Lower School (K-4)

We build the foundation for life-long learning in the Charles Wright Academy Lower School.

Welcome to the Lower School at Charles Wright Academy! Our program stands out because of our engaging and dedicated faculty, dynamic program, and commitment to our students. We champion a sense of belonging and active, joyful learning. We are dedicated to project-based learning and experiential opportunities for each grade level. Students in the Lower School actively participate in their own education, explore their passions, and support and challenge one another.

What are Specialists, and how will my student interact with them?

Our Lower School students have the opportunity to visit each of our Specialists once per week. From the library to STEM, students are able to immerse themselves in different topics that help them explore their curiosity and creativity.

Library

Our Lower School library is equipped with amazing books for students to explore. Each Lower School class visits the library once per week. Here is a preview of what they learn when they visit the library:

Kindergarten: What is a library? Students will discover the basics of what a library is, and begin understanding the cycle of checking out books and returning them.

First Grade: What is a Book and Where Does it Belong? Students will explore the different types of books and learn how our library is organized, focusing on project-based learning connections via their Farm to Table theme.

Second Grade: Book Life Cycle – Students will learn about how books are created, purchased, used, and recycled. We will learn about upcycling and creating new books out of tattered materials. 

Third Grade: Genre Study – Students will be exposed to different genres of books including mystery, realistic fiction, fantasy, humor, and narrative fiction.

Fourth Grade: Research Methods – Students will explore research databases and nonfiction books, they will learn how to evaluate sources in any format. 

Music

Lower School students participate in music class once per week. Outside of music class, students have the opportunity to take private music lessons and perform in choral concerts. Here is a preview of what Lower School students will learn in music class: 

Kindergarten: Focused on our different voices (speaking, singing, whispering, shouting, etc.) as well as when and where it is suitable to use a specific voice. Students learn when a sound is piano (quiet) and forte (loud). They also learn how to move to a steady beat and change tempos including allegro (fast) and adagio (slow).

First Grade: Understanding the difference between beat and rhythm. What is a rest? What happens with the beat? Students learn about unpitched instruments and how to recognize the different sounds they make. The three cornerstones in music that first grade students work with are rhythm, melody, and harmony.

Second Grade: Students learn how to listen to different time signatures and meters. At CWA, we use the Orff system when teaching barred instruments such as the xylophone. Students develop coordination in their fingers and hands by playing an instrument and whole-body synchronization through larger movements like dance. 

Third Grade: Students will learn what an anacrusis (pickup note) and a triplet (group of three notes together) are. Students will also work on their solfege/solfa (the distance between two notes) by practicing singing intervals in songs and exercises.

Fourth Grade: Students will work on their music reading skills by playing the recorder and barred instruments.

Spanish

Students in the Lower School participate in Spanish lessons once per week. Here is a preview of what they will learn in Spanish class:

Kindergarten: Students will explore simple greetings in both English and Spanish saying “Hello,” “Goodbye,” and “Please.” Students will learn to identify and pronounce the five vowels (A, E, I, O, and U). Students will also learn to recognize and name basic colors through interactive activities, art projects, and storytelling. 

First Grade: Students enhance their skills by practicing a variety of greetings in both English and Spanish. They will learn to identify and use vocabulary in sentences through art projects, games, and interactive discussions. Students will be introduced to simple commands and the concept of syllables. 

Second Grade: Students revisit a variety of greetings in both English and Spanish. Through art projects, games, and interactive discussions, students will practice identifying and using color vocabulary in sentences and continue to learn basic commands.

Third and Fourth Grade: Students will be introduced to conjugating words that look and sound similar in English and Spanish. Students will also learn the days of the week, calendar activities, and interactive exercises. Students will learn to identify and use the days of the week in sentences by engaging in role-playing activities.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)

Lower School students participate in STEM class once per week by visiting our STEM lab. Here is a preview of what students will learn in STEM class: 

Kindergarten: Living Things, Needs, and Impacts – Students will discover what living things need to survive and how they impact their environment. 

First Grade: Animal Adaptations – Students will explore the amazing ways animals have adapted to survive in their unique habitats. 

Second Grade: Living Things, Diversity of Life – Students will learn about the incredible variety of life on Earth and how organisms interact within ecosystems.

Third Grade: Weather Factors and Hazards – Students will go on a journey to understand the factors that influence weather and the hazards associated with extreme weather events.

Fourth Grade: Earth: Past, Present, and Future – Students will explore Earth’s history, the processes that shape our planet, and what the future might hold for Earth and its inhabitants.

Visual Arts

Lower School students will visit the art studio on campus once per week to explore different artistic ventures. Here is a preview of what students will learn in art class:

Kindergarten: Focused on the three basic shapes, learning how to draw them free-handed and even assisting them with templates to trace around. Students will learn about overlapping objects to create a small abstract image to color. 

First Grade: Students work on abstract pictures by combining them and exploring what other shapes can come from the three basic ones: rectangles, ovals, diamonds, stars, and even a heart or two!

Second Grade: While reviewing shapes, students learn how to draw landscapes. Students also have the opportunity to learn about different artists and their artistic influences and replicate their own artwork in similar styles.

Third Grade: Students will learn how to draw 3D objects.

Fourth Grade: Students take a more studious approach to art, taking down notes within their sketchbooks to take home at the end of the year to use as a resource for their learning. Students will learn more about shading, using all grades of pencils from 2H to 6B and a blending stick. 

What is Project-Based Learning? 

Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a dynamic approach in which students actively explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire transferable knowledge. It starts with a driving question, offers students voice and choice, inspires and requires inquire and innovation, and has an outcome shared with others. It results in students developing deeper content knowledge, collaboration, and creativity. 

Kindergarten – Life Cycles and Pollinators

In Kindergarten, students learn about the various animal and plant life cycles throughout the school year. Through these experiences, students begin to understand and appreciate growth and change, building respect for living things. We begin the year with an in-depth study of the life cycle of apples, providing students with a rich connection to the state we live in. From there, Kindergarten students move on to the lifecycles of pumpkins later in the fall, butterflies in the early spring, and plants in the late spring. As students explore the different life cycles, we ask them what they are curious about and dive deep into what they are interested in. In Kindergarten, we also begin to connect our reading, writing, and math to our PBL topics throughout the year. 

First Grade – Farm to Table

In our exciting first grade PBL units, students dive into the journey of how food travels from the farm to our tables. This hands-on exploration covers everything from the vibrant world of farmer’s markets to the fundamentals of nutrition. Students will engage in gardening activities, learn how fruits and vegetables grow, and discover the importance of healthy eating. Through interactive lessons and fun projects, students develop a deeper understanding of where their food comes from and how to make nutritious choices. They will create their own mini farmer’s market in the spring. The market showcases their knowledge and understanding of plant lifecycles, healthy eating, and the process and importance of providing goods and services to a community. The market features flower and veggie starts and kid-made crafts highlighting students’ understanding with their families and friends. Join us as we plant seeds of knowledge, watch curiosity bloom, and celebrate our learning journey throughout the year! 

Second Grade – Sustainability

In our second grade PBL units, students will explore how communities function and how they can contribute positively through environmental stewardship. Starting in the fall, second graders dive into composting, learning about its benefits and practical applications to make our school and community greener. During the winter months, students focus on recycling, understanding its role in conserving resources, protecting the environment, and finding ways to advocate for more recycling in their communities. In the middle of the year and through spring, students turn their attention to upcycling, using creativity to repurpose materials and reduce waste. This comprehensive approach will foster a deeper understanding of sustainability while developing essential skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and communication.

Third Grade – Nisqually Watershed

Third graders spend the year exploring the Nisqually Watershed from the top of Mt. Rainier down to the Puget Sound. Through field experiences and classroom study, students dive into various topics such as the human impact on our natural forest resources, why it’s important to restore salmon habitats, and who played a part in shaping the area around Mt. Rainier. Some of our many studies include research projects, persuasive speaking, art projects, and nature observations. Third grade students also have the opportunity to go on their very first overnight trip to the Mt. Rainier Institute, which allows students to dive deep into their year-long exploration. 

Fourth Grade – Washington State

Fourth grade at Charles Wright Academy is all about exploring our beautiful state of Washington! Students dive into investigating the economy, ecology, and culture of the state through hands-on exploration, field experiences, and by asking questions that require critical thinking and taking action. Students will travel to the Olympic Peninsula to explore an old-growth forest and learn about earth science and systems before heading to the Columbia Plateau, where they will be immersed in learning about our economy and ecology. Through exploring our earliest inhabitants, to modern-day peoples, and our state government, students will learn more about their role in society and how the past helps shape our future.