Grammar School - Classrooms & Curriculum

Pre-Kindergarten

Our bright and friendly Pre-K classroom is composed of a main classroom space, a meeting/block area, and a private outdoor playspace. Three head teachers provide an enjoyable and stimulating curriculum. Pre-K students learn how speaking and listening are translated into writing and reading. They study families, living things in their environment, various cultures, and holiday traditions. They are introduced to beginning math concepts such as counting, patterns, and classification.

Kindergarten

Our Kindergarten classrooms are housed in the West 94th Street brownstones, which create a warm, cozy setting for learning. Each classroom of approximately 20 students has two head teachers and an assistant or associate level teacher. During the year, students learn about the local community and how to work together. They make several field trips to nearby businesses. We cultivate a love of reading as students learn to recognize printed letters and symbol/sound relationships. They soon begin to understand that stories can be written with words and pictures. They also develop an understanding of numbers and complete a unit on human body systems for the Grammar School Science Fair.

Grade One

Each First Grade classroom consists of approximately 20 students and two head teachers. First graders are engaged in a reading program that includes both phonics and whole language techniques in order to support individual learning styles. Writing is incorporated into all curriculum areas. Students explore their great city and visit many of New York's landmarks. Science classes focus on mammals and habitats. Students develop an understanding of how math is used in everyday life. Units include basic addition and subtraction, money, time, and measurement. Students explore problem solving in both individual and group activities.

Grade Two

Each Second Grade classroom consists of approximately 20 students and two head teachers. The students are exposed to a wide variety of literature, and they develop comprehension and inferencing skills as they read. Students become more independent with each class activity and begin to utilize the editing process within their writing. Second graders learn about many countries, visit Ellis Island, develop an appreciation of cultures, and investigate their own family histories. These studies culminate in a wonderful International Luncheon. In math, larger numbers are introduced, as well as more complex math operations within addition and subtraction.

Grade Three

With the same teacher/student ratio as in first and second grades, students move from learning to read to reading to learn. Daily writing workshops challenge students to write autobiographies, imaginative stories, book reports, and journal responses. Cursive writing is also introduced. A study of Native Americans is the main focus in social studies and culminates in a simulated archeological dig. Many science explorations focus on life in the Northeast Woodlands. In math, several new concepts are introduced including multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, and geometry. Students are also involved in problem-solving situations requiring multi-step solutions to improve their logical and critical thinking skills.

Grade Four

 Fourth graders work in smaller groups with one head teacher. The students explore literary genres, refine decoding skills, and increase their vocabulary. Writing activities include journal entries, book reviews, research reports, essays, and creative writing. In social studies, children study mapping skills and the Age of Exploration. Students meet with our science specialist and learn to apply scientific methods to various experiments. They develop a proficiency in the four basic math operations and further investigate fractions, geometry, and decimals. Students are expected to explain their answers to questions both orally and in writing.

Grade Five

Fifth Graders attend their classes in our 36 West 93rd Street building. Students are supervised by the 5th and 6th grade Deans. The students are assigned to a “core” class which covers reading, writing and social studies. Science, math, music, physical education, computers and art are departmentalized.

English & Social Studies - The integration of reading, writing, and social studies allows fifth graders to make connections between the subjects. Through literary novels, research projects, field trips, and writers' workshop, students explore themes such as Colonial America, the Revolutionary War, and Western Expansion. One highlight is an overnight trip Philadelphia.

Science - Fifth graders engage in hands-on, guided discovery based on the scientific method of problem solving. Investigations focus on the physical world, including electricity, magnetism, and light and heat energy. 

Math - Fifth graders are expected to have a conceptual understanding and demonstrate mastery of the four basic operations involving small and large whole numbers. Other units include fractions, decimals, ratio/proportion/percent, integers, geometry, and graphing.

Grade Six

Sixth Graders also attend their classes in our 36 West 93rd Street building, and continue to be supervised by the 5th and 6th grade Deans. All subject areas are departmentalized. This is the students' final year of Grammar School and serves as a transition to the Preparatory School. At the end of the year the students travel to Washington DC for a two day trip. A promotion ceremony is held in June. 

English -Through literature, students explore the genres of poetry, drama, novels, short stories, and non-fiction. Students are encouraged to examine their writing critically and to work independently, applying skills of correct spelling, sentence structure, paragraphing, and punctuation.

Social Studies - A study of the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and Greece gives our sixth graders the background necessary to question and examine their own society. Throughout the year, students are involved in long-term projects, research activities, and oral presentations.

Science - Emphasis is placed on the importance of controls and variables in the experimental setting, and a higher level of interpretation is pursued. To achieve these goals, students carry out investigations in the life sciences. 

Math - For the first time, students are grouped by ability in the area of mathematics. Sixth graders master the computations involving fractions and decimals. Number theory, ratio/percentage/percent, geometry and statistics are other areas of focus.