Situated on its own floor in the Lower School facility, the second- and third-grade classrooms flow into one another, reflecting the interdependent nature of the curriculum. These students love to explore their growing independence and, at the same time, thrive on social interaction. They find opportunities to apply their new skills at every turn—practicing Spanish vocabulary, clapping a new rhythm, working on arithmetic problems, imagining a story, or printing a written page from the computer.

Independent Projects (I.P.s) are an important part of the Lower School curriculum and are introduced in the second grade. In I.P. work, students choose a famous person to research. Working in teams, the students write a first draft of their report. The I.P is typed, and the students highlight the sections they would like to include in a presentation to their classmates. Next, as one group of second-graders put it, "we practice, practice, practice." The reports are presented to the first-grade students, who get to learn about the topics from their peers and receive a glimpse of what's to come in the following year.

The diverse environment and culture of southern Maine is used extensively as a teaching tool. The history and traditions of the region are conveyed in the study of the social and natural sciences. Maritime life demonstrates basic physics in the study of sailing ships. Wabanaki tribal life is studied through hands-on projects. Memory, imagination, and close observation skills are taught through art, music, and creative movement. The wonder and complexity of the natural world is learned experientially with study visits to the Fore River Fields.