Kindergarten Curriculum
Students come to kindergarten from the Early Childhood School eager and excited. Our kindergarten curriculum is thematically driven and enhanced with special enrichment programs in world languages, reading, science, and math.
Because we know routine is important for our young learners, we spend the first part of the school year building a safe environment, introducing classroom management, becoming familiar with one another and setting expectations for the year.
Kindergarten instruction is guided by the KWL approach: What do you Know? What Would you like to know? And what did you Learn?This methodology gives students ownership over their learning‚ they’re more invested and excited when they have the opportunity to guide instruction with their curiosity. Perhaps the students are curious about space, nutrition, France…collectively and in a collaborative way, our young learners pick the topic of study and our trained kindergarten teachers create lessons that dive deep‚ and wide‚ in that topic and incorporate all subject matters. Students may learn about space through singing songs, making rockets and cooking astronaut food.
Experiential learning is woven into the kindergarten curriculum in many ways but heavily through “Center Time.” Center Time is an afternoon block where students have the opportunity to directly apply what they’re learning at that time. They become more exposed to a concept or topic and learn it from all subject matters. Center Time can be individual or group led; more structured or unstructured and it’s always fun!
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
First Grade Curriculum
In first grade, students build on the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired in kindergarten. Their learning deepens and becomes more applicable across all subject matters. Through concrete modeling and collaborative learning experiences, the basic foundation of reading, writing, and mathematics are integrated into daily life in first grade.
At MVS, we believe creating a safe and healthy environment allows students to fully engage, take risks and get the most out of their learning and relationships. For the first six weeks, students are re-acquainted with the responsive classroom model that was used in the Early Childhood School and in kindergarten. Through this model, they build relationships, develop a caring classroom community, collectively set classroom expectations, and set the tone for a healthy social emotional learning environment.
On day one, our students are asked what they want to learn in first grade, because having ownership over their learning is crucial to academic investment. Literacy is expanded upon in first grade and much of what our teachers engage in with the students is making literacy connections: verbal, written, reading and problem solving. Deepening their literacy skill set is how our first graders become more in-depth thinkers and close readers, able to better articulate their thoughts and digest information.
First grade culminates in an individual authorship project, an experience that prepares them for the more refined and integrated learning projects that come in second grade.
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
Second Grade Curriculum
Students enter second grade with a solid academic foundation. They’ve been honing their skill set since early childhood and are ready to apply them in even more diverse ways. Second graders show more stamina for learning and begin to think even more critically about everything they do and learn.
The emphasis on building a strong community continues in second grade and is formed through morning meetings and social emotional learning. Students begin their day by connecting with their peers through morning greeting, short sharing activities and a morning message‚ all components of the responsive classroom approach they’ve experienced since early childhood school.
Second grade at MVS places an emphasis on geography and the study of countries and cultures from around the world. In keeping with this focus, the culminating project is the Heritage Day celebration. Students present their detailed country reports, perform multicultural songs, and share their heritage with parents and friends.
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
Third Grade Curriculum
In third grade, students dive deep into topics of interest with faculty guidance along the way. They have acquired a strong reading and writing foundation and are ready to take it to the next level! Third grade at MVS focuses on research projects with a culmination with an Independent Research Project (IRP) at the end of the year. During this process, their thinking deepens and their knowledge of subject matters widens. These research projects tie together the learning happening in the science classroom and the main classroom.
In conjunction with the research projects, third graders learn all about community: their Dayton community to biomes and then wild animal communities. They develop strong personal relationships with the community they live in and are exposed to different cultures, backgrounds, and mindsets.
By the time our students enter fourth grade, they have established a strong sense of what it means to be an independent learner and are ready to continue a rigorous academic program with increased ownership over their learning.
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
Fourth Grade Curriculum
When students get to fourth grade they are prepared for the relevant and rigorous curriculum that awaits their remaining lower school years.
In fourth grade, students participate in more independent work and directly apply all subject matter concepts on their own with faculty guidance. The heavily integrated curriculum gives students the opportunity to think deeper and wider, to problem solve, interpret, and understand concepts.
With three research projects, our students are continuing to develop the “reading to learn” concept and continue more in-depth biography reports. They develop their research and creative writing, and hone their poetry skills.
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
Fifth Grade Curriculum
By fifth grade, MVS students are well on their way to becoming self-sustaining learners and are refining leadership qualities. Our fifth-grade students are given the opportunity to mentor kindergarteners through our fifth grade/kindergarten buddies program.
One of the four core values on MVS is kindness. As our MVS vision states, learning to practice kindness requires empathetic, compassionate engagement with others in our school, our community, and around the world. By forming healthy relationships with younger students, fifth graders can practice their kindness toward a younger group of MVS learners. They teach them, guide them, and celebrate with them regularly throughout the school year‚ all actions that reflect the strong lower school community we have.
By the time our students graduate from the lower school, they have a strong foundation upon which to build their sense of self and healthy approach to life, and they are prepared for the rigorous academic experiences that lie ahead in middle school.
Courses Available
- Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Performing Arts
- Physical Education
- Science
- Social Studies
- Visual Arts
- World Languages
