Elementary School

The first grade faculty makes learning fun through a strong emphasis on cross-curricular activities, as well as collaborative and experiential learning.  Reading comprehension and phonics are also hallmarks of our first grade experience.

Language Arts

Hancock strives to instill a love of reading through various genres of literature and a variety of texts. Students are met where they are in reading, and their progress is monitored throughout the year using leveled readers, small group instruction and discussion, and individual assessment. Students practice the writing process and explore grammar and sentence structure in the context of reading and writing. Spelling is also emphasized and practiced weekly through a rule-based phonics approach.

Mathematics

Students work to understand the reasoning behind mathematical concepts. Students master addition and subtraction math facts to build a solid mathematical foundation. Whole number relationships and place value are also fundamentals taught at this grade level. Additionally, students are exposed to telling time, counting money, graphs, and measurement.

Science & Social Studies

Science and Social Studies are taught through teacher-created thematic units. Students engage in sorting and classifying, explorations of various materials, and experiments practicing the scientific method. Throughout the year, students will expand their scientific knowledge of space, matter, weather, plants, and animals. Students develop map skills and learn about geography. They also learn about American symbols, Thanksgiving, and famous Americans.

Second graders strengthen their love for learning through a holistic approach that’s designed to develop their natural curiosity.  Students learn and play in a warm, supportive environment that encourages them to question, explore, and discover.

Language Arts

Developing communication skills, reading comprehension, strengthening written expression, and expanding an understanding of grammar and mechanics are the primary areas of focus.  Students learn to decode and define a variety of vocabulary words in addition to defining and identifying synonyms, homonyms, and antonyms.  Students also refine research skills, and use inference to understand details within a text.  Phonics skills continue to be developed as students read a variety of genres for information and pleasure.

Mathematics

Math education hones addition and subtraction skills and introduces the concepts of multiplication and division. Measurement, describing, and recognizing geometric shapes, and initial understandings of properties such as congruence and symmetry serve to introduce students to reasoning skills. Through repeated practice, students use manipulatives, educational games, and technology to explore these concepts.

Science & Social Studies

Students explore elements of life science as they study the life cycle of insects, plants, and animals.  Students examine the colony of Georgia as they learn about important people, landforms, major cities, and significant events.  Additionally, students also example the relationship of Native Americans with settlers in North America.

In third grade students develop organizational skills, responsibility, and independence in a warm and nurturing environment.  Across all content areas, students will see an emphasis on critical thinking and cooperative learning as our faculty works to differentiate instruction and best meet the needs of each individual student.

Language Arts

Students experience daily reading instruction to improve fluency and comprehension.  Students practice the writing process and become comfortable editing and revising their work for errors in mechanics, sentence structure, and grammar.  Students also develop a mastery of cursive writing, a proficiency of grade level appropriate spelling words, and study vocabulary through literature.

Mathematics

Students use the Everyday Mathematics program to develop concepts and skills through repeated practice.  Some important concepts addressed are the multiplication and division of whole numbers, measurement skills, place value, geometry, and fractions. Mastery of 0-12 multiplication facts is a requirement.

Science

Students learn about the scientific method and carry out simple experiments while gaining a basic understanding of earth, life, and physical science.  These lessons take place in an engaging lab environment designed to foster students’ natural curiosity.

Social Studies

Students explore landforms, maps, and focus on developing an understanding of the people, culture, and geography of Africa, Asia, North America, and South America.  An emphasis is placed on helping students understand their role in our ever-changing world.

In our loving and supportive environment, students develop confidence and independence while also learning responsibility.  Our fourth grade faculty strives to make their lessons challenging and engaging through the use of hands-on activities, field trips, and collaborative learning.

Language Arts

Students read and write often as they explore a variety of novels and types of compositions.  Students learn reading comprehension strategies and reasoning skills by exploring different genres of literature.  Fourth grade grammar instruction centers on parts of speech, writing mechanics, and effective use of reference materials.

Additional areas of focus are outlined below.

• Identify main idea and determine structure of a text (chronological, cause and effect, problem/solution, etc.)
• Explore the major differences between poems, drama, and prose
• Explain how an author uses reasons or evidence to support a particular point in a text
• Work through the writing process to compose a variety of different types of texts to convey ideas and information clearly
• Learn to identify and correct errors in spelling, punctuation, and capitalization

Mathematics

Critical thinking and reading comprehension are developed as students learn to solve multi-step word problems.  Students use technology to practice math concepts learned in class, and they develop confidence as they work collaboratively to solve real-world problems.  Some key areas of focus are outlined below.

• Multiplication and division of two and three-digit numbers
• Introduction to geometric shapes
• Measurements and data analysis
• Basic algebra

Social Studies

Students examine American history beginning with North American explorers and ending around the mid-nineteenth century.  These events are examined through the study of a variety of primary and secondary sources as well as field trips that make our community the classroom.  Students also study geography.

Science

Students explore a variety of topics including the earth’s atmosphere, energy, electricity, magnetism, and space.  These lessons take place in an engaging lab environment designed to foster students’ natural curiosity.

Fifth grade students acquire the skills necessary to confidently move from elementary school to middle school by year’s end. Students sharpen their skills in language, math, social studies and science through a challenging and engaging curriculum.

Language Arts

Students practice a variety of reading strategies to help them interpret text.  Fifth graders engage in guided reading, literature circles, whole-class instruction, and independent reading to strengthen the practices of lifelong readers. Journal writing, the use of mentor texts, and writing workshops facilitate fifth grade development of writing skills.  Additional areas of focus are outlined below.

• Practice reading and identification of a variety of texts and genres including drama, poetry, and fiction.
• Use fiction writing to analyze literary elements and understand an author’s craft including the use of figurative language, foreshadowing, flashback, imagery, tone, and dialogue
• Study informative texts as a means of summarizing the central idea, analyzing information, recognizing cause and effect, drawing conclusions, and understanding graphic features
• Write work with a clear focus, sufficient detail, coherent organization, and effective use of voice and conventions for a variety of purposes
• Engage in brainstorming, editing, revising and publishing written work
• Identify and practice the use of grammatical and mechanical conventions while building a complex sentence structure
• Develop vocabulary based on novel studies and the Wordly Wise vocabulary series
• Master spelling based on syllabication rules, spelling patterns, frequently used words, and challenging content words

Mathematics

Students continue to build upon skills and concepts taught in prior grades with the Everyday Mathematics program. The content focuses on procedures, concepts, and applications in three critical areas:

• Developing fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions, and an understanding of multiplication and division of fractions.
• Developing fluency with whole-number and decimal operations, extending division to 2-digit divisors, integrating decimals into the place-value system, and developing understanding of operations with decimals to hundredths.
• Developing an understanding of volume.

Social Studies

Social Studies content includes a study of American History from the American Civil War through World War II. Students are exposed to a variety of instructional mediums including textbooks, historical fiction, interactive Smartboard activities, educational videos, informative local field trips, independent studies, and group projects.  Additional concepts are outlined below.

• Explore the causes, course, and resulting effects of the American Civil War and Reconstruction through traditional and hands-on experiences
• Discuss and analyze westward expansion, the Industrial Revolution, and immigration in the United States through primary and secondary sources of education>
• Discuss major domestic and foreign developments that contributed to the United States becoming a world power and how this led to the U.S. involvement in WWI and WWII

Science

Units of study are based on the National Science Education Standards and include both life  and physical science.  The study of life science includes developing an understanding the structure and function of living systems, populations and ecosystems, as well as diversity and adaptations of organism.  Areas of focus in physical science include specific properties and changes in property of matter, motions and forces, as well as transfers of energy.