Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s Intermediate English Language Arts (ELA) program uses a Reading and Writing Workshop model. Through the use of teacher-read mentor texts, shared texts, novel studies, and active independent reading, reading strategies are taught through mini-lessons and practiced independently. By providing explicit instruction, teachers focus on a  writer’s craft and create a predictable, safe environment where students take ownership of their writing, share their writing, and become competent with the writing process (planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing).

Students are exposed to a variety of genres including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. All students are encouraged to see themselves as readers and writers and develop a love of the written word. English Language Arts at the Intermediate Level allows students to develop as readers and writers while incorporating spelling, vocabulary, and grammar  skills through a rich curriculum.

Novel Studies:

• First Trimester:  Frindle by Andrew Clements
  • Create It Project 
• Second Trimester: Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbit
  • Co-curricular, Art Project
• Third Trimester:  Literature Circles
  • SSJ Infused Theme:  Good Neighbor / Resilience 
    • Inside Out and Back Again by Thanna Lai 
    • Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan 
    • The Only Road by Alexandra Diaz

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s Intermediate Math Program pushes students to take passionate ownership of their learning, persist through challenges, and grow in independence. Students develop a positive relationship with themselves and mathematics through the various components of math class. At the intermediate level, students will focus on mastering basic math facts, learning the process to solve multi-digit multiplication and division problems, and focus on fraction and decimal skills. A heavy emphasis is placed on solving word problems which fosters the growth of critical thinking skills in the subject area.

• Continued focus on mastery of basic math facts 
• Operations of whole numbers
• Focus on operations of decimals
• Focus on operations of fractions
• Geometry
  • Identifying shapes and finding perimeter and area

NFA’s 4th and 5th Grade Science experience provides students with opportunities for investigation, experimentation and discovery that will help them understand their surroundings. Students learn to treasure self, others, and the earth by developing a perceptive sense of the scientific components in the world around them. Through engaging lessons and a strong knowledge of appropriate scientific subject matter, students will elevate their thinking while applying both science and engineering skills. Students will find that exploration is the heart of science, and also the heart of caring for the world that we live in today.

• Physical Science 
  • Properties of Matter (Physical Properties, Boling Point, Freezing Point, etc and Chemical Properties)
  • Changes in Matter (Physical and Chemical Changes)
  • Mixtures and Solutions
• Earth Science 
  • Earth’s Systems & Water (Water Cycle, layers of the atmosphere and the geosphere)
  • Human’s Impacts on Earth (Global warming, Alternative energy, fossil fuels - impacts of each - positives and negatives)
  • The Solar System 
• Life Science 
  • Energy and Food (Food Chains)

Norwood Fontbonne Academy’s 4th and 5th Grade Social Studies program takes students on an interactive tour of the United States. While exploring the regions of the U.S., students learn about geography, history, civics and government, and economics. Through research and projects, students work both independently and collaboratively to deepen inquiry and understanding of key ideas.

• Basic Geography Skills
• Native Americans
  • Native American Origin Stories
• Colonial America
  • Colony Commercial Project  
• ​​​​​​Citizenship and Structure of Government

Religion classes at Norwood-Fontbonne Academy are designed to support our students in their growth as faith-filled persons in Catholic tradition. Weaving SSJ spirituality and history through our lessons, students become rooted in the mission of our Sisters and the importance of unity;  a unity that unites neighbor with neighbor and neighbor with God and includes a strong emphasis on care for our Earth. Grade level SSJ infused themes provide a lens for our students to understand their role in being anti-racist and ways in which they can actively advocate for social justice. Opportunities to participate in Service-Learning and Outreach Projects, students are able to embody a spirit of service as they build relationships with our Dear Neighbor, while also growing in their ability to show empathy, respect, and compassion. Time in our Centennial Chapel rounds out the religion classroom experience.

• Overview of Sacraments
  • Sacraments of Initiation - Baptism and Confirmation
  • Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick
  • Holy Orders and Matrimony
• Social Justice
  • The Works of Mercy
  • The Beatitudes
  • Project on Gifts of the Holy Spirit 
• The Chapel Experience - Ways to Pray
  • Music Mediation
  • Reflections around prayers - The Lord’s Prayer, The Hail Mary, The Apostle’s Creed
  • Integration of cultural studies rooted in faith traditions
  • Introduction to Lectio Divina 
• Service-Learning experiences and special projects centered around our grade level theme of Resilience

Students will do projects that will grow from what they learned in the lower levels. In this part of their STEM careers, Students will dive into coding, circuits, and 3D design. Students will have group projects in which they need to do research, build prototypes, and figure out how to improve up their prototypes to reach the final goal set for them.

• The Intermediate School music program strengthens students’ musical knowledge and provides opportunities for students to demonstrate learned skills. Students will develop knowledge and skills related to the elements of music, such as music notation, rhythmic dictation, dynamics, tempo, meter, expressive qualities, performance, singing, orchestral instruments and musicians. These skills will be demonstrated in classroom activities.

Students in 4th and 5th grade build on the skills they learned from previous years to hone their technical abilities in various art mediums.  Through hands-on projects students continue their art making journey in fibers, paper mache, plaster, wire, recyclable materials, natural materials, installation, pastels, painting, drawing and printmaking.  With these repeated exposures to various mediums students prepare for the TAB approach in middle school where they will have the freedom to propose and execute self-directed projects. 

The Spanish curriculum designed for the intermediate level is aimed at preparing students for middle school by training a critical eye for linguistic concepts in the target language such as phonetics and pronunciation, cognates, accent marks, etymology, and translation. Students nurture their own sense of identity and intersectionality, their global awareness, as well as their reverence for intercultural relationships –all while we deepen our knowledge of Hispanic and Afro-latinx identity worldwide through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Intermediate level Spanish curriculum texts include:

• The Afro-Latino ABC Alphabet by José & Keaira Faña-Ruiz (All level)
• BRAVO! Poems About Amazing Hispanics by Rafael Lopez (4th grade, bilingual poetry)
• Niños en la Calle by Chris Mercer (5th grade, chapter book in Spanish)

Physical Education at the Intermediate level is an avenue for engaging in developmentally appropriate physical activities designed for children to develop their fitness, gross and fine motor skills to enable them to participate in games, sports and lifetime activities. They learn essential skills to become physically literate. Physical Education activities include Locomotor skills, non-locomotor skills, manipulative skills, and team games and individual activities.  The curriculum introduces the students to the skills necessary to participate in the Middle School curriculum.

The Social-Emotional Learning curriculum at the Intermediate Level is designed to support students in learning the skills and attitudes needed to develop healthy identities, self-awareness, and social awareness. It also teaches students the important skills needed  for managing emotions, feeling and showing empathy for others, establishing and maintaining supportive relationships, and making responsible and caring decisions. Through this work, students begin to deepen their understanding of themselves and others,  take pride in their identity, foster inclusivity, and become a productive member of the community.

The 4th and 5th Grade Media Studies curriculum scaffolds students ability to research information in text to research online. Students are taught how to be a digital citizen,how to create a clean digital footprint, and the importance of being safe online. Furthermore, students will apply their learning by creating a variety of projects ranging from iMovies, interactive timelines, digital posters, and more.