Primary Years

Math:  In first grade we work on developing understanding of addition, subtraction, and a variety of strategies to use them.  Furthermore, we explore whole number relationships, place value, units of measure and geometric reasoning.  Regardless of the student’s ability level, challenges can be presented to demonstrate and articulate reasoning and thinking behind solutions to problems.

Reading:  Modelling off of the common core, and recognizing that literacy has many layers, all students in first grade learn foundational skills in reading for decoding, and then transition into reading for meaning and making sense of text.  A major portion of this is realized through both oral and written expression to craft responses to texts and prompts across subjects that show an understanding of concepts and ideas.

SEL:  Students in first grade realize and appreciate the importance of peers and interpersonal relationships of peers.  Working with classmates we frequently explore our feelings and emotions and learn to become reflective practitioners and understand how and why some experiences were positive or negative, and how they can be improved in the future.

Visual Arts: In 1st grade, students move from a basic understanding of the elements to learning what happens with regards to the elements of art. Students begin to understand how the elements of line and shape, for example, play into the larger pieces of art and begin to interact with each other. They are introduced to a variety of artists who have been challenged in their work and often resisted, but made a difference in how art is seen. We connect with the classroom IB Unit, How We Express Ourselves, to create art around our own unique place in this world through family connections.

Performing Arts: The program will follow the Units of Inquiry, using drama to help express different elements, such as stories with morals, observing nature, scientific inquiries into light, etc. 1st Grade will work towards a performance.

PE: Physical education builds on the foundational skills developed in the previous year while introducing more structured activities and basic sports concepts. We continue to reinforce and refine fundamental movement skills, including running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and galloping. Students are introduced to more challenging variations of these skills, such as longer jumps or higher hops, to promote skill development. Students learn the proper techniques for kicking,  throwing, catching, and using two hands. They partner up for drills and games  that help improve hand-eye coordination. The focus is also on cooperation and teamwork when playing  modified versions of soccer and basketball  that emphasize the importance of working together, taking turns, and following basic rules.

Spanish:  1^st graders will learn vocabulary (calendar vocabulary, feelings, numbers, parts of the body, family members, etc…) By the end of the year, students will be able to express and make questions about their feelings, needs and interests using simple sentences all this through games, songs and having fun while they are learning. The goal is for students to also learn in Spanish some of the topics that they are learning in their classes with their teachers implanting IB in Spanish lessons.

Language Arts: In Language Arts, we will explore complex phonics patterns and grammar rules. While reading, we will experience multiple genres of text through book clubs and read-alouds. Students will produce several types of writing including, personal narratives, opinion pieces, and informational books. We will also take a few weeks in the Spring to have fun with poetry.

Math: Students will become experts in addition and subtraction as we build towards multiple digit addition and subtraction with and without regrouping. Second Grade math helps to lay the foundation for multiplication and division.

Science: Students take a deep look at earth and physical sciences. Our units focus on concepts such as properties matter, water as a resource and necessity, and geographical changes.

Social Studies: In Second Grade, we examine how culture shapes communities, beliefs and values can be expressed through the arts and how economics systems affect our daily lives. Several action projects that address community needs will help bring our learning to life.

Visual Arts:  Students move from a basic understanding of the elements to learning what happens with regards to the elements of art. Students begin to understand how the elements of line and shape, for example, play into the larger pieces of art and begin to interact with each other. They are introduced to a variety of artists who have been challenged in their work and often resisted, but made a difference in how art is seen. We connect with the core classroom IB Unit, How We Express Ourselves, looking at how artists have expressed themselves through the visual arts and how the students can do so as well.

Performing Arts: The program will follow the Units of Inquiry, using drama to help express different elements, such as scientific inquiries into water, culture and history, different ways to tell stories, etc. 2nd Grade will work towards a performance.

PE: Physical education builds on the foundational skills developed in the previous year while introducing more structured activities and basic sports concepts. We continue to reinforce and refine fundamental movement skills, including running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and galloping. Students are introduced to more challenging variations of these skills, such as longer jumps or higher hops, to promote skill development. Students learn the proper techniques for kicking,  throwing, catching, and using two hands. They partner up for drills and games  that help improve hand-eye coordination. The focus is also on cooperation and teamwork when playing  modified versions of soccer and basketball  that emphasize the importance of working together, taking turns, and following basic rules.

Spanish: 2^nd graders will learn vocabulary (calendar vocabulary, feelings, numbers, parts of the body, family members, parts of the house, professions and occupations, etc…). By the end of the year students will be able to express and make questions about their feelings, needs and interests using simple sentences and also describe physical characteristics about themselves and others, all this through games, songs and having fun while they are learning. The goal is for students to also learn in Spanish some of the topics that they are learning in their classes with their teachers implanting IB in Spanish lessons. 

Math: Students take a large step in math this year, as they will be diving into the new topics of multiplication and division, fractions, and area and perimeter. They also solidify their understanding of rounding, place value, time, measurement, and geometry.

Reading: Third graders will continue to improve their fluency and decoding skills while reading, as well as expanding their vocabulary. They will read several different types of books throughout the year, and practice using many different reading and comprehension strategies to better understand and analyze the various texts that they read.

Writing: There are four types of writing that will be worked on throughout the year: personal narratives, fictional narratives, opinion pieces, and informational reports. They will more thoroughly develop their use of introductions, conclusions, linking words, dialogue, and research skills. 

Science: Many interesting scientific concepts will be researched and inquired into this year. Animals will be examined extensively, through looking at life cycles, adaptations, and habitats. Students will also learn about the scientific method to conduct experiments and write lab reports to experience the wonders of magnets and other forces. 

Social Studies: Students will learn all about how the economy and businesses work within a community and the world. In addition, the PYP 3 students will inquire into various landforms and how those physical features influence where people ultimately decide to create settlements.  Finally, students will look at influential people throughout history to examine how beliefs and values may cause people to take action.

Visual Arts: In 3rd grade students continue to grow in understanding how the elements of art interact with each other in a piece of art. They are challenged to grow in their skill with the various materials used in the classroom such as paint and clay. We collaborate with the core classroom on the IB Unit, Where We Are in Place and Time and look at both art through the ages and artists who have had to face and rise above unique ethnic challenges.

Performing Arts: The program will follow the Units of Inquiry, using drama to help express different elements, such as inspiring people from history, scientific inquiries into forces, developing their own stories, etc. 3rd Grade will work towards a performance that they will co-create.

PE: Physical education for 3rd grade builds on the foundational skills developed in 2nd grade while emphasizing the importance of sportsmanship, fair play, and respect for teammates and opponents.We discuss and reinforce concepts such as shaking hands after a game, cheering for both teams, and following the rules. For sports like basketball or soccer, we incorporate sport-specific drills to develop skills like dribbling, shooting, and passing, while providing opportunities for students to apply these skills in modified game situations. Third-grade students often engage in cooperative games that promote teamwork, communication, and social skills. These games may involve group activities, relay races, and team sports. The games are designed to be enjoyable, fostering a love for movement that can lead to a lifelong commitment to an active lifestyle.

Spanish: 3^rd graders will learn vocabulary (calendar vocabulary, feelings, numbers, parts of the body, family members, parts of the house, professions and occupations, etc…) by the end of the year students will be able to express and make questions about their feelings, needs and interests using simple sentences and also describe physical characteristics about themselves and others, all this through games, songs and having fun while they are learning. The goal is for students to also learn in Spanish some of the topics that they are learning in their classes with their teachers implanting IB in Spanish lessons. 

Math: Our new math curriculum is Dimensions Math (Singapore Math). Fourth-grade math builds on the information learned in previous grades and adds more complexity, especially with regard to fractions and decimals.

Reading: In 4th grade, the students will be reading longer chapter books and lots of non-fiction text.  The Lucy Calkins Reading Units of study are utilized. We will focus on:

• Using more advanced reading comprehension strategies to understand text, including making inferences, determining the main idea, and identifying key details.

• Synthesize information from two texts.

• Support analytical thinking with specific examples from the text.

• Summarize information.

• Interpret information from charts, images, videos, timelines and diagrams.

• Compare and contrast information read.

• Proficiently read at grade level four in both fiction and nonfiction texts.

• Learn new vocabulary words using context clues.

Writing: In 4th grade the Lucy Calkins Units of Study in Opinion, Information, and Narrative Writing are used.  The students write narrative, persuasive and informative pieces. Organization and elaboration of ideas are a major part of the writing curriculum.

Science: Our 4th grade IB science units cover: electricity, human body systems, steps of the scientific method and Earth science 

Social Studies: Our 4th grade IB social studies units cover: Oregon history (The Oregon Trail and Native Americans of Oregon), forms of government, map skills.

Performing Arts: The program will follow the Units of Inquiry, using drama to help express different elements, such as beliefs and values, awareness about the environment, musical-inspired expression, etc. 4th Grade will work towards the biggest ES performance of the school year, co-creating all elements of the play.

Visual Arts: In 4th more technique is taught as student’s skill grows and they are faced with the challenge of bringing their learning of the art elements into their own unique pieces and evaluating how who they are plays into the art they create. They are introduced to more advanced techniques in each of the mediums and challenged to evaluate their work and others when it comes to things such as composition, color schemes, and meeting the criteria set forth for a particular assignment. We collaborate specifically with the IB Unit How the World Works, both exploring light, color and energy and looking at how they play out in visual arts.

PE: Strength and Conditioning I (Power bands, lightweights, circuit training, Yoga I, power walking and jogging)

Team Sports I: (Basketball, Hockey, Team Handball, Softball, Soccer, Football, Lacrosse, Baseball and Volleyball)

In-door Games: (Goal Ball, Cage Ball, Wiffleball, Sideline Basketball and International Kickball)

Individual Sports: (Track & Field, Project Adventure I, Badminton I)

Spanish: The goal in 4th/5th grade is for the activities to represent a challenge for the students' level of Spanish. Grammar activities will be implemented where the students will learn the origin and correct use of expressions and sentences. By the end of the year students will be able to express interests, needs and feelings in a higher level. They will also improve their understanding, listening, writing and reading. We will also be pair some Spanish lessons with some of the topics that they are learning in their classes with their core teachers.

Math:  We have brand new research based curriculum from Singapore Math!  Our new 5th grade materials cover place value, expressions, operations, measurement, fractions, geometry and more!  Math will often be taught in distinct lessons , but it will also be incorporated in a cross curricular way during projects.

Reading: Kids will read a variety of genres (historical fiction, realistic fiction, nonfiction, fantasy) that link directly into our transdisciplinary themes.  For example, our unit on immigration involves a realistic fiction novel exemplifying issues associated with current immigration AND we also read a historical fiction novel about some of the first exploratory immigrants that initially populated North America.  Simultaneously, we will also be working on a variety of comprehension and vocabulary building activities.

Science: In 5th grade students will learn about responsible stewardship of the Earth by studying earth spheres, biomes, and the interdependence of organisms. They will also explore the states of matter, develop scientific models, and demonstrate chemical reactions. Finally we will investigate the solar system.

Social Studies: 5th graders will have a diverse examination of exploration; ranging from the new world to modern migrants. Additionally they will examine the origins of our government through focusing a variety of perspectives. Finally, students will end the school year by researching and presenting on a global issue of their choice.

Visual Arts: In Fifth grade, more technique is taught as student’s skill grows and they are faced with the challenge of bringing their learning of the art elements into their own unique pieces and evaluating how who they are plays into the art they create. They are introduced to more advanced techniques in each of the mediums and challenged to evaluate their work and others when it comes to things such as composition, color schemes, and meeting the criteria set forth for a particular assignment. This final year of PYP ends with an exhibition in which all the different disciplines are brought together. The students create an art piece which speaks to how they see themselves within their social context and the issues they face as a result.

PE: Strength and Conditioning I (Power bands, lightweights, circuit training, Yoga I, power walking and jogging)

Team Sports I: (Basketball, Hockey, Team Handball, Softball, Soccer, Football, Lacrosse, Baseball and Volleyball)

In-door Games: (Goal Ball, Cage Ball, Wiffleball, Sideline Basketball and International Kickball)

Individual Sports: (Track & Field, Project Adventure I, Badminton I)

Design: As 5th grade is the last grade of the Primary Years Program, they are working to gain independence in tools such as the Cricut, some power tools, and the 3D printer before entering into the Middle Years Program. 

Band: Fifth grade students participate in Band as their required Performing Art course.  Students choose and begin to learn how to play their instrument.  We strive to advance all students to be confident players on their instruments while playing through Method Book One as far as we can as an ensemble. Stay tuned on our MYP Performing Arts page for sign ups to participate in Rock Band or Morning Band throughout the school year.

Spanish: The goal in 4th/5th grade is for the activities to represent a challenge for the students' level of Spanish. Grammar activities will be implemented where the students will learn the origin and correct use of expressions and sentences. By the end of the year students will be able to express interests, needs and feelings in a higher level. They will also improve their understanding, listening, writing and reading. We will also be pair some Spanish lessons with some of the topics that they are learning in their classes with their core teachers.

The 5th Grade Exhibition is an exciting and culminating project where students showcase their skills, knowledge, and personal development acquired throughout the PYP. This event aligns with the IB philosophy, emphasizing holistic education and the interconnectedness of knowledge.

The 5th Grade Exhibition not only celebrates academic achievement but also instills a sense of global citizenship. It prepares students for the next phase of their education by nurturing essential skills such as research, critical thinking, collaboration, and effective communication. Moreover, it embodies the IB commitment to developing well-rounded individuals who understand the power of knowledge to create positive change in the world.

In essence, the 5th Grade Exhibition is a powerful and transformative experience that encapsulates the core values of IB education, empowering students to become lifelong learners and agents of positive transformation.

Check out the 2022-23 5th Grade Exhibition here.

Students select a real-world issue or topic they are passionate about, diving deep into research and exploration. This inquiry-based approach fosters critical thinking and independent learning.

The Exhibition encourages students to draw upon knowledge from various subjects, integrating concepts and skills from mathematics, language arts, social studies, science, and more. This transdisciplinary approach reflects the interconnectedness of the real world.

Beyond research, students are challenged to take meaningful action related to their chosen topic. This may involve community service, awareness campaigns, or practical solutions, demonstrating the application of knowledge to create positive change.

Students develop communication and presentation skills as they share their findings with the school community, parents, and sometimes even with a broader audience. This prepares them for future academic challenges and public speaking opportunities.

The Exhibition promotes reflective practices, encouraging students to assess their growth, challenges faced, and the impact of their actions. This metacognitive aspect enhances self-awareness and a sense of responsibility.