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Open Inquiry Track

Lower School students

Open inquiry track
(Preschool–3rd grade)

Rooted in progressive educational philosophy, Calhoun’s Open Inquiry track draws on a range of methods to engage and challenge your child as an individual learner and member of a larger community. Our emergent curriculum means lessons often arise from students’ questions and interests, which expert teachers hone to build subject-matter mastery as well as crucial social and emotional skills. All this means your child begins to take charge of their learning, even at this early age. 

 

Preschool

In preschool, children begin to engage with numbers and words through a wide range of tactile activities that are woven into the fabric of every school day. They build, create, communicate, and collaborate. Most of all, they start to discover who they are—developing self-confidence, curiosity, and compassion for the world around them.

Preschool class
Kindergarten technology

Kindergarten

In kindergarten, your child delves into social studies, language arts, and math, focusing on concrete, interactive experiences that engage our senses and amplify our understanding. In the second half of the year, each kindergarten class embarks on a multi-disciplinary project that emerges from a shared topic of interest, allowing us to expand our skills as a community of thinkers. We expand on our classroom work with explorations in STEAM, Spanish, world music and physical education.

1st–3rd Grade

In these grades, students continue to build self-awareness, confidence, and insight as individual learners and people. We emphasize hands-on experiences that account for each student’s interests and learning styles, as expert teachers adapt lessons to engage and challenge every child. 

Projects frequently make connections between disciplines and with the world beyond the school, whether it’s creating detailed urban utopias from recycled materials, or simulating a classroom economy for a math project. As we give them more opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways, children grow more invested in their education. At the same time, as they explore, learn, work, and play together, students increasingly become contributing members of their communities.

 

2nd grade reading

Lower School Curriculum

Lower Schools students are guided by our exceptional faculty toward an understanding of key concepts, so that students are prepared for more abstract thinking.

Explore our curriculum

4th Grade Program

The two tracks join together through a carefully planned transition in 4th grade that focuses on preparing children with the skills and habits for middle school and beyond. 

Learn about 4th grade