Specialist classes

Music in the Lower School is an experiential program for children at all levels of musical ability and provides an array of singing, playing, listening, creating and moving activities. The focus is on active participation, personal enjoyment and creative expression, while encouraging an understanding of the place of music in world culture. Each grade presents a musical performance  during the year and dates can be found on the Performing Arts calendar.

Students play Orff instruments, including xylophones, glockenspiels as well as a variety of other percussion instruments. In addition to working as a whole class, students work in small groups, with partners and individually. In Grade 3, students learn the recorder and in Grade 4 they learn the ukulele as part of their lessons in the second semester. Students learn to read and write music starting in Grade 1 using both conventional notation and more creative ideas to build an understanding of how written music works.

Singing is an important part of the program, and basic technique is covered in every grade level using a variety of songs. Movement and Dance is integrated into Music lessons. 

Program objectives

Students will be able to Perform, Create and Respond to music through singing as well as through playing a variety of tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Students will develop their understanding of beat, rhythm, pitch, timbre, notation, form and dynamics through singing, playing, moving, listening and creating. 

Program highlights

• Perform in the Grade 4 Musical

• Create short melodies and compositions both individually and in small groups

• Listen to a variety of music from different genres and cultures

• Learn about notation

• Play in class ensembles using percussion instruments such as xylophones, bass bars and djembes

• Sing songs from all over the world

• Move and dance to music, learning folk dances and other specific choreography as well as creating their own short routines

In addition to art activities integrated into the curricula, students in Grades 1-4 attend regular art classes. Through the exploration of line, shape, texture, and color, children come to see the relationship between art and nature as they work from observation, in addition to incorporating topics from the classroom curriculum and working from imagination and memory. Projects each year incorporate drawing, collage, printmaking, sculpture, and painting, while encouraging students to use a variety of concepts and media. Children's work is displayed throughout the year in the public areas of the School.

The students' graphic potential and the richness and complexity of their imagery vary with the stages of their physical, mental, physiological and sociological development. Children express best what is familiar and significant. Their artwork is a reflection of what they respond to in their environment and what their attitudes, values and feelings are about life. As children continue to grow and mature, they gradually become more aware of the detail and pattern around them, which is then reflected in their artwork. They analyze the works of various artists, and explore the concept of aesthetics and its effects on the human condition.

Program highlights

• Introduction to the elements line, shape, color, and texture

• Create a collaborative piece as a class

• Explore the subject of animals in art, from observation, photographs, and memory

• Learn fundamental drawing, painting, and collage techniques

• Experiment with mixed media

• Create a narrative illustration inspired by children's literature read in class

• Explore abstraction and learn about expressing emotions through art

• Discover life drawing and create a clay sculpture based on the human figure

• Discuss functionality in art and design an imaginary vehicle sculpture

• Welcome a visiting textile artist and create a handmade felt piece

• Continue the study of abstraction, and use poetry as inspiration for an original artwork

• Develop greater familiarity with descriptive terms in art

• Create a gargoyle sculpture in tandem with the classroom study of London architecture

• Discover historical art movements and contemporary artists through study of Artists of the Month

• Experiment with photography and learn how to create a portrait painting from a photograph

• Increase their fluency with visual vocabulary through slide discussions and self-assessment

• Create an optical illusion

• Make a clay tablet based on mythology from their classroom study of ancient cultures

• Study Cubism and develop a cubist still life in mixed media

• Create an animal mask based on tribal mask traditions

• Work as a group to design and paint an outdoor mural

• Expand on their own independent art interests through work in their sketchbooks

Young children need regular opportunities for vigorous physical activity to promote healthy growth and develop their health related fitness level for lifelong wellness. A major goal of the physical education program is to promote the enjoyment of physical activities and challenges and cultivate habitual patterns of a physically active life. In Grades 1-4, students begin to develop the necessary knowledge, skills, concepts, and experiences in health-related and skill-related fitness and begin to understand the importance of physical activity in relation to the performance and health of their own bodies. The goals of physical education continue throughout the Lower School program, but the activities, apparatus and range of choices becomes more challenging and sophisticated.

Program highlights

• Emphasis on "play," exploration, discovery and experimentation in a safe, appropriate environment

• Locomotor skills such as running, skipping, galloping and jumping

• Use gymnastic equipment to develop upper body strength, balancing techniques, traversing skills, climbing ability and confidence

• Emphasis on working in groups and following directions

• Introduction to basic skills of soccer, basketball, floor hockey, tennis and lacrosse, Frisbee, and dance

• Gymnastics: strength, flexibility and balance

• Intro to the cardiovascular system, muscle groups

• Develop large muscle skills, eye-hand and eye-foot coordination

• Work on basic skills in basketball, kickball, soccer, volleyball, badminton, Nerf ball tennis, cricket and hockey

• Throwing, hitting, kicking, catching

• Use gymnastics and the jungle gym equipment in order to develop upper body strength and body-space awareness

• Work with partners and small groups in pyramid activities

• Focus on team games with specific rules, appropriate behavior and social interaction

• The apparatus and range of activities becomes more challenging and sophisticated

• Fun, fitness, vigorous physical activity and full participation are key factors

• Running for speed and endurance coupled with stop-start, direction change and zigzag running to improve game playing mobility.

• Develop strength through callisthenics: jumping jacks, sit-ups, push-ups, squat-thrusts

• Stretching exercises to increase mobility

• Informal games are included for skill-practice and exercise

At the Kindergarten level Spanish and experiences are integrated with creative arts and morning meetings. Students in Grades 1-4 are taught Spanish and attend classes each week and lessons are also integrated with other specialist courses occasionally. The emphasis is on oral language and building an appreciation for another language and culture. The language is introduced in a natural way, through rhymes, songs, games, puzzles, books, maps, projects and various activities. Students are introduced to beginning skills in reading and writing in Spanish as they progress through the Lower School.

Program highlights

• Activity based

• Focus is on listening and speaking skills

• In addition to listening and speaking, students are introduced to the written word

• Books are included in lessons for reading practice

• Taught in the classroom and integrated with PE and music classes: total physical response activities, rhymes, songs and puzzles

• FLEX (foreign language exposure program) brings together language and culture

• Vocabulary introduced: numbers, colors, greetings, weather, days of the week, months and seasons, classroom vocabulary, important verbs, the family, feelings, celebrations, parts of the house, parts of the body, animals, food, clothing and travel, numbers 1-100

The Lower School Social Emotional Learning and Health Curriculum is guided by the UK Department of Education and the International School Counselor Association. The curriculum is preventative in nature and aims to provide students with resources, strategies, and tools they can use in a variety of personal and social situations. In addition to exploring concepts such as the ASL Core Values, growth mindset, and emotional regulation, students will spend time each year practicing conflict resolution skills and learning about community and personal safety. By the end of Grade 4, students will have a set of skills that will enable them to be more successful at school, at home, and in the larger community.

Grade 1
In Grade 1, students begin the year by revisiting skills that are helpful in controlling strong emotional responses and will practice recognizing and responding to the feelings of others. Students enhance their understanding of this concept by learning that problems come in different sizes and one’s reaction size can influence the reactions and feelings of others. Grade 1 classes shift their focus to relationships towards the end of the term by understanding why cooperation is critical in a group setting and how to use “Talk It Out”, ASL’s model for conflict resolution. Students review “I-messages” during this time and consider how non-verbal skills play a role in sending a message to a peer. In the spring term, Grade 1 begins their study of personal safety by identifying the difference between “safe” and “unsafe” touch. Students learn that early warning signs are signals the body sends to signify an unsafe situation and review the five trusted adults in their community that they can turn to. Students close off the term with a lesson on making healthy choices and habits around food and drink, as well as, the difference between “tattling” and “reporting” and how reporting is essential to receiving help. 

Grade 2
Grade 2 begins with a discussion of the ASL Core Value of respect, with an additional lesson focused on how appreciating people’s differences helps us and our community grow stronger. Students then spend time developing appropriate strategies to handle teasing as well as reflecting on how our bodies let us know when we are feeling “big” emotions. Classes learn about the parts of the brain and the role these parts play when you are confronted with a big problem or are in danger. Students then review “Talk It Out”, the model for conflict resolution at ASL. Grade 2 also reviews the ASL core value of kindness and brainstorm practical ways to show kindness throughout the day. Classes then complete a three-lesson unit on safety that includes a discussion of the advantages of making healthy choices, a review of safety practices at home, school, and in the community, and a discussion of personal safety. The lesson on personal safety includes a conversation on how to respond if someone tries to touch your private parts or asks you to touch theirs, handling secrets that make you feel unsafe and uncomfortable, and the importance of trusted adults in our lives. In the final lesson of the year, students talk about the importance of having compassion for ourselves and others.

Grade 3
Students in Grade 3 start the autumn term continuing their work around self-awareness and regulation. In the first two units, Grade 3 classes revisit strong emotions and the steps to coping with them in a proactive manner by using positive self-talk. For the remainder of the term, students hone in on incorporating empathy, understanding the four types of conflict, and reviewing effective problem-solving skills necessary for healthy friendships. During these conversations, students will learn the distinction between rude or mean moments and bullying behavior. They will repeat and rehearse the “Talk It Out” model with one another and focus on compromise and their locus of control. Grade 3 students start the spring term by considering the importance of perseverance and begin to connect the idea of attitude and interest with future decisions. Classes talk about incorporating a growth mindset when faced with a challenge and how to identify, plan and achieve a personal goal. The final unit of the school year incorporates personal and community safety, as well as, the effects of unhealthy habits, specifically addressing caffeine, alcohol, and cigarettes. Students will review basic safety rules associated with home, school, and the greater community in London. They will continue the topic of safety by exploring the difference between physical and emotional boundaries and by discussing appropriate and inappropriate touches in more detail. In the final lesson of the year, students reflect on the challenges they overcame in Grade 3 and the skills they will take with them as they move forward to Grade 4. 

Grade 4
In Grade 4, students begin the year reviewing growth mindsets and how recognizing our strengths and challenges can help us grow. This follows into a discussion about teamwork and strategies that help make working in groups more effective and fun. As the year progresses, students spend a few lessons focused on interpersonal skills. In the first lesson of the unit, the children explore how friendships become more complex over time and there are instances in which friendships may end. In the second lesson, students learn about the role of the upstander and reflect on how they can use upstander strategies when they see bullying occurring. Next, Grade 4 classes talk about peer pressure and the importance of being true to yourself. The “Talk It Out” model is reviewed again and students are given real-life scenarios to help explore how to handle conflict respectfully. The classes then discuss how self-reflection can help us develop purpose and confidence. Students talk about the importance of time management as they continue to middle school. They also spend a lesson discussing how to unlearn the stereotypes they may carry. Students then spend three lessons on the topic of puberty, first setting ground rules as to how they will treat each other as they explore this sensitive topic. Secondly, facts regarding puberty are discussed, with a focus on a time frame, physical and emotional changes, and who to talk to if students have questions. To support this, students are divided into small groups based on biological sex, and given the opportunity to ask questions they have about puberty in a safe space. For the final lesson of the year, students have a chance to reflect on important moments that have made their last year in Lower School special.
 

In 2005 the Lower School initiated an environmental education program at ASL's Canons Park playing fields. Children in each class visit the Honeypot Lane Garden approximately six times during the school year for a full day. Activities include gardening, observing seasonal changes, cooking, art, and nature discussions. Our Environmental Education teacher, Ania Driscoll-Lind is based at Canons Park and leads the curriculum related to Canons Park. Ania also meets with classes on campus the week prior to their Canons Park visit.