PE (Pre-K) and Elementary Physical Education (K-5)
The major emphasis for Pre-K physical education is teaching motor skills. It is very important to teach motor skills at such a young age. Motor skills will enhance their coordination and overall physical performance. Learning motor skills is a tough task for preschool students. Students learn motor skills by doing activities such as marching, walking, running, and skipping. More advance tasks such as walking laterally, walking backwards, as well as running backwards are also taught.
Elementary physical education continues to improve on motor skills through various drills. Introduction to certain physical activities are involved such as: throwing, kicking, running, catching, as well as multitasking. Students are also introduced to certain sports, games and other activities.
Computers
In Pre-Kindergarten through Sixth Grades, the focus of the Computer Technology Curriculum at Lawrence Academy is to provide students with opportunities to acquire basic knowledge and skills for operating and using computer technology in order to perform specific learning tasks. Each year the technology curriculum will continue to reinforce those skills introduced at the previous grade levels. Students will begin exploring specific Internet research at grade 2. In grades 3-5 students will begin using a higher level of skill in word processing and be introduced to spreadsheets. Research on the Internet is refined, but under teacher guidance. Students begin to make graphs and charts in a spreadsheet program. Students will also be introduced to PowerPoint at these levels.
Art
The purpose of Elementary art education at Lawrence Academy is to enable the learner to become visually literate and expressive at a level consistent with their intellectual, emotional, and physical development. Art at this level is integrated with the classroom work thus providing further way to express oneself and develop understanding about a subject. The language of art is reiterated and reinforced each year for further understanding. Exploration, problem-solving, teamwork, self-reliance, cooperative behavior and courtesy as students share and perform are encouraged and supported in appropriate ways.
Music
Lawrence Academy strives to provide a basic foundation of music appreciation. Pre-K through 6th grades learn many music styles and rhythms through singing, instrument playing, dancing, and interpretive movement. Students are introduced to music terminology, reading music, reading rhythms, and matching pitches. Music classes reinforce other areas in the curriculum such as language arts, science, math, and social studies. Because music is the universal language, all students can excel and participate freely and equally. In elementary music, we educate and motivate all students.
Spanish
K-2
Learners in Grades PK-2 begin with content topics close to the self, the home, and the school. Topics can include family, friends, home, house, etc. The topics are selected from the K-2 school curriculum and are introduced in a meaningful communicative context involving concrete activities aimed at developing language and reinforcing content from other disciplines. Age appropriate literature, arts, music, and games are also an integral part of the K-2 second language program.
3-5
Learners at grades 3-6 begin with content topics which represent the self and family and become acquainted with community and other parts of the world. At their age, they are at a maximum of openness to people and situations different from their own experience. Reading and writing are introduced as natural extensions of oral language. Much time is devoted to pre-writing and pre-reading activities in order to elicit prior knowledge. These activities help students generate ideas, vocabulary, and structures needed to accomplish a task.
Library
Lawrence Academy students attend Library class approximately once a week to learn media skills and choose resources for checkout. Students learn how to find, organize, and present information through traditional and technology-related resources. They read quality literature as well as discuss and write about it. Many students enjoy additional time in the Library Media Center when they are working on class assignments that involve research and reading.
Kindergarten and first grade students may check out 1 item and older students may check out 2 items at a time for leisure reading. There is unlimited checkout for resources needed to complete class assignments. Students may return and exchange their checked-out items at any time.