Lower School students, grades 1-6, are housed in the Linton Hall Building. In addition to their language arts, math, science, and social studies curricula, these students also participate in physical education, visual and performing arts, and music enrichment experiences. 

The average class size in the lower school is 15.  

Academic Focus for Pre-Kindergarten - 6^th Grade

Pre- Kindergarten
Recognize and write letters Aa-Zz
Recognize and write numbers 1-10
Count to 20, with 1-1 correspondence
Count to 30
Identify colors and the spelling of color words
Identify and describe shapes
Name the days of the week
Name the months of the year
Name  the seasons of the year
Sort objects and create patterns
Sequence events
Listen attentively
Follow directions
Independently follow classroom routines
Play well and interact with other children
Remain focused and complete activities and tasks
Handle transitions from home to school and from one activity to another
Display age-appropriate language and maturity
Use pencils, crayons, and markers
Use paintbrushes
Use scissors
Use glue
Build with blocks
String and lace
Put together puzzles
Use a computer

Kindergarten
Name all letters and their sounds
Blend sounds to make words
Identify rhyming words
Read simple books fluently and with comprehension
Recognize sight words
Use correct punctuation when writing sentences
Count to 100 by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's
Recognize and write numbers 1-20
Tell time to the hour and half hour
Recognize and count money
Create and interpret graphs
Do simple addition and  subtraction
Form all letters and numbers correctly
Color, cut, and glue neatly
Tie shoes
Listen attentively
Follow directions
Work independently
Follow rules
Cooperate with others

1st Grade
Decode words
Recognize sight words
Read with fluency
Use reading skills to gain information for recreation enjoyment
Use reading skills to recall setting, characters, and sequence of events, and to predict outcomes
Identify a book's title page, table of contents, and glossary
Begin writing sentences, paragraphs, stories, poems, and friendly letters
Use common punctuation
Identify nouns, pronouns, and verbs
Count by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's
Recognize, write, and count  numbers 1-100
Identify odd and even numbers
Compare numbers to 100 using >, <, =
Identify ordinals (1st-10th)
Tell time to the hour and half hour
Recognize and count money
Make and interpret tally charts, graphs, and calendars
Find sums and differences to 18
Add and subtract one and two digit numbers without regrouping
Solve word problems
Describe how things are grouped according to their properties
Identify and explore the properties of a magnet
Explore sounds
Identify living and non living things
Appreciate nature and the environment
Identify and match young animals with their parents
Identify the animal groups and sequence the growth and development of a given animal
Explore the hibernation/migration habits of animals
Use a map and a globe to locate specific locations in the world
Understand the definition of patriotism
Identify American symbols (the Bald Eagle, the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell)
Name the current President of the U.S.
Recognize the relationship of major holidays with our nation's history
Recognize the differences between cultures
Differentiate between the past and present
Discuss relevant current events as they pertain to their lives

2nd Grade
Read with more fluency
Use context clues and phonics skills with confidence
Read for meaning and understanding by using different comprehension skills
Form sentences  with appropriate punctuation
Begin to edit and revise their work
Recognize and begin to create a variety of different language arts genres
Understand place value in relation to addition and subtraction
Count money using a variety of coins
Tell time and measure elapsed time
Use a thermometer
Divide a whole into halves, thirds, fourths, sixths, eighths and assign appropriate fractions
Measure with standard and nonstandard forms
Create, interpret, and read graphs, bar graphs, coordinate graphs, and Venn diagrams
Discuss Earth Science concepts: rotation of planets; movement of sun, moon, and stars; facts of each planet
Discuss Physical Science concepts: states of matter- solid, liquid, gas; magnetic poles; sound vibrations
Discuss Life Science concepts: animal habitat needs, adaptation to the environment, food chains, camouflage, and predator/prey relationships
Native Americans/Pilgrims
Colonial Period
Westward Expansion
Civil War/Underground Railroad
Immigration
Civics/Economics of communities
Culture of Australia and China
Variety of Christmas traditions

3rd Grade
Increase vocabulary and reading skills
Read a variety of literature styles
Respond to literature through various book reports
Develop cursive handwriting skills
Apply grammar rules when writing paragraphs
Increase spelling through weekly units
Build confidence in oral presentations through subject reports, book reports, and recitations
Master addition and subtraction up to 5 digits with regrouping
Count money and make change
Tell time to the minute and determine elapsed time
Identify and compare fractions
Solve word problems using a variety of operations
Learn multiplication and division of numbers 1-10
Begin to understand long division
Recognize parts of a plant and a plant's life cycle
Observe growth and change in plants
Learn about the life cycle of various kinds of animals
Observe growth and change in animals
Learn about animals' habitats, food chains, adaptations, and impact on human life
Review states of matter
Observe and analyze changes in states of matter
Identify  the seven continents and four major oceans
Use cardinal directions to practice map skills, including identifying hemispheres
Compare and contrast people, land, and cultures of the United States and Canada
Identify countries and capitals, landforms, and cultures of Mexico and Latin America
Discover the wonders of the tropical rainforest
Study culture, characteristics, and lifestyles of Japan and its people
Be introduced to Western Europe and its lifestyles and landforms

4th Grade
Read with fluency and expression for information and pleasure
Recognize explicit main ideas, details, sequence of events, and cause and effect
Identify story development, author's purpose, and point of view
Identify a character's actions, motives, emotions, and traits
Draw conclusions, compare and contrast, and make predictions
Distinguish between fact and opinion
Use synonyms, antonyms, and homophones
Identify complete and simple subjects and predicates
Identify and write statements, questions, commands, and exclamatory sentences
Use correct capitalization and punctuation
Identify nouns, verbs, adjectives, pronouns, adverbs, conjunctions, and prepositional phrases
Write narratives and reports
Use correct format when writing a paragraph
Use properties of the four arithmetic operations to solve and check problems
Solve problems involving multiplication and division of whole numbers (up to 3 digits by 2 digits)
Add and subtract simple decimals and common fractions with common denominators
Measure weight, temperature, time, length, and capacity and use appropriate units and tools
Understand and apply patterns and rules to describe relationships and solve problems, including using the strategy of working backwards
Write mathematical expressions using symbols and evaluate using different values
Understand characteristics of algebraic patterns, sequences, equations, and properties
Gather, organize, and display data in bar, line, picture, and circle graphs
Make and use weather instruments to analyze and interpret the weather
Explore technology used to map the ocean floor
Identify the ocean habitat and how the ocean waters move
Compare and contrast attributes of the planets within our solar system
Model position and motion of the earth, moon, and sun
Explore the mass, density, and volume of matter
Explore chemical and physical changes of matter
Understand forces that affect motion (kinetic and potential energies)
Understand simple and complex machines
Understand magnetic fields and electric currents
Understand how sound and light waves are made
Use map skills
Describe how Native Americans and early explorers affected the history of the United States
Describe physical characteristics of landforms and bodies of water in the United States
Develop an understanding of how location, population, transportation, and geographical topography affect production of goods
Recognize geographical features and landmarks of each region in Georgia
Describe the functions of the three levels of government in Georgia
Locate and utilize information from a variety of sources in order to write a research report on a famous person or place in Georgia

5th Grade
Demonstrate reading comprehension when reading (fiction, nonfiction, drama, poetry, novels)
Increased vocabulary
Recognize main idea, details, sequence of events, cause - effect relationships
Increase knowledge of punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure
Correctly use parts of speech
Write narratives, essays, and reports
Word spelling patterns and relationships
Word derivation
Physical science - matter, elements, compounds, mixtures, solutions
Earth science - earth's layers, rocks, minerals, climate
Life science - characteristics of living things
U S History and geography
Math problem solving
Number relationships
Computation and estimation
Geometry
Measurement

6th Grade
Analyze literature
Fact v/s opinion
Explicit & implicit main ideas
Details and sequence of events
Make inferences
Cause & effect
Make predictions & comparisons
Identify literary elements & techniques
Use context clues to acquire new vocabulary
Patterns & relationships between words
Word derivation
Life Science - basic cell physiology, scientific classification, botany, zoology, human anatomy
Ancient civilizations:  Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, China, Greece, Rome
Middle Ages, Renaissance, Industrial & French Revolutions, Russia, Middle East & Africa
Math Problem solving
Number & number relationships
Number systems & number theory
Computation & estimation
Geometry
Measurement
Algebra

Lower School Enrichment Emphasis
Enrichment courses offered to students in Kindergarten - 6th grade

Art - Our visual arts program focuses on learning to communicate visually through the language of art.  Students learn about the elements of art and the principles of design and how to incorporate them into a work of art.  They also learn to value the visual arts as part of their cultural heritage, experiment with different media and processes, as well as learn to think creatively, use their imagination, solve problems, and self discover.

Creative Movement

Music - Our music program provides students with a successful musical experience through the study of musical skills and knowledge, music appreciation, historical and cultural context and connection to other art forms.

Physical Education - Our lower school P E program is designed to promote physical fittness, introduce students to the concepts of cooperation and teamwork, and to instill an understanding of and an appreciation for the importance of physical activity in one's daily life.  This is accomplished through the use of individual, small group, and full-class oriented activities.  Classes meet a minimum of twice per week.