Fourth grade is a year of tremendous growth physically, emotionally, and academically!
In reading, we work on polishing strategies that ensure reading fluency and comprehension. We read for pleasure and purpose. Fourth graders read stories and novels throughout the year. Creative writing is a vital part of language arts. We emphasize the writing process. Students brainstorm, write a "sloppy copy," edit, and publish most of their work.
In math, we learn to multiply multi-digit numbers by multi-digit numbers. We also learn how to divide large numbers including problems with remainders. Students learn about multiples, factors, properties, graphing, fractions, measurement, and decimals. We enhance problem solving using Exemplars and Pathways to Problem Solving.
Regions are the focus for our social studies. We learn all the states and capitals by region and learn about each region's resources and environment. We work with maps, graphs, and charts. We use a variety of strategies to help students organize information. These strategies include note taking, "foldables," and outlines. Our fourth grade play is titled "The Fifty Nifty United States" which ties in beautifully.
In science, we study the scientific process. We compare and contrast plant and animal cells. We learn about the classification system and learn how to classify.
Our fall trip to Westville is often one of the favorite memories. Students dress in costume and actually perform in "The Academy." They love showing others what an 1800's schoolroom was like. Another memorable fourth grade event is working with our kindergarten buddies throughout the year!
Language Arts
Reading skills are improved through continued emphasis on phonemic awareness, guided reading, comprehension strategies, integrated language arts skills, fluency, word meaning, and critical thinking. Two book reports are required each marking period. Besides the text, two novels are read as a class and discussed.
Students build on previously learned spelling rules while implementng Orton-gillingham phonetic and syllabication strategies..
The study of grammar includes sentences, nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. These concepts are taught through the Daily Grammar Practice program and the textbook.
Composition emphasizes the writing process and revising. Students receive experience in writing paragraphs, personal narratives, descriptive writing, expository writing, friendly letters, business letters, and envelopes.
Mathematics
Fourth graders focus on more advanced skills of place value, money, estimation, negative numbers, addition and subtraction, data, statistics, graphing, time and elapsed time, line plots, range, median, mode, and mean, multiplication and division, customary and metric measurement, geometry, fractions and probability, decimals, problem solving, and algebraic concepts.
Fourth grade students' understanding of math concepts is diagnosed by using Accelerated Math. The data gathered is analyzed to form math teams each grading period. This process allows teachers to attempt to meet the individual needs of the students.
Social Studies
Fourth Grade Social Studies includes the study of the regions of the United States. Topics covered in each region include elevation maps, weather and climate, natural resources, the Constitution, Government, and economy. Regions include: Southwest, Southeast, Northeast, Middle West, Mountain States, and the West.
Science
Fourth grade scientists investigate whether things sink or float, identify living and nonliving things, list needs of living things and discover how they grow and develop, list basic parts of plant and animal cells and use microscopes to observe cells, describe protists, bacteria, fungi, and viruses, classify organisms into kingdoms of life, describe reasons organisms become endangered or extinct, discuss organisms of the past and their classification and learn how living and nonliving thigs interact with each other in their ecosystems. Students utilize the scientific method in their investigations and learn to communicate their findings in various formats, such as creating data tables, calculating averages, making graphs, and using graphic organizers. As part of the Green Team, students actively participate in environmental stewardship of the Brookstone Campus.
Art
Fourth grade art students continue with more sophisticated types of artwork incorporating, symmetry, spatial concepts, and properties of color. They identify and create landscapes, fantasy and abstract images, identify and produce works of art using the human experience to express emotions, mood, and messages, and expand their exploration of art history and art appreciation as they study different artists.
Music
Students learn songs for the Fourth grade play, the Christmas program, and end of year school concert and continue to work on singing with pleasing tone quality and accurate pitch.
Vocal techniques covered are breathing, phrasing, vowel formation, diction and singing in a variety of vocal styles.
Performance behaviors emphasized are posture, watching the director, and facial expression.
Listening experiences include a unit on identifying music of different styles.
Pre-reading concepts taught are following the vocal score in sheet music, recognition of basic musical form, and identifying the sound of the major, minor, and chromatic scale. Students have a fundamental vocabulary of musical terms.
Fourth grade students have the opportunity to try-out for the Cougar Chorus that performs at events at Brookstone School and in the local community.
Computer
Students are introduced to more advanced computer skills (use keys locations by touch, higher level mouse and menu skills, hardware term-peripherals). Focus is on advanced word processing formatting techniques (cutting and pasting, spell check, proofreading). Math skills are reinforced through age appropriate computer programs. Students use the Internet for research, make slide presentations with PowerPoint, and develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Spanish
Students continue to practice greetings and introductory remarks, alphabet and vowels, general commands, gender of nouns with definite and indefinite articles, numbers 1-20 by 10s, 5s, and 2s, colors, phone numbers, addresses, prices, days of the week, months of the year, items in the classroom, parts of the body, clothing, our community, directions, home, foods, family, description of self or friend, professions and occupations, animals, telling time, descriptive adjectives, possessive adjectives, weather, seasons, Spanish speaking countries in the Americas (geography, foods, cultural facts), and holiday celebrations in Latin America and Spain. Fourth graders concentrate on written expression, communicative skills, and reading in Spanish.
Library
Previously learned library skills are reinforced and used in depth by the fourth grade. Each class studies a different genre at a different time of the year until each class has studied, read, and reports done in literature class on biography, historical fiction, science fiction, fantasy, adventure, mystery, and realistic fiction. A unit on writing a formal research report done in science is taught by the librarian over the space of a month. The topics vary based on what is being addressed in the classrooms. Reference books, electronic sources, magazines, the internet, nonfiction books, and other sources of information are found and emphasis is placed on the number and kinds of sources and correct note taking. The bibliography, the parts of the report, and writing the final product are all part of the unit.
Physical Education
Fourth grade physical education expands the understanding and implementation of all previously learned skills. The rules and strategies in various team sports are introduced. Several of these sports include basketball, whiffleball, and ultimate frisbee. An increased emphasis is placed on fundamental skill development of team sports in preparation for Cub sports and middle school athletics. Sportsmanship is stressed. Students participate in a pre and post physical fitness test called Fitnessgram.
