Academics Overview By Grade Level

Kindergarten

The Kindergarten team at John Rogers is dedicated to building a solid foundation for every child’s education. Teachers recognize and nurture individual strengths through positive classroom environments and cooperative learning opportunities.

Teachers collaborate together to set curriculum, share materials and plan special projects and field trips. Students are engaged in daily literacy activities and hands-on math experiences as well as inquiry-based science, art and technology.

Some kindergarten highlights include: field trips to the pumpkin farm, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle Aquarium and various cultural plays; year-long swim lessons; 4th and 5th grade reading buddies; Winter Craft Day; and the annual kindergarten musical and dessert potluck.

First Grade

First grade at John Rogers is an engaging learning community. The first grade teaching team is excited by the tremendous academic growth and social development of students in this age group.

The first grade team works collaboratively and cooperatively to plan inquiry-based, hands-on math and science lessons. We incorporate phonics and whole language with best-practice literacy methods.

First grade highlights at John Rogers include: Field trips to Seattle Children’s Theatre, International Children’s Festival, and Frye Art Museum; cross-curriculum Audubon bird unit; year-long swim lessons and cross-grade level reading buddies.

Second Grade

The second grade team holds high expectations for all students with an emphasis on meeting the needs of all learners. A solid educational program in reading, writing, communication, math, science, and art is provided. Writing is incorporated throughout all curriculum areas.

Our field trips include attending plays at the Seattle Children’s Theater, the Rain Forest Exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo, and exploring the beach at low tide. These field trips extend student learning beyond the classroom.

Throughout the school day, second graders are encouraged to think critically and to reflect on their learning. Their different learning styles are accommodated through independent and collaborative work practices.

Third Grade

The third graders are taught social skills with a strong accent on problem resolution using a format of class meeting based on Adlerian philosophy. This is one of the necessary steps to learning independence that is critical to student development.

Our reading program is designed to teach the children basic elements of literature. The reading program is differentiated according to students needs with additional support and enrichment included. The focus of the program is encouraging children to read various types of literature as well as nonfiction text and is enhanced by the accelerated reader program. Writing is integrated into the curriculum and as the year develops children write in cursive style.

Mathematics is taught according to district and state guidelines with an emphasis on hands on experiential learning. During the year students will continue to build on the addition and subtraction skills that they developed in previous years and add to that knowledge with an introduction to multiplication and division. Students also study time, money and basic geometry.

The district curriculum in science and art continues to intrigue both teachers and students with its emphasis on learning through doing. Field trips to the Seattle Children’s Theater, the Pike Place Market and the Woodland Park Zoo round out our curriculum.

Fourth Grade

In fourth and fifth grade we will continue to encourage each child’s natural intrigue with learning while preparing them for the future. It is our goal to help students become strong, organized, motivated and independent learners. Students must learn to communicate in all areas of the curriculum, including math and science; therefore, reading, writing, listening and speaking skills will be developed and emphasized.

Fifth Grade

Fifth grade students are taught to communicate in all areas of the curriculum, including math and science. Therefore, reading, writing, listening and speaking skills will be an emphasis throughout the curriculum. Students participate in reading and writing workshops to further develop their Language Arts skills.

Mathematics is taught according to district and state guidelines with an emphasis on hands on experiential learning. Students will continue to build on the computation skills that they developed in previous years with an emphasis on multiplication and division, particularly with decimals. Students further develop their understanding of fractions and percents, as well as their understanding of geometric concepts, problem solving, and data.

Fifth grade students are taught science through hands-on science experimentation. Students develop their understanding of concepts such as models, cycles, and the scientific process. Throughout the year we work with Land and Water, Models and Designs, Microworlds, as well as Environmental Studies and Health. Students make connections to their classroom learning by participating in field trips to varied locations throughout our community including Thornton Creek, Tiger Mountain, The Pacific Science Center, and Waskowitz Outdoor School in North Bend.