Our K-4th Grade students receive weekly art instruction and students in 4th-8th Grades receive twice-weekly instruction. The UFS Art program is based on the elements of art: line, shape, form, color, texture, space, and value. Projects, designed around the elements, encourage age-appropriate mastery of techniques, tools, and methods. The primary goal of the art program is to create a playful, exploratory environment, which encourages student expression and personal voice. We proudly display our students’ artwork in the school lobby and feature it in the Friday Folder, our weekly newsletter. The 2021-2022 school year will feature dance as an additional artform.
Our music teacher brings extensive knowledge of theory and performance, and in turn has developed a multi-faceted program offering children experience in singing, listening, performing, understanding, and music composition. The music program is held weekly.
Music is integrated into many school functions such as weekly Meeting for Worship, Meeting for Announcements, and Monday Music performances in the main lobby. Each school year, UFS students take field trips to attend music events at venues including Kutztown University, The Philadelphia Orchestra, or the Zoellner Arts Center.
Our lineup of music classes will change slightly to accommodate safety measures, but we are confident we will find just as much musical enjoyment. We will not be able to offer our typical choral and instrumental ensembles this year. Instead, students in grades 4-8 will spend half the year learning ukulele and the other half learning body percussion/bucket drumming. Our general music classes will be full of literature that helps us understand musical concepts and musical traditions from around the world. Students will also have personal music packs with a combination of created and provided instruments in order to explore the nature of rhythm, texture, and composition. We will also be focusing on developing our active listening skills and learning to assess musical excerpts according to their musical components. While we will certainly miss regular singing and group movement activities this year, our music teacher will guide students in exploring more ways to engage musically and connect with each other.
At UFS, the acquisition of the Spanish language is integrated into the curriculum from preschool through eighth grade. The preschool through fifth-grade Spanish curriculum explores the language and culture through a conversational approach. Students practice speaking Spanish using repetition, dialogue, music, games, and role-plays. Students learn about the rich and diverse Hispanic culture through stories, songs, foods, and celebrations. All sixth through eighth grades build upon their foundation and begin to learn grammatical elements of the Spanish language. The structured program focuses on verb conjugations and the proper use of tenses. At this level, students are encouraged to compose and perform at length in Spanish, demonstrating a greater command of the language.
Preschool & Kindergarten students meet for Spanish weekly; Grades 1-5 meet twice a week; Grades 6-8 meet three times a week.
Students from all grades visit the library every week and are introduced to various authors and genres through read alouds and activities. The library curriculum comprises three major areas: literature appreciation, library skills, and research and technology. Information Technology Literacy aims to develop technological skills that aid in the understanding of how to access online information, learn social responsibility, and to navigate online safety. UFS students learn all different types of skills as part of the digital literacy program such as keyboarding and coding to increase technical knowledge and develop critical thinking.
Middle school classrooms focus on leveraging technology; Students learn how to utilize specific applications to research a subject-matter and provide data sources for schoolwork while learning valuable skills that they can take with them beyond the classroom. The Librarian also will assist classroom teachers on research projects providing the class with access to books while serving as a trusted resource for students.
The Library and Information Technology Literacy program aims to provide:
The library curriculum is an extension of the Language Arts curriculum and follows the National Standards for Information Literacy and the Standards for 21st Century Learners.
In partnership with Stretch-N-Grow, the Physical Education program helps to develop happy, healthy, successful kids by creating engaging classes that focus on a mix of physical activity, skill-building, and teamwork. All students participate in physical education classes twice a week. Preschool children will have physical education weekly.
Learn and explore a wide range of technology, including Arduino boards, coding, and robotics. Learn to utilize technology to solve problems