Lower School
Where children love learning
BCD’s young learners in Pre-K through Third Grade have a natural enthusiasm for learning, a deep curiosity in the world around them, and are excited to be part of our close-knit learning community.
At BCD, we prioritize teaching our students to develop their individual strengths with a curriculum that helps build a strong foundation for a lifetime of learning, discovery, and joy. Students delve into our academic subjects, and explore offerings in the Imagination Lab, music, art, physical education, Outdoor Learning, and initiate the study of a global language.
Lower School Fundamentals
The mathematics program emphasizes flexible thinking, skill building, and developing confidence with the ultimate goal of attaining deep, conceptual understanding. Lower School teachers use Singapore Math, Primary Mathematics 2022 Edition, as the foundation for their curriculum and supplement as needed. Lessons dive deeply into complex math concepts and do so in a logical and progressive way, allowing students to develop skills in these areas, along with strong and fluid number sense. There is a large focus on critical thinking skills and the application of knowledge to unique and interesting problems, as well as an emphasis on seeing different ways to approach math problems and being able to solve them using different strategies. This ability to critically analyze and utilize different problem solving strategies, combined with the understanding that math problems can be approached creatively, encourages flexibility, experimentation and independent thought, in an effort to produce strong and comfortable math learners.
The following math guidelines support teacher instruction at each grade level:
- Readiness: At the readiness phase, as the name might suggest, the idea is really about making sure that a student is prepared and ready to take on a particular concept.
- Engagement: The chapters/lessons begin with a Task; discussions and questions that serve to encourage students to think more deeply about a math concept. The Learn section introduces the concept and skills. Next, there is an Activity; real world activities or math tasks are introduced such as asking students to tell a story or to fold a paper into certain shapes. The engagement phase ends with a Lesson Debrief; a discussion with the goal of retelling and reflecting on what the students learned in their own words.
- Mastery: A student’s approach to problem solving is acknowledged and valued. They are given choices about how to approach their work, opportunities to share their thinking, and real-world situations in which to apply their knowledge. With the Practice on Your Own exercises, students work on individual skills and knowledge through a variety of exercises, while Chapter Practice allows students to put information learned over the course of several lessons into use with an assortment of problem sets. Think! sections are designed to challenge a student’s critical thinking and logic skills, encouraging them to approach problems in different ways and be able to prove and explain their responses.
- STEAM: The STEAM Project Work section provides projects that integrate Math concepts with activities from a variety of disciplines in Science, Technology, Engineering and Art. Students may perform a science experiment using math, cook, create artwork and more. This section may support concepts introduced in the Imagination Lab.
In grades K–3, the Wit & Wisdom curriculum helps children build strong reading skills by exploring rich, engaging texts across different subjects like history, science, art, and literature. Instead of using a separate reading program, Wit & Wisdom brings together meaningful books and topics that spark curiosity and critical thinking. Students learn to ask and answer questions, build their vocabulary, and practice comprehension strategies while reading stories, poems, and informational texts that connect to big ideas about the world. This approach helps children not only become better readers but also develop background knowledge that supports learning in all subjects.
Writing is an equally important part of Wit & Wisdom. From the earliest grades, students are encouraged to share their ideas in writing, whether it’s through drawing and labeling, writing sentences, or composing longer pieces as they grow. Writing lessons are connected to the texts they read, so children learn how to express their thoughts, explain what they’ve learned, and even form opinions backed up with evidence. This connection between reading and writing helps students strengthen their communication skills, creativity, and confidence as learners.
From kindergarten through third grade, Wit & Wisdom is designed to grow with children as their reading and writing abilities develop. In the earliest grades, students focus on listening, speaking, and beginning to express their ideas through drawing, labeling, and simple sentences. As they move into first and second grade, they begin reading more complex texts, practicing strategies to understand big ideas, and writing in longer, more detailed ways to explain their thinking. By third grade, students are reading rich literature and informational texts with deeper comprehension, discussing themes and connections across subjects, and writing full paragraphs and essays that use evidence from what they’ve read. This steady progression ensures that by the end of grade 3, children are confident readers and writers who can think critically and clearly share their ideas.
Wit & Wisdom homework is designed to be purposeful, not busywork. Assignments usually focus on reinforcing what students are already learning in class—such as rereading part of a text, discussing ideas with family members, or practicing vocabulary. The goal is to strengthen comprehension, build fluency, and give children a chance to share their thinking beyond the classroom. Homework is kept simple and consistent so that families can easily support their child’s learning without needing special materials.
