Fourth Grade Curriculum Overview:
Reading
Some of the Pegasus novels that we will read this year are: The Kid in the Red Jacket, There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom, Owls in the Family, and Stone Fox to name a few. Each of these novels uses great vocabulary and character development to help fourth graders explore themes of friendship and self-acceptance. We work on many comprehension strategies to expand critical thinking and to support the opinions we develop about these stories with specific proof and examples from the text. Students are always encouraged to make connections to the text through well written responses to literature.
Guided Reading groups will be a large part of our week, as we work on specific reading skills which develop individual needs for all students. We will work in small groups that are led by the teacher with independent components incorporated into each lesson.
Independent reading, both in school and at home are an important part of our development as fourth grade readers.
Social Studies
In addition to the geography and map skills we address throughout the year, the fourth grade has five major units of American history to cover this year in social studies. Beginning with map skills / geography, we move through the historical periods of prehistoric Native American life, Exploration and the Age of Discovery, Colonization, and the American Revolution. We use reading, research, and literature to make these time periods come alive for fourth graders, as well as help them connect the lessons of history to their lives.
Science
Students will work together and explore the following topics in Science: Magnets & Electricity, Food Chains, Energy & Motion, Land & Water. Students will share and discuss information about the topics, as well as be involved in class activities related to each unit of study.
Writing
We will work on refining our narrative writing skills with a focus on revision of original material for clarity, elaboration and voice. We use literature models, class mini-lessons that are based on student or teacher writing, and prompts as the basis for our continued learning. Later in the year, we will switch most of our attention to expository writing, with further instruction in the skill of creating a five paragraph essay. These strategies will transfer into our content area writing.
Vocabulary and Spelling Development
Vocabulary development will be addressed through content area reading, literature discussions, activities, and our spelling and vocabulary books. Our spelling program in fourth grade continues the study of high-frequency words. We expect students to have mastery of their required priority words and to demonstrate this mastery by correctly spelling these words in their daily writing. It is also expected that the core words and patterns we discuss and highlight during class spelling time are being applied and demonstrated in daily writing.
Math
Fourth grade students are encouraged to think mathematically and be able to independently solve multi step problems. Growing with Math is a program that utilizes a spiraling curriculum to help students continually build upon previously learned skills. We will cover one and two digit multiplication and division, addition and subtraction of fractions, addition and subtraction of decimals, geometry and measurement, number sense and much more. Students are also required to explain their thinking using mathematical language in 4th grade. We continue to stress accuracy of multiplication and division facts, so keep studying!