Early Elementary

In the Science Lab, TK students explore their superpower: the five senses. Through play-based learning stations, our youngest Vikings strengthen their understanding of sight, touch, smell, hearing, and taste while discovering how they use these senses every day. They celebrate their learning with a TK Superhero Cape Ceremony.

As part of the Letterland curriculum, which introduces one letter each week to build a strong foundation in early literacy, TK students learn all about the letter B and bears. They celebrate the culmination of their bear study with the highly anticipated Hibernation Day, arriving in cozy pajamas for a day of learning and fun. By the end of the year, many Village TK students are already reading.

One of the hallmarks of Village's first grade literacy program is small group instruction, allowing teachers to provide targeted support and appropriately challenge students based on their individual reading and writing development. First graders practice reading and writing stamina in a variety of ways. Some students focus on sustained journal writing, while others spend time exploring the classroom library to build their reading focus and independence. Across the room, classmates work on finding text evidence to answer comprehension questions about leaders in Black history and practice writing complete sentences.⁠

Public speaking begins in TK. Through the beloved TK Robots project, students engage in an interdisciplinary learning experience that combines creativity, engineering, and communication. As they design, build, and present their own robot creations, they develop foundational skills in design thinking, problem-solving, and critical thinking while learning to clearly articulate their ideas and reflect on their process. The experience helps students build confidence as communicators from the very beginning of their Village journey.

At Village, Kindergarten through third-grade classes learn through Great Minds' new Foundations of Literacy Arts & Letters curriculum, a knowledge-building program that integrates reading, writing, history, science, and the arts. Rather than teaching literacy skills in isolation, students develop them through rich, grade-level texts and interdisciplinary units that encourage them to make meaningful connections across subjects. A lesson on a historical figure, for example, might include reading informational text, discussing themes and character traits, analyzing artwork, and responding through writing, reinforcing literacy while deepening content knowledge.

In first grade, Arts & Letters supports children as they grow from emergent readers into more confident readers and writers. Alongside the explicit phonics instruction provided through Word Study using the Orton-Gillingham approach, students read literature and informational texts that connect to broader humanities topics, strengthening comprehension while building historical knowledge and vocabulary. Teachers guide students to examine how ideas are connected, how stories are structured, and how authors communicate meaning, while giving them frequent opportunities to express their own thinking through discussion and writing.

First graders use cubes and markers to solve story problems in the Math Lab. As they work, they focus on two standards of mathematical practice: modeling with mathematics and using tools strategically.

A hallmark of the Village experience is learning that extends beyond the classroom. Through dedicated specialist spaces like Math Lab, students reinforce core concepts while exploring subjects in new and engaging ways. In Math Lab, inquiry-based challenges and hands-on mathematical tools help students develop conceptual understanding and flexible problem-solving skills.

Our first graders are building their “superhero stamina” by practicing independent reading. Each student is learning to stay focused on their book, find a successful reading spot, and grow the skills that will make them strong, confident readers. 

In Reader’s Workshop, Kindergarteners develop essential reading and comprehension skills. With the help of Mama Echo, a beloved classroom character, students explore consonant blends and practice sounding out words with confidence and joy.