Curriculum
Because learning is deeply experiential at HCS, our academic subjects are integrated. However, we do have time built into our daily schedule to focus specifically on literacy and math. Our staff has extensive experience and training teaching reading and writing with a developmental scope and sequence in order to tailor activities and instruction to individual student needs. For early readers, we use a phonics-based approach to teach decoding, and for all levels of reading experience, we build fluency and reading comprehension skills through meaningful interactions with all kinds of texts. For writing, we draw content from Empowering Writers and Lucy Calkins. We also recognize that language comprehension, oral expression, and auditory processing are key components of reading and writing as well, and cultivate these skills in our students throughout all of our school day.
Mathematics at Holler Creek also meets each child where they are, building on what they know so that they can integrate new concepts with what is already familiar to them. In order to provide our students with comprehensive instruction in this academic subject, we use the Math Mammoth curriculum for all grades, aligning to the Common Core. In addition, we use our own supplemental materials such as games, projects, and most importantly, the real-life problem-solving and inquiry-based math that arises from our place-based, hands-on work.
Science and Social Studies at Holler Creek are at the core of our project work and place-based experiences. When make observations, generate meaningful questions, make predictions (hypotheses) about them, and then investigate those questions, we are learning to think like a scientist by using the scientific method in a developmentally appropriate way. When we make our own discoveries, we form new questions, and we are engaged in our learning and the natural world. Science at Holler Creek typically covers topics in earth science, biology (life science), physics (movement), and other disciplines. Social Studies are integrated into our study of people in our school community, our homes, neighborhoods, counties, Virginia, Appalachia, the US, and even the world. We emphasize that a deep understanding of both history and current issues in the space they are in will help them as they grow into these larger and more complex spaces. We seek out local resources, field work sites, “guest experts” and storytellers to connect our students with history.
We make the Arts a priority, with daily opportunities for music and art. Specific classes in these areas occur twice per week, but we sing together every day at our morning meeting or after lunch, and we encourage students to play instruments during this time as well. Mt. Airy and this geographic area has a wealth of resources for exploring the history of old time and bluegrass music, and we take advantage of this in our fieldwork, projects, and special events! We also bring guest teachers in for projects in visual and performing arts whenever we can. Visual art at Holler Creek includes observational drawing and project work, with specific projects ranging from folk arts like weaving, painting, carving, woodworking, to following the Appalachian ingenuity of creating “something out of nothing.”