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Our Lower Elementary classes offer an average class size of 13-16 students. 1st graders transition from Kindergarten to a more structured classroom aligned with the Trafton core curriculum that provides a strong foundation in language arts and math, an emphasis on good citizenship in social studies, and hands-on nature study in science. Creativity is encouraged with application of students' original ideas and higher-level thinking to classwork and projects.

Building on the foundations of 1st grade, our 2nd graders begin to read more fluently and write various text forms and more complex sentences while still fostering a love of learning for all subjects. Students learn study skills and work habits which will prepare them for Upper Elementary.

In the Lower School, classes continue the low student-to-teacher ratio of 8:1. 

It is our goal that as our students grow and mature each successive year, they are increasingly able to manage their own work and materials.  Structure, responsibility, and organizational skills are stressed as well as character development. Honors and grade-level curriculum is offered based upon the previous year academic achievement. Students may begin to participate in and try out for some school sports teams and many extra-curricular activities are offered such as band, student council, photography club, and book club.

Lower School Curriculum

  • Saxon Math: concepts include addition, subtraction, shape recognition, operations, ordinal numbers, graphing, money, and time.
  • Super Kids Reading Program: comprehensive of reading, grammar, and vocabulary.
  • Science: states of matter, kinetic and physical energy, earth layers, land forms, and plants.
  • Social Studies: citizenship, country leaders, U.S. symbols, goods & services, culture and customs.
  • Handwriting 
  • Supplemental learning
  • Character development through citizenship 
  • Enrichment: Art, Music, Physical Education 
  • Saxon Math: number operations & patterns, measurement, word problems, graphs and charts, multiplication and division.
  • Super Kids Program: comprehensive of reading and vocabulary.
  • Easy Grammar systems: parts of speech
  • Earth Science: plants, animals, and habitats; weather, and space.
  • Social Studies: communities, map skills, government, charts. 
  • Cursive handwriting
  • Accelerated Reader
  • Enrichment: Art, Physical Education, computer science, and library
  • Saxon Math: multiplication, division, directions, geometry, formulas.
  • Novel-based reading, basal reader, vocabulary, spelling, writing, language, parts of speech.
  • Science: Life, Physical, and Earth science.
  • Social Studies: communities, mapping, history makers, influential leadership.
  • Cursive handwriting
  • Accelerated Reader
  • Organizational/Study Skills
  • Character Development: self-discipline, social awareness, teamwork
  • Enrichment: Art, band, physical education, computer science, and library. 
  • Saxon Math: multiplication, long division, fractions and decimals, order of operations, area, problem solving 
  • Novel-based reading, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension 
  • Science: Scientific method, invertebrates, vertebrates, mammals, solar system, sound and light.
  • Social Studies: states and regions, American people and land, American geography, Texas history
  • Accelerated Reader
  • Organizational/Study Skills
  • Character Development: responsibility, initiative, ownership, self-discipline 
  • Enrichment: Art, band, physical education, computer science, and library.
  • Saxon Math: four operations, fractions, percent and decimals, order of operations, basic geometry, measurement, strategies for word problems, and math terminology
  • Novel-based reading, vocabulary, grammar, reading comprehension
  • Earth Science
  • Social Studies: American history and geography
  • Accelerated Reader
  • Organizational/Study Skills
  • Character Development: responsibility, initiative, ownership, self-discipline 
  • Enrichment: Art, band, physical education, computer science, and library.