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about Singular Motivation
Grades 1-5
Continuous Growth
When young children are encouraged to ask questions and make their own discoveries, they become good listeners and critical thinkers who gain the confidence to take on challenges and seize unlimited possibilities. King School’s Grades 1–5 program is an interactive, hands-on experience that nurtures a love of learning and working with others.
King weaves this bold thinking throughout the student experience. Our students thrive as they embrace teaching and learning experiences that are age-appropriate, spur self-discovery, and inspire greater ambitions.
A Better Standard for Grades 1-5 Education
At the heart of King's private elementary school is our exceptional Faculty who know each of their students as an individual -- and use their students' interests, learning patterns, and personal goals as part of lesson planning, course selections, and activities outside the classroom -- all directed towards inspiring, challenging, and supporting each learner. Our talented elementary school students thrive in a challenging academic program within a culture of integrity, kindness, perseverance, and respect. We prepare students for a lifetime of learning by developing skills at an early age, building a foundation in STEM, reading and writing, and more.
Within a safe, nurturing community, students are comfortable to collaborate with others and take risks, and, in the process, children gain confidence in their abilities to be successful learners. Our teachers, students, and parents together foster the intellectual, social, and emotional growth of each student.
Learn more about Lower School: PreK-Grade 5
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about Singular Motivation
“We created the Grade 4 probability carnival for the younger students. Even though they were having fun, we were actually teaching them math!”
— Gracie H., Lower School student
“King encourages me to follow my passions. I like STEM activities. We get to make our own objects that solve the problem that needs to be solved.”
— Varun B., Lower School student
“In Science, we were real inventors, creating our own inventions to help us solve a problem. In Math, we learned about economics by creating a marketplace and selling a product to our classmates.”
— Tim D., Lower School student
Lower School in Action
A group of six Upper School students and six staffulty, including Head of School Karen Eshoo, from multiple divisions and disciplines traveled together for and experienced an insightful and transformative experience at the NAIS People of Color Conference and the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in December. As student Hanhah Greene '21 enthused, "What was so compelling about this conference was meeting people from all around the country living totally different lives, but were able to connect and find such close similarities between one another."
The process of following natural curiosity and wonder throughout the day, with guidance from the teacher, is central to King's use of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. The curriculum is self-guided, as students learn through experience in a relationship-driven environment.
The Class of 2020 has achieved success in the classroom, on the athletic fields, and on the stage; now they are preparing to pursue lives of ongoing inquiry and purpose in college. Congratulations to the 43 seniors who have been accepted and have already committed to attend their first choice college or university!
The Lower School Library was transformed into an interactive carnival complete with a Lego ferris wheel, games, and prizes as Grade 3 students presented their Motion Carnival on Wednesday afternoon. Students have been studying the properties of forces and motion and to further their understanding of the concepts, they created carnival games that demonstrate these properties and also explored engineering concepts through the design of each game.
Grade 5 students enthusiastically accepted the challenge of researching to become experts on their topic of choice and then applying their learning by authoring, creating, and presenting digital, nonfiction books. This informational writing initiative was part of the Grade 5 Writing Workshop that helps students master a variety of approaches to writing.
It was a weekend to celebrate the deep history of King School; our competitive athletics; a spirited community; and giving back. The weather cooperated (mostly) for Homecoming Weekend 2019 as families, staffulty, neighbors, friends, and alums - dating back to the Class of 1969 - gathered on campus for a fun-filled weekend.
Dr. Jean-Baptiste introduced a new series of parent education events: Hot Coffee, Hot Topics. These are parent/caregiver workshops and discussions to grow our collective social, intellectual, emotional capacity for navigating current cultural and social transformations that impact how children learn. In these events, parents and caregivers will engage with each other, learn, and talk about tools, strategies, and challenges for developing cultural competence and how to provide a full circle of support for students from school to home.
This fall, Grade 1 and 2 students are exploring their communities and learning 'How Stamford Works." Our teachers encourage students to ask questions and make their own discoveries, building critical thinking skills and experience as problem-solvers. What better way to learn about the Stamford community and how it works than to ask the Mayor himself!
It was a quick trip around the United States for visitors on Wednesday, May 22, as they attended the The Grade 4 State Fair. To prepare for the Fair, each student chose a state to research in class, using many different sources including books and websites. They created a poster board for the state and brought in props and a special food from their region for their audience to sample. The State Research Project is multi-disciplinary, with the learning crossing into special classes.
Earlier this week the Parents' Association welcomed Cristina Young as she presented Understanding the Teenage Brain: The Keys to Improving a Challenging Relationship. Ms. Young, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Therapist with 25-years of experience, led an authentic discussion on the challenges and joys of parenting teenagers in today's environment.