Curriculum
Lower School
Grades K-4The Lower School Experience
Our youngest children arrive at school with a natural desire to make sense of their world and to find meaning in their learning through opportunities to investigate, inquire, experiment, and exchange ideas. They learn best when activities are purposeful and when there are opportunities for choice in an environment with high expectations. The Lower School provides a warm, friendly, and invigorating environment where children from kindergarten through fourth grade can learn and grow to be confident and curious learners.We are committed to diversity and embrace a culture in which there is comfort in noticing and talking about differences, as well as in recognizing the feelings and wishes we all share. Empathy, self-control, cooperation, respect and caring for one another are the main threads of the fabric of who we are and what we hope to instill in young children.
List of 4 items.
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~170
Naturalist Journeys per year K-4 -
16
Kindergarten Class Size -
18
Grades 1-4 Class Size -
4
Subject-specific LS Learning Specialists
What guides our work? LS Educational Philosophy
- The social curriculum is as important as the academic curriculum.
- How children learn is as important as what they learn; process and content go hand in hand.
- The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interaction.
- To be successful academically and socially, children need a set of social skills: cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.
- Knowing the children we teach individually, culturally, and developmentally is as important as knowing the content we teach.
- Knowing the families of the children we teach and working with them as partners is essential to children's education.
- How the adults at school work together is as important as their individual competence; lasting change begins with the adult community.
Life in Lower SchoolCuriosity In & Beyond the Classroom
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Teaching Assistants
Dedicated classroom Teaching Assistants in kindergarten and first grade, and shared assistants in second and third grades, offer students the individualized attention needed at each stage of development. Our TAs support students not only with their academic learning but also their social and emotional learning as well.
TAs engage with and encourage students, adhering to the Responsive Classroom curriculum. With the guidance of lead classroom teachers, they provide support for individual students and small groups, too. -
Learning Specialists
Meeting the needs of the individual student is an integral part of a USN education. Recognizing that each student learns differently, we boast a team of math, literacy, and learning specialists across all three divisions to ensure all students are challenged and encouraged to learn at their own pace. In collaboration with classroom teachers, our team of Lower School specialists uses a variety of methods including push-in, pull-out, small group, and full class strategies to meet the diverse needs of our learners.
-Kari Jansen, Student Support Coordinator
-Iloire Nye, Math Specialist
-Debbie Roth, Literacy Specialist
-Caitlin Tisch, Learning Specialist -
Responsive Classroom
The Lower School adheres to the Responsive Classroom philosophy based on the belief that integrating academic and social-emotional skills creates an environment where students can do their best learning.
Each student develops a sense of belonging, significance, and engagement through Responsive Classroom strategies including daily morning and closing meetings in which students have the opportunity to share personal stories and ideas, learn about others, and practice social communication skills. -
Identity Curriculum
An extension of Lower School's core curriculum, our identity curriculum takes students on an exploration of facets of their and their classmates' identities, including name, family, race, ethnicity and culture, religion, socioeconomic status, abilities, and gender through picture book read alouds, thoughtfully crafted discussions, art projects, and other classroom activities. -
Young Naturalist Program
The Young Naturalist program connects our Lower School students to the wonder of the natural world through outdoor journeys that foster knowledge, love, and a sense of place.
The program directly connects grade level curricula to the natural world by bridging lessons with current classroom units around the areas of environmental science, social studies, measurement, writing, and drawing, as well as to the social-emotional curriculum.
Introducing New Subjects & IdeasEnrichments
Our youngest scholars benefit from an engaging rotation of enrichment courses and enjoy PE daily. In doing so, Lower School students are introduced to new subjects, explore new ideas, and gain a greater understanding of the world around them. Enrichment courses generate enthusiasm for what students can expect in other divisions, while also offering inquisitive young minds a chance to dig into the imaginative thinking integral to learning in Lower School..
List of 6 items.
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Art
Observation and creation are key in Lower School art. Students' natural inquisitiveness is encouraged as young artists examine the objects and events of their lives then use various tools, processes, and media to communicate their observations and ideas with others. Through these explorations of the visual world, students gain a greater understanding of their classmates and the world around them. -
Library
Students enter a world of imagination and endless information when they enter Hassenfeld Library [link to library page]. In Lower School, students familiarize themselves with the process of checking out books and seeking out information during enrichment time. Each week, they take home books of choice as they develop a love for reading and strengthen literacy skills. -
Music
In Lower School music, students embark on an immersive exploration of all the elements of music. They sing, dance, listen, perform, and create while learning to express themselves in unique ways. Experiences such as Star of the Week, Holiday Songfest, Kindergarten Family and Friends Day, and Celebration Days expose children to a wide repertoire of musical knowledge relevant to their lives. -
Physical Education
In daily PE classes, Lower School students develop a spirit of cooperation while being introduced to numerous games and activities. Students develop fine motor skills and lay a foundation for future athletic pursuits through swimming, biking, rock climbing, relays, team sports, and much more. -
Spanish
Weekly Spanish classes for lower school students provide the opportunity to hear and speak the Spanish language, while also learning about Spanish-speaking cultures. Students in upper elementary grades also have Spanish morning meetings in their homeroom classes, led by the Spanish teacher. -
Technology
Lower School students are introduced to technology in developmentally appropriate ways beginning in kindergarten. Weekly classes in the lower school technology lab are designed to familiarize students with various devices and programs, while also teaching the importance of the responsible and balanced use of technology. As students enter the upper elementary grades, technology is also integrated into classroom studies and projects.
Lower School Leadership
List of 10 members.
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Curriculum
13 grades, unlimited possibilities. -
Creativity
Creativity, inspiration, collaboration. -
Competition
Transformational teamwork.
Contact USN
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.