Classrooms

Kindergarten

In kindergarten we strive to provide a program that balances social and emotional learning with a rich, challenging, and developmentally appropriate curriculum. Using a thematic focus, areas of interest to five- and six-year-olds become a part of their learning as connections and discoveries are made. By providing a dynamic and responsive program, teachers enable children to create and share learning with their classmates. Children in kindergarten at The Meridian School have opportunities to work in and out of the classroom. They spend time with all six of our specialists and enjoy off campus field trips. Our small class size allows us the flexibility to differentiate our instruction to suit the needs of the children in our classes.

First Grade

In first grade, students develop the social and communication skills of problem-solving, working together, and being good citizens while learning through deeply engaging interrelated themes. Rich, developmentally-appropriate activities provide practice in important academic skills while allowing for a wide range of student responses and creative choices. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves and support each other as learners.

Second Grade

Second grade is a time for students to solidify newly acquired academic skills and become fluent in their application. Core skills in reading, writing, and math are developed through direct instruction and thematic teaching. Basic research skills are taught and students learn how to put together short reports, which they present to different audiences. Students work individually and in cooperative groups to solve math problems and work on science experiments. To encourage critical thinking, teachers often ask students how they got their answer.

Third Grade

Third grade is the time when many core skills are now fluent and students learn how to apply them to more complex activities. Students work both independently and in cooperative groups on projects that integrate core subjects into a larger thematic unit. Our third grade integrates all subjects around the central theme of community. Students will learn about important aspects of their community, including its members, environment, and impact. During the course of this study, students will read, write, apply math concepts, and perform science experiments. Understanding why things work the way the do and how we got our answer are at the heart of the third grade program.

Fourth Grade

Fourth graders balance individual responsibility with community identity by studying the environment, investigating native cultures and conducting scientific experiments. Students develop increased independence in work and study habits, learning to manage their time. Interactive math and language arts activities enhance student understanding and social skills. Through thematic curricula, fourth graders experience an active year of gathering, understanding, and organizing information on a variety of subjects. Report presentations take various forms, from typewritten papers, to oral presentations, to computer produced brochures. Increased expectations combined with practical strategies enable students to be confident successful learners.

Fifth grade is a time for students to put all of their skills together and emerge as independent learners. Students are asked to communicate effectively and responsibly with others as they work individually and cooperatively. Students set personal goals, evaluate their own progress in curriculum and social areas, and become time managers. Long term projects are assigned throughout the year with the expectation of organizing thoughts and materials while meeting deadlines and project requirements. Meridian fifth graders learn to be capable managers of their school environment and in the world around them.