Grades 1-3

1st Grade Curriculum

First graders engage in activities that foster creativity and excitement for learning. They begin the process of becoming responsible students as they develop organization, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills within a nurturing environment. Key curricular areas such as reading, language arts, mathematics, science, and global studies are the focus of a developmentally challenging curriculum, which is complimented by interdisciplinary units taught by specialists in science, Spanish, music, art, P.E. and technology. The social emotional curriculum is an integral part of instruction. Some of the highlights in first grade include learning introductory coding skills, designing and building projects in the Makerspace, service learning, writing and publishing, and learning about biomes around the world.

List of 11 items.

Art

First graders explore shape, line, color, pattern, and texture through the study of artists’ masterpieces. Students hone skills in painting, stamping, paper weaving, sculpting, cutting, folding, tearing, and gluing using materials such as oil pastels, clay, glazes, watercolors, tempera paints, and recycled bottle caps.
Character Education

Character education is an integral part of each day. Emphasis is placed on creating a nurturing environment and the development of social-emotional learning skills through the daily practice of school routines and rituals; sharing, collaborating, and problem solving during classroom meetings and activities; and the development of manners, monthly virtues, and positive mindsets. Literature, songs, poems, buddy activities, service learning, character education assemblies, cooperative learning activities, and “teachable moments" enhance the curriculum.
Global Studies

Students continue to develop self-awareness though units on friendships, family, neighborhoods, city, and country. Basic geography skills are introduced as students explore continents and oceans with an emphasis on animals and habitats of biomes around the world. An introduction to maps, United States symbols, and various holidays around the world are also part of the curriculum.
Language Arts

First graders develop their reading and writing stamina through daily practice. During Reading Workshop, students build good reading habits and explore genres as they move from learning to read to reading to learn. During Writing Workshop, students learn how to develop writing pieces across a variety of genres, including narrative, nonfiction, review (opinion), and fiction. As they work through the writing process, students learn to revise and edit their work, including conferencing with peers to improve their writing pieces. Students apply grammar and writing conventions, focusing on capital letters and correct punctuation to convey meaning when reading and writing. Students participate in a multi-sensory spelling and phonemic awareness program. Students are taught to decode and encode when learning to read, look for tricky patterns in sight words, and practice dictation often to improve their application of phonics skills.
Library

Students in grades 1 - 3 have the unique opportunity to use the library and the literacy specialist as an authentic extension of their reading and writing work from the classroom. When our Sharks visit the library in small groups, they are coached into books at their “just right fit” reading level and guided in their reading decision-making. As writers, they apply new skills that they are learning from their classroom teachers. Children have these reading and writing conferences with the literacy specialist focusing on meeting them exactly where they are. This library programming creates yet another environment on campus where students have a strong connection with a loving adult.
Math

Through a hands-on approach, using manipulatives, students learn ways to make ten; numbers to 100; number bonds (part/part/whole); addition and subtraction; counting and comparing; number patterns; greater than/less than; place value; ordinal numbers through 10; estimating; naming position and direction; geometry (2D and 3D shapes); attributes; measurement (height, length, weight); skip counting; multiplication and division; fractions (halves and fourths); money; time (to the hour and half hour); word problems; and develop math fact fluency.
Music

First grade students expand upon the skills learned in Kindergarten as they practice singing and moving to a steady beat and the learn the difference between rhythm and beat. They are introduced to keyboards, borduns on Orff, folk dances, “sol-mi,” holiday songs and how to read simple notation. Students learn to sing in a round, a chorus, an orchestra, and a band and explore the four instrument families. First graders conclude the academic year analyzing music and moods, learning an Irish Jig, exploring viola/cello/bass, reading and writing quarter and eighth notes, and the “mi-sol-la” on a treble clef staff.
Physical Education

Students learn swimming and water safety. They engage in team building through team sports such as basketball, soccer, hockey, and golf. They participate in strategy games emphasizing group organization and communication while developing cardiovascular fitness. Flexibility is enhanced through dance, yoga, and stretching.
Science

The science units in 1st grade are aligned with their language arts, social studies, art, and library curricula and help students make connections across disciplines as they engage in scientific inquiry. Engineering skills are encouraged through makerspace activities. Units include scientific process and tools, space patterns, biomes, light and sound, and coding.
Spanish

Through gestures, songs, rhymes, stories, games, skits, and interactive SmartBoard presentations, students develop Spanish vocabulary and refine their pronunciation and linguistic base for simple communication. Spanish terms for food, numbers, sports, and adjectives are emphasized as well as development of students’ awareness and appreciation of Spanish speaking cultures through interdisciplinary connections.
Technology

Students learn robotics, coding, ozobot, and explore educational apps to reinforce and enhance concepts introduced in their classroom.

2nd Grade Curriculum

Jacksonville Country Day School’s second grade students are supported in becoming responsible, independent learners as they master increasingly complex skills across the curriculum. The foundational skills explored are a springboard for creative problem solving in literacy, math, global studies, and science. Addressing the social and emotional needs of each child is an essential aspect of the day, which complements the strong academic program. Interdisciplinary units taught by specialists in science, Spanish, music, art, P.E. and technology bring the curriculum to life. Some of the highlights in 2nd grade include designing and building projects in the Makerspace, incubating chicken eggs, raising butterflies from the chrysalis stage of development, coding, writing and publishing, service learning, and exploring the lives of indigenous Americans.

List of 11 items.

Art

Second grade students expand on artistic processes and vocabulary learned in first grade as they study symmetry, basic perspective, and drawing from observation. Students create works using mediums such as printing, collage, sculpture, weaving, water resist, tempera, and watercolor as they study new famous artists and their masterpieces. In ceramics, they learn to join clay pieces together and underglazing techniques.
Character Education

Character Education is an integral part of each day. Emphasis is placed on creating a nurturing environment and the development of social emotional learning skills through the daily practice of school routines and rituals; sharing, collaborating, and problem solving during classroom meetings and activities; and the development of manners, monthly virtues; and the 7 Mindsets. Literature, songs, poems, buddy activities, service learning, character education assemblies, cooperative learning activities, and “teachable moments" enhance the curriculum.
Language Arts

In 2nd grade, students continue building their reading stamina and skills through daily practice. During Reading Workshop, students grow as readers by tackling tricky words with strategies, becoming experts through nonfiction texts, participating in series book clubs, and increasing their range of genres when reading books of interest. In Writing Workshop, second graders work to improve their narrative writing, while also diving into writing about reading and science. Students are introduced to poetry and enjoy becoming poets themselves. The writing process is practiced in all units, focusing on adding detail, stretching out small moments, and include proper grammar and conventions. Their foundation of phonics and word relationships is further enhanced through a multi-sensory approach. Students learn more about spelling patterns, word meanings, and sight words through daily instruction.
Library

Students in grades 1 - 3 have the unique opportunity to use the library and the literacy specialist as an authentic extension of their reading and writing work from the classroom. When our Sharks visit the library in small groups, they are coached into books at their “just right fit” reading level and guided in their reading decision-making. Children have these reading and writing conferences with a focus on meeting them exactly where they are developmentally for focused instruction. This creates yet another environment on campus where students have a strong connection with a loving adult.
Math

In the 2nd grade math program, students continue to explore tangible materials and pictorial representations of a mathematical concept before moving onto more abstract symbols, numbers and notations. Students are encouraged to reflect upon the strategies they use to solve problems, and begin the year solidifying their understanding of place value within whole numbers to 1000. Other skills covered in 2nd grade include: addition and subtraction with renaming, initial work with multiplication and division concepts, fact fluency in addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, mental calculation, fractions, money and time, measuring length (centimeters, meters, yards, feet, inches), weight (grams, kilograms, pounds, ounces), comparing capacity (liters, gallons, quarts, pints, cups), word problems, estimation, geometry, tables and graphs (picture, bar).
Music

Second grade music concentrates on taking vocal and rhythmic skills to a higher developmental level. Students explore clapping and speaking rhythms; recognizing “do” borduns on instruments; musical form; adding “la” and “do”; telling a story with music; choral vs. instrument sounds; strings, woodwinds, percussion and brass instruments; reading simple stick notation and a quarter, half, and sixteenth notes; exposure to musical terms (i.e., legato, staccato); and presenting a show relating to Character Education or music from around the world.
Physical Education

Students learn swimming and water safety. They engage in team building through team sports such as basketball, soccer, hockey, and golf. They participate in strategy games emphasizing group organization and communication while developing cardiovascular fitness. Flexibility is enhanced through dance, yoga, and stretching.
Science

Students participate in “hands-on” scientific inquiry. Investigations are interdisciplinary in nature, emphasizing science, technology, engineering and math and the Makerspace is utilized to encourage ideation, prototyping and engineering. Units of study include fitness and health, animal life cycles, weather and water, environmental engineering, Lego Robotics, balance, and motion.
Social/Global Studies

Students become geographers, anthropologists, economists, and historians as they explore continents and oceans, maps and globes, landforms, indigenous people, Colonial America, and significant historical moments and people in history.
Spanish

Students are encouraged to interact with each other to develop Spanish verbal and auditory skills as they ask and answer questions and role play scenarios. Vocabulary is also developed through songs and games and students write mini-stories in Spanish. Emphasis is placed on the gender of nouns, school words, clothing, farm animals, sports, food, family, “I am” expressions, and total physical response (TPR ).
Technology

Students are introduced to WeDo Lego Robotics building and programming on a computer, Little Bits circuits, TinkerCAD 3D printing, coding, green screen and video production, and educational learning apps on iPads.

3rd Grade Curriculum

Jacksonville Country Day School’s third grade students develop increased responsibility, accountability, and independence as they become partners in their own learning. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking and cooperative learning as tools for discovery. Character education and the 7 Mindsets are integrated across specials and within the classroom on a daily basis. Some of the highlights in 3rd grade include exploring the regions of the United States, a civil rights tour of St. Augustine, engineering solutions to solve regional issues, service for veterans, coding, and designing and building projects in the Makerspace.

List of 10 items.

Character Education

Character Education is an integral part of the 3rd grade curriculum. Students learn new social and emotional skills during daily morning meetings and are encouraged to model these skills as they work collaboratively with their peers. Throughout the year, students are learn to dream big, focus on each others’ strengths, explore interests, maximize positive relationships, overcome limiting beliefs, develop an attitude of gratitude, and make a difference in their community. Focus is placed on the positive mindsets and monthly virtues, and Character Education assemblies, collaborative activities, and service learning projects compliment the program.
Global Studies/Social Studies

Students review map elements such as a coordinate grid, cardinal and intermediate directions, and as they use thematic maps, tables, charts, graphs, and photos to analyze geographic information. They explore immigration and cultural diversity by looking at the contributions of different cultures in America and learn about the important rights and freedoms protected by the Bill of Rights after studying the structure of the US government, the history of the United States of America’s flag, and the meaning of the Pledge of the Allegiance.
Language Arts

Students write narrative, opinion, informational, and fairy tale pieces using the writing process of drafting, revising, editing, and celebrating their work through peer conferences and sharing their final product with others. Later in the year, 3rd grade students persuade an audience about causes they believe in through persuasive essays. In grammar, students study the parts of speech; plural and singular nouns; pronouns; past, present, and future verb tenses; adjectives; adverbs; prepositions; sentence types; and capitalization. Students continue to grow as readers by learning more about who they are as a reader and building a reading life. They continue reading to learn with a focus on main ideas and text structures. They also participate in character studies, partner reading, improving expression, and summarizing what they have read. Vocabulary and spelling skills are explicitly taught and facilitate students’ understanding and use of new spelling patterns and vocabulary terms.
Library

Students in grades 1 - 3 have the unique opportunity to use the library and the literacy specialist as an authentic extension of their reading and writing work from the classroom. When our Sharks visit the library in small groups, they are coached into books at their “just right fit” reading level and guided in their reading decision-making. Children have these reading and writing conferences with a focus on meeting them exactly where they are developmentally for focused instruction. This creates yet another environment on campus where students have a strong connection with a loving adult.
Math

In 3rd grade, students build on mathematical concepts learned in 2nd grade as they move from the concrete to the pictorial and then into more abstract concepts. Mathematical analysis, problem solving, and communication are encouraged throughout the year. 3rd grade math includes numbers to 10,000; estimation and addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, multiplication of whole numbers; division facts and algorithms; mental calculation strategies; equivalent fractions; adding and subtracting fractions; computations involving money, time, and length; weight and capacity; model drawing; graphing; geometry; tables; data analysis probability; area; and perimeter.
Music

Students learn to consciously differentiate between major and minor tonalities, as well as rhythmic patterns on drums and the treble clef. They develop musical phrases and add “do, re, & fa” to their repertoire. Third grade students also learn partner singing and singing in two part strategies, folk songs, and explore musical stories. By the end of the academic year, they identify choral vs. instrumental sounds and orchestral families; play simple chords on the ukulele; sight read; explore dynamics and expression, Boomwhackers, choir chimes, composers; and perform during a Veterans Day show.
Physical Education

Students review pool safety skills as they participate in swimming centers and group water activities. During this unit, emphasis is placed on advanced stroke development and aerobic conditioning. Later, students hone their team organization, collaboration, and sport specific skills during units on basketball, hockey, croquet, golf, volleyball, and soccer. Students also participate in circuit training and learn a variety of leisure games.
Science

Through hands-on laboratories, students develop hypothesis, control variables, measure, observe, and predict as they investigate and experiment. Units of study integrate science, technology, engineering, and math and utilize the Makerspace to enable students to ideate and prototype solutions to real issues. During the course of the year, students study health and fitness, plant life cycles, biodiversity, habitats, food chains/webs, camouflage/adaptations, simple machines, magnetism, and mechanical engineering.
Spanish

Third grade students’ breadth of oral and written vocabulary continues to expand as students become acquainted with specific grammatical concepts such as gender and number agreement and recognize that the endings of words carry meaningful information. Through songs, games, role playing and total physical response (TPR), students learn school specific vocabulary, directions and commands, the names of zoo animals, noun and adjective agreement, question words, prepositions, and simple verb conjugation. In addition, Spanish and Latin cultural appreciation is integrated into the curriculum.
Technology

Students develop skills in Lego Robotics, Little Bits circuits, TinkerCAD 3D printing, coding, and video production. They also utilize educational learning apps on iPads to reinforce and expand upon concepts introduced in their classroom.

Jacksonville Country Day School

10063 Baymeadows Road
Jacksonville, FL 32256
P. 904-641-6644
F. 904-641-1494
office@jcds.com

Located in Jacksonville, FL, Jacksonville Country Day School is a private school for Pre-K 3 through 6th grade. JCDS prepares students for a healthy and productive lifetime of intellectual exploration, character development, and social responsibility.