Co-Curriculars
Art – The art program exposes students to a variety of concepts, techniques, and media. The basic elements of art, line, color, shape, and space are developed and introduced sequentially in lower school.
Flowing Wells Campus - All lower school students participate in STEM activities and integrated units of study at the Flowing Wells Campus. Activities include the study of plant growth from seed germination to plant harvesting, nature walks, weather study, music, movement, and storytelling.
Foreign Language – Lower School introduces students to the Spanish language and culture using stories, songs, games, poems, rhymes, and role-playing. Instruction continues to build upon the basic vocabulary learned in the earlier grades PK-2nd grade Spanish Program. In third grade, students are exposed to simple rules and Spanish grammar. Spanish vocabulary is integrated into daily activities.
Library - Third grade students will have a regularly scheduled library time each week but are welcome to visit during the week as needed to select new books and to take AR tests. There is no limit on the number of books a student can checkout.
During the year, students will learn to navigate the Destiny online catalog and Big Universe, our K-8 online eBook subscription. They will also be introduced to one of our research subscriptions, Ebsco Explora. We will also explore the realistic fiction genre. Quarterly updates about what we are reading can be found on Ms. Swearingen's website, as well as logins to the online resources and information about Birthday Book Club.
Music – The music program fosters music appreciation through singing, listening, moving, and playing instruments.
Physical Education – Third grade students will enjoy Physical Education class three times a week for 45 minutes each class. In order to participate, students must be prepared with tennis shoes or sneakers on. If PE falls on a chapel day, girls must wear shorts under the chapel dress.
Throughout the year third grade students work very hard to learn a wide variety of skills and concepts that relate to physical development and movement, healthy decision-making, and good sportsmanship conduct. Upon completion of third grade, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate proper form and smooth transitlons while performing locomotor skills in different pathways, levels, and directions
- Perform with a partner to rhythmic dances
- Demonstrate how to throw using correct skill cues to a moving partner at varying distances
- Apply the five manipulative skills in modified games
- Demonstrate all skill cues of the five manipulative skills with partners
- Understand at least four health-related fitness assessments and exercises that develop muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility
- Participate in numerous bouts of moderate to vigorous physical activity for less than 20 minutes of time during the school day and understands the positive effects of cumulative exercise
- Understand at least four obesity prevention behaviors
- Demonstrate how words of praise can be used to encourage others
- Demonstrate positive interactions with others
Please check the PE website often to see what your child is up to!
Religious Education – In lower school, students have religious education and Chapel once each week. Godly Play is used in kindergarten. In first through third grades, the main stories of the Old and New Testaments are studied through a curriculum based around the Christian year. In fourth grade, students study the Old Testament. The purpose of the fourth grade curriculum is to give our students a strong biblical literacy, an understanding of the Bible’s meaning to the Christian faith, and to introduce the students to the Bible’s importance to Western Civilization.
Spanish - Third grade Spanish continues to reinforce and expand on previously learned vocabulary. Reading and writing are introduced; however, the primary focus is on oral language development. Students take a more active role in communicating with their peers and use the language to talk about themselves and their preferences. The transition to a more multidimensional program with short periods devoted to simple reading and writing tasks.
¡Bienvenidos! (Greeting, Feelings, Commands)
¡Vamos a contar! (Numbers 1-100)
¡Vamos a colorear! (Colors and shapes)
¿Oué día es hoy? ¡Es tu cumpleaños! (Time concepts, calendar, birthdays)
¿Qué tiempo hace? (Weather and Seasons)
¡Vamos a la escuela (At school)
¿Cómo es tu familia? (Family)
¡Me gusta comer! (Foods)
Mi cuerpo (Body parts)
¿Qué llevas puesto? (Clothes)
Mi comunidad ( My community)
Cultura hispana (Hispanic Culture)
El alfabeto (The alphabet and its different sounds)
Technology – The technology curriculum emphasizes tools, techniques, and processes that promote productivity in the 21st Century. The use of technology in the classroom supports and enhances all areas of the curriculum and is used as the basis for developing skills that support learning, personal productivity, and decision-making in daily life while also developing real-world skills necessary in continuing education. The benefits of technology best emerge when integrated into project-based curricular activities that further enhance higher-level thinking skills. The following skills are incorporated into classroom activities in which students are: 1) gatherers of information, 2) problem solvers, 3) communicators of knowledge, and 4) safe and ethical users of technology.