Fourth grade is a pivotal year for most students. To this point, students have been learning to read. This year, students read to learn. Fourth graders also experience a growing need for responsibility, self-control, and motivation. They are taught how to be organized in physical space, schedule, and thinking skills. Students who choose to use these skills on a regular basis enjoy the experience of great success in fourth grade.
Reading
The reading curriculum is literature based and stresses vocabulary in context, comprehension, sequence, story and character analysis, motivation, comparison/contrast, and critical thinking skills. Students draw on prior knowledge before reading a selection in order to better understand the story and make it more meaningful. The curriculum is diverse, featuring thematic units on contests, holidays, animals, nature, and mysteries, among others. The selections are drawn from several genres; including, but not limited to, poetry, folk tales, realistic fiction, sports, fables, and biographies. Students discuss and analyze selections in small groups and whole class situations, and are expected to read independently at home, both silently and orally. This provides them with extra practice in vocabulary and comprehension, helps them discover their reading niche, and encourages discussion and analysis of the selection between students and parents. Students record their independent reading minutes in a reading log, which parents verify with their signature. The logs are turned in at the end of the month.
Language Arts
Language Arts is considered an interdisciplinary subject, crossing boundaries into science, math, social studies, and art. Creative writing, both expository and negative, is stressed, along with the correct use of grammar, spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and the writing process. Other lessons include word origin and structure, research skills, dictionary and thesaurus skills, and study strategies. The program provides a balanced approach to language development using both sight words and phonics development. In addition to the daily formal class periods, students begin their day with a short written lesson, which reinforces prior skills and provides practice in proofreading and editing.
Math
The math curriculum covers standard and metric measurement, computation skills, fractions, decimals, elapsed time, graphing, geometry, and introductory algebra. Logic is stressed in all areas. Students work independently, in small peer groups, and as a class, using manipulatives and hands-on activities to master concepts. A regular quiz and testing schedule is maintained, and individual resource help is offered as needed.
Science
This curriculum is centered on life science. Fourth graders study, research, investigate, and conduct experiments in the areas of living things, classification, ecosystems, niches, habitats, earth and space, matter and energy, and forces of motion. Students use the scientific process as a main source of discovery. Many concepts involve investigative logs and hands-on activities utilizing a variety of manipulatives. The class also incorporates field trips to relevant destinations for offsite experience. Students are also offered opportunities to work with a lab partner, in cooperative groups, and independently.
Social Studies
Fourth grade social studies encompasses the study of Texas. The class studies the geography of the state with emphasis on the characteristics of the four natural regions. Students also study the early people of Texas, immigrants and their contributions to Texas’ development, growth from a republic to a state, conflicts with Mexico, the Alamo, Famous Texans, Texas’ role in the Civil War, and modern Texas. All concepts are taught through a multimedia approach of textbooks, audio and video tapes, music, stories, folk tales, biographies, and field trips to historic sites. Beyond the study of Texas, students participate in Black History Month by representing his/her biography orally, in costume. World events and their impact on our lives are also studied.
Art
Art is also considered an interdisciplinary subject and is closely tied to thematic units in other subjects. Students experience a variety of media from pencil to clay to paper Mache while developing support materials for projects in math, social studies, language arts, and science. One, two, and three-dimensional artwork is developed, and students study perspective, still life, and monochromatic color schemes. They also study art as it reflects different time periods through history. |
