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Fourth Grade Curriculum Overview

 
Reading
Fourth graders continue to read many types of text—literary, informational, and practical pieces. Through reading, they can make connections with situations beyond their own experience. In narrative texts, they recognize organizational patterns and motives of characters. They can make inferences, draw conclusions, and are learning to support their opinions about what they read. Fourth graders are becoming more skillful at following written directions and in reading for information in a variety of sources. Daily 5 is used in the classroom to provide ability grouping in reading and writing as well as giving student’s choices and setting goals. "Reading A-Z" is used with the reading groups.
 
Writing
Fourth graders write for a variety of reasons and for different audiences. They are learning to use more detail, sequence, and description in their narratives. Narratives have a logical, coherent, organized structure. Opinion and informative writing is also taught using the "Empowering Writers" program. As members of “reading/writing groups,” they give suggestions for revision to others. They edit their written work for basic sentence formation, usage, mechanics, and spelling
 
Mathematics
The mathematics curriculum is organized into five strands: (1) number and operations; (2) measurement; (3) geometry; (4) data analysis and probability; and, (5) algebra. Problem-solving strategies are imbedded into each of the 5 strands.
Proficient 4th grade students have expanded their abilities to perform mathematical tasks and to use models to demonstrate their understanding. They are confident in exploring new concepts with concrete materials because they have had repeated opportunities to experiment with manipulatives. The evaluation of student achievement in mathematics should reflect what students can do, explain, and record.
 
Social Studies
Fourth grade students proceed from studying their community to a study of the state of North Carolina. Students learn about the characteristics of North Carolinians, who we are and where we came from. The geographic regions, landforms, climate, and resources are explored. The social, economic, and political institutions are studied as students develop a broad context of the southeast, the nation, and the world economy.
 
Science
The focus for fourth grade students is on analyzing systems and learning how they work.
Science Concepts: animal behavior and adaptation, composition and uses of rocks and minerals, electricity and magnetism, heat, light, and matter.
 
Religion
The main focus for Fourth Grade are the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes. There is also focus on the sacraments and being part of the church community as well as being part of the Community of Saints. Being active participants in Mass, reading scripture, and practicing the virtues are other important parts of their religious education.
 
Spanish
In 4th grade, we continue to build on what we learned in 3rd grade. Review numbers 0-50, and then add 51-100. We focus more on grammar and writing. Our units focus on colors, days of the week, seasons, months, body parts, family, the house, ordering in a restaurant, holidays and weather. Grammar focuses on gender, articles, possessive adjectives and direction words.
 
Art
Art in 4th grade focuses on critical thinking and expressing ideas. Students will explore arts and crafts found in North Carolina. They will learn techniques for weaving basketry, embroidery, quilt making, and ceramics. Students will explore how place and time influenced ideas and themes in art.
Music
4th grade takes the foundational concepts learned in the previous years, and will expound on them. Students will add the skills of bass clef reading, 6/8 time, and sixteenth note rhythms. There will be a larger role of listening exercise, as well as more solo performances in mass. There will be a performance in the Christmas Musical, as well as 2 student led masses.
 
Health/PE
Physical Education focuses on the following areas: Applying competent motor skills and movement patterns as needed to perform a variety of physical activities. Understanding concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics that apply to the learning and performance of movement. Understanding the importance of achieving and maintaining a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Using behavioral strategies that are responsible and enhance respect of self and others and value activity.
 
Miscellaneous
Field trips help fourth grader to study North Carolina. Trips include Horne Creek Historical Farm, Raleigh, and Guilford Battleground.