Student
Grades 3-6
Grades 3-6
A happy, healthy, and active environment awaits every Lower School boy.
In the Lower School, boys experience a curriculum designed to instill foundational skills that will allow students to be successful throughout their academic careers. Our faculty know and apply the best practices for giving boys what they need to grow as engaged learners, passionate artists, and developing athletes.
Lower and Middle School Counselor
Grade 4 Teacher
14
Average Class Size
115
Movement Minutes per Day
31
Different ZIP Codes Represented
We want our students to move forward with confidence in who they are, knowing that life will undoubtedly be challenging.
We believe they can handle these challenges because Landon provides opportunities to our boys to prove to themselves they have the tools they need to thrive, and most importantly, people in their lives who care deeply about their well-being.
- Katie lamade, Head of lower school
Academics
Build a Foundation
An accomplished scholastic career at Landon begins in the Lower School, where we thoughtfully develop essential critical-thinking skills and social-emotional wellness.
We engage boys in projects and experiences that excite them about their learning, planting a positive perspective on education. Backed by the latest research, we approach every course, activity, and program through the lens of delivering what’s best for boys at this age.
Pedagogy
Landon uses Singapore Math's three-step learning model and is guided by Harvard University's "Project Zero" program, which uses thinking routines to develop and deepen critical thinking.
Projects
Students love our hands-on projects such as building spaghetti bridges and designing pumpkin cars. They leverage boys’ natural appetite for problem solving and competition.
Movement
We know that boys need to move and take breaks in order to focus and process. Our extended recess periods rejuvenate boys’ brains, boost cognitive development, and contribute to overall wellness.
11
Ethics Topics Explored Each Year
2
Science Labs
17
Field Trips Taken Each Year
Teacher-Coach-Mentor
Boys work harder and achieve more when they respect and connect with their teachers.
Landon faculty members are experts in boys’ education and know that boys will only fully open themselves to intellectual challenges and inspirational ideas when they trust that their teachers genuinely care about their well-being and success.
This is the basis of our entire educational approach—what we call teacher-coach-mentor. Our teachers will get to know your son not only in the classroom but also in the chorus room, on the playing field, and in ethics discussions.
How we learn
Landon’s campus was the classroom for grade 5 social studies students. Find out how they used a new perspective to explore some of their favorite spots.
Grade 4 boys create and sign their classroom contracts at the beginning of the new school year. Find out how each class collaborated to identify their unique vision for a positive and respectful learning environment.
A capstone project with a storytelling focus had Grade 6 students practicing their interviewing skills and using their creativity as they learned about an admirable person in their life.
Lower School artists use clay to take their bear cartoon creations from 2D to 3D. Find out how they combine their fine motor skills with creativity and imagination.
Grade 5 math students embark on a team project inspired by the campus transformation. Learn about their approach to building a LEGO model of the new Boehly Upper School.
Grade 6 social studies students take what they’ve learned about ancient Egypt to design and build a life-size Egyptian tomb. Watch how they transformed the makerspace in the Freeman Family Lower School with this memorable, hands-on project.
Lower School Bears vie for a spot in the Montgomery County Regional Spelling Bee. Find out how the benefits of this friendly competition extend far beyond spelling, vocabulary, and memorization.
Lower School students practice responsibility, teamwork, time management, and more as they care for the pets in their science classroom.
Grade 4 students learn what maps can tell us about the world and make maps of their own. Find out what they learned in this hands-on social studies project.
Grade 5 social studies students get active as they learn about the American Revolution. Watch how they step into character and use body movements to better understand the battles that shaped the war.
At Landon, Lower School boys are immersed in language learning, thanks to hands-on cultural experiences and research projects.
Grade 6 students learn basic chemistry then bring it to life with teamwork, design, and 3-D printers supplied by the new Applied Technology and Innovation Department.
The Lower School book club helps grow students’ passion for reading with interactive, engaging, and sometimes wacky challenges! Find out how reading for fun benefits the boys in the classroom and beyond.
Grade 5 students launch into their first STEM challenge of the year with paper rockets. Find out how they use paper, tape, a penny, and the scientific method to craft the most dynamic designs.
From “trashketball” to mazes and escape rooms, find out how Landon teachers are helping boys remember what they’ve learned through engaging classroom activities.
Daily Schedule
Landon's daily schedule for Lower School begins at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m., with before- and aftercare options.
Landon's developmentally appropriate schedule maximizes students' most attentive time periods, including language arts and math in the mornings, and quiet reading time before dismissal at the end of the day. As you can see, there are also multiple movement breaks during the day so boys can feel refreshed and ready to refocus on learning. This schedule below is one example, some days will include Spanish, art, assemblies, and more.
Top Row
Middle Row
Bottom Row
Portrait of a Graduate
Landon students are offered a unique experience. Our goal is that they will do something with it, that they will make a positive difference in their communities and the larger world, in ways big and small.
Our goal is that they will become virtuous and well-rounded men who contribute and give back to the common good out of both a sense of personal responsibility and an awareness that much has been given to them. Our ambition is that Landon graduates might be described individually and collectively – and throughout their lives – as persons who live into these characteristics and mindsets.
Arts
From the very beginning of boys’ Landon experience, they are immersed in studio art, music, and theater.
They draw, paint, and sculpt in the art studio, perform in full-scale theatrical productions, and choose from 12 instruments to play in music courses. As they discover their artistic talents and decide which instruments or techniques they prefer, they begin to view creative expression as a habit and an integral part of their life.
Theater Arts
The entire Lower School is involved, either on stage or behind the scenes, in our annual spring musical production.
Performing Arts
Each boy participates in band, strings, or choral groups, which include classes, recitals, and concerts.
Studio Arts
Every Landon boy takes art classes. Students' work is displayed in our Landow Gallery along with Middle and Upper School pieces.
11
Instruments to Play in Music
2
Art Shows Each Year
100%
of Students Participate in School Play
Athletics
Every Landon boy participates in athletics each day.
We believe that physical exercise and team collaboration are essential for boys' well-being and learning. Landon's teacher-coach-mentors focus on ensuring every boy achieves healthy development, and builds the fundamental skills to grow as an athlete and teammate, and learns the value of living a healthy life with exercise and time outdoors.
Season | Intramural | Interscholastic (Grade 5 & 6) |
---|---|---|
Fall | Football Soccer |
Cross Country |
Winter | Basketball Wrestling Games |
Basketball |
Spring | Baseball Lacrosse Track and Field |
Baseball |
Athletic Facilities
Shrimp Bowl & Landon Cup
An annual, decades-long tradition of football and soccer between our Grade 3 and 4 students.
The Shrimp Bowl (flag football) and Landon Cup (soccer) divide the two grades into two teams, Brown and White. The events feature Bear spirit from the entire school, teamwork, fun, and, when necessary, lots of hot chocolate!
Health, Wellness & Fitness
Health, wellness, and fitness is found in every facet of the Lower School experience.
Using the teacher-coach-mentor model, our teachers develop deep and meaningful relationships with the boys and address larger issues like empathy, self-esteem, sportsmanship, and humility in a one-on-one capacity and through group exercises. The Lower School community also participates in schoolwide lessons on these topics, and we create opportunities for boys to test out what they have learned.
Landon boys also have plenty of time during the day to stay active. Every boy, with every level of athletic ability, is encouraged to try different sports, and learn to enjoy and prioritize physical fitness. There are movement breaks between classes plus morning recess and afternoon athletics.
Boys are taught the connection between physical and mental health, and our lessons endeavor to help boys create a toolbox of coping skills and strategies for dealing with emotions and struggles. This work is in addition to classes for all grades on the stages of physical development.
Ethics, Service & Leadership
Character Pledge
Character development is central to all we do.
Our ability to advance this goal is dependent on the willingness of individual community members to agree to and embrace the principles of good character outlined in our Character Pledge. This Pledge serves as an overarching standard for daily ethical conduct and includes three parts: an Honor Code, a Civility Code, and our Core Values. Each year all Landon students, teachers, and staff are asked to read and sign a document pledging themselves to these principles.
Honor Code
I will not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate others doing so.
Civility Code
I will regard and treat all people – whether in word or deed – with respect and dignity. I will treat my relationships, school, surroundings, and myself similarly. I will not tolerate behaviors by others that run counter to the principles of respectful behavior and decency.
Core Values
Respect – Honesty – Teamwork – Responsibility – Perseverance – Kindness – Inclusivity – Courage – Gratitude – Humility – Service
The Lower School Ethics, Service, and Leadership program is grounded in an exploration of Landon’s Mission, Philosophy, and Core Values to answer the following key questions: What does it mean to be a good person? How and why do my actions, no matter how small, impact others?
The ethics curriculum also connects with social-emotional learning and Landon’s focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as students learn about themselves and develop empathy for others, especially those whose identities might be different from theirs. The goal of ethics, service, and leadership in the Lower School is to help boys know what a good choice looks like, feel motivated to make the good choice, and have the capacity to follow through with their actions.
Ethics Classes
Lower School boys participate in weekly ethics classes where they explore stories—their own and those of ethical role models. Through skits, age-appropriate case studies, and other methods, they learn to make the kinds of choices that build their character.
Buddies Program
Lower School boys regularly meet with our oldest Bears in our Buddies Program, which brings Upper School students to the Wilson Building to visit. The boys view our Upper School students as role models, who treat this responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.
Community Service
Throughout the year, boys pack lunches with students from our partner school, Holton-Arms, make Thanksgiving baskets for Bethesda Cares, and participate in all-school service projects with A Wider Circle on the National Day of Service to honor Martin Luther King Jr.
Be honest, do your best, and help the other fellow.
-Lower School motto
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Respect is a core value of a Landon School education. And respecting others means respecting and celebrating their different journeys, backgrounds, and identities. Landon is committed to promoting supportive and welcoming traits like inclusivity and appreciating diversity and how it enriches the tapestry of the community. We seek to develop in our students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes needed to value differences, encouraging both speaking and acting with integrity and compassion and developing an informed and respectful worldview.
This work is supported by round table discussions, school assemblies, and events based on cultural celebrations.
They include Lunar New Year, and schoolwide events to honor Black History Month, Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and Hispanic Heritage Month. Students are at the center of this work, as they share their own stories and become presenters at these events.
Afterschool Programs
Landon offers two afterschool programs. One is AfterCare, which runs from 3:30-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and includes homework, snack, and recess time. There is an additional charge for this program.
The Landon Enrichment and Afterschool Program (LEAP) expands the learning experience beyond the school day in creative, dynamic, and fun ways while supporting Landon’s core values. Classes are offered in six to eight-week sessions throughout the year, and they include topics such as cooking, robotics, and chess. Each class meets for 60 or 90 minutes after school, until about 4:45- 5:15 p.m. There is an additional charge for this program.
FAQ
- Who leads the Lower School?
- What if my son needs extra help with schoolwork?
- What classes will he have?
- Does he get a computer at school?
- How will he make new friends?
- Are there events with girls schools?
- Where does my son sit for lunch?
- Can he do sports, music, drama, and art?
- Is community service required?
- Are there field trips?
- Are there fun events?
- Who can he ask if he has questions?
Who leads the Lower School?
What if my son needs extra help with schoolwork?
What classes will he have?
Does he get a computer at school?
How will he make new friends?
Are there events with girls schools?
Where does my son sit for lunch?
Can he do sports, music, drama, and art?
Is community service required?
Are there field trips?
Are there fun events?
Who can he ask if he has questions?
News & Calendar
Landon’s campus was the classroom for grade 5 social studies students. Find out how they used a new perspective to explore some of their favorite spots.
Grade 4 boys create and sign their classroom contracts at the beginning of the new school year. Find out how each class collaborated to identify their unique vision for a positive and respectful learning environment.
A capstone project with a storytelling focus had Grade 6 students practicing their interviewing skills and using their creativity as they learned about an admirable person in their life.
Lower School artists use clay to take their bear cartoon creations from 2D to 3D. Find out how they combine their fine motor skills with creativity and imagination.