In the “Nest,” our youngest students have the opportunity to grow socially, emotionally, physically, and
intellectually through developmentally appropriate practices. Students are encouraged to look closely at
their surroundings—to hypothesize, analyze, and talk about their observations and conclusions. They engage
in group and independent learning activities in a setting where cooperation, fairness, self-confidence, and
sense of community are fostered. Students become actively involved in the learning process as they utilize
carefully designed classroom areas that correlate to the general theme or unit being taught. Equal emphasis
is placed on teacher-directed activities and student-initiated learning.
Nest reading and writing instruction evolve as the child evolves. Early readers work on mastering letter
sounds, recognizing high frequency sight words, and making predictions. Advanced readers, building upon
early-stage skills, improve their fluency using phonetic decoding, as well as context and picture clues.
Writing activities include journaling, rewriting published stories, and creating original stories.
Math instruction involves “hands-on” experiences necessary for processing math concepts. Areas of study
include counting, recognizing and writing numbers and patterns, graphing, estimating, and measuring.
Students are also introduced to fractions, addition, subtraction, place value, time, and money.
Science instruction, based on classroom themes, allows students to describe, sort, and organize their
observations of objects and organisms. Topics typically covered include trees, animals, oceans, and the solar
system.
Social Studies activities help Nest students to become responsible individuals as they relate to the world
around them. Self-control, self-awareness, and community awareness are prime areas of focus. Activities
may include studying maps, investigating careers, and exploring customs and holidays from around the
world.