program: elementary school (k-5)
FOSTERING BIG IDEAS AND FULL LIVES
The Elementary School years are a wondrous time in your child’s life, spanning a period of rapid academic and personal development. And we know that every child learns and grows at different speeds, in different ways, and at different times. In our small, multi-age learning Villages, expert educators tend to your child’s specific interests and talents, triumphs and setbacks—as your child and their classmates inspire and support one another.
Your child’s multifaceted Elementary School experience consists of...
- Literacy
- Math
- STEM
- Project Based Learning
(Social Studies and other integrated subjects) - Jewish Studies
- Hebrew and Spanish
- Social-Emotional Learning
- Music
- Fine Art
- PE
Our K-5 students also put their learning into practice during class meetings, tzedakah projects, and volunteering with the Washington Trails Association and other community service activities.
FINE ART
In a safe, supportive, inspiring environment, your child celebrates their imagination and learns increasingly sophisticated artistic techniques. Using an exciting range of materials, they learn the principles of line, form, color, and texture, and explore the possibilities of pattern, composition, structure, and size.
Our multidisciplinary approach also introduces your child to the art of diverse times and cultures, as we integrate art and art history throughout our general and Jewish Studies curricula.
Jewish Life and Learning
As students move from Lower through Upper Elementary, they:
- Learn the difference between story and fact
- Hear and understand stories of Jewish people who affected history
- Understand the concept of a family tree, using their own family tree and the biblical family tree
- Identify shared themes of creation in different cultures’ creation stories
- Explore the history of religion and Judaism
- Identify geographical and cultural similarities and differences among Ashkenazi, Sephardic, Middle Eastern, and North African Jews
- Begin to understand the Diaspora through historical and current examples
- Research Israel’s contributions to the world
- Learn about Jewish leaders in government who demonstrate Jewish and democratic values
- Research their personal family heritage, geography, and cultural journey
See the complete guide to Jewish Life and Learning at JDS.
ATHLETICS AND PE
Our program provides 90 minutes per week of PE, in a positive and supportive environment that allows every child, regardless of their current ability and confidence level, to gain skills, develop healthy habits, and—most important—have fun.
Our PE program is aligned with the National Association of Sport and Physical Education standards, ensuring your child:
- Learns the skills necessary to participate in a variety of physical activities
- Knows the implications of and the benefits from various types of physical activities • Participates regularly in physical activity
- Is physically fit
- Values physical activity and its contributions to a healthful lifestyle
Our Elementary curriculum focuses on basic movement concepts and skills, including running, jumping, balancing, body awareness, kicking and punting, striking, throwing, catching, and more. Later, students apply these skills in more complex settings, such as dance, games, team sports, and gymnastics.