Today’s Education Focus will take a quick look at the subjects typically covered at the elementary school level. Originally called “grammar school” or “grade school,” elementary school historically has covered the basic subjects, sometimes called “The Three R’s”: Reading, ’Riting (writing), and ’Rithmetic (arithmetic). These subjects still form the foundation of elementary education, but the scope of elementary school has been expanded to include:
• Basic Science – i.e., basic biology, basic chemistry, basic earth science;
• Social Studies – including not only basic history, but basic geography and learning about other societies or cultures;
• English – which includes basic grammar and spelling as well as reading and writing;
• Art;
• Music; and
• P.E. – physical education, also called “gym,” since students go to the gymnasium for this class.
Historically, elementary school consisted of grades 1 – 8, but sometime after World War I there began a shift towards taking the last two or three years of elementary school (grades 7 – 8 or grades 6 – 8) and converting them into a “bridge” phase of education, helping to transition students between the elementary school educational structure and the high school educational structure (grades 9 – 12). This transitional school was originally called “junior high school,” but in later years it has become more common to call it “middle school.” Next week we’ll take a look at the curriculum focus of the junior high / middle school.