Primary Grades K-2

Kindergarten

   Kindergarteners begin their school careers full of  anticipation and excitement. The kindergarten program provides a variety of experiences that introduce them to the Mahan School learning environment. Field trips are taken in conjunction with the Social Studies theme of Community Workers to such places as the fire house, apple orchard, dairy farm, library, and aquarium. Science studies include units on Matter, Sea Life, Life Cycles, Recycling, and Conservation. The children are excited about learning to read. Some of the books read during the first year include: Corduroy, Brown Bear Brown Bear, Pumpkin Pumpkin, and The Very Hungry Caterpillar.  Everyday Math, the math series begins in Kindergarten  and focuses on skills of telling time, understanding fractions, graphing data, counting and measuring. Writing lessons include combining letter sounds and sight words to develop a
two-sentence story.

Grade One

    First grade students are eager learners. During the course of the year they learn about a variety of topics.  Our Social Studies theme is  Neighborhoods, which ties in nicely with the school wide focus on cooperative learning. Science activities are based on three main units:  Solids and Liquids; Sand, Silt, and Soil; and New Plants. They are busy learning to read during first grade. Besides working on skills, some of the books they read during the year are: The Little Red Hen, Each Peach Pear Plum, The Snowy Day, Ira Sleeps Over, I Went Walking, and Chickens Aren't the Only Ones.  Math skills are integrated through all curricular areas using the Everyday Math series. First grade students  develop their skills of writing a narrative story based on the "Diamond" format of the Empowering Writes writing program.

Grade Two

    Second grade students become more independent learners.
They explore various communities as part of their Social Studies curriculum. The Science curriculum consists of three units:  Air and Weather, Organisms, and Balance and Motion. Second graders use various strategies to read more challenging literature. Books read in the second grade include:  Miss Rumphius, A New Coat for Anna, and A Chair for My Mother.  Math in every day settings is continued in second grade using the Everyday Math series. Students continue to build upon their knowledge of the "Narrative Diamond," introduced in grade one, while writing their stories.