Lower School Programs
Engineering Challenges
Engineering challenges are the hallmark of hands-on, experiential learning at AVS. Each challenge begins with a problem or provocation and a set of constraints, such as specific materials or limitations. Success is measured using a metric like time, weight, or distance. For example, one challenge might involve designing a wind-dispersed seed that travels the farthest in fan-generated "wind." Students could be given materials such as one bean to act as the seed, tape or glue, a flight device (e.g., paper, tissue paper, thin plastic), and scissors to shape the flight device. The seed models would then be tested by releasing them in front of a fan and measuring the distance they travel.
At our school, every grade participates in these challenges, which are introduced every other month during whole-school community meetings. Students spend several weeks designing, testing, and refining their prototypes before showcasing them at a challenge exhibition, also held during a community meeting gathering. Through repeated challenges, students learn to embrace mistakes, accept feedback, celebrate risk-taking, and become fascinated with innovation and interconnectedness.
One annual tradition at AVS is building a Rube Goldberg machine—a chain-reaction contraption that demonstrates cause and effect. Students observe the cause-and-effect relationships, make adjustments, and repeatedly test their machines until they achieve the desired outcome. This challenge encourages students to explore and tinker with simple machines such as inclined planes, levers, pulleys, and wheels and axles. Building a Rube Goldberg machine fosters persistence, resilience, flexible thinking, and creative problem-solving. When students work in pairs, they also develop teamwork skills, including listening to and incorporating others' ideas, being patient, taking turns, and clearly communicating their ideas. The machines become more complex as students advance through the grades. In junior kindergarten through first grade, the focus is more on exploration than on the final product. By second through fourth grade, students engage in one to two weeks of trial and error before presenting their finished machines.
Science Fair and Expo
Science fairs are a key part of building students' confidence in answering questions of personal interest while developing proficiency in the scientific method. Preparing for the fairs also helps students improve their communication skills—both in writing and speaking—about their scientific process and findings. Additionally, students develop time management skills as they work toward completing a large-scale, independent project by a set deadline.
In junior kindergarten through first grade, students are guided through class experiments to build foundational skills in scientific investigation. Starting in second grade, students independently conduct experiments, following the steps of the scientific method. Over the course of four to six weeks, they formulate testable questions, make predictions and hypotheses, test their hypotheses, collect and analyze data, and arrive at conclusions.
A common question during the presentations is: What is a testable question? A testable question can be answered through hands-on experimentation—via direct observation or measurement using scientific tools. The key difference between a general interest question and a testable question is that testable questions involve changing one variable to observe its effect on another. A testable question includes two parts: an independent variable (which the student changes) and a dependent variable (which the student measures in the experiment). Testable questions follow this format: How does changing the independent variable affect the dependent variable? For example, while "How do rockets fly?" is not a testable question, "How does changing the shape of a rocket's payload affect its flight?" is.
The science fairs are presented to parents, fellow students, and faculty. Each student creates a display showcasing the steps involved in their experiment and practices explaining these steps to others, enhancing their communication skills and enriching their overall learning.
Current Events Presentations
At AVS, public speaking is highly valued and encouraged at every grade level. One regular opportunity to practice this skill is through current events presentations. From junior kindergarten through fourth grade, students give oral presentations on current events of their choosing to their peers and parents. By fifth grade, students present to an upper elementary audience (third through fifth grades) and often take on leadership roles by presenting at Community Meetings. These presentations help students connect with global news, understand nonfiction texts, and communicate information in their own words. As students progress through the grades, they become increasingly proficient at finding relevant articles, taking notes, synthesizing information, and preparing engaging demonstrations to educate others.
Current events presentations take place from Tuesday through Thursday at the start of the school day, with one student presenting in front of their entire grade and their parents. This schedule continues throughout the academic year, providing students with multiple opportunities to present.
After each presentation, the audience participates by asking questions, making connections, and offering compliments. Students are encouraged to use visual aids (such as tri-folds with pictures, images projected under a document camera, or Google Slides) to support their presentation. They are also taught to stand confidently, speak clearly and loudly, and make eye contact with the audience.
Research Papers and Projects
Research projects give students the opportunity to explore topics of personal interest in depth. Through this process, they learn to identify reliable sources, take notes, and synthesize information from various sources. Their research culminates in writing a research paper, which helps them develop skills in forming an introduction, answering essential questions, framing an argument, supporting key ideas, and crafting a conclusion. As part of this process, students practice writing complete sentences, using transition words effectively, and organizing paragraphs. Once their papers are completed, students present their work in a clear and innovative way.
In junior kindergarten and kindergarten, students learn the value of researching a topic and sharing their findings through a year-end Passion Project. From first through fifth grade, students conduct one research project each year, guided by a theme often related to the science or humanities curriculum. Past themes have included the Civil Rights Movement and the Middle Ages. Students typically choose from a list of options provided by their teachers, aligned with the grade-level theme. Although multiple students may choose the same topic, they conduct their research and write their papers independently.
While research papers are written individually, presentations may be done in groups. Students can work independently or collaboratively to create interactive games, slideshows, dioramas, or other visual aids to present their findings.
Assessments and Reporting
Assessments play a critical role in shaping instruction and curriculum development at AVS. A variety of pre-, post-, formative, and summative assessments are scheduled throughout the academic year. After each assessment, data is collected and analyzed to measure student learning growth, inform differentiated grouping, and support necessary interventions. This data helps create a clear narrative of each student’s progress within the trimester and across the academic year.
Teachers use an evaluation scale to assess students' academic and social performance across various skills in each subject area. This scale is applied when observing students' daily activities, work products, projects, and class discussions. At the end of each trimester, teachers review and gather evidence of student progress between reporting periods. In addition, standardized one-on-one assessments, such as reading inventories and math tasks, are conducted throughout the year to monitor reading and math fluency. These assessments, administered three or more times annually, provide clear data on student progress and are calibrated with national grade-level norms.
Field Trips & Overnights
Lower School students at AVS participate in a variety of field trips throughout the year, designed to offer hands-on learning experiences and inquiry-based activities that spark curiosity. Popular destinations include the Exploratorium, California Academy of Sciences, Golden Gate Park, McLaren Park, Angel Island, Children's Discovery Museum, and tide pools in Half Moon Bay and Pacifica. Students typically travel by MUNI, though chartered transportation is sometimes used for certain trips.
Overnight trips at AVS begin in fourth grade and are an exciting opportunity for students to build a sense of community while exploring the diverse landscapes of California. These trips offer hands-on learning experiences that foster independence, teamwork, and personal growth. Students participate in outdoor adventures that encourage them to step outside their comfort zones and strengthen their connections with peers in meaningful, memorable ways.
