Grades 1-3
An Invitation to Lead
Love of learning is innate in children. Our role as teachers is to harness it.
At Baker, we invite primary-age children to help lead the way toward learning goals. That means first identifying their interests, including them in the process of creating learning experiences, and then helping them discover how it all connects to key academic concepts.
Experiential Learning
Primary-age students at Baker engage in highly experiential learning that knows no academic boundary. More than a math lesson here, a science lesson there, experiences are multi-disciplinary as we encourage students to draw from all disciplines to answer their complex questions.
Learning is also child-centered. Units are developed around the interests of students and driven by their passion for the subject matter.
What It Looks Like
- The first grade teacher adapted the study of scientific concepts involving sound and light around the students’ love of fantasy and created the School of Dragonology. Together, they created a world based on real science in which they could study these concepts not in a science lab, but in dragons out in the wild!
- In the States of Matter unit, 2nd graders get hands-on with the earth to answer questions about what everything – trees, gorges, mountains, all the Earth – is made from.
- For the Engineering and Design unit, 3rd graders transform into environmental engineers and architects to tackle the design of a Chicago bungalow for a sustainable future.
- On the Bernie’s Book Bank Field Trip, 1st-3rd graders learn about the importance of equitable access to quality reading material for all and the Bank’s work in distributing free books to under-served children.
Primary School Curriculum Guide
At Baker, we know the elementary years of education are key to laying a foundation for a lifelong love of learning. Students are growing by leaps and bounds — academically and social emotionally — and beginning to come into their own as individuals. Learn more about our child-centered curriculum in our curriculum guide.
A Virtual Tour of Baker
Take a virtual tour of Baker Demonstration School and learn more about the school from the people who know it best — our teachers and students.
Take a Look Inside the Primary Classroom
See more examples of teachers and students co-creating the learning process, integrating key concepts in math, science, reading, writing, art, music, and more. Check out our online student portfolio.
