Grade 4

Fourth Grade Curriculum 

Writing Workshop

Students engage in the writing process--- brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, publishing, and sharing

Students keep Writer’s Notebooks to gather writing ideas (seeds), to explore different genres, and learn a variety of writing techniques

Each student will gain a sense of self as a writer and become a positive, contributing member of a responsive, literate community

Reading Workshop

Students read grade appropriate literature in groups, independently, and in pairs

Students engage in discussion about literature, create art and drama based on the literature, and write Reading Responses and key questions

Students implement various reading strategies—for example decoding words, predicting, making connections, making inferences, determining important information, visualizing, and synthesizing the information; the Daybook and the Houghton-Mifflin are used to supplement the skills obtained form reading literature

Independent Reading

Students spend 15 minutes at least three times a week reading in their homeroom

Students are required to read for 30 minutes every night and 60 minutes over the weekend

Students are also required to respond to a Responding to Literature question once a week on their independent reading

Students will produce three independent book projects throughout the year

Vocabulary Development

Students work with the Wordly Wise Vocabulary program. Every two weeks, they will learn 15 new words, their definitions, and appropriate use.

Spelling Skills

Students work with a phonics rule based spelling program, learning spelling rules and patterns. Students will receive 10 new spelling words each week.

Grammar

Students work with the Ridgewood Grammar program to name specific parts of the English language and how to use them.

Math Curriculum

We will be using our new Scott Foresman textbook and program. We will be supplementing with the TERC Investigations activities and lessons.

Place Value and Money

Adding and Subtracting Whole Numbers and Money

Multiplication and Division Concepts and Facts

Time, Data, and Graphs

Multiplying by One-Digit Numbers

Multiplying by Two-Digit Numbers

Dividing

Geometry and Measurement

Fraction Concepts

Fraction Operations and Customary Measurement

Decimals and Metric Measurement

Graphing and Probability

Social Studies Curriculum

Social Sciences- United States Geography:

Students will study the United States through a social scientists view. They will look at the economics, history, and geography of each region in the United States. This will include an in depth look at the contributions of each region of this country including economic resources, natural resources, important landforms and tourist attractions. Students will also learn all fifty states and capitals.

A large part of the social studies curriculum will include the Social Studies Alive program and using primary source documents (i.e. maps, artifacts, pictures, myths, recreations, etc) to enrich the students understanding of the time period.

Science Curriculum

Earth Science:

Rocks and their properties

Rock cycle

Soil

Life Science:

Plant structure

Plant functions

Animal Research and adaptations

Physical Science:

Magnetic Energy

Electrical Energy

Technology/Engineering:

Engineering design

Within these topics of study, standards of inquiry and experimentation will be included as well as the historical and social contexts for science and technology.

Once a week, students meet with Ms. McClure in the science lab. Students will also have a science class at least once a week in homeroom. They will be doing hands-on activities, working with materials, reading scientific textbooks and trade books, discussion their ideas and learning the scientific method.