• Early Childhood
• Kindergarten
• Primary
• Upper
• Special subjects

The Intermediate Program builds upon the foundations established during the primary years and is characterized by an atmosphere of growing self-discipline and enthusiasm for discovering and acquiring new information. Students are afforded the opportunity to explore new ideas and practice new skills, encouraging them to examining their own strategies and thought processes.  Studies in literature, geography, world language and current events begin to expand their understanding of a complex world. They become aware of themselves as part of the larger world community.

Language Arts

Intermediate Language Arts builds upon the fundamentals mastered on the Primary levels.  Students in grades 3 and 4 continue to work on the skills and strategies involved in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  Reading skills include phonemic analysis, word recognition through context and dictionary use, and comprehension of main idea and details.  Reading selections are made with an eye toward greater complexity in vocabulary, sentence structure, theme and abstract thought.    Students read for pleasure, information, and an appreciation of literature.  Varied viewpoints and characterization are explored through the genres of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama.

The Intermediate writing program includes writing for various purposes, such as narration, description, explanation, poetry, recording information and personal journaling.  The “writing process” takes the writer through the steps of prewriting, composing, revising, editing and publishing.  Throughout this process, students develop their use of complex sentence structure, expanded vocabulary and conventional spelling.   They also begin to develop their unique “voice”.

Mathematics

The mathematics program for grades 3 and 4 emphasizes mental math, estimation, and problem solving.  Lessons include real-life situations and mathematical language. Students employ various strategies in single and multi-step problems.  The program uses manipulatives to explain concepts and skills in numbers and numeration, operations, measurement, fractions, geometry, statistics, and decimals.

Science

The Intermediate Program continues its scientific investigations based on the principles of inquiry, hypothesis, collection and observation of data, and drawing conclusions.  Third-grade students explore the seasons caused by the earth’s movements, study the moon’s features and its gravitational pull on the oceans, and learn about constellations and their galactic make-up.  The animal life systems that the 3rd grade students study are arachnids and insects, and the animals and plant adaptations in different ecosystems such as forest, desert, and water.   The 4th grade concentrates on the interrelationship between matter and energy and the integrated forces that require both entities: magnetism, electricity, circuits.  They learn about Earth’s natural resources and how water, wind, and ice shape the land.  The children explore the life cycle of flowering plants by investigating a plant’s reproductive parts and functions, and the interaction between plants and animals.

Social Studies

The Intermediate grades study the Northeast, Long Island, and multicultural communities in other countries.  Students focus on four areas: geographic, historical, political, and social. In grade 3, students work with regional maps of North America and maps of other continents.  In learning about communities, students focus on Native American nations, tropical rainforest tribes, Asian cultures, and current political/governmental issues.  In grade 4 students learn Long Island topography while studying maps and locations of local towns on Long Island. In studying the life of the Eastern United states, children learn about the historical formation of Long Island through Native American and European settlements.  In the wider context of American history, students learn about colonialism, the issues of slavery and freedom, and state and federal governance.