All classes in the lower school engage in year-long investigations and studies.

Explore the Lower School Prospectus for more detailed course descriptions.

Students explore a theme or topic deeply and, in the process, they learn how to learn. The studies begin with essential questions provided by the students and the teachers. Their work and play is guided by teachers who have a solid understanding of child development and by age-appropriate standards and benchmarks for learning. The curriculum in all grades includes: literacy, quantitative reasoning, scientific inquiry, social studies, physical education, Spanish, art, music and social/emotional learning. Our approach is intentionally interdisciplinary and in a PreK-12 school, we provide many opportunities for students to learn from one another.

PreK and Kindergarten – Getting to Know Myself and My Community
The early childhood program is a highly valued, vibrant part of our school. The program for children in the early years is based on our knowledge of child development, and especially the interdependence of social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth. We help children build a bridge between home and school by involving parents in the life of the classroom in various ways. The classroom is designed to provide an environment that encourages children’s active participation in their own learning. We plan experiences that address the children’s need for active and quiet periods, individual, small and large group gatherings, and one-on-one time with a teacher. The program emphasizes active, experiential, and play-based learning that engages students’ imaginations and fosters a sense of wonder about the world. PDS has a long standing relationship with the local Poughkeepsie Farm Project, including several other farms in the area. The children visit these farms often and ponder questions such as, How do farms help people? What is life like for farm animals? Children follow the cycle of vegetable gardens through the seasons and bring these skills back to school where their group takes the lead in maintaining our raised plant beds. These experiences place special emphasis on cooperative skills, environmental awareness, learning by doing, and extending each child’s understanding of the natural cycles of life. Back in the classroom they write books about their experiences and represent their understandings in multifaceted ways.

Small class size ensures that children will be known and appreciated as individuals. Children’s sense of responsibility and independence grows as they participate in classroom jobs, recycling, and caring for their classroom and playground. Off-campus excursions to local farms, orchards, and theaters enhance the classroom curriculum.
For further information on our PreK and Kindergarten Program, click here.

Grades 1 & 2– Market Street and Beyond & Hudson River Study
Continuing the theme of community, our lower school learners navigate a two-year theme in grades 1 and 2 that takes them into the core of the City of Poughkeepsie as well as a deep study of the river that has been a vital resource for every human and non-human in this region. In the first years of this cycle, our interdisciplinary learning includes an in-depth study of Market Street in Poughkeepsie with many field trips to locations in the community. Our learners have many questions about how people live and work together and what is needed to support daily life in their community. Students investigate and record their findings using graphs, photography, art blocks, and various forms of writing. They learn about the city’s geography and how a neighborhood shares services for the common good. As a next step, teachers help students expand their view of communities by looking at marketplaces around the world. The Hudson River Study offers students a variety of investigative formats. They take field trips to educational centers and welcome into their classroom experts in the field whose lives or work relate to the river, to complement and enhance their studies. In addition to the many questions posed by the children we structure the curriculum based on the following essential questions: Where do you live in the Hudson River Valley? How do people use the Hudson River? Who were the first people of the River? How have humans impacted the ecology of the Hudson? How can people work to clean and preserve the Hudson River? The study concludes with a sustainability-themed research project analyzing the work of local change makers like Pete Seeger, as well as the work of organizations like Scenic Hudson and Riverkeeper. Through an interdisciplinary approach we explore the natural resources, scientific concepts, jobs, art and culture relevant to the Hudson River and guide children in discovering that they are part of an every-changing system. For further information on our Grade 1 & 2 Program, click here.

Grades 3 & 4 – The First Peoples of the Hudson River/Migration
The third and fourth grade students cycle through a two-year study of the native inhabitants of the Hudson Valley, including the Haudenosaunee and Lenape, and a study of migration that focuses on human migration in different parts of the world. This study is a true dive into inquiry-based learning and, in a developmentally appropriate way, intentionally builds the critical thinking skills that will be useful in the later grades.

The woodland study involves classroom investigations and field trips to local sites, such as Mohonk Preserve and Bowdoin Park, to investigate the first inhabitants – the Haudenosaunee people. In addition to the many questions posed by the children we investigate the following: What natural resources did the early inhabitants use to survive in the Eastern Woodlands? How did the Native Americans treat the plants and animals that surrounded them? What is so special about forests and woodlands that makes people want to preserve it for the future? What was the impact of European settlers? Where do Native Americans live today and how has their lifestyle changed?

The curriculum provides an exploration of cultural and scientific concepts through an interdisciplinary approach across the curriculum. Studies may include map making, projects in the style of a particular community’s tradition, research through reading books, interviewing others and dramatizing stories about historical events. Puppet shows, literature, construction projects, music and movement, pottery and other resources and activities are used to explore these topics in depth.
Our study of Migration, focuses on the movement of peoples around the planet with a focus on our continent. We start with the arrival of Native Americans to the Americans and compare this, through a critical lens, to other migrations in our history as we investigate the movement of a few different groups to the US and within the US. Our study of people coming to this country focuses on migration from Asia and Europe through the immigration stations of Ellis Island here in New York and Angel Island in California. Within the US, we investigate the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural south to northern industrial cities. Students learn about the cultural movements that arose as a result of this mass migration, such as the Harlem Renaissance.

For further information on our Grades 3 & 4 Program, click here.

Spanish

In Lower School Spanish, the teacher uses games, songs, acting, storytelling and other activities to bring the language to life. Lessons include puppets, dramatic play, drawing, games, and music. We provide opportunities for children to do, to listen, to interpret, to observe, to interact with classmates, and to see and create examples of the written word. Almost all lessons are conducted in Spanish. Cultural lessons from Spanish-speaking countries and a reflection of diverse populations are important parts of the LS Spanish curriculum.
Through careful scaffolding of new and recycled words and practice, the children acquire a foundation of basic vocabulary and simple phrases in the early grades. As the learning becomes more sophisticated, students engage in storytelling and character creation to enhance their understanding and reinforce common Spanish phrases and vocabulary. Older students focus on reading and writing to further explore their understanding of the language.