4th Grade
Meet Our Teachers
Curriculum Highlights
- Students will switch classroom for many of their classes throughout the day. They will travel as a group to the other fourth and fifth grade teachers for language arts, science, social studies and math.
- In social studies, students focus primarily on U. S. history and geography. For example, students complete a region tour to learn about the geography and important history of the 50 United States. Virtual field trips and tours across the country are used to enhance the learning experience. Students actively participate in hands-on activities to better understand specific events in history. A favorite is always wrapping Hershey Kisses in Hershey, PA as part of an assembly line. Historical concepts acquired in fourth grade will continue into their 5th grade social studies class, where students begin their first year of US history- the year 700 to the beginnings of the Civil War.
- In reading the students study a wide variety of fictional and informational texts. Students identify and analyze story themes, character development, plot sequence, and setting. Several novels are read in class throughout the year to develop reading comprehensive skill, including summarizing, inferencing, drawing conclusions, conflict resolution, as well as self, text, and real-world connections. Students are given weekly opportunities to read and reflect on current news articles on topics related to social studies and science. The current election, environmental concerns, space travel, advances in technology, globalization, and real world problems are some of the many topics that are covered in these informational texts.
Religion
Our Goals:
- To develop personal and ongoing relationship with God
- To build reverence for and knowledge of Holy Scripture
- Purposeful emphasis on Catholic practices, images and models of faith
- Incorporate five forms of prayer in each student’s personal devotion
- Encourage family devotion
- Stress Christian values
Reading
- Genres include all Fiction, Literature, and Nonfiction
- 7-8 New Vocabulary Words each week
- Listening Comprehension Skills – Read aloud & Model Oral Fluency
- Focus Skills (Examples: Plot, Conflict Resolution)
- Thinking Comprehension Skills (Examples: Summarizing, Questioning, Author’s Purpose)
- Novel Studies: Reinforces Comprehension Strategies & Focus Skills, Includes weekly vocabulary
- Scholastic News: Nonfiction Informational text and Comprehension Packets to help supplement Standards
- Book Reports: 3 reports due per quarter
- Silent Reading Books: All students are expected to have a silent reading book with them at all times.
Spelling
- Lesson Words are given as a weekly handout
- Spelling menu activities
Science
Unit B – Physical Science
- Measuring Matter
- Force and Motion
- Electricity Sound
Unit A – Life Science
- Plant Structure and Function
- Animal Structure and Function
- Energy in Ecosystems
- Surviving the Environment
Unit C – Earth Science
- Measuring Weather
- The Makeup of the Earth
- Exploring the Oceans
- Movements in the Solar System
Math
Numbers and Operations in Base 10
- Estimating, Place Value, Operations with Whole Numbers
- Multiply and Divide, Powers of 10, Divide by 1-digit number
- Numbers and Operations as Fractions
- Fractions on a number line, visually, comparing and ordering
- Making Equivalent Fractions & Simplifying
- Add/Subtract: Like Denominators
- Greatest Common Factor (GCF) & Least Common Multiple (LCM)
- Mixed Number Addition and Subtraction with Renaming
- Find a Fraction of Whole Number
- Relate Fractions to Decimals
- Comparing & Ordering Decimals
Geometry
- Polygons: Quadrilaterals, Triangles, Angles
- Perimeter & Area
Measurement
- Line Plot, Graphing on Coordinate grid
- Understanding Relative sizes of items in Customary & Metric
- Converting Customary Units
- Elapsed Time
Operations & Algebraic Thinking
- Solve Using a variable, Numerical Patterns and Analyzing Relationship
Social Studies
We will learn about the five regions of the United States. History will be embedded throughout the tours. Please see the blog for websites to visit at home while we are “touring.” Study Guides will be given for each Chapter. Projects are due periodically. At the end of each tour, a letter and scrapbook page are due.
Region Tour: Introduction
- Chapter 1 Lessons 1-3
Region Tour: The Northeast
- Chapter 4 Lessons 1-3
- Train Tour: 9 Stops
Region Tour: The Southeast
- Chapter 6 Lessons 1-3
- Fishing Boat Tour: 9 Stops
Region Tour: The Midwest
- Chapter 8 Lessons 1-3
- Crop Dust Tour: 9 Stops
Region Tour: The Southwest
- Chapter 10 Lessons 1-3
- Big Red Tour: 9 Stops
Region Tour: The West
- Chapter 12 Lessons 1-3
- Van and Plane Tour: 9 Stops
Documents of the United States (Chapter 2 Lessons 2-3)
Economics (Chapter 3 Lessons 1-3)
Language and Arts
Grammar and Mechanics
- Types of Sentences
- Nouns
- Verbs
- Adjectives
- Pronouns
- Adverbs
- Prepositions
Writing / Emphasis on 6-traits of Writing
- Personal Narrative
- Comparative
- Persuasive
- Explanatory
- Expository
- Various responses to informational texts
Building Skills
- Note taking and summarizing
- Informal outlining
- Vocabulary
- Fact and opinion
- Test taking strategies
- Using reference materials
Composition Skills
- Identify main idea and detail
- Writing leads and endings
- Organization
- Writing dialogue
- Revise and editing