Academics
Academics at Lowell Elementary
At Lowell, we believe that learning should be a challenging and joyful experience. We know that students who are learning academic skills and content at a level that is just right for them will be engaged and enjoy their own visible growth.
Reading and Writing
The Collaborative Classroom Curriculum (CCC) publishes our literacy materials including Making Meaning, Being a Reader, Being a Writer, and SIPPS. CCC is a not-for-profit organization with close ties to research institutions.
The CCC curriculum provides instruction in various components literacy, including the technical aspects of reading, like phonemic awareness, and the rich, meaning laden aspects like comprehension. It includes components for vocabulary, independent reading and writing, and whole and small group instruction in reading and writing.
Lowell joined the Seattle Public Schools Early Literacy Network in Fall 2024. Our K-3 teachers are working regularly together in teams and with support from an Early Literacy Coach to regularly review and improve their own instruction. Much of this instructional focus responds to the Science of Reading pedagogy for foundational skills in reading. SIPPS (Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words) is one of our reading programs that aligns with the core curriculum (CCC) but provides additional supports in phonological awareness, phonics, sight words, and fluency. In addition to SIPPS, we have added a greater emphasis on explicit teaching of reading fluency, response to reading through text-dependent questions (TDQ), and writing about reading.
Math
In Math, we use the EnVision curriculum. The scope and sequence and alignment across grade levels ensures that all students learn the important skills and concepts they need to understand for each grade, and also helps engage students in mathematical thinking every day.
The way brains use logic to understand numerical representations of our world is a language – a different way of thinking than the language of words or pictures or music. When students use their brains in new and different ways it’s not only fun and exciting, it also helps prepare them to look at their world with more ways to understand what’s going on. We believe strongly that all brains are math brains, and our communities benefit from students who are mathematical thinkers.
Science
Science is taught using the Amplify curriculum. These science materials are phenomenon-based and include investigative hands-on experiments and opportunities to practice reading, problem-solving, and math in practical situations.
Social Studies
Our Social Studies curriculum helps students understand social interactions and political movements in developmentally appropriate ways. Social Studies is a place where students can practice thinking critically about why things happen and ways they could be better. We use the Washington State Since Time Immemorial curriculum to study the history and cultures of the Northwest Tribes as a way to connect history to the present and to understand the place we live in rich ways.
The Arts
Lowell has a special relationship to art and music instruction, and we are lucky to benefit from having enthusiastic practitioners to teach every student. We have a full time art and music teacher, and they build new ways of thinking, seeing, and listening to their world. We also have strong partnerships with community organizations such as Jack Straw Cultural Center and the Seattle Children’s Theater, who bring additional arts experiences to the school. Weekly instrumental music is offered on Wednesdays for intermediate-grade students who wish to participate.
Physical Education
We have a robust Physical Education program at Lowell and have a full time PE teacher. We have also partnered with Playworks, a non-profit organization that helps us to purposefully include physical education in our recess times, working on games and activities that allow students to see exercise and teamwork as an enjoyable part of every day.
Social Emotional Learning
We use the RULER Approach for teaching emotional regulation skills and Second Step Curriculum for teaching students tools to interacting with others in social situations. We work to improve social and emotional skills in every context at school by using PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) to teach students ways to behave successfully in every part of our building. We use a shared language of behavior reinforcement (the Dragon CREST) so that students know exactly what adults are talking about when we offer praise or provide them with little reminders.
This helps us avoid more difficult misbehavior and discipline issues. As a staff, we engage in ongoing professional development in trauma-informed practices collaborate to best support students who have experienced poverty, homelessness, and/or Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs). This year our staff is working with Novak Education and WA-Bloc to deepen understanding and implement Restorative Practices.