Vibrant Lessons and Curious Minds Across the Lower School

Students in Grade 2 have been captivated by Choose Your Own Adventure books in the library, inspiring a three-week project where they’re creating their own twist on “Goldilocks and the Three Bears!” Guided by Library Technologist Allison Sparks, the classes brainstormed creative and unexpected story choices, such as finding spaghetti, elves, or even a professional chef in the kitchen instead of porridge. Students then wrote and illustrated their own unique spin on the classic tale, thinking deeply about how choices affect consequences and plot, helping them understand story structure while stretching their imaginations.

In music classes, lower school students are busy preparing for their winter concert! Recently, Grade 3 students practiced singing “A Perfect Winter Day” by using body percussion to identify the major beats before layering in the correct rhythm. From their earliest years in the Lower School, students build musical understanding through a scaffolded curriculum rooted in the National Standards, developing their skills in audiation, rhythm, pitch, and teamwork through choral and instrumental pieces.

In Spanish class, students in Grade 2 rolled up their sleeves to make tortillas as part of Recetas con Raíces, a project exploring how traditional foods like tacos, arepas, and empanadas tell stories of history, culture, and community across the Spanish-speaking world. By following simple recipes and describing each step in Spanish, they discovered that every dish has roots that connect us all through language, flavor, and heritage.

Grade 5 students worked together to test the pH levels of different liquids, including Windex, lemon juice, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, distilled water, and Sprite. The natural pH indicator used in the experiment was made from red cabbage juice originally extracted last year by students from cabbages grown in the King garden. The juice was then dehydrated into a powder and stored for use in this year’s experiments. The lesson builds their understanding of chemical properties and reactivity, which will help them make connections during their upcoming trip to the Upper School to conduct hands-on experiments with upper school science teacher Tom Castonguay.

In Grade 1, students practice their writing skills through personally meaningful prompts. Recently, the prompt “In November” inspired students to tell stories about family and traditions, using labels in accompanying illustrations to add detail while sequencing events with first, then, next, and last. Students are encouraged by teachers to focus on spelling, capitalization, and punctuation while taking pride in their growing independence.

Grade 4 students have been researching the regions of the United States this trimester. As part of the unit, groups were tasked with building a model of a new landmark based on their knowledge of their region's climate, landforms, and history. The completed models will be presented, along with their 3D prints of actual landmarks and accompanying essays, at the Social Science Celebration on December 3.

During Lower School Student Council's first divisional assembly, students enjoyed a special presentation from service members in the King community ahead of Veterans Day. The guests discussed their roles in the military and how King’s values of kindness, perseverance, integrity, and respect and mirrored in the armed forces. The student council representatives also discussed many of the fall holidays celebrated across the world during the assembly, including Diwali, Día de los Muertos, and Thanksgiving. A special thank you to service members Alex Hayes, Frantz Morisset GP’34, Ken Pinckard, Chris Rowe, and Sherwet Witherington P’35 ’35 for speaking with students and their service to our country!