An Integrated Approach
The Specialists utilize the yearly all-school theme to collaborate with one another, classroom teachers and the broader Seattle community. This approach provides students with an interconnected experience of different subject areas.
Visual Arts
The UCDS Visual Arts program is dedicated to cultivating artistic literacy by immersing students in hands-on experiences where they explore, invent, and refine their creative practices. Utilizing essential design concepts, various materials, and tools, students develop a deeper understanding of creative individuality and self-expression. Each year, the program features unique projects that not only align with the school-wide theme and classroom curricula but also connect students with the broader arts community.
Music
The UCDS Music program empowers students to become musicians in a fun, hands-on, creative environment. Using an immersive, project-based approach, Music teachers build upon children’s inherent musicality and explore the multitude of ways that humans can be musical. Students become creators, songwriters and musical thinkers, and develop an appreciation of music across cultures and genres. Classes cultivate a wide range of instrumental and vocal skills that are showcased through dynamic performances and recordings. Topics of study emerge each year from the school-wide theme, frequently integrated with curricular explorations in other areas of the school program.
Design & Technology
The UCDS Design and Technology program is created to guide students through collaborative, inquiry-based projects that enhance their understanding of engineering and design concepts. Students engage with their environment through software, computers, digital media, computer fabrication technologies, mobile devices, physical computing and mechanical principles. Our classrooms are set up as design labs, using a collaborative and iterative framework to develop new ideas and evolve engineering and design concepts.
Library
The UCDS Library program is designed to cultivate the wonder of reading while developing the skills and abilities for navigating today’s world of information. The goal of the Library program is to introduce fiction and nonfiction books that inspire students’ creativity and joy, in tandem with practicing research and critical thinking skills in a supportive and creative setting. We incorporate interactive storytelling techniques, guided play, and engaging games into our discussions and activities. Librarians connect with students, teachers, and families to provide cross-curricular resources and book recommendations while facilitating a welcoming and accessible space for our school community.
Science
The Science program at UCDS empowers students with the skills to imagine and create exciting scientific theories through investigation.Each class session is a visit to a working laboratory where students engage in hands-on experiments to develop and test hypotheses. Our process-based approach enables students to develop critical thinking skills that are essential for developing scientific thinkers. The UCDS Science program prepares students to analyze information, solve problems, and document their ideas. We use authentic scientific investigations, both in and out of the laboratory, to captivate students.
Spanish
The UCDS Spanish Specialists foster an environment where students make cultural, social, and linguistic connections to develop Spanish as an additive language with visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning opportunities.The goal of the program is to offer students immersive hands-on learning experiences in Spanish where they develop skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Spanish while deepening their understanding and appreciation of Spanish language and culture.
Physical Education
The primary goal of the UCDS Physical Education program is to build skills and encourage lifelong participation in a myriad of physical activities. PE teachers create classes that develop movement concepts, motor skills and general physical fitness. These goals are achieved through individual, partner and group activities. Students also focus on sportsmanship, team building and cooperative skills while exploring a variety of sports, games and activities.