DEVELOPING AN UNDERSTANDING
SETTING THE FOUNDATION
Learning at Woodlawn School is rooted in project-based learning. This means that students learn and apply content knowledge and skills by creating projects designed to develop their understanding of the world around them. They work collaboratively to create something that demonstrates their new understandings to a real audience, and each project culminates in a formal presentation.
UNDERSTANDING TEAMWORK
LOWER SCHOOL
Through project work, sources of information are not limited to traditional textbooks. Instead, students examine information from “expert” adults, field experiences, primary source documents, nonfiction books, and Internet resources. Keeping in line with our methodology, technology is integrated into the classroom in developmentally appropriate ways, rather than provided as a discrete subject area in a computer lab environment.
In addition to meeting our academic standards, students leaving our Lower School program are equipped with the skills necessary to be successful in Middle School. Lower School students are developing the ability to:
+ act responsibly and respectfully
+ demonstrate integrity
+ solve problems and think critically
+ organize and analyze information
+ cooperate with groups of peers
+ recognize and respect each other’s points of view
PROJECT BASED LEARNING ESSENTIALS
CURRICULUM
At Woodlawn, Lower School students are immersed in the process of learning: exploring, discussing, designing, creating, reflecting, and refining. Lower School core classes consist of language arts, social studies, and mathematics. Students experience enrichment classes in Spanish, visual arts, life sports, science lab/gardening, life skills, and music. Woodlawn offers an integrated curriculum where students make connections between subject areas to facilitate greater understanding. Frequent off campus experiences such as field trips and community service opportunities allow our students to learn in real-world settings.
The Lower School curriculum is developmentally appropriate and rigorous, providing the foundation for a successful transition to middle school. The curriculum is guided by Essential Questions:
+ Pre-K Explorers: Why is it important to explore the world around us and how does it shape us as lifelong learners?
+ Kindergarten: Who am I and what is my role in the community?
+ First Grade: What is a community?
+ Second Grade: How can I make a difference in my community?
+ Third Grade: How do communities change over time?
+ Fourth Grade: How does where/when we live influence how we live?
+ Fifth Grade: How do people make a difference in the world they live in?
LOWER SCHOOL EXPERIENCES
DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS
Lower School
LEADERsHIP
PreK - 8th DIRECTOR
KATIE VERLIN
PreK - 8th PBL DESIGNER
SHANNON HOCKSWENDER
SUSTAINABILITY + LIFE SPORTS + MORE
beyond the classroom
WHY I LOVE WOODLAWN
“Everyone at Woodlawn makes you feel welcome and like you are part of a really big family. Classmates are always looking out for each other and the teachers always take their time to explain a lesson when we feel unsure about the way to answer a question or solve a problem. I love project-based learning because it helps me to see what skills were used and needed in history and in todays world.”
– Mila P. ’31
Fifth Grade
from after care to dress code
FAQs
Our most frequently asked questions by new and prospective parents of our lower school students.
