Elementary Learning at Silver Oaks

An education at Silver Oaks Cooperative School is hands-on, outdoors-inspired, thematic, experienced in community, and fun. Children at Silver Oaks cultivate a love of learning and develop important building blocks for their futures. Our classrooms are ripe with magical stories, exciting new facts, varied opportunities for learning and exploration, and so much more. We use hands-on activities to promote self-sufficiency, develop fine motor skills, and appeal to the senses. The children are immersed in a stimulating environment that guides them through the natural ebb and flow of childhood learning.  Above all, learning is student-centered, based on leading practices from around the world, and developmentally appropriate.

Reading

Components of Silver Oak’s Literacy Program:

• Systematic Phonics Instruction using an Orton-Gillingham Approach: Children learn to read and spell in a systematic way based on the Science of Reading. As part of the program, children learn proper letter formation, cursive, and grade-level appropriate conventions and grammar.

• Interactive Read Alouds: All elementary children practice understanding, analyzing, and evaluating texts, applying new understanding, and creating new ideas with their teachers as the teacher reads a book aloud to the class and stops at strategic points for discussion.

• Reading Rotations: Children rotate through three stations to practice their literacy learning. 1.) small group instruction with their teacher, 2.) independent seat work, 3.) game or activity with a co-oper or aide.

• Thematic Projects (1st and up): Every quarter, children work on a thematic project that culminates in a performance or special experience. Here is a sample of a few of our annual projects:

  • Sprouts Play: Each Spring, 1st graders put on a musical play!

  • Animal Guessing Game: Each winter, 1st graders research a winter animal and create an animal guessing game for their families.

  • Saplings Happening Podcast: Each Fall, 2nd graders research a Maryland forest animal and write and create a podcast based on their research.

  • Annual Poetry Party: Grades 1-8 study poetry in the month of April, culminating in live (virtual) performances of original poetry at an annual event.

  • Oaks’ Planetarium Show: 3rd graders research a topic, write a script, and record a planetarium show that plays at an actual planetarium!

  • Science Fair: Each Fall, 4th graders plan their own experiments, hold a test day, and show off their results at a Science Fair.

Math

Math is an integral part of everyday life. We observe, experience, and use math in art, architecture, stories, music, money, nature, and so much more. Accordingly, math in the classroom should appeal to the child’s every day experiences, and prepare them for a life-long relationship with math. Math competency can be broken into five main components:

1. Number Sense - Understanding the number system and how to compose and decompose numbers

2. Algebra - Understanding patterns and mathematical relationships

3. Geometry - Understanding spacial relationships

4. Data Analysis and Probability- Understanding information, patterns, and problem solving

5. Measurement – Understanding how to quantify characteristics of objects or events

Silver Oaks Cooperative School uses Singapore Math with the addition of games, projects, daily routines, and more to help students develop a deep understanding of each mathematical component.

Writing

Each quarter, the children study a new genre of writing and work toward a publishing party at the end. Writing is taught three times a week in a stand alone class that focuses on teaching the children the importance of writing as a means of communication. The goal of writing at Silver Oaks is to help children develop the skills they need to be life-long writers in an effective, fun, and exciting way. In each genre, children experience the stages of writing: prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Often, the writing genre is interrelated with their thematic project, social studies, or science.  

Physical Activity & Education

Research shows physical movement is critical to learning for children. The outdoors, movement, choice, and play will be incorporated into each day to ensure students are learning with their whole body.  At Silver Oaks Cooperative School, children spend two 30-minute periods in our nature-based playground. Students go outside almost every day, regardless of the weather.

Our children also take a weekly P.E. class, giving them the opportunity to work on sportsmanship, collaboration, and coordination while teaching them new games and having fun!

Social-Emotional Learning

We strongly feel it is important to help children learn to interact with one another.  Conflict resolution, empathy and social skills will be taught intentionally during Morning Meeting and Closing Circle, and reinforced throughout each day.  Through play and cooperative groups, students practice these important skills. 

Spanish

Students take two Spanish classes each week, learning not only the language for basic communication, but also about the culture and influence of the Spanish speaking world.

Music

During a weekly music class, students learn music fundamentals such as rhythm, pitch, and tempo. They also build performance skills in all grade levels and composition skills in the upper grades.

Art

Art is integrated in the children's educational experience and also taught as a stand alone weekly class.

Social Studies

We are part of a global society and we want to ensure our students experience the world around them and learn about history in order to process current events. Social Studies objectives are integrated into thematic units as well as taught in a weekly stand alone Social Studies class.

Science

Much like Social Studies, Science objectives are integrated in thematic units. They are also taught in a weekly stand alone science class, focused on on science experiments and hands-on trials.

Silver Oaks Cooperative School stands for:

authentic, age-appropriate learning; exploring the natural world;
a student centered classroom; small class sizes (max 16, usually 12); value-added assessment; teaching empathy and conflict resolution; nurturing the whole child; parent involvement; helping students develop a deep understanding of concepts; physical movement throughout the day; treating students kindly and most of all… having fun!