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Lower School (K-5)

The emphasis of the Lower School curriculum is educating the whole child. While offering an excellent academic program, Santa Catalina Lower School also emphasizes the arts, music, physical education, technology, and character education. The power of learning through play is celebrated. The Santa Catalina experience provides all children opportunities to shine in a safe and nurturing environment.
 

Program Highlights

Language Arts
A Santa Catalina Lower and Middle School boy moves a word with a "u" sound on a touch-screen TV.

Language Arts

Catalina takes an integrated approach to language development, reading, and writing. Shared methods, tools, and programs across the grades ensure students never miss a beat from year to year.

Learn More about Language Arts
Singapore Math
Singapore Math

Singapore Math

New math concepts are taught in a progression: from concrete (hands-on activities) to pictorial (pictures are used to model problems) to abstract (equations). Students learn why the math works as they learn to calculate it, and they apply concepts to everyday life.

Spanish
Spanish

Spanish

With strong roots in Spanish culture, both Santa Catalina and Monterey are ideal environments to learn the language and use it. Instruction begins in Grade 4 with conversation and games that introduce students to Spanish in an engaging, friendly way.

Hands-on Science
Hands-on Science

Hands-on Science

Our curriculum centers around labs and hands-on experiments. We use the Full Option Science System (FOSS), which allows for dynamic, inquiry-based study of everything from biology to earth science to engineering.

Outdoor Education (IEB)
Outdoor Education (IEB)

Experiential Education (IEB)

In Grades 4 and 5, students take overnight field trips as part of our IEB program, which stands for “Imagine. Explore. Become.” The excursions immerse students in history topics while helping them build essential life skills.

Swimming in P.E.
Swimming in P.E.

Swimming in P.E.

The beauty of having a pool on campus? Swimming is offered as part of the P.E. curriculum starting in Grade 1. At every grade level, our approach to physical education strengthens muscles, builds crucial motor skills, boosts confidence, and instills sportsmanship.

Toolbox: Social Emotional Learning

Cutouts of six students against a white background holding colored paper with a different tool drawn on each.

Patience, listening, empathy, self-care—these are just some of the skills and practices we intentionally teach in the classroom. Through Toolbox, our social emotional learning program, students develop 12 tools to help them understand their emotions, show empathy toward others, resolve conflicts, maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Each tool is associated with a physical object and hand gesture, as well as books to help spark discussion, ensuring students can connect each lesson with their everyday lives.

 


The Classroom in Action

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