Venture into the hallways of NSU University School's Lower School and you will witness children who are joyfully engaged in learning, whether in the classrooms, the hallways, or the outdoors. In addition to emphasizing proficiency in reading, writing, and math, our Lower School curriculum focuses on world languages, social studies, science and innovation, physical education, and character development. Music and visual arts are also an integral component of our curriculum as they help to develop creativity, open-ended thinking, and cooperation.
We know that children are naturally curious, and our Lower School educational team cultivates each child’s curiosity and imagination, inspiring a love of learning. The Lower School curriculum is research-based, meeting children at their academic level of readiness. We guide our students to take risks, stretch themselves, and become critical thinkers, preparing them to meet and surmount high academic standards.
We also know that children learn best when they are given hands-on activities, which can take many forms. In the Innovation Lab, students build working robots out of technology scraps. To learn about supply and demand and sales and profits, fourth grade students sell gently used toys to raise money for a non-profit organization. Our youngest students are often the source of the biggest ideas at USchool. Our goal is to ignite learners’ minds in limitless ways.
Lower School finds the best in all of our students by providing them with multifaceted classrooms and an instructional methodology that differs from traditional models. Our faculty members approach the teaching and learning process by identifying differences in children and finding their best learning styles. Teachers act as facilitators and enable students to be the center of the decision-making process. Classroom learning is considered to be active and engaging.
Our fourth and fifth grade students have the opportunity to participate in a unique program called THRIVE, which focuses on teaching organizational skills, study skills, goal making, time management, prioritization, how our brains control our body, and the exploration of fixed versus growth mindset.
Over the course of eight weeks through a series of discussions, students are able to learn how to effectively plan for the week, both academically and socially, and learn to approach life with the idea that they can accomplish anything through hard work.
In grades three through five, students have the opportunity to explore their interests and choose an elective. This elective is offered one day during their "specials" rotation and runs throughout the school year.
Students can choose to explore:
DRAMA (GRADE 5 ONLY)
Lower School Drama is an introduction to theatre. Students will practice movement, vocal exercises, improvisation, script writing, and will read scripted material to increase knowledge of theatre and comfort in speaking publicly. Most of all, students will have fun and learn about theatre arts while creating a character, play, or working on a game.
MUSICAL THEATRE (GRADES 3 & 4 ONLY)
Musical Theatre is a class where students learn the fundamentals of movement theatre, including vocals, choreography, acting, and stage elements. Throughout the year, students will have the opportunity to learn and explore an assortment of musicals and prepare a short musical presentation for the Lower School in the Spring.
DIGITAL ARTS - VIDEO PRODUCTION & DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY
The Digital Arts class is designed to introduce students to a variety of digital skills while encompassing creative and critical thinking. Students will sharpen these skills through participation in video production and digital photography. Students will explore each component of digital arts for one semester.
COMPUTER CODING & ROBOTICS
The Computer Coding and Robotics class introduces and builds concepts in basic computer coding and VEX Robotics. Students will apply their critical thinking to create original coding programs. In Robotics, students work together in small groups to problem solve and build a working robot. Students will complete one semester of computer coding and one semester of robotics.
DANCE (GRADE 5 ONLY)
The Dance elective is a developmentally appropriate movement and dance activities class. It is a choreography based co-ed class that explores ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and modern dance styles. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the annual dance concert, however, participation is optional. In order to participate in the dance concert, students must be available for both performances and the dress rehearsal. Performance dates will be announced at the beginning of the school year.
STRINGS
The Strings class is designed to introduce students to the violin. Students will learn to read notes in first position and play familiar melodies. Technique and proper form will be stressed. Students will have the opportunity perform at the end of the year in the Spring Concert with the Middle and Upper School students. A limited number of violins can be rented from the instructor or can be rented from local music stores.
BAND (GRADE 5 ONLY)
This class provides students in fifth grade with an opportunity for beginning instruction on a traditional wind band instrument (flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, etc.). Using a standard band method book, students on different instruments can progress in both individual skills and group ensemble. The class will prepare them for advancement to Middle School Band.
WORLD LANGUAGE - SPANISH OR FRENCH
World Language in the Lower School is part of the specials’ wheel rotation. Students may choose to study Spanish or French. During this class, students will be introduced to learning basic conversation in French or Spanish, as well as an introduction to the culture.
Children are naturally curious; this quickly becomes evident as one observes them interact with the world around them. Our Lower School students learn about science by doing science. Hands-on activities, carefully crafted experiments, and regular visits to our Science Lab expose students to the scientific process of hypothesizing, classifying, comparing, making predictions, observing, and drawing conclusions.
Many of these concepts carry over into the Innovation Lab where students explore concepts of engineering, programming, robotics, and STEM skills through hands-on activities and experiential methods. Technology is naturally embedded into many activities in the Science and Innovation labs, as well as in their classrooms every day. Both labs lend themselves to guided and authentic discover, building each student's interest in the evolving world in which we live.
The After School Activity Program provides opportunities for students to pursue interests and talents beyond the regular school curriculum. This program supplements the daily experiences of NSU University School students by providing specialized instruction in a variety of areas weekday afternoons, between the hours of 3:30 and 5:00 p.m., on a fee basis.
Some classes include, but are not limited to:
After care is also available from 3:15-5:45pm at an extra charge. Early morning supervision is provided daily from 7:30-8:05am at no charge.
Fourth grade teacher and team leader Ms. Elizabeth Haglund has taught at NSU University School for seven years, starting out as a second grade teacher in our BRIDGES program, which offers personalized educational support for our Lower School students.
Currently a team leader, Haglund guides a team of six fourth grade teachers and teacher's assistants, serves as a liaison between the team and the administration, organizes events, and maintains classroom management.
Although it is housed outside of the Middle School, students from JK to grade 12 will have the opportunity to interact with the garden this year as our teachers find ways to incorporate it into their existing curricula.
In our Lower School Innovation Lab, students in junior kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade used Osmo technology with iPads and age-appropriate manipulatives to practice subjects such as language arts, spelling, mathematics, fine motor skills, and spatial reasoning.
Throughout the year, our first grade students will be learning about various character traits they should practice both inside and outside of the classroom. For the month of September, they are focusing on kindness, and Star Students who have exhibited this virtue are recognized every Friday.
Fourth grade students tapped into their innovation skills last week with Circuits, Strawbees, and Cubelets!
Our fourth grade students practiced their rest and ready drum positions in music class with our new Lower School Music teacher Ms. Matthews.
On the eve of the First Day of School, we were delighted to welcome our new and returning Lower, Middle, and Upper School families!
NSU University School faculty and staff attended a school-wide meeting to discuss newly implemented measures to enhance the safety and security of our entire school community.
Lower School teachers were joined by Thinking Maps representative James Dean who discussed how they can implement this cutting-edge concept into their classrooms.
A group of Lower School teachers along with our Director of Experiential Learning Samantha Nelson and new Lower School Director Donna Tobey attended the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference in Chicago and are looking forward to learning how to further integrate technology into the classroom.
A group of fifth grade students spent the last two weeks of school building and modifying an Infento bicycle in the Innovation Lab, which can be engineered into various designs.
We're so proud of our fifth grade students who competed in the Broward County Council of Teachers of Mathematics (BCCTM) competition and placed 2nd out of more than 25 teams!
Lower School students presented their Lincoln-Douglas debate cases to their families at the Junior Debate Cycle 3 After School Activity Showcase, which served as their culminating project for Junior Debate this year.
Leaders, heroes, authors, scientists, entrepreneurs, athletes, inventors, and other influential people from all over the world, past and present, shared their life stories with family and friends at the People Fair.
The Lower School's diversity was put on display as our students performed dances and songs in different languages spoken in the many countries and regions they proudly represent!
Two NSU University School Lower School teams recently competed in the Junior Solar Sprint solar car competition in Cocoa, Fla. as part of the EnergyWhiz Olympics sponsored by the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Our first grade students recently learned about simple machines by using various snacks such as graham crackers, Twizzlers, mints, pretzel sticks, and Oreos to build six different kinds of simple machines: the lever, the wheel and axle, the inclined plane, the wedge, the pulley, and the screw.
The fifth grade leadership unit culminated this morning as local leaders joined our students for a special breakfast at the Lower School.
A big thank you to the University Family Organization for showering our faculty and staff members from all levels with appreciation every day this week by organizing special gifts like a delicious lunch catered by Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine Plantation and relaxing chair massages from Davie Chiropractic Center.
Our third grade students enjoyed an in-house field trip with Science Eye! They transformed into geologists, gemologists, miners, lapidaries, and jewelers as they learned about the characteristics of rocks and gemstones and collaborated to identify gemstones based on their shape, color, and luster.
Our fifth grade students learned about teamwork, leadership, service, and the environment during their trip to the Florida Keys.
Another great collaboration at NSU University School between our Upper School students, Lower School students, and even graduate students from Nova Southeastern University! This time, it was our USchool Buddies club that brought students of all ages and from all over the world together.
Congratulations to the 64 students in grades 3-5 who squared off against each other in the 8th annual Mind Lab Olympics. Over the past several weeks, these students competed against their grade-level peers and qualified to compete in the tournament.
This year's theme for the Second Grade International Feast was "celebrate our differences and share our similarities."
Lower School students spent their mornings this week participating in an informal writing assessment called the Great Write Shark, which is a means of assessing the development of skills that have been taught over time.
Second grade students had a special visit from New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer who spoke to them about biographies as they progress through their unit on information and nonfiction writing.
During the months of February and March, our Lower School students participated in the American Heart Association's Jump Rope for Heart fundraiser in their physical education class where they learned about heart healthy skills and had fun with their friends jump roping. We are thrilled to report that our Lower School raised more than $24,000 for the American Heart Association, making this the most money raised for this event in school history!
Lower School Innovation Lab Instructor, Ms. Michele Garren, is one of our in-house STEM experts and enthusiasts who teaches engineering, electronics, robotics, and coding to students beginning in junior kindergarten and progressing through fifth grade in our cutting-edge Innovation Lab.
Third grade students had the opportunity to share the books they authored, illustrated, and had published with their parents and friends this morning at our first-ever Junior Author Celebration!
Last week, our 4th grade students presented a jumbo check for $12,000 to representatives from Make-A-Wish Southern Florida, which will grant two wishes to children with critical illnesses in our community.
On this #NationalDoctorsDay, we'd like to give you a glimpse of the successful "Contraction Surgeries" that our 1st grade students performed yesterday!
Congratulations to the more than 200 Lower School students who participated in the 2018 Read Around the World Read-a-thon.
We commend your commitment to literacy and are so proud of you for raising more than $12,000!
Fourth grade teacher and team leader Ms. Elizabeth Haglund has taught at NSU University School for seven years, starting out as a second grade teacher in our BRIDGES program, which offers personalized educational support for our Lower School students.
Currently a team leader, Haglund guides a team of six fourth grade teachers and teacher's assistants, serves as a liaison between the team and the administration, organizes events, and maintains classroom management.
At NSU University School, board games are considered educational tools and not just a source of entertainment. Students from first through fifth grade in the Lower School have been exposed to carefully selected board games from around the world all year long through the Mind Lab program.
