Marin

Language Arts

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he language arts encompass speaking, writing, reading, listening and comprehension. The primary goal of the language arts program is to develop accomplished readers and writers in all subject areas.

 Through the selection of high-quality and relevant literature, we strive to nurture passionate, lifelong readers who appreciate the value of a good book. We provide a "print-rich" environment, offering the children endless opportunities to experience a love of literature and language.

Kindergarten 

Within a rich language arts environment, kindergarteners participate daily in phonemic awareness activities to sharpen readiness development as well as literature-based activities such as journal writing, story dictation, singing, cooking projects and story time.

Grades 1-5

As students move through the lower school, they learn to follow the steps of the writing process: planning, writing, revising and publishing. Abundant experience in writing provides the opportunity to gain confidence and independence in their writing. We employ these writing skills across all curriculum areas to build competency. By fifth grade, our students can competently make inferences, predict outcomes, sequence, problem solve, draw conclusions and summarize. They understand that literature can help us escape the boundaries of ourselves as it broadens our thinking and connects us to others. Class discussion surrounding the literature enriches comprehension and fosters critical evaluation of ideas measured against life experiences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Language Arts News

  • Dress as Your Favorite Character from a Book Day!

    Posted February 28, 2013

    Our students embraced "dress as your favorite character from a book" day!

    SEE PHOTOS

  • "Anyway" Author Arthur Salm Visits BHDS

    Posted February 14, 2013

    Author Arthur Salm spoke to our students in grades 4-5 about his first book "Anyway." Salm signed copies and answered questions from our students, who were excited to meet a "professional" writer. "Our students are very familiar with the book, and they asked enthusiastic and fantastic questions," said teacher Jamie Fox.

  • Kindergarten Puts on a Circus!

    Posted October 30, 2012

    Our Kindergarten students developed and implemented a circus celebration for parents and teachers, complete with acts and games. "Each year, we host an event for parents to share our project-based, integrated curriculum," said teacher Marni Shapiro. "The idea for a class circus came from the kindergartners," added teacher Jeff Krieger. "When the children spontaneously started doing circus acts for one another in the first week of school, it became clear that our annual fall festival would be a circus!" he said. The circus touched on every aspect of our kindergarten curriculum, as the students brainstormed ideas for both circus acts and circus games...PHOTOS

  • First Grade Repairs the World One Book At a Time

    Posted September 27, 2012

    Our first grade class is learning about acts of kindness and service beyond our immediate school community, reading and donating books through the organization We Give Books.

  • Character Counts in Second Grade

    Posted June 7, 2012

    Our second grade performed a play - Characters Matters, Too - learning about the homophones t-o-o and t-w-o along with character lessons like gratitude, perseverance, being a helpful neighbor and protecting the environment. "In addition to all the lessons that come with putting on a production like this, our students learn that the content of their character matters as much as all the other things they learn and do at school," said teacher Ruth Rosenthal.

  • Fifth Grade Reads and Writes Poetry

    Posted May 24, 2012

    As part of a concluding unit on poetry, our fifth grade students wrote and read their own poetry during a special performance full of animation and profound reflections.

  • Award-Winning Children's Author Visits Kindergarten

    Posted January 27, 2012

    Award-winning children's author Peter Stein visited the Kindergarten classroom this week, entertaining our students and their special preschool guests with his presentation about his book, Cars Galore. The book inspired our students to create special cars and stories of their own, now on exhibit in our entry lobby. MORE PHOTOS

  • Students Work with Local Poet

    Posted January 19, 2012

    This week, students in grades 2-5 created Give Away poems with Mill Valley poet Karen Benke, describing their favorite things and them ‘giving them away’ to someone who might need them more.