Grades 3 to 6

Wy'East (3rd/4th Grades) and Klickitat (5th/6th Grades)

With small class size and close communications with parents, Gardner is able to provide a highly personalized learning environment that allows emerging and young adolescents time to find their own voices. Here they become secure, confident and competent learners who manage their own learning, think critically and with curiosity, take pride in the quality of their work, effectively participate in collaborative learning, and contribute to the classroom, the school, and the broader community.

Our students in the Wy’East and Klickitat classrooms begin exploring longer term projects with more complexity. Our teachers incorporate study skills, like organization and note-taking, so our students begin to develop these critical skills to transition to a middle school setting after Gardner. Students use many tools to aid in drafting, editing, and revising of writing and thematic projects; throughout the learning process, students cultivate a sense of pride in the work they complete.

Students are assessed in a number of different ways. Some assessments are purely quantitative, while other assessments are designed to measure the deep understandings that students gain in their studies. Students use a variety of rubrics, checklists, and self-reflective writing to both measure academic progress and nurture an awareness of their growth.

Technology at Gardner is used for creation, not consumption. Starting in 3rd grade, our students begin to use various open-source technology programs to create presentations, learn coding, do 3-D design, video editing, and more. Students learn digital citizenship skills and are prepared to use digital tools in responsible, productive, and creative ways.