Lower School

List of 4 items.

• Grade 1

  First grade is an exciting year for students at Athens Academy. Drawing on our close-knit community of students, first graders build sweet friendships with their “senior buddies" during the year. Together they will plant daffodils, decorate the holiday tree, enjoy special playground time, and cheer each other on at athletic events, pep rallies, and more. 

   

  First grade is a year of extraordinary growth in the classroom and beyond. Students apply literacy skills as they gain confidence as readers and writers. They demonstrate this growth during the First Grade Publishing Party, where they proudly share an original published work with family and friends. Delivering lines in the annual first grade class play helps students experience a successful and impressive performance on stage with confidence. Through participation in the First Grade Market and field trips to Rock Eagle and the rodeo at the University of Georgia, first graders explore our community firsthand. 

   

  First grade special area classes include Music, Art, Makerspace, World Languages, Science Lab, Library/Technology, and Physical Education. Weekly exposure to these support classes allows students to explore their passions and interests while allowing teachers to partner to enhance content and skills across disciplines.

• Grade 2

  The second grade year builds upon a strong foundation while allowing students to gain new academic and interpersonal skills. Students continue to build academic success as they read chapter books, learn new mathematics strategies and concepts, and enter the world of cursive handwriting. Field trips to Stone Mountain for the Native American Festival and Pow Wow and to the Gwinnett Environmental Heritage Center allow second graders to explore the content they're learning in social studies and science in hands-on, real-world ways. 

  
  

  Students shine in the second grade class play as they continue to develop their speaking and performance skills. Presenting their Fairy Tale and How-To Writing Projects to family and friends helps build confidence as they experience their own academic growth and strengths. Like their first grade counterparts, second grade students participate in special area classes including Music, Art, Makerspace, World Languages, Science Lab, Library/Technology, and Physical Education. But one of the most exciting parts of second grade is the opportunity to participate in the string orchestra program, with weekly lessons in the basics of the violin for each student–laying a foundation for future artistic exploration. 

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• Grade 3

  Visit a third grade class in the science lab to find students fully engaged in the scientific process: inquiring, collecting, synthesizing, and analyzing data as they track the growth of a butterfly from chrysalis to mature adult. Educational field trips complement curriculum and enrich student learning each year. 

   

  Students in third grade develop their skills in multiplication and cursive writing while applying literacy skills as they participate in multidisciplinary projects and formal independent research. Students present to families and friends through a book report project and a National Parks Fair. The third grade class play allows students to continue to hone their speaking and presentation skills. Through all of these interdisciplinary projects and experiences, the third grade year focuses on developing habits and attitudes that encourage responsibility, independence, risk-taking, and critical thinking. Third grade special area classes include Music, Art, World Languages, Science Lab, Library/Technology, and Physical Education, in addition to the opportunity to participate in the string orchestra program. 

• Grade 4

  Spending the night at Zoo Atlanta for the Night Crawlers program and exploring the Fernbank Museum of Natural History are just two of the most anticipated experiences of the fourth grade year. During this exciting time, students embrace their role as the “seniors” on our Lower School campus, seeking out a variety of leadership opportunities. From opening car doors at the curb during morning drop off to spearheading service projects, our fourth grade students embrace the opportunity to lead.

  Increased independence and departmentalized classes allow students to explore subject matter deeply with the help of passionate and experienced teachers. Fourth grade offers greater opportunity for subject integration as students experience Rainforest Day, dress in character for the Biography Breakfast, and apply creativity and simple physics rules to build carnival games for students and families during the Pre/Lower School Science Night. Students use the scientific method in the lab as they dissect a sheep’s eye and participate in an original class play that they help write. Fourth grade special area classes include Music, Art, World Languages, Science Lab, Library/Technology, and Physical Education, in addition to the opportunity to participate in the string orchestra program.