The Lower School
(2nd - 5th Grade)
Ignite Your Child's Curiosity and Love for Learning
The Lower School at Upland Country Day School strives to provide an educational environment where students can develop their skills and gain confidence. With a robust curriculum that goes beyond traditional classroom learning, our school aims to foster a love for exploration and discovery. Our dedicated teachers are committed to helping students grow both academically and emotionally. Through various hands-on activities and engaging projects, we encourage students to think critically and problem-solve. At Upland Country Day School, we believe that education is not confined to the four walls of a classroom, and by nurturing their curiosity and providing them with a well-rounded education, we prepare our Lower School students for success in future academic endeavors. At Upland Country Day School's Lower School, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and challenging environment where every child can thrive.
What will inspire and engage your student today?
The Lower School at Upland is not an environment where you find children sitting neatly in rows. They are doing active, hands-on, inquiry-based work. They are learning to be investigators of the world around them.
Michael Patterson, Head of Lower School, explains the intentional balance of academic rigor and allowing the Lower School students outside for free, semi-structured play.
Experience a Rich Curriculum
As young learners grow in capability and confidence, Upland Country Day School’s Lower School meets their hunger for exploration with an engaging curriculum and exceptional opportunities beyond the classroom.
Expanding horizons through experiential learning
At UCDS Lower School, we believe that the world is our classroom. Through experiential learning, students have the opportunity to explore beyond the traditional confines of a classroom. By engaging in hands-on activities and projects, students can expand their horizons and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Ignite imagination with the magic of live theater
Students are provided with opportunities to explore and express their creativity. Our engaging curriculum includes the chance to stage their own play, allowing students to unleash their imagination and develop confidence in front of an audience. Through live theater, they can discover their unique talents and nurture their love for the performing arts.
Develop critical thinking Skills for real-world success
We go beyond traditional learning by providing real-world applications for problem-solving and mathematics. We believe in equipping students with the skills they need to succeed in life, not just in the classroom. Through hands-on activities and engaging projects, we foster critical thinking and problem-solving abilities that extend beyond textbooks.
Give your child the education they deserve. Schedule a tour of the Upland Country Day School Lower School today.
Our Lower School Curriculum
Our Lower School curriculum takes a multidisciplinary approach including high-quality reading instruction, Singapore math, social learning, community outreach, theatre performances, visual arts, and athletics.
Academics
- Bookworms English Language Arts Program
2nd through 5th Reading and Writing Instruction
Blends whole and small group reading and writing instruction with an emphasis on high- quality fiction and nonfiction texts.
- Singapore Math Think! Mathematics & Math in Focus
Students hone problem-solving skills and apply mathematics in real-world contexts.
- Science Curriculum
- Inquiry-based instruction.
- Hands-on learning through project and lab-based instruction.
- Real-world and community experience & engagement.
- Outdoor Classroom
- 4th Grade – Chincoteague Bay Field Station overnight trip Local partnership with the Kennett Community Garden
- 5th – Echo Hill Outdoor School overnight trip
Arts
- Theatre
Individual grade theatre performances
- Visual Arts
Unit-based curriculum
- Student work featured in the annual Spring Art Show
- Local collaboration with Brandywine River Museum of Art
Athletics
- Physical Education
Upland Athletics uses organized games and team building activities to develop gross motors skills.
- Winter Skating
in grades 2nd through 5th
Attitude
- Interdisciplinary Mindfulness Instruction
- Daily Morning Meeting
- Collaboration with Upper School
- Leadership
- 5th grade
Family Science Night
Students identify, design, and demonstrate science topics to younger students in the Lower School - Work with a local non-profit AHHAH (Arts Holding Hands and Hearts) to promote literacy and mindfulness in Kennett Square
If ONLY I could go here...
"An Upland student is loved. There is an undeniable sense of happiness when you step onto the campus. Upland families become your extended family; the Upland campus becomes your second home. As parents, nothing could give us greater joy than knowing that we were able to expose our children to this wonderful school."
- Lower School Student Parent
"This is not an environment where you find children sitting neatly in rows. They are doing active, hands-on, inquiry-based work. They are learning to be investigators of the world around them."
Explore Our Academic Programming
We believe children rise to our highest expectations, thrive on meaningful challenges, and never deserve anything less. Explore the multidimensional growth experience specifically designed to prepare each student for the future in each of our core schools:
Y9 Experience
(9th Grade)
Developing as role models and leaders for an entire student body.
