FOURTH GRADE CURRICULUM

 

 

LANGUAGE ARTS

 

Harcourt Brace’s Trophies is a research-based, developmental reading program.  The foundation of the program is its collection of high-quality children’s literature, as well as informational texts.  The literature in the Pupil Edition is organized to progress in difficulty, and students are exposed to a variety of genres and styles.  Trophies reflects current, confirmed research and prioritizes and sequences essential skills and strategies into a clear organized model for instruction.  Trophies features an organized, direct approach to teaching skills.  It emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.  Throughout the year, students in fourth grade are taught specific strategies that good readers use.

 

The Trophies Program also includes interventional materials that will be used by the reading specialist to reinforce what is being taught in the classroom to at-risk readers.  The progress of these students will be continually monitored.

 

The language portion of the program focuses on basic grammar, punctuation, beginning parts of speech, letter writing, and continued development of writing skills.  Your child will be encouraged to produce on-going, well-developed written pieces during writing workshop time.

 

SPELLING

Trophies provides a weekly list of spelling words and practice exercises. Spelling words are included on weekly spelling packets to encourage your child to practice spelling words at home with you throughout the week.  These spelling words and applied spelling skills are evaluated on a weekly basis.

 

WRITING WORKSHOP

 

Writing is an integral part of our language arts curriculum.  Our writing workshop lessons consist of a mini-lesson, a sustained writing period, and time to share with classmates.   Students’ writing goals are based on Pennsylvania standards:

 

Narrative Account

Report Writing

Narrative Procedure/How-To

Response to Literature

Persuasive Writing

 

  

 SCIENCE

 

The science-planned course emphasizes inquiry and discovery through “hands on/minds on” activities so that students learn the processes, as well as the concepts of science.  Students will explore, observe, collect and analyze data, ask questions, and engage in discussion.  They will be guided in testing hypotheses and constructing meaning from their experiences, then applying their learning in new situations.  They’ll develop cooperative group skills by working in various science teams.

 

We will use materials borrowed from ASSET for our three major units this year:  Land and Water, Electrical Circuits, and Animal Studies.  In our first unit students investigate the interactions between land and water using a stream table.  Next, our studies move on to stars and constellations, heat energy, and electricity.  In our second ASSET unit, Electric Circuits, students will learn how to build circuits and apply this skill to wire a house as a culminating cooperative project.  In our last unit, Animal Studies, students will be engaged in a study of animals and their habitats.

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

 

The philosophy of the elementary social studies program is that learning should be interactive, engaging and on-going.  In the fourth grade, focus is placed on the land, resources, people, and regions of the United States.  A major unit is the study of Pennsylvania, including geography, history, and economy.

 

The following areas will be covered in the fourth grade.

Ü    map and globe skills

Ü    regions of the United States

Ü    Pennsylvania Unit

Ü    Gold Rush simulation

 

Students are encouraged to work in small, cooperative groups on a variety of projects.  Designing a flour-dough relief map, working on an assembly line, designing a corporation, and working on a gold mining team are examples of group activities.

 

Assessment is based on tests, in-class projects, and class participation.

MATHEMATICS

1.         Pre-Tests

w       Students are pre-tested at the beginning of each chapter to determine how much background information they have about that concept prior to instruction.

2.         Independent Study

w        Students scoring 95% and above on pretest are provided with an independent study program that includes compacted curriculum for that chapter and enrichment activities.

3.         Problem Solving

w       All students engage in all problem-solving activities

w       Problem Solving Equations are graded with multiple points:

                              Show your work (computation)….....          1 point

                              Identify a strategy…………………..         1 point

                              Label your answer………………….         1 point

                              Accuracy…………………………....        1 point

w        Eight problem-solving strategies

1)  Guess & Check        3)  Make a Table        5)  Make a List             7)  Work a Simpler Problem

2)  Draw a Picture        4)  Act it Out             6)  Work Backward       8)  Look for a Pattern      

4.         Concept presentation/pacing

w      New concepts are presented every one-two days.  Daily lessons include presentation, modeling, guided practice, independent practice, and homework.

5.         Homework

w        Homework is the second exposure to a concept.  It is extremely important that it be completed daily and returned for correcting.

w        Daily math homework requires 15-30 min. maximum.

w        If a student spends more than 30 min. regularly on math homework, please inform Mrs. Warmbein.

6.         Mid Chapter Review

w        graded

w        opportunity to review concepts that have been taught to show mastery or need for re-teaching.

7.     Study Guide

w        Study guide provided one-two days before test.

8.  Test

w        Testing occurs approximately every three weeks.

9.         Math Fact Tests

w        It is still essential that students know their basic facts (+,  -,  x,  ÷, ); timed tests will be given to check for fluency.

Fourth-Grade Concepts
?   Place Value ?   Addition & Subtraction ?   Multiplication Facts ?   Multiplying by 1-Digit Numbers ?   Multiplying by 2-Digit Numbers	w    Collecting, Organizing, & Using Data w    Division Facts w    Dividing by 1-Digit Numbers w    Dividing by 2-Digit Numbers w    Fractions	w    Addition & Subtraction of Fractions w    Decimals w    Geometry w    Measurement & Time      (integrated into the science curriculum)