1st-2nd grade enrichment
In our 1st–2nd grade cohort, children begin the essential work of connecting what they learn to the world around them — and the world within them. Mornings are spent fully immersed in place-based education, where Humanities and STEAM (Science, Technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) learning come to life in the neighborhoods, natural spaces, and community systems of San Diego. Through observation, inquiry, and hands-on exploration, children build a foundation of curiosity, context, and lived experience.
At midday, we return to campus for lunch and our focused academic block, where the emphasis turns to literacy — not just as a skill, but as a tool for comprehension, self-expression, and critical thinking. In 1st and 2nd grade, we support every child in learning to read and write confidently, so they can begin using those tools to make meaning of the world around them. Whether through decoding a sentence or writing about something they observed on the trail that morning, we treat literacy as the gateway to understanding — and understanding as the heart of learning.
2025-2026 Sessions
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In this session, children explore the many ways water moves through our lives and landscapes. From creeks and coastal waves to storm drains and drinking fountains, we’ll follow water’s journey through natural and built environments. Children will observe, play, and reflect on how water is used, shared, and needed — by people, animals, and plants alike. Through sensory exploration, storytelling, and gentle mapping, we’ll begin to understand water as both a life source and a shared responsibility.
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What keeps us warm, safe, and dry? In Our Shelter, children will investigate the concept of shelter as it appears across the human and animal worlds. We’ll visit homes, dens, public buildings, and natural hideaways — noticing what materials are used, what shapes appear, and how different kinds of shelter meet different needs. Children will build, design, and role-play as we ask: Who makes shelter? Who gets to rest there? And how can we care for the spaces that care for us?
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In Our Foodways, children will explore how food moves through San Diego — from the citrus trees in City Heights to the farmer's markets in North Park to the grocery store aisles they visit with their families. We'll visit local gardens, observe compost systems, meet pollinators, and learn how food connects people to place. Children will engage in planting, harvesting, preparing simple snacks, and storytelling around food traditions. This session helps children understand that food doesn’t just come from a store — it grows, travels, and carries culture, memory, and care with it.
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San Diego is a city of canyons, bays, and bridges — each one telling a story of connection. In Our Bridges, children will explore pedestrian bridges like the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge and the wooden trestle at Quince Street, and view the towering Coronado Bridge from below. We'll walk across, under, and beside these structures, observing how they’re built and who they serve. Children will ask: What are bridges made of? What do they connect? How do we build bridges in our cities — and in our communities? Through movement, construction, observation, and reflection, we’ll explore the physical and emotional meaning of connection.
