Grades 3-5
Students at Mother Caroline Academy experience a rich and rigorous curriculum during their six years of study. In the lower school (Grades 3-5), the curriculum focuses on developing strong foundations in math and literacy for each student, guided by the Common Core State Standards. Rounding out the lower school curriculum is early exposure to music, computer coding, and STEAM.
Learning Through Experience
Mother Caroline Academy’s 3-5 curriculum is designed to provide many opportunities for students to learn through hands-on experiences and reflection. In this way, elementary school students are better able to connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations.
Emphasis on Foundational Skills
The MCA lower school curriculum focuses on building strong foundational skills in Math, English, Reading, Writing and other academic areas. Teachers also focus on helping students develop the ability to plan ahead and meet goals, display self-control, follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted, and stay focused despite distractions. These skills help prepare students for success in the upper school and eventually high school. We spotlight these skills in the lower elementary school grades because we believe intervening early will uplift our students’ academic, social and emotional outcomes in school.
For example,
- Skills in social studies, math, and environmental science are applied to hands-on farming tasks during the 5th Grade’s one-week sleepaway camp at a Vermont dairy farm, in partnership with Farm For City Kids.
- A 3rd-grade unit on money and number sense is capped by a project in which each student designs a food stall and menu with prices based on operating costs. Flush with play money, the rest of the school visits the stalls; business gets conducted, and proper change is made.
