The intermediate grade 4 program at KAS provides students with the structure they need to become independent learners while continuing to emphasize creativity and collaborative problem solving. Our students’ critical thinking skills are developed through inquiry-based science units, engineering challenges, and maker education. Mathematics in fourth and fifth grade is differentiated and combines an inquiry approach with structured skills practice, games, and projects.
Our students ead and write across the curriculum, and ELA instruction includes the study of novels, such as The Giver and Esperanza Rising, through literature discussion groups as well as individualized reading through book clubs and reader’s workshop. Students advance their writing skills through writer’s workshop projects that include opinion, persuasive and narrative writing, as well as poetry. Writing projects are integrated with literature, science, and social studies topics. Spelling in grades four and five is differentiated to meet each individual student’s needs.
Organizational skills are emphasized in the intermediate grades, in preparation for middle school. Our students continue to practice cursive handwriting, but also receive instruction in proper keyboarding skills.
Intermediate grade 4 students participate in Spanish class, and have music, art and drumming courses throughout the week. Our students begin to take on more of a leadership role in the school as well, as they are stewards of some of our shared spaces and also spend time working one-on-one with our Kindergarten students.
In addition, the students participate in daily outdoor recess and a formal physical education class once a week. Physical education is held at Mellon Park when weather permits, and at the Shadyside Boys and Girls Club during the colder months.