Triad

In first grade, Language Arts is composed of listening comprehension, sentence work, writing mechanics, and paragraph work. Students listen to stories and engage in discussions around making connections, predictions and inferences. They also learn to support their opinions with evidence from the story and are introduced to the literary element of character. On the sentence level, the focus is on writing complete sentences about familiar topics. Students learn the basic mechanics of sentence writing, such as capitalization and ending punctuation. Later in the year, students are introduced to the conjunctions and, but and because in order to increase the complexity of their sentences. Students have their first exposure to a basic paragraph outline and learn to construct a paragraph orally.

Second graders focus on studying nouns, verbs and adjectives as they explore the structure of simple sentences. They later learn to add details to sentences that answer the questions when, where and why. They also learn to construct sentences with the conjunctions and, but, because and so. Students begin to become familiar with the writing process for basic paragraphs, using list making, outlining and draft writing. Students have the opportunity to practice the writing process repeatedly as part of a project on a bird of their choice. During the bird project, students engage with non-fiction text as they are learning about their specific bird.  At other times in the year, they listen to stories and novels that allow them to practice making connections, predictions and inferences in addition to studying the literary elements of character and setting.

On the sentence level, third grade starts with a focus on strengthening the understanding and application of nouns, verbs, and adjectives in simple sentences. Later in the year, students learn to produce compound and complex sentences using specific coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. Sentence skills are practiced in isolation and in writing paragraphs. Writing basic paragraphs is an important part of the third grade curriculum because it allows students to develop automaticity with the sequence of the steps and to gain confidence in writing connected text. Many of the paragraph topics are connected to the stories and novels students study in class and reinforce what students are learning about literary elements, including characters, setting and plot. Teachers have chosen stories and novels that relate to the Social Studies curriculum in order to deepen students’ understanding of the material. 

On the sentence level, students in fourth grade are introduced to more advanced grammar concepts such as dependent and independent clauses and appositives. Students begin the year writing basic paragraphs and then learn to expand their paragraphs through the addition of supporting details. Identifying elements of fiction and non-fiction, reading and writing poetry, recognizing and using literary elements are all parts of the curriculum in fourth grade. In addition, the Social Studies content is reinforced through the novels students read together and the related writing projects.

In fifth grade students expand their knowledge of literary elements with a focus on conflict and theme and explore figurative language. Instruction on the sentence level is focused on deepening the understanding of more advanced sentence structures such as incorporating appositives and creating complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions. On the paragraph level, fifth graders write expository and literary analysis paragraphs as well as a historical fiction narrative. All these pieces of writing are based on novels students read together in class and support the connection between reading comprehension and written expression.

First grade topics include Insects, Matter, Earth Materials, and Nutrition.

Second grade topics include Birds, Weather, Heat, and the Ocean.

Third grade topics include Ecosystems, Life Cycles, the Food Chain, Systems in the Sky, and the Human Body.

Fourth grade topics include Rocks and Minerals, Oceans, Light and Sound Energy, and Space.

Fifth grade topics include Living Things, Food Chains, Classification, Matter, Earth Science, and Forces and Motion.

First grade is a time of transition for growing independence and developing awareness of others in our community. Social studies lessons strive to expand the students' understanding of the communities we are connected to both near and far. Social studies units include Civic Ideals and Practices, Our Local Community Winston-Salem & North Carolina, and Famous Americans at their highest point of contribution.

Second graders study community, landforms, Native Americans, and Kenya. They compare and contrast different cultures and traditions. They learn how the geography of an area determines how people live. Students consider different viewpoints and make connections through reading, hands-on projects, games, and discussions.

Third graders learn about daily life, geography, economic factors, and  social and political history of the colonies in Colonial America, starting with the Lost Colony and ending before the Revolutionary War. Students begin the Entrepreneurship unit with teaching basic economic principles. They then develop a business plan, write a pitch, and create an authentic business selling goods and services.

Fourth graders learn about aspects of daily life, geography, economic factors, and  social and political history from the start of the Revolutionary War, continuing the learning they began in third grade. They then follow up this with a detailed study of the founding of the United States, including learning about the principles of the organization of the US government. Throughout the year the concept of freedom in its many forms is given a particular emphasis.

The fifth graders explore themes of both belonging and exclusion by studying various people's migrations and their historical contexts. Students look for patterns about who was allowed to immigrate, when, and why. Students engage in a deeper study into Chinese and Irish immigration while also learning about what was happening in America during this time period such as: industrialization, the Civil War, and Westward Expansion. Students end the year by studying the Great Migration and drawing conclusions about how these migrations brought about a diverse America. 

First grade is the first year Summit students have a formal art class in a studio setting apart from their homeroom.  Some highlights of first grade art are; basic color theory, line, shape, space, pattern and texture.  While drawing, coloring, painting or weaving artists will use mediums including pastels, crayons, marker, watercolors, tempera, paper, glue, tape and yarn.  This budding studio community will learn how to move, work and create together inspired by such artists as Calder and Miro.

In second grade art students explore many different art techniques.  The second grade artists review basic color theory and learn color values with tinting and shading.  They are introduced to printmaking, clay, collage and reductive scratch art.  While growing technique they will also strengthen soft skills such as persistence, following instructions, supportive partnerships, and doing their best. Inspirational artists for this year rotate through mainly contemporary examples curated from various social media and current local gallery displays.

Third grade art has a focus on composition. Third grade artists are introduced to planning their art work with thought and intention and concurrently strengthen drawing and watercolor skills. Artists recognize the powers of asymmetry, bilateral symmetry, or radial symmetry. Third grade artists ask themselves, “What do I want my viewer to notice?”, and then plan and arrange their composition to suit. Some elements of composition highlighted are balance, movement, contrast, pattern and proportion. We define what is a still life, landscape, portrait, and how artists like Mondrian, Kehinde Wiley, Cezanne, Fish, Duncanson present their works on a canvas or paper.

Fourth grade Art is all about texture and abstract subject matter.  Artists add texture and pattern to all they create in 4th grade in paper, sculpture, painting, and drawing.  They explore shading, stippling, hatching and cross hatching to show value, depth and form. Fourth graders use inspiration from artists such as Monet, Seurrat, Van Gogh, Hokusai, Dali, Vero, and Matisse.

In fifth grade, artists look back on concepts learned and lean into OP Art, POP Art and Cubism. Artists explore public art, scale, point of view, negative space, foreshortening and touch on one point perspective. Through the mediums of pencil, marker, pastel, paint, clay, and paper weaving, artists create art inspired by Modern Art pioneers like Bridget Riley, Warhol, Oldenburg, Lichtenstein, Klee, Picasso and Braques.

Students begin learning basic coding skills. As digital citizens, they learn about paying attention to their feelings when using technology and how to say goodbye to devices when it’s time to put them away. In Design they are learning the importance of planning to the design process. Students use Seesaw Draw on their chromebooks to create plans before making Breathing Buddy pillows and shoebox buildings for Box City.

Students build upon the coding skills learned in first grade and they look at how the internet works. As digital citizens, they learn about staying safe online and the importance of device-free moments. In design students are learning more about building and testing as part of the design process. They build and test-fly simple kites and create 3-dimensional streetscapes from a “bird’s eye” plan. Students begin working with WeDo LEGO robots, connecting the programming to the coding they are already doing.

Students build upon the coding skills learned in second grade. They learn about computers and the various components involved by constructing paper models. As digital citizens, they learn about being kind online and not believing everything they see. In design students are using LEGO sets to build and test wheels and axles, and pulleys and gears to understand how they work. Students begin learning SketchUp, a 3D design program they will continue to use through Upper School.

Students continue building coding skills. They learn more about how the parts of a computer work, specifically as it relates to coding. As digital citizens, they learn about what information is safe to share online and making healthy media choices. In design students learn to use the 3D Design program Tinkercad and continue with SketchUp. They also build and program a SpyBot that uses a motion sensor, and design and build a car with working wheels and axles powered by a balloon.

In fifth grade students take a Design class and a Digital Life Skills class.

In Design fifth grade students explore the design process through foundational projects that build upon multiple skills learned throughout their lower school design experience, and prepare them for more complex design problem solving in the upper school studio. The students will utilize the 3D printers, laser cutters and other equipment to realize their ideas. They will sharpen their 3D design skills using softwares like Sketchup. They will hone their fine motor skills with model making, and learn the importance of craftsmanship throughout the design process.

In Digital Life Skills students gain in-depth knowledge of Google suite apps including Docs, Draw, Sheets, and Slides. Continuing with coding, they learn about working with sprites to create interactive animations. Digital citizenship lessons focus on reading news online, digital friendships, and copyright and fair use.

First grade drama students are introduced to drama through action and play. They explore the concept of stage presence by playing games centered around teamwork and creativity. Students explore improvisation. Students have the opportunity to make connections between simple dramatic skills and developing their own voice and confidence in the classroom. A highlight for first grade is their readers' theater performance.

Fourth grade drama students take the stage by using creativity and improvisation to play games that teach drama teams and techniques. They learn theater techniques such as blocking, facial memory and stage presence. Students get to step out on creativity and personality by performing their individual monologues for the class. By the end of the year, students are ready to perform their Fourth grade play.

In first grade, student musicians work all year on steady beat, rhythm, and singing skills. They move rhythmically, play instruments, create and perform simple patterns and songs. They begin to match long and short sounds with the correct rhythm vocabulary and create their own rhythms to share. Students are introduced to the mallet and percussion instruments and how to use them.  A highlight of their year is the First & Second Grade Sing where they joyfully perform songs together that showcase their rhythmic movement and singing skills.

Second grade musicians continue their work on steady beat, rhythm, and singing skills. They are introduced to the musical scale and simple melodic phrases through the use of solfege. They are introduced to specific rhythms in simple time and work on composing and improvising using these rhythms.  They are introduced to the musical staff and written notation. They begin to learn about music from other cultures such as Kenya and Native American. Second graders are also the leaders at the First & Second Grade Sing in February where they exhibit their singing, beat, and rhythmic movement skills.

In the third grade, students begin to put all of their knowledge of rhythm and melody together through learning to play the recorder. They use solfege to sight read songs and play them. They read the rhythm and notation of a given song and then play it on the recorder. They look for the same and different parts as they begin to understand how form works in music. Their confidence grows as they teach themselves to play songs on their own through Recorder Karate. They compose and improvise using what they know. The concept of harmony is introduced through partner songs.

Fourth grade musicians will continue to play recorder off and on throughout the year with the goal of getting to Black Belt in Recorder Karate. Solfege is used to continue work on pitch development, sight reading, and melodic understanding. They continue harmony work through partner songs and rounds. They begin to think about what is involved in song writing and give it a try. Singing in a head voice and vocal skills become more of a focus. Rhythm work becomes more complex. 4th graders begin to have more choice as they create music and dances on their own. There is a throughline on freedom as we learn songs from early America, spirituals, and protest songs. Instruments and movement are an integral part of their music making.

In fifth grade, the expectations rise for our student musicians. They expand their solfege abilities through reading musical phrases that use more notes and harder rhythm. They begin to sing as a choral ensemble learning proper singing technique. They work with more complex rhythms in simple and compound meters. Different types of harmony are experienced and performed. Fifth graders learn to play the ukulele as an accompanying instrument. They learn chords and chord progressions as a way to further understand how music is made. They are given opportunities to share their musical preferences in many different ways throughout the year.

In second grade students manipulate materials, explore, and create projects using their tool skills in a way that is responsible and safe. Lessons are designed to give students opportunities to engage in learning that embraces creativity, play, and experimentation. Students will learn how hinges, levers, wheels and simple machines work. Through teacher-led and self-initiated projects students manipulate materials, explore, and create using tools including: glue guns, scissors, hand drills, wire cutters, screw drivers, hammers and nails.

In third grade students build on the second grade experience. They are encouraged to be self guided and motivated in their inquiry, experimentation, and inventions. They learn to recognize that prototyping and failure are steps in the design process. Students continue to develop their skills in using a variety of tools and materials in their projects. They are encouraged to use correct terminologies and have an understanding of creators’ work in the world beyond our tinkering studio.

First graders develop responsibility through becoming good stewards of the library. During storytime, students study illustrators and practice their own illustrations through Directed Draws. A Mock-Caldecott follows as students evaluate different illustrations and their role in the story. Selections of early readers are highlighted and encouraged as appropriate choices for emerging readers. Nonfiction interests are developed as different sections of the nonfiction shelves are visited weekly to encourage exploring. Through Famous Americans, students use finding skills to locate resources for their research through guided practice.

Second graders continue their stewardship of the library by developing their love of reading. As readers, second graders broaden their choices by exploring graphic novels and chapter books, participating in book groups, and sharing recommendations of series with peers. Book tastings during storytime expose children to the criteria for Newbery Award winning books. Through BookBreak, a library speakers consortium, the library brings authors to students to provide insight to the process of creating story. Bird research provides students with nonfiction books for investigation. As interests continue to grow in all genres, students begin exploring the library catalog and using their finding skills with guided practice to locate books of interest. 

Third graders develop a taste for book series, and the Mystery Book display introduces new series to readers. As stewards, these readers work with the librarian to justify keeping or weeding series from the collection.  Readers use the catalog to locate books of their choice. During storytime, books centered on entrepreneurship, pioneering, and storytelling are highlighted as students explore these themes. In addition book shares introduce readers to series their peers enjoy, too. A writer in residence visits and guides students in writing and publishing their own book.  

Students learn to name and find text features for fiction and nonfiction resources; they develop independence in searching the library catalog by using limiters and by developing finding skills with call numbers; they learn how to access and use vetted digital resources such as encyclopedias, the Scholastic collection, and our Sora ebook/audiobook library; they learn to distinguish between types of nonfiction texts such as narrative, informational, instructional, and browsable; they continue to develop ability to make relevant independent-reading selections. Students learn to recognize book awards for what they honor and to choose/learn about authors and books for different monthly celebrations. Additionally, they practice sustainable habits for shared resource care, including upcycling discarded materials into new uses and practicing elements of bookbinding.

Students learn to identify and use text features for fiction and nonfiction resources; they develop independence in searching the library catalog and by developing finding skills with call numbers; they learn how to access and use vetted digital resources such as encyclopedias, the Scholastic collection, and our Sora ebook/audiobook library; they learn to distinguish between types of nonfiction texts such as narrative, informational, instructional, and browsable; they continue to develop ability to make relevant independent-reading selections. Students also learn to check source reliability by searching by limiting domains and checking the About section of websites. Students learn to recognize book awards for what they honor and to choose/learn about authors and books for different monthly celebrations. Additionally, they practice sustainable habits for shared resource care, including upcycling discarded materials into new uses and practicing elements of bookbinding.

Students start to develop their manipulative skills such as underhand/overhand throws, catching, dribbling with hands and feet, and kicking. Students start to develop an understanding of speed, direction, pathway, and strategies while learning the purpose of fitness and health through warm ups, cool downs, and target skills.

Students develop their manipulative skills such as underhand/overhand throws, catching, dribbling with hands and feet, and kicking. They are encouraged to master these skills by utilizing a tiered level approach with equipment. For example, beginning badminton with a balloon and soft paddle progressing to a birdie and racquet. Students gain an understanding of speed, direction, pathway, and strategies while learning the purpose of fitness and health through warm ups, cool downs, and target skills.

Students fine tune their manipulative skills such as underhand/overhand throwing, catching, dribbling with hands and feet, and striking. They will gain understanding of speed, direction, pathway, and strategies while also learning the purpose of fitness and health through warm ups, cool downs, and varied activities. Students learn communication and how to cooperate with others.

Students continue to refine their manipulative skills including:  underhand/overhand throwing, catching, dribbling with hands and feet, and striking. They gain understanding of speed, direction, pathway, and strategies while also learning the purpose of fitness and health through warm ups, cool downs, and varied activities. Students learn communication and how to cooperate with others in groups or partners.

Students have the opportunity to learn the different sports we offer at Summit in the Upper School. Each season students focus on a different sport. Fall sports we focus on in fifth grade are soccer, volleyball, field hockey, and football. In the Winter, we focus on basketball, indoor hockey, strength and conditioning, and cross country. In the Spring, we focus on lacrosse, softball/baseball, track and field, and tennis.

As students learn new skills throughout the year, we provide ongoing practice for concepts that need reinforcement. Reading comprehension work is mainly based on class books and includes analyzing literary elements and building arguments around central questions that are supported by evidence from the text. Writing instruction includes work on the sentence level as well as on the paragraph level. To build automaticity in the writing process, students write different kinds of expanded paragraphs. The revision and editing part of the writing process is highly emphasized. Later in the year, students begin to transition into essay writing. As part of this process, they engage in research and note taking to construct the essay outline and a strong thesis statement. Students also learn how to incorporate quotes and practice citations for book and internet sources to support the points they make in their writing.

In a spiraling curriculum where we continuously revisit concepts that need reinforcement; we focus on sentences, paragraphs, and five-paragraph essays based on the content from our class books. Integrating writing and comprehension skills takes us deeper into both areas, and we move as quickly as we can and as slowly as we must for students to internalize the skills of reading and writing. Throughout all of our activities, students engage in multi-sensory work designed to increase their vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, and improve grammar and writing skills. 

The focus in eighth grade is to read fiction and nonfiction literature, to understand the features of these, and to be able to comprehend and analyze text to find evidence and examples to support arguments. The more advanced vocabulary they meet in their reading texts is addressed through the study of morphology where they use the meanings of prefixes, roots, and suffixes to infer meanings of words based on the context in which they are used. In writing, students review grammar, simple, compound and complex sentences, and the steps of the writing process in order to write essays and research papers that include MLA citation. Creative writing is centered around writing memoirs, using techniques such as dialogue, imagery, and figurative language.

In sixth-grade science class, we study biology, physics, earth science, and the experimental design process. Throughout the school year, we build an understanding of how these topics relate to all of the Earth as well as us as human beings. We’ll learn science through multiple hands-on experiences. Students conduct experiments, engineer working models, and work as Naturalists during outdoor labs. These experiences allow students to gain skills in several crucial areas. These include experimental design, lab report writing, rewriting to show understanding, and making observations and inferences. In addition, we’ll focus on building skills around design thinking, communicating ideas, interpreting graphs, and data displays, and using math to show data on a graph.

In 7th grade science, students delve into Earth science, including geological timelines and the various layers that make up our planet. They also explore space, studying everything from planets, meteorites, and asteroids to galaxies, seasons, and moon phases. Physics takes center stage, with a focus on Newton's laws of motion and how they apply to everyday life. Students also dive into ecosystems, examining food energy, animal species relationships, and limiting factors. The class emphasizes a hands-on approach, with a student-centered learning style that incorporates different learning stations for each unit. Through various projects and experiments, students become engineers, designing and building models to better understand the concepts they're learning. The class emphasizes the importance of control groups, variables, and scientific measurements in their labs, and students learn to correctly record data to make informed conclusions. Overall, the class aims to foster a love of science and help students develop critical thinking skills that they can apply both in and out of the classroom.

In 8th grade science, students dive deeper into Earth, life, and physical science as part of a spiraling curriculum. The rigor and expectations increase as students prepare for entering high school. Students launch bottle rockets, raise rainbow trout, build paper roller coasters, harvest maple syrup, and immerse themselves in Victorian Era London assuming the role of an epidemiologist. Students take part in a number of hands-on projects with the goal of helping them gain independence and autonomy in preparation for their student generated Engineering project. Students learn that failure serves as a valuable part of the design process and should be an opportunity for growth, reflection, and learning.

In sixth grade social studies, we ask big questions about the dawn of human ancestors and subsequent civilizations. We explore the origins, structures of civilizations and societies. We look at early systems of government, daily life, innovations, and shortcomings of ancient people. We analyze sources and draw our own conclusions to justify our newly-formed positions. Sixth Grade social studies students develop important skills such as: close reading to understand complex text, explanatory and persuasive writing, research approaches, and uncovering bias. Our units include, the rise of sapiens, the Agricultural Revolution, Mesopotamia, ancient river civilizations, Ancient Egypt, and Ancient  Greece.The course culminates with an in-depth study of Greek city-states and a grade-wide Greek Olympiad that features modified athletic olympic events, a Greek drama competition, and an academic contest.

The focus of seventh grade social studies is building a deep understanding of progress at work in the world before 1500 CE. Using authentic social science research methods with a focus on inquiry, we aim to discover the forces that have shaped humankind. Students learn to evaluate primary and secondary sources for reliability, analyze complex text, draw their own historical conclusions and communicate claims in both explanatory and argumentative writing as well as formal academic discussion and debate. The course content builds critical thinking skills that allow students to draw conclusions that apply to today’s world so that they may become broad-minded, active global citizens. Our units include the Rise and Fall of Rome, Classical India & China, a Medieval World Tour, Pre-Columbian Americans, and World Religion.

8th-grade Social Studies investigates significant events, individuals, conflicts, and progress throughout American history in order to develop social science and critical thinking skills that guide students’ growth into active, engaged citizens of the United States and the world. Themes and topics are explored through a chronological study of American history from the Colonial Period to the modern era, and include: Colonial America, the Revolutionary War and founding of the Nation, the structure and function of government, westward expansion and antebellum America, the Civil War and Reconstruction, and the 20th century through the lens of American expansion and the struggle for civil rights.

In sixth grade, students rotate through Chorus, Instrumental/Ensemble Band, Digital Music and Production, Design, Theatre Arts, Visual Art, Ceramics, and Digital Media. Learn more.

Seventh grade students choose four classes to further explore from these subject areas: Chorus, Instrumental/Ensemble Band, Digital Music and Audio Production, Design, Theatre Arts, Studio Art, Ceramics, and Broadcast. Learn more.

Eighth grade students are asked to choose a year-long course from the following options: Chorus, Instrumental Music/Band, Digital Music, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Design, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, Ceramics, and Yearbook & Journalism. Learn more.

Ninth graders can choose one of the following courses for High School credit: Chorus I, Instrumental Ensemble/Band, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Digital Music and Audio Production, Theatre Arts, Visual Arts, STEAM, and Yearbook & Journalism. Learn more.