Grades 1-5

The Elementary School program takes place in a dual language environment. Children are immersed in a curriculum where both the German and the American language and culture are taught and appreciated. We take an individualized teaching approach with all classes. Teachers devise individualized lesson plans that cater to each child at his or her level of performance. This approach to learning enables students to progress according to their creative and natural abilities. We teach basic abilities, knowledge, and skill according to the child’s individual experience and learning potential, which fosters the joy of learning.

Each child’s personality, interests, practical and artistic skills and social behavior are all taken into consideration to ensure personal attention so that each child can grow in a dual language community.

Native and nonnative German speaking students work side by side, developing their linguistic and academic skills in a stimulating setting. A formal and comprehensive arts curriculum in music and fine arts at each grade level allows children to explore their imaginative potential and gain confidence in performance and artistic self-expression. Each class level is designed to meet Oregon’s specific academic requirements. Students typically test in the highest percentile of equivalency across the State of Oregon. After completing the GSP program, your child will easily assimilate academically into a public or other private school, because English as well as German skills thrive here.

First Grade

Formal English instruction begins during first grade and simultaneously supplements the continuing German reading and writing curriculum from Kindergarten. English classes support the acquisition of these skills and help develop vocabulary. By the end of first grade, students are able to write words and simple stories by themselves and can manage small word dictations. The first grader at GSP masters the foundations and concepts of mathematics through simple calculations, basic geometry and counting. Students explore basic science theories through investigations of the living world around them. Formal instruction in art and music ensures that the arts remain a fundamental component of the first grader’s education.

Second Grade

Second graders, in addition to developing their German composition and reading skills, practice identifying and analyzing the main elements of stories in English. By the end of the second grade, students are able to write and revise short compositions and understand basic literary conventions and forms, including poetry, fiction and non-fiction. Mathematics instruction in second grade develops more complex computation skills, including story problems and the multiplication tables. Students learn basic principles of science through observation of the weather, the seasons, natural habitats and ecosystems with a strong emphasis on environmental science. The music curriculum continues with the introduction of recorder instruction and seasonal music programs. Children expand their fine arts repertoire in formal art instruction using many different artistic mediums.

Third Grade

The third grade curriculum builds on and reinforces previously learned concepts and skills while introducing fundamental new components. In mathematics, students do complex calculations with numbers up to 1000. In geometry they learn to read, describe and draw ground plans, identify the four points on a compass and work with grid squares. Measurement, estimation and computation skills are performed in real-world contexts. German language instruction continues with advanced spelling, grammar and punctuation. Third graders also learn to follow and construct more complex written instructions, and to compose stories and reports in both oral and written form. Through continued English language arts instruction, students are able to understand, interpret and evaluate both fiction and non-fiction. Students also practice different kinds of writing, including journals, stories, poems, letters, and newspaper stories. Through these exercises, they are introduced to more formal components of English grammar and develop basic reference skills such as the ability to alphabetize, use dictionaries, and research in the library. Our third graders currently participate in the Oregon Benchmark Testing program, constantly meeting or exceeding requirements in every category.

Fourth Grade

Independent reading and creative writing become strong components of the fourth grade curriculum. Reading accuracy, fluency and expression, as well as the exploration of a variety of text forms become a crucial part of the German class. Library and study skills provide the students with basic research tools. Stylistic conventions become as important as the basic structure of a text. Oral presentations, e.g. a summary of a chapter book or a science topic, enhance the students¹ communication skills and self-confidence.

Our mathematics curriculum continues to emphasize the conceptual understanding of the decimal system by focusing on place value. Complex calculations, such as three digit multiplication and division, are now introduced in their written form. Problem-solving continues to be an integral part of all classroom activities. Geometric terms and standard measurements are applied in more complex problem-solving tasks. Areas of focus in our science curriculum include life sciences, meteorology, and physical science. Human growth and development in adolescence are as much part of the curriculum as personal safety and conflict resolution.

Fifth Grade

While still pursuing instruction in Art, Music and P.E., our fifth grade curriculum manifests an even stronger focus on academics. It is fashioned after the German Gymnasium curriculum, which exemplifies the most rigorous standards of the three-tier German school system for secondary schools. Two new subjects are introduced at this point: biology and geography. Topics of instruction include systematic study of the human body as well as animal and plant life. Geography teaches complex map reading skills, and familiarizes students with topics such as the infrastructure of a city or the physical changes in the earth. For example, students build seismographs in class and explore the makings of an earthquake. In German and English classes, students explore a variety of literary genres and begin to practice different types of compositions. They develop thorough and analytical knowledge of both German and English grammatical structures and the use of the tenses.

Our fifth grade math curriculum focuses on geometry and spatial sense, measurement, statistics and probability and algebraic relationships. This is the time when the laws of distribution, association and computation are introduced. Students work with fractions, calculate the area and the perimeter of a shape and transfer units of weights and distance into smaller or higher units.