Lower School Curriculum

Lower School K - 5

Big Opportunities, Ideas, Friendships, and Dreams

Grounded in a sense of caring and student-centered learning, Lower School students accept academic challenges while embracing both community and individual responsibility. Students develop as solution-oriented children, thinking critically, and being resourceful.

Students in Lower School Are

Young Readers & Writers

Homeroom teachers and literacy specialists design lessons based on structured literacy.
A structured literacy program begins with an emphasis on oral language, phonemic awareness, and phonics.
Students learn strong early literacy skills by engaging in read-aloud, sharing stories, making connections to real-life experiences, and fostering passions and interests.
The literature-based reading program develops comprehension, stamina, research skills, and the ability to support ideas with evidence from texts.
Students also become confident writers who can express their feelings, experiences, and ideas. There is a focus on generating ideas, developing word choice, organization, writing mechanics/grammar, and developing voice.

Bullis Lower School young readers and writers

Scientists & Mathematicians

STEM education is incorporated throughout the Lower School experience with a particular focus on math, science, and design.
While the acquisition of skills, facts, and algorithms is a vital part of this experience, the primary focus is on the development of an open approach to investigations, problem-solving, and discovery anchored in the Next Generation Science Standards.
Students work to develop a flexible mindset and to inquire into the “why” of a system, as well as the “how.”

Dancers & Artists

Lower School Weekly Schedule

Bullis operates on a trimester system: the first trimester ends at Thanksgiving, the second ends in early March, and the third at the end of the school year in early June.

Lower School students have classes each week in all grades with elementary educators beyond homeroom. These experts in math, science, art, music, dance, physical education, library, design, and movement work with Lower School students and forge relationships that last throughout their time at Bullis.

Homeroom: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies
Science
Art
Design
Movement
Music
Physical Education
Spanish

Lower School Signature Programs

Bullis offers K-12 Signature Programs – Entrepreneurship; Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM); and Visual & Performing Arts (VPA).

Signature Programs begin to weave through the Lower School experience. Student exposure to the programs broadens each year with increasing opportunities for independence, research, and discovery.

Entrepreneurship	Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)	Visual & Performing Arts
Shark Tank Economic Thinking Entrepreneur Fair	Natural-Phenomena-Based Inquiries Engineering & Design Challenges Outdoor Experiences & Field Studies	Movement/Dance Band & Strings Theatrical Performances Visual Art Frequent Performance Opportunities

Lower School Course Offerings at Bullis

Lower School Academic Program

K-12 Curriculum Guide

Main Menu

Explore More

Navigation