Lower School

Perseverance in Practice

March 12, 2024 by sarahpeterson Leave a Comment

In the heart of BASIS Independent Fremont Lower School, a remarkable event unfolded that took our students on an interstellar journey beyond the confines of our classroom and into the vast challenge of space exploration. Celebrating the two-year anniversary of NASA’s Perseverance Rover landing on Mars, we hosted a special science session that dove deep into the marvels of this monumental achievement in human exploration. This event was not just about building a LEGO model; it was about igniting the flames of curiosity, innovation, and teamwork in our young learners.

Day of Discovery

The session kicked off with a dive into the scientific achievements of the NASA Perseverance Rover. Our students were captivated by the intricate fields of mechanical engineering, material science, computer engineering, and communications technology that play pivotal roles in the success of space missions. The discussion also covered the logistical challenges of launching spacecraft and the critical reasons for sending robots instead of humans to explore distant worlds. This foundation set the stage for understanding not just the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of space exploration but the ‘why’ behind these incredible scientific pursuits.

Exploring Engineering

With minds filled with new knowledge, our students embarked on the “Exploring Engineering” phase. This was where the theoretical met the practical. The challenge: to plan and execute the building of the LEGO Perseverance Rover as a team. This task demanded more than just following instructions; it required students to think like engineers, strategizing the most efficient paths to completion, foreseeing potential obstacles, and applying their newfound understanding of the rover’s design and purpose. Witnessing the transformation of individual LEGO pieces into the iconic rover was a testament to the power of applied learning and critical thinking.

Teamwork Triumphs

No part of modern science is accomplished alone. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the day was the lesson on teamwork. Students were grouped into pairs and tasked with constructing different sections of the rover, which would later be assembled into the final model. This exercise in collaboration required not just technical skills but the soft skills of patience, communication, and mutual support. Through this process, our students learned that complex problems are best solved together, with encouragement and patience, mirroring the collaborative spirit of real-world scientific endeavors.

The Value of STEM Education

As we reflect on this extraordinary day at BASIS Independent Fremont, it’s clear that events like these exemplify the value of STEM education in fostering not only academic growth but also critical life skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance. In a world that is rapidly advancing, creating new and exciting learning opportunities like this ensures our students are not just prepared for the future but are inspired to shape it.

At BASIS Independent Fremont, we are committed to continuing this journey of exploration, innovation, and discovery. Together, we will keep reaching for the stars, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Here’s to many more adventures that lie ahead and to the endless possibilities that STEM education can unlock.

Learn mo re about our Primary Program here.

BASIS Independent Fremont is a grades TK-12 private school based in Fremont, California, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum.

Collaborative Learning, Personalized Support: Inside the Classroom with Ms. Park at BASIS Independent Manhattan

March 5, 2024 by christineklayman

For Ms. Park, teaching Grade 4 at BASIS Independent Manhattan is more than a profession; it’s a calling fueled by a passion to shape lives. In this Teacher Feature, Ms. Park shares insights into how BASIS Independent Manhattan goes beyond academics to foster collaboration, address parental concerns, personalize learning, and celebrate the unexpected in the journey of education.

How does BASIS Independent Manhattan help students develop essential life skills like collaboration, communication, and resilience?

That is what I love about this school. We prioritize holistic development, recognizing that success extends beyond academic achievements. Each day, my goal is to create a collaborative learning environment where my students engage in group projects, discussions, and activities that help develop essential life skills.

For example, we have recently been working on a unique interdisciplinary project in art and Mandarin, recreating traditional Chinese tales in stop-motion animation. The students designed and built the puppets and sets, brainstormed story sequences, and took turns at the animation station. Although the art-making process was slow, methodical, and frustrating at times, I saw the students display patience and teamwork, resulting in an impressive final project that was presented to the school.

What are some common concerns parents have about their 4th grader’s education?

I commonly hear worries about middle school readiness, including handling academic challenges and managing schedules with extracurricular activities. I am able to address these with families by providing a nurturing environment focused on individualized learning.

Having a close and collaborative relationship with parents/guardians and my co-teachers, we maintain consistent and transparent communication about student progress using the Communication Journal (known as the CJ). I also hold twice-a-week student and parent hours that provide personalized attention.

As a Learning Expert Teacher, how do you personalize learning for each student?

Differentiation is at the core of our educational philosophy at BASIS Independent Manhattan. As a LET, I’m committed to understanding each student’s unique needs and talents. I always look for opportunities to get to know my students such as engaging in morning meeting check-ins and conducting personal academic and individual check-ins during study hall. This allows me to tailor my support precisely to each student.

Additionally, collaboration with SETs is crucial, as it helps identify students who may benefit from pull-out groups for additional support. This individualized approach ensures that each student achieves their full potential.

What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned from your students at BASIS Independent Manhattan?

One of the most remarkable aspects of teaching at BASIS Independent Manhattan is the constant curiosity and unexpected insights from our students. I am astounded at the unique perspectives my students bring to constructing skyscrapers in engineering and the innovative problem-solving they use in math.

As their teacher, I love to couple that curiosity with a growth mindset and see how these students positively approach challenges. I see them use the “power of yet” to confidently navigate their educational journey, and I am thrilled to be along for the ride.

We are grateful to Ms. Park for sharing her insights that provide a glimpse into the vibrant educational ecosystem at BASIS Independent Manhattan where collaboration, personalized learning, and a celebration of curiosity combine to create a unique and enriching experience for students. Having a teacher like Ms. Park who has close relationships with students and families is a treasure, resulting in a rewarding experience of witnessing daily growth and enthusiasm.

Interested in learning more about our passionate teachers and academic program, sign up for our interest list, visit our school, or attend an admissions event.

BASIS Independent Manhattan is a PreK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings.

Welcoming Our Newest – and Greenest – Neighbor

October 6, 2023 by msnyder

Nearly two years ago our Cub Community moved into a brand new Lower School campus, PreK – Grade 2, at 405 Gold Street in Downtown Brooklyn. The campus was deliberately designed to support the growth of our youngest learners. Now we are pleased to share that the Downtown Brooklyn Alliance is in the final stages of building a brand-new park right across the street.

The lovely new 1.15-acre site of outdoor space is nestled between Gold, Willoughby, and Duffield Streets right across the street from our school. Designed by landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Jones, plans include a new playground, lawn space, dog park, ornamental plantings, and multiple seating areas.

The neighboring green space will be a wonderful resource for recess breaks, and families will be able to enjoy a convenient playtime after school.

Rendering of Abolitionist Place by Hargreaves Jones

In the meantime, one of the most popular spaces at the Lower School campus is the Bear’s Den — a huge indoor play space completed with rock climbing walls, areas for soccer games, and a theater. Recess breaks are an important way to break up our school day, and the Bear’s Den paired with trips to nearby Fort Greene Park have been wonderful ways to get the wiggles out for our Cubs.

Our team of staff and educators are watching the progress of the park daily. Now the play structures have been installed, and the trees are being planted. The grand opening for the park is slated for March 2024, and our community will come out in full force to support all those who made it possible.

The Story Behind the Elements: Unveiling the Origins of Our Grade Level Names

July 18, 2023 by ekugler

BASIS Curriculum Schools have always associated their classes with elements from the periodic table. At BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower, we have thoughtfully organized our grade bands into distinct elemental characteristics to provide a structured and inclusive educational experience for each student that creates a sense of belonging and pride. Our chosen elements include transition metals, the lightest elements, alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, expensive transition metals, and radioactive elements created in California. Each grade level has unique characteristics, and we assign them diverse and meaningful names to reflect their individuality.

Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten

Starting with our youngest students, Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarten are represented by the transition metals on the periodic table. These four sections include zinc (Zn) for Transitional Kindergarten, with copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), and nickel (Ni) representing Kindergarten. Transition metals are also great conductors of heat and electricity. TK and K represent an academic time where students can absorb a vast amount of information while simultaneously learning how to be BASIS Independent students.

Kindergarten Cobalt (KCo) heading back to class after lunch with their Early Learning Teacher, Ms. Ocampo

Grade 1

The lightest gasses on the periodic table represent Grade 1: hydrogen (H), helium (He), and neon (Ne). Two elements are members of the noble gas family, which represent elements that function independently. However, with the advances in modern science, we now know that is not the case. While hydrogen is not a noble gas like helium or neon, it represents a compound that quickly pairs with carbon compounds that make up all life on Earth. Even though all three of these elements are not a member of the same family, they represent two essential characteristics to students within Grade 1; making social connections while simultaneously practicing independence.

Grade 1 Hydrogen (1H) starting their new book Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary in their Humanities class

Grade 2

Grade 2 consists of alkaline earth metals, including calcium (Ca), radium (Ra), and barium (Ba). These three elements all have the characteristic of being basic rather than acidic. Metaphorically, this basic quality represents the solidification of academic foundations, which is very characteristic of Grade 2 within our program.

Grade 2 Calcium (2Ca) performing River Child at their Spring Musical Performance

Grade 3

Our Grade 3 goes by potassium (K), lithium (Li), and sodium (Na), also known as alkali metals. These types of metals are all known for their ability to react with water forming alkalis that neutralize acids. Grade 3 is a time of combining academic and social knowledge to gain more independence as a learner.

Grade 3 Lithium (3Li) enjoying their Mindful Mandala Drawing exercise in their Connections class

Grade 4

Grade 4 consists of the “precious” transition metals; platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh). These three metals are also known as platinum group metals because they share similar characteristics and are considered rare. Grade 4 embodies a rich academic foundation ready for the second most amount of independence within our school. These students get many opportunities to let their academic and social skills shine. This is the last year they will have a Learning Expert Teacher (LET) to guide them, and they gradually become ready to take on a self-reliant scholarly role.

Grade 4 Palladium (4Pd) showing off their Bobcat pride in their matching sweatshirts

Grade 5

Lastly, Grade 5 consists of the radioactive elements created in California, including berkelium (Bk), californium (Cf), and lawrencium (Lr). These three elements fall within the transuranic element group, also known as man-made elements. Grade 5 features the shortest time of complete academic independence within our lower school campus, much like the short life of most radioactive elements. These three elements were also created within our state, giving our BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower students a connection to the state of their education.

Grade 5 Californium (5Cf) engaging in group work on their laptops

Element assignment per class is used within all of the BASIS Independent Schools. However, the specific elements we selected represent our campus to show what we cherish within our BE A LINK value system. Our Bobcats have truly embraced the connection between academia and self-identity, creating a remarkable synergy that fuels their growth and success. They have come to understand that their unique talents, passions, and experiences are not separate from their academic pursuits, but rather integral elements that shape their learning journey here at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower.

A Day in the Life: Grade 4 with Nitya S., Class of 2031

January 31, 2023 by msnyder

Our Day in the Life series for this school year continues with Grade 4 student Nitya, Class of 2031!

Grade 4 students travel from classroom to classroom with their Learning Expert Teacher (LET). This is the last year they have an LET as their Grade 5 year helps prepare them for our Middle School Program. They have eight classes a day with their Subject Expert Teachers (SET), a mid-morning recess, along with their lunch and recess time. Their first class of the day begins at 8:00 AM and their last class ends at 3:35 PM.

Nitya begins her day in Morning Meeting with her Learning Expert Teacher,Nitya Meeting (LET) Ms. Kato. In Morning Meetings, students will receive school announcements, reminders about upcoming events, and review their social and emotional concepts for the day through the Second Step Curriculum.

Nitya’s first class of the day is English! She has English five times a week with her Subject Expert English Teacher (SET) Dr. Ubellacker. This course focuses on four major components: reading, writing, conventions, and scholarship. In reading,
students will be able to recognize basic genre differences and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of texts by
identifying the main idea. In writing, students will also be able to produce short fictional and nonfictional written works, demonstrate mastery of basic paragraph organization, and respond to text-dependent questions by providing specific textual evidence.

Next, Nitya heads to Performing Arts with her SET, Ms. Fisk. Nitya has all her Fine Arts courses – Performing Arts, Music, Engineering &Technology, and Visual Arts – twice a week. This course will encourage students to build upon their performance arts vocabulary as they engage in scene work, improvisation, and pantomime. Students will expand their knowledge of theatrical styles as they explore melodrama, commedia dell’arte, and shadow puppetry.

Subject Expert Drama Teacher, Ms. Fisk, works with students in a circle sit down

After Performing Arts, Nitya has a quick recess break. Grade 4 students have a mid-morning recess every day.

Nitya HistoryThen it’s on to History class with SET Ms. Mokhber Shahin! This course is held every day and is designed to introduce students to social studies and history as discrete subjects within the humanities. Students will begin developing important skills needed to understand and think critically about the past and present. These skills include analyzing primary sources, close-reading non-fiction material, connecting historical events through chronology and cause-and-effect relationships, and evidence-based writing. Students will practice and apply these skills while exploring historical topics such as state and local history and the history of the 20th century. Students will also survey different ways of investigating the human world through archaeology, geography, and government.

After History, Nitya heads to Math with SET, Dr. Xue. Dr. Xue’s goal is for students to gain knowledge of foundational mathematics by focusing on five key areas: operational thinking, number sense, measurement and data, geometry, and mathematical practices. Students have math class five times a week.

Dr. Xue (SET) and Ms. Kato (LET) work together to check student work

Finally, its lunch time! Grade 4 students eat their lunch in our multipurpose room before heading outside to the field for recess. Their lunch period is 40 minutes long.

When Nitya gets back from lunch, it’s PE time! Nitya has PE & Sports with SET, Coach Hicks four times a week. Today they are out on the baseball fields practicing hitting and catching. Nice swing Nitya!

Nitya cracks one past the pitcher’s mound while her classmates wait for their turn to bat

After being on the field for PE, it’s back to a classroom for Mandarin with SET, Ms. Han. Nitya is a new learner of Mandarin so she is in a non-heritage class three times a week. This course is designed to help our primary students learn Mandarin through lessons that are rich in oral language, interactive, and project-based.

SET Ms. Han reviews a quiz with students

For her last class of the day, Nitya has Science with SET, Ms. Martosoetjipto. This is her last class of the day every day of the week. This course is designed to teach essential science topics, as well as organizational and study skills. Science topics include ecology, biology, chemistry, and physics along with the scientific process. This course is taught with the use of hands-on approaches, investigations, and inquiry as much as possible.

Ms. Martosoetjipto, SET, review the lab guidelines before the groups can start their project

Thank you to Nitya and her family for allowing us to document a day in her life at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Lower School!

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings.