EXPLORING, DISCUSSING, REFLECTING + REFINING
Lower School 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, science, and mathematics. Students experience enrichment classes in Spanish, visual arts, life sports, science lab, gardening, life skills, music, and musical theater. Woodlawn offers an integrated curriculum where students make connections between subject areas for greater understanding.
CURRICULUM
ENRICHMENT
SERVICE LEARNING
Anchors learning in Real World Experiences
MATH
The Lower School math curriculum anchors learning in real-world experiences and establishes strong number sense and problem-solving skills. We believe that students must be challenged to think about why and how mathematics works.
Developing a solid understanding of number sense is a top priority in K-5 and math concepts including geometry, measurement, time, money, computation skills, and word problems are explored at each grade level. Students practice and apply these concepts and skills during whole-group, small groups, and one-on-one. Math literature is used to help students see how math is used in real situations and games are used as a fun way to reinforce skills. Many math programs isolate math skills into units and never integrate those units with each other. Students study math in a way that is relevant to the real world: integrated and application based.
Finding a place in the world
Social Studies
The Social Studies and Language Arts curriculum are heavily integrated. What we study in Social Studies often drives what we read and write about in Language Arts. The Lower School essential questions form the foundation for our Social Studies curriculum.
Through projects, field trips, and service learning, students in K-2 come to understand how they can be an active member of their community. Many Lower School classes learn about what makes up a community, but we go deeper and personalize the learning for our students. While kindergarten students are beginning to explore the various communities to which they belong, first graders visit the town of Davidson to interview and report on the important roles people play in the community. Second graders take an active role at making a difference in the local communities through service learning.
Students can’t possibly gain an understanding about their local communities by only reading information in a textbook. Our third graders tour four local communities with local experts to learn all about each town’s history and how each community has changed over time. Third graders immerse themselves in various experiential learning opportunities as they explore how early Native Americans and English settlers interacted in the New World. Third graders become skilled note takers so once they return to the classroom they are able to create a community timeline and integrate their learning in Language Arts as they write poetry about each community in the style of four different poets. Fourth graders spend the entire year learning about their home state of North Carolina. While taking an in-depth look at each region: Mountain, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain, students explore what makes each one unique and different. Day trips to the mountains and visits to local historic sites enhance student learning about geography and history. A spring overnight trip to the Outer Banks allows students to experience where the first flight took place by the Wright Brothers and gives them an opportunity to climb a lighthouse in order to gain a better view of our beautiful coast. Fifth graders expand their knowledge of the United States by examining each region one by one. In doing so, students are able to see how geography, science, politics, and history play a huge part in defining what is special about the Northeast vs the Midwest or the Southeast vs the West. A trimester long project that integrates math, science, social studies, language arts, and art allows fifth graders to become an expert in piecing together this great country of ours.
Field experiences are essential to project-work and K-5 students enjoy many educational field trips during the year such as The Charlotte Nature Center, a walking tour of Davidson, The Davidson Chocolate Company, Bethelwoods Pioneer Camp, and Stone Mountain. While on these trips, students learn to take notes, interview experts, and then use the information in projects and presentations.
“The important thing is not to stop questioning.
Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”
– Albert Einstein
A centraL role in the discovery Process
Science
MULTI-SENSORY APPROACH
LANGUAGE ARTS
The Language Arts program targets individual needs through whole group, small group, and individual instruction. In all of our classrooms, teachers use a comprehensive Balanced Literacy approach. It contains all of the components necessary for students to master written and oral communication. Areas of focus include phonics, reading comprehension, writing, speaking, listening, grammar, and word study.
Word study is a critical component of balanced literacy to help students become fluent readers with a strong vocabulary and to give students the opportunity to fully explore and manipulate words. Word study isn’t about memorizing spelling words, but about understanding spelling patterns and understanding word analysis. In grades K-3, we use the Logic of English curriculum, which is a systematic, multi-sensory approach to learning how to read, spell, and write. The method is based upon 74 basic phonograms and 31 spelling rules that together explain 98% of English words. Learning these essential tools eliminates unnecessary ‘exceptions’ in spelling and explains hundreds of commonly misspelled words. Students investigate the meanings of roots, suffixes, and prefixes, and incorporate grammar and punctuation rules into their writing. Students develop strong comprehension and critical thinking skills as they analyze words, think about meaning, and make connections to other words and concepts. Grades 3-5 enhance their grammar skills through a program called Daily Grams. Grade 5 also uses an on-line grammar program called No Red Ink. Through reader’s workshop, students engage in shared reading, guided reading, and read-alouds. Guided reading is taught in grades K-2 and class novels are a part of the curriculum in grades 2-5.
Purposeful writing is an integral part of the language arts curriculum at Woodlawn. Students understand the interactive process of writing, and focus on creative, narrative, and expository writing in every grade level. Students in grades 2-5 use the 6 traits of writing as they engage in the writing process. Students brainstorm, draft, revise, edit, and publish their writing pieces. By the fifth grade year, students are expected to have mastered basic grammar rules, and to apply that knowledge in their written work. Communication is one of the building blocks that form the foundation for 21st century success.




CURRICULUM
ENRICHMENT
SERVICE LEARNING
A centraL role in the discovery Process
Enrichment

Visual Arts
Creation is at the heart of the Lower School Art curriculum. Balancing direct instruction and independent learning, students learn to think and work like real artists through a learner-directed art program. They identify ideas and problems of interest, select appropriate media, explore, and work through mistakes and challenges until they are ready to create. Confidence is continually fostered by giving the students independence with choice of mediums and options in projects. The goal is not to produce “frame ready” artwork, but to engage students in authentic learning and creative-problem solving. The art curriculum is heavily integrated with Social Studies, Language Arts, and Science. When the paint is cleaned up and the art is stored away, the students gather together to discuss what they discovered, to ask for advice on overcoming a challenge they faced, or to share what they created and why. Students learn to coordinate their hands, minds, and hearts in explorations of the visual world.

Music
The Lower School music program focuses on enhancing the core curriculum through song, rhythm, dance and instruments. Simple instruments, such as sticks and percussion instruments, are introduced in kindergarten and first grade. Students in second grade begin working on music theory, learning to recognize notes on the staff. Second graders take that understanding a bit further as they sing those notes in a melody. They also learn about counting notes and rhythm in a song. Each student in second grade plays the recorder and in third grade they advance to the handbells. Fourth graders expand upon their understanding of music theory and apply that knowledge as they sing and play the keyboards. 5th grade continues to focus on vocal performance, keyboards and during the second half of the year the Ukulele. Performance is an essential part of the Lower School music program. In addition to performing for parents during portfolio viewings every trimester, Lower School students perform for an audience at several concerts, including Christmas in Davidson, Veteran’s Day, Grandfriends Day and the End of the Year Concert.

Musical Theatre
Lower School students have the opportunity to participate in the annual school musical which is performed during spring trimester. Students explore musical theater and theater performance as well as basic acting techniques through weekly classroom drama activities and skills practice. Students practice acting, dance and voice and this collaborative method will emphasize training of the whole actor with a deeper integration of all the skills needed to develop the students’ craft.

Life Sports
Life Sports teaches the value of healthy living and the fun of physical activity in everyday life. This enrichment class is designed to inspire students to develop an interest in a wide variety of sports and games, well beyond the scope of traditional sports. In everything we do, attention is paid to demonstrating respect, tolerance, and cooperation – key elements for developing a solid grasp of fair play and good sportsmanship. Students have the opportunity to work individually, with partners, in small groups, and in team settings. Through teamwork, students recognize the importance of cooperation and communication skills to achieve common goals. In every grade level, there are many opportunities for students to challenge themselves through new experiences in life sports. At Woodlawn, we know that physical activity keeps our bodies healthy. We also know that it keeps our minds active and spirits strong too!

Spanish
We offer Spanish as an enrichment class in Pre-K through fifth grades. Once students enter fourth grade, they begin to do more reading comprehension activities – learning to focus on cognate knowledge as they interpret what they read. Fourth graders look at the history of Latinos in NC in conjunction with their study of North Carolina history. In fifth grade, students are introduced to the basics of grammar, including the gender of words, verbs, and personal pronouns. Students will be able to converse about daily events such as time, day, date, and weather, and communicate with basic conversational greetings. Students also learn about ancient Mesoamerican cultures and how their cultures have influenced our present-day society. Learning a foreign language helps foster an open-mindedness toward diversity.
*Spanish is offered as a core subject in eighth through twelfth grade. Additionally, we offer French 1 to our ninth graders and French 2 to tenth graders, after a successful pilot program in 2022.

Life Skills
Our life skills curriculum helps students become more self-aware, make smart decisions, and adapt to challenges they may face. The kindergarten and first grade life skills curriculum nurtures a sense of self and helps students gain an understanding for who they are as individuals and to celebrate the unique traits of themselves and their peers. Appreciation for our peers leads second graders to focus on the importance of friendship. Empathy is the common thread that ties the third grade curriculum together. Third graders are equipped with tools that help them focus less on themselves and more on how they can make a difference in the lives of others. Fourth grade students find themselves one step closer to finding out who they are and what’s most important to them. They are now at an age where they can identify with someone they call their role model. They learn to define a role model as someone you look up to or someone you want to be like. The fourth grade class spends their year applying this definition to the experience of being tutors/mentors to young children at La Escuelita in Davidson. Students begin to see the connection of themselves as role models to whom they should emulate and why. Finally, fifth graders transition into the role of leaders for the lower school. Students learn about two ways to be a leader: leader of self and leader of others. Recycling on campus, planning lower school events, and seeking out service in the community are just a few of the ways fifth graders can apply leadership skills.

Science Lab
The mission of lower school science lab is to provide hands-on scientific inquiry experiences for students. In addition to indoor lab work, our Woodlawn gardens provide an excellent authentic outdoor classroom in which students can gain exposure to the natural world and all its processes – biological, chemical and physical. The curriculum enhances topics studied in core science classes. Kindergarten students explore life cycles of plants through seeds, apples and pumpkins, and engage in an heirloom apple tasting. Studying animal life cycles and habitats lead students to explore songbirds and fish in science lab. First graders examine physics through simple machines, magnets, force and motion, kinesthetic energy and wind energy through a variety of hands-on labs. Second graders focus on soil and organic farming and investigate the life cycle of the iconic Monarch butterfly! After a visit to a planetarium, students make a model of the solar system to use in their Solar System Play. Third graders focus on Biomes of the World, participate in Biome Labs, and identify trees in our own biome. In the winter, third grade students dissect fruits and vegetables we eat in a unit called Botany on Your Plate! During the 4th grade year, students study composting as energy cycling and solar energy. In 5th grade students learn about important minerals and nutrients in the soil.
CURRICULUM
ENRICHMENT
SERVICE LEARNING
Serving the community
SERVICE LEARNINg
Kindergarten
The kindergarten year is the foundational year for our service learning curriculum. Students focus on service at home, service at school and service in the community. Our community service partnership is with the Ronald McDonald House in Charlotte which provides families with a comfortable and supportive environment while their children receive medical treatment at local hospitals. Kindergarteners collect household items to donate throughout the year and provide seasonal table decorations such as painted pumpkins and holiday wreaths. They also visit Build-A-Bear Workshop and each create a special bear to donate to the children of the house.
First Grade
First grade service learning focuses on pet care and service animals. First graders demonstrate what it means to be an animal advocate. Students help Piedmont Animal Rescue by collecting supplies through their “Have-a-Heart” donation drive and bake sales (one each trimester). They also partner with 6th grade to provide donations to other area animal rescues in need. The goal of the service learning curriculum in first grade is to teach awareness how important people and animals are for our community.
Second Grade
To honor those in our community who have served our country, the second graders partner with the Mooresville Library and Richard’s Cafe in Downtown Mooresville in November. The students create handmade Veterans Day cards and personally deliver them to the veterans at Richard’s Cafe. They eat brunch, share their cards, and walk through the museum with the veterans while asking lots of questions about the memorabilia and pictures on the walls. It is a very unique bond that children create with these special members of our community.
Third Grade
5th Street Ministries, a homeless shelter located in Statesville, NC provides clothing, food, and access to healthcare to those in need. On their monthly service trips, third grade students realize the impact and importance of this safe sanctuary for men, women, and children. Our students serve in the kitchen and greet the people that visit the shelter. Students gain a new perspective on homelessness and engage in classroom discussions to reflect upon their experiences. Each year students hold a bake sale at Woodlawn and all the money is donated to 5th Street Ministries to help those in need.
Fourth Grade
Our fourth graders learn early on in the school year that being a role model is a core value for their class. As they serve as mentors to young children at La Escuelita in Davidson, they begin to define themselves as role models. Whether they serve as a one-on-one reading buddy, assist with literacy and math activities for small groups, or encourage language development in free-play centers, our fourth graders realize the rewarding experience of being a mentor. This partnership provides an opportunity for our fourth graders to apply important life skills such as good listening and communication skills, patience, empathy, reflection, and respect.Fifth Grade
A core value for our fifth graders is leadership. Each week they are tasked with recycling paper and plastic products in each building on our campus. Fifth graders also educate lower school students on what can be recycled and what is trash. Other on-campus service opportunities arise throughout the year like hosting the annual Lower School Core Values Presentation and the K-12 Veteran’s Day assembly. Fifth graders visit off-campus organizations that serve different groups of people in the community.





REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
DISTINCTIVE ELEMENTS
Woodlawn students are offered real life experiences in a range of categories from organic gardening, field trips, overnight trips, life skills to the arts. Each experience providing a new perspective and approach in what it means to be a responsible lifelong learner.
