete and representational materials as they identify part/whole relationships and fractional representations. They learn to identify many attributes of geometric shapes and learn the vocabulary of two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures. Students also explore the concepts of size, directionality and location. They practice addition and subtraction operations, and use

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these operations in equations and problem-solving forms. Students learn to write number sentences (equations) as mathematical models for number-story problems. They identify fact families, state sums and differences of multiple addends, and learn to add and subtract two-digit numbers. In the area of measurement, students practice the calculation of time intervals and temperature differences. Buying and selling situations help to extend students’ understanding of money. Students continue to collect and record data and then apply it to daily living experiences. Further work with place value evolves using base ten blocks as students experience addition and subtraction with larger numbers. Children begin grouping and partitioning sets and create number models to represent them; these activities provide foundations for multiplication and division. Calculator use helps students to extend their manipulation of numbers beyond their developmental ability.

THIRD GRADEIn math workshop, children refine mathematical skills in measurement and problem-solving applications as well as in geometry, where they explore more sophisticated symmetry concepts and work with angles, perimeter and area. Students further their mapping skills through activities involving graphs, coordinates, movement and directionality–all skills that are incorporated in the social studies curriculum. More work with grouping further refines multiplication and division concepts in solving real-life problems. Students work to develop proficiency with multiplication facts and learn that division is the inverse operation of multiplication. Measurement of mass, use and exchange of money, and time progression also build on skills introduced in earlier grades. An introduction of algebraic concepts becomes more distinct with activities involving missing addends; missing factors; parentheses; and the recognition of square numbers, attributes and function rules. Students also begin to explore the relationship between fractions and decimals. In problem-solving explorations, students identify the problem, develop strategies and choose appropriate operations to solve the problem.

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ScienceIn science class, students develop an awareness that science in their world involves a continuous process of discovery. Students’ observations of the surrounding world and experiences with everyday phenomena comprise a foundation for understanding science concepts. As they study science topics, children engage with multimedia materials, hands-on lab experiences and outdoor exploration. Opportunities to collaborate, problem-solve and share their thinking occur through grade-level-appropriate projects, such as planting the Brookside Garden and developing websites to provide care instructions for crayfish, based on students' understanding of structure, function and habitat.

The classroom teachers conduct the pre-kindergarten and kindergarten science instruction, which involves exploration and discovery related to thematic units. Teachers appropriately tailor the style of presentations, activities and degree of complexity of each area of study to the students' developmental levels.

In grades one through three, students go to the science laboratory for science class. Designed to stimulate children’s curiosity about self and their surrounding environment, the program encourages students to further explore the broader spectrum of science, including basic concepts of life sciences, physical sciences and chemical principles, as well as beginning science process skills. Hands-on laboratory activities provide students with opportunities to undertake their own investigations while they learn the experimental process. Collaboration not only helps students to better understand scientific concepts, but also helps them to develop a sense of cooperation and responsibility. Students develop process and inquiry skills through their active engagement in the science lab and by consistently keeping a science notebook where they use their growing scientific vocabulary to record observations, questions, measurements, comparisons, classifications and interpretations of information. Children are also encouraged to borrow books from the laboratory's science library, their classroom libraries and the Primary School Library to further explore their passions in science.

FIRST GRADEFirst grade students begin the school year by engaging in hands-on experiments that illustrate the scientific process. Students use their senses to explore their world, make observations and formulate testable questions. Each classroom exploration begins with a question that the students are able to answer through experimentation, discussion, data collection and analysis. Units of study fall under the umbrella of properties of matter (solids and liquids) and properties of earth materials (rocks, sand and silt). Students also explore characteristics of organisms as they learn to categorize living things by their observable behaviors and structures.

SECOND GRADESecond grade students develop the inquiry skills of questioning, ordering, measuring, observing, collecting data and explaining its significance. The concept of a fair test helps students to begin to formulate their own experiments. Through studying patterns of behavior, life cycles and migration, students learn about organisms and environments. Students examine closely how nature is "designed" in the structure of plants. While planning and planting the Brookside Garden, students focus on life science, build a sense of community, work toward a common purpose and witness the results of a long-term project. Students also explore balance and motion using spinners and rollers.

THIRD GRADEStudents continue to develop their inquiry skills as they observe, over time, the characteristics of arthropods, including structure, function, behavior, basic needs and growth. Students synthesize and interpret their scientific observations as they develop a website to describe appropriate crayfish care. As part of their exploration of physical principles, students explore the physics of sound, including energy transfer, pitch and vibration. They learn about forces and changing motion and apply their discoveries and knowledge to the design and construction of egg containers for the end-of-year Egg Drop. Students test and judge their successful application of science concepts in the design and construction of the container when it is launched from the rooftop of the Primary School. As a result, they analyze test results and make suggestions for improvements.

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Fine and Performing ArtsChildren further develop their means of self-expression and avenues for understanding others through the fine and performing arts program, essential to the Primary School curriculum. They gain interpersonal skills and self-confidence as well as an appreciation of the arts from their earliest years at MKA.

Children's classwork in the arts is closely connected to the learning they do in their homeroom classes. Through their study of the arts, students expand their communication skills and develop a range of tools for exploring all areas of learning. Students have opportunities each year to take part in productions and exhibitions, including plays, dance concerts and musical performances.

STUDIO ARTSStudents experience a sequential, visual-art education with distinct goals, content and methods that help them to expand their knowledge and enhance their skill acquisition and achievement. Through the study of art, students fulfill personal potential as well as enrich their lives. Students begin with the study of the elements of design: line, texture, value, shape and color. As they move through the grade levels, they engage in more sophisticated and complex tasks. When their understanding and vocabulary increase, students focus more on problem solving, use of materials, skillful execution, and use of the artistic elements based on important principles of design. Children explore ways to create art using a wide range of materials. They develop an understanding of and apply some basic principles of aesthetics as they learn how to look at and respond critically and analytically to works of art, including their own. They learn to examine their ideas about art and to support their judgments as they discover that some works of art are more aesthetically appealing than others.

By the time students leave the Primary School, they are expected to communicate about art at a developmentally appropriate level that includes knowledge and skills in the use of basic vocabulary, materials, tools and techniques. Student work is held in a portfolio for review and assessment during the year so that performance skills can be noted. While developmental markers are referenced, each child is unique in regard to how, when and in what ways abilities unfold. Children develop self-awareness, self-esteem, self-discipline, cooperation and motivation and feel successful with their progress, as is evident in the excitement that students bring to the Art Show at the end of each school year.

The visual art Core Works at the Primary School are: Paul Klee's artistic style in pre-kindergarten, Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water in second grade, and African Forms and Masks in third grade. Students also explore a component of architecture at every grade level.

MUSICThrough their study of music, children develop an appreciation of many musical styles and learn to express themselves in many mediums. In music class, each child experiences both vocal and instrumental music. Students explore the basic elements of music and rhythm using the approach of Carl Orff, who believed that “feeling precedes intellectual understanding.”

Through their participation in the second and third grade choirchime and handbell choirs, children learn basic orchestration techniques. They explore harmony and chords and develop more sophisticated music skills. They also learn performance strategies that build self-esteem and poise. In third grade, the students are introduced to the recorders.

The Primary School’s fine and performing arts Core Work selection in music is introduced at the kindergarten level. Children explore Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, a musical suite that portrays the movement and idiosyncrasies of animals in a zoo through orchestral instrumentation. Through their study, children are exposed to fine music, learn to listen critically, and begin to develop a lifetime appreciation and love for music.

In addition, children work with both the music teacher and their classroom teacher to prepare for weekly assemblies, class plays, winter and spring concerts, and Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day.

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DANCEIn their study of dance, children express their feelings through movement and develop an appreciation of a variety of styles of dance. They benefit from opportunities to experience the freedom and joy of movement in a supportive atmosphere that makes them feel successful.

Children are exposed to specific content that focuses on space, rhythm, line, shape and energy, and they are assessed and encouraged to assess themselves on their progress. As the children grow, they learn increasingly complex pathways, patterns and sequences. Creative movement engages the mind in ways that require innovative problem solving and analytical reasoning. Through this process, children develop self-esteem, strengthen their social and emotional literacy and build confidence.

In pre-kindergarten, children explore movement through exercises and imagery that create an awareness of how their body parts can move through space. The children observe each other and exchange ideas to form their own patterns.

In kindergarten, the patterns become more complex. Children explore a variety of music as they listen to the rhythm and instruments. In first grade, children combine their movement skills with proper terminology and begin learning choreography for their class show. They learn ballet and modern dance vocabulary as they increase their skills and create simple dance phrases of their own.

Second grade students continue to work on understanding the fundamentals of dance movement with a focus on space, rhythm, energy and line. They are exposed to Laban notation and explore movement, while working toward finding their own style. Their work culminates in the traditional May Pole Dance, which they perform for the entire Primary School community.

Third grade students explore a variety of movement phrases throughout the year. They build many social-emotional and dance skills as they exchange ideas and compromise while choreographing their dances for the third grade dance concert in May. As they work to achieve their goal, students implement skills of cooperation, creative problem solving and discipline. They enhance their social-emotional skills while strengthening their self-confidence throughout the process of learning to dance.

Foreign LanguageChildren are introduced to a foreign language in pre-kindergarten and continue their study through the third grade. Focusing on listening comprehension and oral production in the target language, children achieve proficiency through games, songs, rhymes, total physical response, storytelling, mime, role playing, puppets, flannel board activities and various other techniques. Children also begin to acquire cultural knowledge of holiday songs and traditions, games and stories, as well as the geography of the Spanish- and French-speaking world. Students explore specific themes, such as colors and shapes, numbers, calendar and weather, family and communities, parts of the body, animals, health and food. These units of study serve to reinforce and expand upon topics introduced throughout the grade levels.

Participating in foreign language classes also enables children to further utilize skills taught across all curriculum areas. Such skills include concentration, listening, oral expression, logical thinking, classifying, predicting and problem solving. From pre-kindergarten through third grade, children use their developing foreign language skills to engage in meaningful communication in the target language of Spanish or French.

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physical educationIn physical education, children learn to understand and appreciate their bodies, develop motor and coordination skills, and appreciate physical activities. Teachers are aware of the different maturational levels within each class and are careful to encourage and reward individual growth rather than to compare one child to another. The physical education program has five main goals: the development of efficient and effective motor skills; the encouragement of the highest level of personal performance; the fostering of a positive self-image; the promotion of constructive interaction with others; and the stimulation of interest in physical, recreational activity. From their participation, children develop a high level of interest in physical education as they develop essential, basic skills.

Library/TechnologyChildren develop 21st century information literacy skills in library classes where they participate interactively in the processes of storytelling, booktalking and research. By exploring diverse children's literature from around the world, students develop a global perspective, including an understanding of world geography and of other nations' cultures.

Children develop an awareness and understanding of the research process, a necessary foundation for independence and lifelong learning. Kindergarten through third grade students combine strategic methods of research utilizing various print, non-print and electronic resources. Students learn how to access, extract and synthesize information from these resources through an array of activities. Students also learn to evaluate their research process and products. They use the MKA Research Cycle and related information literacy strategies across the curriculum. Third grade students' research experiences culminate with the Colonial Inquiry Research Project, focused on a topic of individual interest. Students gather information from multiple resources, and their final, collaborative publication is a colonial newspaper.

Students use the library's computer lab to explore a variety of educational tools, including Custom Typing in second and third grades. Age-appropriate applications, databases and web sites help to promote students' awareness that technology is a valuable interdisciplinary tool.

In addition to students' use of technology in the Library, all students have access to technology through computer centers in individual classrooms. Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade students also have 1:1 technology access through iPad labs; and first, second and third grade students have 1:1 technology access in the classroom via three, mobile laptop computer labs and an iPod Touch lab. At each grade level, students and teachers use age-appropriate technology tools to complement learning and instruction and to further explore themes and subjects studied in mathematics, language arts, social studies, science and foreign language. This integration of technology promotes students’ collaboration and learning.

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Thomas W. NammackHeadmasterB.A., Brown UniversityM.S. Ed., University of Pennsylvania

Virginia KriegelHead, Primary SchoolB.A., Wilson CollegeM.A., Seton Hall University

Karen NewmanDirector of Curriculum and Professional DevelopmentB.A., Swarthmore CollegeM.A., University of Chicago

Donna CarraraPrimary School Coordinator of Curriculum and InstructionB.A., William Paterson UniversityM.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

Margaret GonzalesPrimary School Coordinator of Student Services/ Math CoordinatorB.A., M.F.A., University of MichiganM.A., Teachers College, Columbia University

Susan AwerdickPre-KindergartenB.A., Lake Forest College

Ann BanegasSpanishB.A., Hamilton CollegeM.A., Caldwell College

Maureen BatesGrade 2B.A., Boston CollegeM.Ed., University of Pennsylvania

Alexis DennKindergartenB.S., SUNY FredoniaM.A., Fairleigh Dickinson University

Barbara DuRantVisual Arts/Fine & Performing Arts ChairB.S., University of FloridaM.S., Bank Street College

Rosemary D'UrsoLibraryB.A., Lehigh UniversityM.L.I.S., Rutgers University

Iris Erlemeier-GeraldFrenchB.A., University of Hamburg, GermanyM.Ed., Lesley CollegeM.A., Montclair State University

Regina HenryKindergarten B.A., M.A., Stony Brook UniversityM.Ed., Teachers College, Columbia University

Marie IhnenReading SpecialistB.M.Ed., Manhattanville CollegeM.S., Bank Street College

Alex LangbeinPre-KindergartenB.S., M.A., Springfield College

Caylie MardenPre-KindergartenB.A., Smith CollegeM.S., Wheelock College

Zandi NammackAssociate Director of AdmissionsA.B., Princeton University M.S. Ed, University of Pennsylvania

Helen NobleGrade 2/ ChairB.A., Seton Hall University

John OdellPre-Kindergarten/ ChairB.A., Syracuse University

Suzanne OratioLearning SpecialistB.A., Rutgers University M.A., Montclair State University

Ralph PacificoPhysical Education/Director of IntramuralsB.A., University of New Haven

Patricia ParkeGrade 1B.A., Beaver CollegeM.A., Montclair State University

Sheila PryorKindergarten/ Chair B.A., Roanoke College

Dana RoseGrade 3/ ChairB.A., Brandeis UniversityM.Ed., Cabrini College

Colleen RuplingerGrade 3B.A., Northwestern UniversityM.S. Ed., Bank Street College

Jessica SarfatiKindergartenB.A., Bates CollegeM.A.T., Montclair State University

Sheila SarmaGrade 2B.A., Queen's University, Belfast, IrelandM.A., Middlebury College

Karen SchifferdeckerTechnology/LibraryB.A., Drew University

Meghan SchorrGrade 3B.A., Univeristy of VirginiaM.S. Ed., University of Pennsylvania

Jane SmithMusicB.A., M.A., Montclair State University

Jolinda SmithCounselorB.A., Wells CollegeM.S.W., Columbia University

Maurine TothGrade 3B.A., Thomas Edison State CollegeM.S., Syracuse University

Sue TummarelloScience/ Primary School Technology CoordinatorB.S., Clarion UniversityM.A., Seton Hall University

Daniela VespucciGrade 1/ ChairB.A., M.A., Quinnipiac University

Kathy WaggonerGrade 1B.A., Marymount Manhattan CollegeM.A., Bank Street College of Education

Kristen WeaverDance, DramaB.A., SUNY at New Paltz

Primary School Faculty

All members of the MKA community strive to act, speak and think in ways that are:

RespectfulWe act with civility in our relations with others while still valuing ourselves. We are conscious of the world around us, and we recognize the worth of all we have and treat it accordingly.

FriendlyWe demonstrate good will and compassion in our relationships with others. We understand that in order to have friends we must be friends and treat all with understanding, loyalty and respect.

ResponsibleWe fulfill obligations and complete tasks to the fullest of our ability, and we are accountable members of our community. We volunteer our assistance when called upon and budget our time, efforts and resources sensibly.

ConfidentWe uphold a positive image of ourselves regardless of the way others perceive us. We recognize our potential and challenge ourselves to improve the talents and skills we possess. We are able to take pride in our work, while remaining humble and accepting criticism. We express our opinions freely without fear of the judgment of oth-ers and always speak up when we see acts of injustice.

TemperateWe balance all aspects of our lives. By devoting personal attention to academics and personal commitments, we maintain moderation. While welcoming relaxation, we exert self-control and strength of will when faced with temptation and challenge.

FairWe cultivate an environment where all students may act and speak without the fear of prejudice, intolerance or judgment. We recognize and seek to understand the differences between individuals in the community. While recognizing these differences, we also value the inherent equality among all.

InformedWe rely not only on our own experiences to make decisions, but we also actively seek a more thorough understanding of the world. With our knowledge, we envision a more peaceful and empathetic society.

HonestWe understand the value and necessity of being true to ourselves, as well as others, and we are sincere in words and actions. We take pride in the authenticity of our own work and ideas, and we have the courage and integrity to take responsibility for all of our actions.

Character Standards For The MKA Community

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