Start Curious. Stay Curious.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math. Exciting STEAM projects prepare students for their futures by emphasizing real-world problem solving, design and building, as well as collaborative experiences. In STEAM, students plan, draw, create, iterate, build, give and receive feedback, use their creativity, and have fun. 

From building a river water filtration system or designing a structure that can withstand a hurricane, to building vehicles powered by rubber bands, STEAM is a favorite class for many Lower School students.

Social-emotional skills are a vital component of success in school and life. At RPS, these skills are also rooted in our PREP Values: Perseverance, Respect, Empathy, and Personal Integrity. Social-emotional skills include emotional intelligence, a positive attitude, persistence, self-management, and relationship skills. Caring guidance from teachers, affirming classroom cultures, warm friendships that develop within a school culture noted for kindness, and attention give to conflict resolution skills are just some of the many supports that help students cultivate social-emotional skills. 

Each class from Pre-Kindergarten to Fifth Grade has a buddy partner class with whom they meet monthly to build relationships and do projects together. For younger children, the Buddy Program provides the one-on-one time, attention, and friendship with older students that they love. For older students, having a younger buddy is a wonderful leadership opportunity for altruism and forging a genuine relationship. Whether reading a great picture book together or playing a cooperative game, Lower School students treasure their buddy time.

Beginning in Kindergarten, students in our Lower School IDEAS classes learn to think outside the box. K-2 IDEAS coursework focuses on successful research strategies and techniques within a computer science curriculum, using various forms of technology to research specific subjects. Students learn the basics of technology and apply their knowledge in fun, challenging ways. They explore different information sites and learn safe search methods, work on note-taking and sentence-building skills, and learn the basics of coding.

Students have different learning styles as well as different strengths and weaknesses. Small class sizes and dedicated teachers ensure that each student thrives in our rigorous academic program. Students who need adjustments such as lesson modification, extra practice, or additional challenge can find that at Rutgers Prep. A Learning Specialist helps support reading instruction with interventions, assessment tools, and guidance to help families connect with evaluation or outside tutoring if needed. The Lower School Learning Specialist works in conjunction with the D’Aloia Center for Teaching and Learning Support.

All Lower School students are served by an array of talented specialist teachers who represent excellence in their fields and are passionate about their subjects. Our specialist programming features Art, Music, Library, Spanish, Guidance, Physical Education, Technology, and STEAM. Our superb music department offers Choir for all third graders and a choice of Band, Orchestra, or Choir beginning in fourth grade. All music ensembles perform a spring concert for families.

Pre-Kindergarten serves children who are three by the fall of the year they begin school. The play-based Pre-K program ensures children feel enjoyment and success for their school experience. Children learn to separate from parents with supportive and caring teachers. They learn to socialize with children outside of their family through both free and structured play. They learn to share, expand their vocabularies, explore the natural world, and build independence with daily routines.

Our play-based programming is central to the Pre-K experience. Students learn through play in a multitude of ways: They listen to captivating stories. They sing community-building songs. They make independent work time choices for stations such as block-building, sand tray, sensory table, dramatic play, manipulatives, sorting and the like. They develop fine motor skills through creative projects that promote cutting, folding, and gluing. They develop gross motor skills through ample outdoor play in our beautiful early childhood playground.

Pre-K students develop strong pre-literacy skills by studying the letter of the week through literature and a variety of projects that focus on the sound and on letter formation. Pre-numeracy is fostered with abundant opportunities to count with one-to-one correspondence each day. Science and Social Studies are taught in thematic units that blend art, math, writing, and literature for engaging explorations including pumpkins, animal adaptations, birds, and the water cycle. The school’s art, music, P.E., Spanish and library teachers all offer top-notch programming to Pre-K students.

The Junior Kindergarten program continues to build the foundation for academic and social skills needed for success in Kindergarten. Thematic units such as the Arctic/Antarctic, festivals of light around the world, and the rainforest involve students in interdisciplinary learning: they read, write, create art projects, sing about, and even act out their theme studies.

A daily morning meeting grounds students in the routine of sitting in a circle attentively and practicing listening and participation skills. JK students perform daily jobs with independence and pride such as weather, calendar, schedule, and counting the days of school. Math and reading readiness activities, such as working with manipulatives, flannel board stories, cooking, and other projects provide stimulating academic learning. Learning centers are offered to differentiate and challenge students at all skill levels while also developing organizational skills. 

Outdoor play is still a big part of the day in JK. Our beautiful early childhood play area encourages running, jumping, sliding, climbing, and imaginative play. JK students also attend weekly art, music, P.E., Spanish and library classes with specialist teachers.

The Kindergarten program builds increased independence, inclusivity and respect for others, and a sense of responsibility within each child. Thematic studies blend art, math, writing, and literature for engaging explorations such as apples, skeletons, shadow and light, and insects and arachnids.

Literacy
Kindergartners build a solid foundation in phonics based on the Wilson Fundations program. They develop a love of reading through the use of carefully-selected award-winning literature. They learn correct letter formation for handwriting and write daily using invented and regular spelling to express themselves, tell stories, and capture fond memories. 

Mathematics
Our mathematics program provides whole and small group experiences as well as activities that allow for individual learning of numeracy (counting and comparing numbers), geometry (learning shapes and their characteristics), measuring, and arithmetic (adding and subtracting numbers with concrete objects). To build foundational understanding, children use concrete objects daily as they count, sort, pattern, graph, estimate, and discover relationships for their math binder work. Our 100th Day of School Celebration is a special day for our many different mathematical explorations.

Science & Social Studies
Science and social studies are presented as thematic and hand-on opportunities to learn. Students observe physical phenomena to test their observations, to discover basic concepts, and to explore nature. Topics include the environment, seasons, and the five senses. Social studies offers opportunities to work cooperatively in a team and learn appreciation and respect for many cultures. In addition, field trips, cooking projects, art projects, music, and movement experiences are interwoven into science and social studies themes to keep learning lively, active, and fun.

The first grade curriculum builds upon Kindergarten’s emphasis on literacy and math to continue to build skills, to offer more complex projects, and to continue to support our students’ love of learning. 

Reading/Language Arts
A combination of phonics instruction and exciting literary explorations continue to be main features of reading and language arts in first grade. Small reading groups guided by a teacher continue to build decoding skills for fluent reading, vocabulary development, and both literal and inferential reading comprehension. Students respond to literature by presenting plays, rewriting story endings, creating book reports, and examining story elements of setting, characters, problem, events, and resolution. As their “homework,” children are encouraged to read at home every single day.

First graders use the writing skills they’ve developed in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten to expand their writing process. First graders make their own books and keep journals. Students learn and practice the Zaner Bloser manuscript formation of letters and numbers. 

First graders employ their newly-confident reading and writing skills to extend their experiences in science and social studies. For instance, first grade is the traditional buddy class for Pre-Kindergarten, an initiative in which they read a favorite picture book to their younger buddies monthly. When first graders study mammals in science, they read non-fiction books about their chosen animal, and they research and write their own mammal study.

Mathematics
The first grade math program is anchored in the Math in Focus program, which in turn is based on Singapore Math. We consider how one arrives at an answer to be just as important as having the correct answer and problem-solving to be just as important as arithmetic. First graders work with the basic concepts of addition and subtraction, measurement, geometry, estimation, problem solving, telling time, graphing, and counting money. They use manipulatives such as Base 10 Blocks, Unifix cubes, tangrams, pattern blocks, and calculators to ensure a concrete understanding of math concepts. 

Science
Students learn to observe and explore their surroundings, to test their observations, and to “discover” basic concepts utilizing the campus as a laboratory. The children learn to conduct simple experiments. First graders study mammals, pumpkins, the water cycle, birds, trees, the solar system, and matter. Seasonal changes, environmental concerns, nutrition, and the weather are also addressed. Nature walks are taken around campus. 

Social Studies
Social studies is integrated throughout the program. Many lessons reflect a multicultural theme to foster an awareness and appreciation for different cultures. Other units of study include feelings, map skills, holidays, safety issues, and our state: state bird, tree, capital, and seal. A student’s personal development and respect for others are also important elements of the curriculum.

Reading/Language Arts
The second grade reading program builds on the foundation of the first grade program and continues small guided reading groups. Second graders also read a whole class book and read individually at their own pace. Students learn to answer reading comprehension questions in full sentences and with reference to the text. In addition to a reading log, they have grammar and spelling homework to practice skills learned at school. 
The second grade writing program continues with writing prompts and writing for the purpose of expressing your own learning during science and social studies.  D'Nealian cursive is introduced in the second half of 2nd Grade.

Mathematics
The second grade math program is anchored in the Math in Focus program, which in turn is based on Singapore Math. We consider how one arrives at an answer to be just as important as having the correct answer and problem-solving to be just as important as arithmetic. Second graders work with the addition and subtraction, regrouping place value, measurement, geometry, estimation, and problem solving and are introduced to multiplication and fractions. 

Science and Social Studies
From dinosaurs to the ocean animals, second grade social studies and science topics are taught through thematic projects and complemented by field trips.

Reading/Language Arts 
Students in third grade progress through a multi-faceted reading program that includes novels, short stories, non-fiction articles, and poetry. The reading program emphasizes  reading comprehension and also develops higher-level thinking skills. Oral and written communication are integrated across all subject areas. Writing mechanics, proper grammar, vocabulary development, spelling, and proofreading skills are taught and practiced. D’Nealian cursive is reviewed and practiced or implemented.

Mathematics
The third grade math program is anchored in the Math in Focus program, which in turn is based on Singapore Math. Problem solving and cooperative learning skills are a focus. Concepts include number sense, estimation, probability, fractions, geometry, graphing and whole number operations. Fluency of addition and subtraction facts is expected at this level. Third graders work to master the multiplication and division facts through 12 in the second semester.

Science and Social Studies
The science program features hands-on experiences with physical science, chemistry, biology, earth science, and environmental studies. 

The social studies curriculum is a year-long thematic study of notable New Jerseyans and the state of New Jersey’s history and features. Learning experiences include map skills, geography, research skills, guest speakers, field trips, hands-on projects, and report writing. The children work both independently and cooperatively within study groups. Third graders celebrate the end of their study by sharing a celebratory New Jersey Day with their families, complete with a Wax Museum of Notable New Jerseyans, a square dance, oral presentations, and a picnic lunch.
 

Reading/Language Arts 
Fourth graders read several whole-class novels and some books in small groups. Literature is selected for important themes and is sometimes connected to a social studies unit. Reading comprehension and higher-level thinking skills are practiced. Grammar and spelling are practiced regularly. Fourth graders learn greater independence and organization in managing their belongings and their time. They more independently keep track of nightly assignments and manage several long-term projects over time.

Mathematics
The fourth grade math program is anchored in the Math in Focus program, which in turn is based on Singapore Math. Problem solving and cooperative learning skills are a focus. Concepts include place value, multiplication, division, long division, probability, fractions, geometry, graphing, and whole number operations. Fluency of multiplication and division facts is a focus at this level. 

Science and Social Studies
The science program features hands-on experiences with astronomy, the human body, and the solar system. Fourth Grade social studies feature the Journeys project in which students research and learn about a country and culture of their own preference. Their research is multi-faceted including culture, language, flag, history, famous places, other exciting facts about their country, and even family ancestry, if applicable. In their final presentation to parents, students perform a play and sing a song to celebrate our multicultural world. 

As the eldest members of our Lower School, our Fifth Graders take on school-wide leadership responsibilities, act as role models, support and develop community service projects and awareness, and strive for excellence in all areas including academics. Their focus on leadership is kicked off with a Leadership Retreat field trip and supported by a weekly leadership class. 

Reading/Language Arts 
Language arts features the reading of high interest novels, including some connected with history themes. Main features of the reading program are nightly reading, reading comprehension exercises, and preparing for class discussions. Students learn how to take notes, craft persuasive writing, and how to write a five-paragraph essay. Students write in a daily journal as well as learn how to produce a research paper.

Students study historical and geographical concepts through ancient societies that include Egypt, China, Greece, India. and Rome. Project work in art and music coincide with topics being studied in the classroom.

History
Fifth Grade history features ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, ancient Egypt, and ancient Greece. While learning this dense material students also learn how to take notes in a lecture situation. Students also engage in current events weekly. Exciting projects such as mummifying a stuffed animal and performing at our Greek Festival keep the study of history engaging and fun. 

Mathematics
The math program is anchored in the Math in Focus program, which in turn is based on Singapore Math. Students prepare for Middle School by developing proficiency in adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions, decimals, and multi-digit numbers. They extend their knowledge of the place-value system to understand and work with decimals to the thousandths as well as ratios. Fifth grade geometry focuses on angles and triangles. Finally, Fifth Grade students begin an introduction to algebra. They learn how to use arithmetic to solve algebraic expressions and learn vocabulary that will be important for math courses in Middle School.

Science
The Fifth Grade science curriculum includes hands-on, collaborative activities in physical science, earth science and life science. Fifth Graders study animal and plant cells, forces in motion, matter and its properties, and photosynthesis. They compare plant and animal cells, dissect flowers, work with simple machines, and learn about the parts of a volcano and the layers of the Earth.