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Third grade is a year of very visible academic and individual growth. Third graders make great strides acquiring new skills and learning how to apply and incorporate their prior knowledge in new ways. Throughout the year they gain increased confidence in themselves and their abilities. They are expected to do more independent work and to make productive contributions when working in a group.

Most lessons in third grade teach to a variety of learning modalities. When possible, hands-on exercises and games are part of learning a skill. This is particularly true in math, where great emphasis is placed on children learning the multiplication facts. We also cover place value, money, time, addition and subtraction with regrouping, word-problem strategies, and number sense.

Reading groups generally begin with a skill lesson, either phonics and/or a literacy skill such as predicting outcomes or identifying main idea. We read chapter books in a variety of genres. Third graders work on comprehension questions and projects, have discussions, practice oral reading fluency and expression by reading aloud round robin style, and sometimes also present a dramatic reading at our Morning Circle.

In our language arts block we work on grammar basics, structured spelling and phonics exercises, proper formation and practice of cursive writing, editing skills, and writing. The focus of writing is to combine these skills to produce a complete piece of writing. Writing topics cover a wide variety of genres. With teacher guidance, students move through the writing process, starting with generating and organizing ideas, then editing the first draft for spelling, grammar and mechanics, on to revising their work, and lastly producing a final copy.

Our social studies units include: map skills, geography and characteristics of the eastern United States, early explorers (1000-1600’s), and U.S. history from the Pilgrims to the Revolutionary War. In addition, each year we choose a Lower School study theme around which many cross-curricular units are developed. Topics have included The Circus, Native American Studies, China, Medieval Times, Maritime Studies, and Space.

Fourth grade is a time of dramatic growth. During this pivotal year, students take on increased responsibility as leaders of the lower school. They enjoy acting as role models for the rest of the student body. They lead by example, showing how best to act in the hallways and on the playground, as well as leading the Pledge of Allegiance at Morning Circle. They are responsible for the daily raising and lowering of the flag, as well as our school’s classroom recycling program. Additionally, fourth graders take on more independent work in the classroom than they did in the lower grades, achieving in both individual and group endeavors. This greater role that fourth graders play within the lower school community assists them in transitioning to the more significant level of personal and community responsibilities they will have when they move on to middle school.

Our math curriculum is a skill-based program from Houghton Mifflin in which we concentrate on the mastery of basic computational skills. These include advanced addition and subtraction, multiplication and two-digit long division. We use games and manipulative materials to reinforce and expand upon concepts such as place value, money, fractions, decimals and situational problem solving. Fourth graders are also introduced to basic algebra.

In reading, we explore several different genres, including historical fiction, biography, mystery and fantasy. In small, reading groups, we concentrate on oral reading with good voicing and expression, comprehension, character and plot development. At least one of the chapter books that the students read relates to the current All-School Theme. We also foster and develop confident presentation skills, such as speaking with expression and fluency, by reading aloud in both small groups and for the entire student body at morning Circle. Students also work on Spelling and the study of vocabulary is enhanced through the use of Wordly Wise.

In 4th grade we utilize the Collins Writing Program, which helps students to improve their writing fluency, organizational and editing skills. This program strives to help students become better writers through the use of five types of writing. The students will be given times to be “totally creative” (Type One,) times when they will move through a process of creative and critical thought (Types Two through Four,) and finally a time when the use of critical thinking and style is paramount (Type Five.) The progression of this program helps to remove obstacles that many people face when writing, such as fear of evaluation and fear of failure. We will use this program across all content areas.

In social studies, the fourth grade focuses on four different units. We begin the year with the study of Map Skills, which leads to our second unit, Landforms. This unit culminates in a project that is shared with the school. Our third unit concentrates on United States History with a focus on Westward Expansion, including the Oregon Trail, Pioneer Life and Lewis and Clark. Our final unit, which we explore throughout the year, includes various aspects of our yearly Lower School Study Theme. In past years we have explored themes such as, the Circus, Medieval Times, China, Maritime studies, Native American studies and Space. When working on projects, students learn to use many research tools including books in the library and the Internet.

The Indian Mountain Lower School Library was completed in 2006. The architect, Sam Posey, created a space using traditional and modern materials that welcome the beauty of the outdoor environment. Natural light pours in through the large windows creating a warm and inviting space that is both functional and very pleasant.

The Lower School Library houses an ever-growing collection of both fiction and non-fiction books appropriate for children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. Traditional reference materials including, dictionaries and child appropriate encyclopedias, are supplemented with instruction in the use of electronic reference. There are four Mac computers available for student use in the library.

Students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade attend a weekly library class. During this time students receive instruction in the functions of a library. Students learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction and how the Dewey Decimal System serves to organize materials within the library. Most importantly, the students learn how to find appropriate books and the process for checking out their selected books.

During library class, the librarian reads aloud to students from specially selected books and kids are invited to explore the library, searching for a book to check out each week. A visitor to the library during class time will find that the Lower School Library is not your “traditional” library. It is a peaceful but also a lively place for children to learn the joys that reading brings and to generate excitement about reading books and sharing that joy with others.

The Indian Mountain Lower School Library was completed in 2006. The architect, Sam Posey, created a space using traditional and modern materials that welcome the beauty of the outdoor environment. Natural light pours in through the large windows creating a warm and inviting space that is both functional and very pleasant.

The Lower School Library houses an ever-growing collection of both fiction and non-fiction books appropriate for children in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. Traditional reference materials including, dictionaries and child appropriate encyclopedias, are supplemented with instruction in the use of electronic reference. There are four Mac computers available for student use in the library.

Students in pre-kindergarten through fourth grade attend a weekly library class. During this time students receive instruction in the functions of a library. Students learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction and how the Dewey Decimal System serves to organize materials within the library. Most importantly, the students learn how to find appropriate books and the process for checking out their selected books.

During library class, the librarian reads aloud to students from specially selected books and kids are invited to explore the library, searching for a book to check out each week. A visitor to the library during class time will find that the Lower School Library is not your “traditional” library. It is a peaceful but also a lively place for children to learn the joys that reading brings and to generate excitement about reading books and sharing that joy with others.

The goal of the Spanish curriculum at the Lower School is to expose students in grades pre-kindergarten through fourth to the process of learning a language while becoming more proficient in a language that is more and more prevalent in our country. Twice each week, students receive instruction and exposure to Hispanic culture, language, and history. The curriculum is designed to build upon what was learned in prior years, while still offering review and support, especially for those who are new to the school. Students learn by mastering sets of nouns, such as colors, clothing, food, family members, classroom objects, etc. Those nouns are then used by the students to play games, sing songs, and talk about their environment and themselves. Each grade uses similar categories of vocabulary words to reinforce what has been learned from year to year, but the amount of words increases as students get older. In second, third and fourth grades, grammar components and terms, such as noun, verb, adjective, article, and gender are introduced. Not only is this important to understanding how Spanish is spoken and written, it also reinforces grammar concepts taught in the regular Language Arts curriculum. All written work is carefully planned to be developmentally appropriate so that pre-reading, phonemic awareness, and fine-motor skills continue to be developed and reinforced. Pronunciation is key to learning and understanding any language and is a major component of the Spanish curriculum. Students participate in many cultural celebrations, too, such as El Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and Cinco de Mayo. Practicing at home is made easy with the use of educational computer games that are linked through the school’s Web site. Overall, the Spanish program at the Lower School is built upon the belief that language is best learned at the youngest age possible and can be an enriching and fun experience.

Science is introduced to the Lower School students through hands-on investigations in the classroom and in our schoolyard. This curriculum is based on the Teaching for Understanding framework. The students build their understanding of fundamental scientific ideas through exploring, hypothesizing, investigating, researching, concluding, and generating new questions. The skills required for scientific inquiry, which include measurement, data collection, close observation, problem solving, collaboration, and participation, are developed progressively from one year to the next.
The content of the curriculum covered during the Lower School grades introduces the students to topics in biology, chemistry, physics, and earth science: the wonders of water,air, sound and light; the ecosystem and biodiversity; magnetism and electricity; simple machines and motion; force and structures; rocks and minerals; plants and trees; vertebrates and invertebrates; kitchen chemistry; design technology and engineering.