Lower School Curriculum

Lower School K - 5

Big Opportunities, Ideas, Friendships, and Dreams

Grounded in a sense of caring and the pedagogy of Responsive Classroom, 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 Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Workshop.
Lessons are constructed to encourage students to grow, practice, and build skills wherever they need to develop individually.
In addition to time during the school day, Lower School students are expected to read independently for 30 minutes each day, and parents are encouraged to read aloud with them every evening.

Bullis Lower School young readers and writers

Scientists & Mathematicians

STEM education is incorporated throughout the Lower School experience with particular focus in 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 research-based Next Generation Full Option Science System (FOSS) curriculum.
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 fourteen 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.

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Kindergarten – 2nd Grade

Homeroom: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies
Science: 2 times/week
Art: 2 times/week
Design: 1 time/week
Movement: 3 times/week
Music: 3 times/week
Physical Education: 3 times/week

3rd Grade – 5th Grade

Homeroom: Language Arts, Math, Social Studies
Science: 2 times/week
Art: 2 times/week
Design: 1 time/week
Movement: 1 time/week
Music: 1 time/week
Music Elective: 2 times/week
Physical Education: 3 times/week
Spanish: 2 times/week

Lower School Signature Programs

Bullis offers four K-12 Signature Programs – Entrepreneurship, Humanities & Global Studies (HGS), Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM), 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	Humanities & Global Studies	Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)	Visual & Performing Arts
Shark Tank Economic Thinking Entrepreneur Fair	Community Immigration & Movement Global Village Writing for Social Justice	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 Course Map

Curriculum Guide K - 12

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