Lower School Curriculum

The Pre-primary School embraces the Montessori educational philosophy. It rests on the fundamental idea that children have a natural curiosity and love for knowledge. An educator's task in the Pre-primary School is to promote a student's intrinsic desire to learn, supply materials for manipulation and discovery, and facilitate learning at an individualized pace. Self-discipline is acquired through absorption in meaningful activities. A teacher's role is that of a director. (S)he is a keen observer of individual interest and needs and the progress of each child. A teacher is trained to recognize the periods of readiness and present the correct usage of materials corresponding to a child's abilities. Thus, the school becomes an enabling and enjoyable environment.

Additional information on Montessori education is available through the American Montessori Society where Graded holds an associate affiliation.  

It is the philosophy of the Graded Arts faculty that among mankind's greatest and most noble achievements are the arts.

Transcending all other forms of communication, the artistic expression of deep human feeling and emotion is the most basic of human needs and a measure of all great civilizations past and present.

The experience of working together with one's peers, with the sole objective of creating a work of great power and beauty, is an important and profound experience and one that has tremendous relevance in today's rapidly changing world.

As members of the Graded staff and community, we believe the arts to be an essential part of every young person's education, and it is our mission to provide the finest experiences possible.

At its core, Graded School's Language Arts and Literature Program teaches students to write effectively, read critically, speak coherently, and engage their world imaginatively. The program is designed to cultivate intellectual curiosity and a lifelong love of language - helping students to deepen their sense of humanity and enhance their capacity for wonder.

K5 | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4

Graded School’s Mathematics Program fosters an appreciation of quantitative and abstract thinking, encouraging students to discover connections between the real world and other disciplines. Through a standards-based program, all students are challenged to develop mathematical curiosity and literacy, as well as the confidence to approach mathematical endeavors both individually and collaboratively.

Graded’s Physical & Health Education (PHE) Program engages learners in a curriculum that fosters the physical, social, and emotional growth of each student. The program promotes physical and health literacy through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities that emphasize collaboration, responsible decision-making, and healthy lifestyles.

The Graded School Science Program is designed to inspire excellence through purposeful investigations that foster skills of scientific inquiry. Students are empowered to critically and creatively apply scientific thinking to make reasoned, ethical decisions in a global context, both as individuals and collaboration with others.

It is the mission of the Graded School Social Studies Program to provide students with a solid basis in history, and at the same time, to give options for students to explore their interests in geography, economics, cultural studies, psychology, and government. At its core, we hope to nurture critical thinking and effective communication, while helping students value diverse views and ideas to apply an understanding of these perspectives to contemporary issues. Through our teaching, we hope that students learn to look beyond themselves and to feel empowered to engage thoughtfully and empathetically with their world as citizens and individuals.

Graded’s World Languages Program empowers students to achieve fluency in speaking, reading, writing, and listening in various world languages. By engaging in purposeful and collaborative academic activities that provide insight into their heritages and increased awareness into the identities of others, students learn to respect and embrace differences within an international community of learners.