In support of The Co-op School’s project-based learning approach, the school, and each class, organize a series of educational events throughout the year that include field trips, culminations and creative expressions. The theme of each event varies based on student interest and engagement, and some examples are featured below. For more information about how these events make up our curriculum, visit or our program pages for the preschool, lower school, and middle school.
Core Values
At the heart of The Co-op School lies our dedication to our Core Values, celebrated daily through conversations, literary exploration, engaging activities, and throughout all school initiatives. We believe in the unique and special contributions of each child to the world. By fostering respectful and caring relationships with both students and families, we establish a robust foundation for an exceptional early childhood experience. Founded on our love for children, The Co-op School remains committed to providing enriching experiences that shape lives, and we rely on our Core Values and their celebration days (check the calendar) to remind us of our commitment to nurturing growth, fostering inclusivity, and promoting lifelong learning.
Community Visits
From time to time our classrooms welcome experts from the community to speak about their area of knowledge to support and enhance the students’ studies. Topics covered have included computer coding, composting, break dancing, poetry, and electrical engineering. We also host in-school author visits during which children’s book authors are also invited to give readings, answer student questions, and sign books that parents purchase from a local independent bookstore.
Field Trips
Field trips will be announced by the classroom teachers. All parents/guardians will be informed at least one week in advance and all students must have a field trip permission form signed for the specific trip.
Sample field trip: To complement a study of New York City and its landmarks, the second graders visited the Highline Park in Manhattan. During this trip, students learned that the Highline started as a route for cargo to be transported, but the railway was eventually lifted 30 feet above ground in response to protests after a child was killed by a passing train. Students then learned that over the years the railway was abandoned due to the invention of new transportation technology, and finally it was transformed into the park it is today. This ties into some of the broader questions the second graders have been exploring: how the environment affects us and how communities adapt to their changing environments.
Culminations
Engaging students in the learning process means that they have a say in what they are learning about. Often projects lead to outcomes that are different from what students originally anticipated, and they learn to celebrate hard work and the process of learning. These celebrations occur through culmination events, during which other classes and family members are invited to see the class’s work and to learn about their discovery process.
- Special Curriculum Culminations:
Carnival
Our young artists in Creative Making learn about how Carnival is celebrated in places such as Haiti, Brazil, and New Orleans. They build large puppets and make carnival attire such as masks following a theme previously chosen. Families are invited and we all parade around the block.
Field Day
Field Day marks the end of movement classes, where students showcase their skills and sportsmanship in a day of active fun! Whether in a neighborhood park or on the school roof, we transform the spaces into energetic playgrounds filled with laughter, team spirit, and thrilling challenges.
All-School Sing
The All-School Sing is a cherished school-wide event, an integral part of our Music curriculum and a musical showcase across divisions. Each grade presents a song, encouraging everyone to sing along and unite our voices in harmony.
- Class Culminations (example):
Our 3s preschool class, the Crickets, completed self-portraits this year utilizing a variety of artistic processes as a way to develop a clear sense of self, which then enabled them to learn about their peers and their families. Students mixed paint to represent the various skin tones in the classroom, studied the differences in each other’s facial features and painted self-portraits. Projects were finished up with collaged pieces of colored paper that represented each student’s individuality. When the project was completed, the class invited friends and family to attend the Cricket Portrait Exhibition to share both the details and the process of their work.