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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
Did you know that there are over 300 species of butterflies in Uganda? First grade students learned about the butterfly as part of their global studies curriculum. In a netted pavilion, the class observed the metamorphosis of butterflies over two weeks, beginning with tiny caterpillars.
More than 250 grandparents and special friends from all corners of the world and all regions of the United States logged on to their computer screens and tablets to experience a day-in-the-life of Lower School students.
As Jackson Rosen '29 jotted down some of his favorite things for his pen pal, Rodrigo, he exclaimed, "I have so many things I want to share, I don't know which ones to pick!" Using a template, Grade 4 students wrote about themselves in Spanish for their pen pals in Malaga, Spain. They shared some of their favorite things, such as their favorite animal, sports, food, color, and celebrations.
Grade 2 students participated in a traditional coffee ceremony with the family of King Student Zerai Asefaw '32, whose heritage is from Eritrea. Zerai's grandmother, Neghesty Negusse, was joined by Zerai's father, Dr. Senai Asefaw P'32, to demonstrate each step of the coffee ceremony process, sharing their cultural traditions with the classroom.
As part of King's global education initiative, grade 5 students have been exploring Morocco. Students were introduced to various resources such as books, articles, videos, and photos to begin developing an understanding of the North African country's rich cultural heritage.
Prekindergarten students are budding entrepreneurs at King School. As part of imagining and creating a restaurant, they researched their questions: "What kinds of restaurants are there?, Where do they get their food?, and Who works at a restaurant?"
"What I like most is that we can pick a topic that we want to learn more about," says Alivia Posta. "When our class started studying ancient China, the first thing that came to mind was their art. I made a connection because I love art and Chinese civilization was one of the first places to make art and pottery," she reports.
Guided by their teacher, Ellen Eagleton, grade 3 students are becoming increasingly knowledgeable about and empathetic to social issues in the world. Adom Bedu-Addo is inspired by César Chávez because "people would still be treated like slaves on farms" without Chávez's advocacy on behalf of farmworkers. "People can now have freedom, though there is more work to be done to have people treated equally," Adom adds.
How do I express who I am through art? King students in grades 4 and 5 confront this challenge, developing self-expression as well as technical drawing skills. Art and Design Faculty Debbie DePouli reflects that "with the turmoil and uncertainty of our current times, the art studio is a place for students to hone their creativity, while having a safe outlet to process their experiences and emotions."
Curious to learn about nutrition and making good food choices, grade 1 students researched to become familiar with terms such as proteins and carbohydrates and to understand the difference between a fruit and a vegetable. "Eating broccoli and green beans gives you vitamins and eating chicken gives you protein," reported Tyler Oudsema.