Fourth Grade

We use a variety of media throughout the school year to examine our overarching essential question: Why do people migrate? From the waves of Chinese, African, Eastern European and contemporary Latin American groups into the United States, students study the push-pull of migration and the contributions immigrants make to shaping the United States. Family members are invited to share their stories of migration, making the theories behind migration tangible and human. Fourth graders also study the lives of influential people to consider the impact that individuals have had on shaping the United States, showcasing their skills and knowledge in a final research project.

Fourth graders  work — individually and with peers — with a variety of materials to conduct experiments and investigations that develop their scientific skills and help them understand the world around them. Students use science notebooks to record their questions, predictions and interpretations of the phenomena they observe. During the fall, students explore the properties of solids, liquids and gasses with an emphasis on the processes involved in the water cycle, and they synthesize their ideas by developing a model to represent this important system. Fourth graders also learn about their place in the universe, researching objects and phenomena in our solar system and creating web pages to showcase what they learn. Later, students explore the energy of motion as they design and build model vehicles, parachutes and more.

Literature is the cornerstone of our entire curriculum in fourth grade. Fourth graders build literacy skills and confidence by reading novels as a whole class and in small-group discussions.  They read longer novels related to the theme of migration and nonfiction to support their research for their biography project. As students immerse themselves in literature, they analyze the structure, character development and the elements of stories. Comprehension strategies focus on making connections, identifying and explaining the main idea, summarizing, making inferences and asking “thick” (questions that require interpretation and synthesis) and “thin” (those that recall basic facts of the story) questions. Daily involvement in the writing process, with both teacher and peer feedback, guides students toward greater clarity, more specific detail and an increased awareness of spelling and grammar. The children write poetry, personal narratives, fictional narratives and opinion pieces.

Coding is the main focus of Technology in fourth grade. Students develop coding skills using Scratch; they learn about concepts such as loops, events, conditionals, and operators; and skills such as experimentation, iteration, and reusing, through the creation of simple animations, stories, and games. Students also continue to collaborate and problem solve with various STEM based projects — such as bridge design and building. Each fourth grader benefits from our 1:1 Chromebook program, which enables students and teachers to collaborate on the writing process, and lets students gain significant independence and confidence in their use of technology.

Fourth grade Chinese is hands-on and practical. The class emphasizes listening, speaking, reading and writing using activities and games rooted in experiences that are authentic to children at this age. Students learn to talk about professions, places of residence, physical appearance, rooms and furniture. Students make oral presentations for one another in class, and learn from each other in group activities. While mastering the basics of writing Chinese characters, they also learn about the etymology of many Chinese characters to help with their sight word recognition.

In fourth grade, students continue developing functional language skills through engaging, age-appropriate experiences that promote language acquisition. They will be introduced to a comprehensible input novel, such as El Ratón Pablito which will be read in class. These stories offer students the chance to understand language in context while also delving into cultural exploration, as the characters visit different countries. This allows students to further explore The World Around Us, learning about countries like Mexico and traditions such as the Mexican Posadas, while also comparing these to their own cultural experiences. Students will engage with videos, images, and authentic materials that match their language level, with enough challenge to stretch their skills. The methodology remains student-centered, with Total Physical Response (TPR), games, and collaborative learning at its core. The emphasis continues to be on communication, with simple writing exercises that progressively become more complex throughout the year to reinforce vocabulary and grammar.

Fourth graders practice and build upon skills from previous years. Students add the melodic elements low la and low so to their list of familiar concepts, and they learn to identify interval quantity (2nd, 3rd, etc). Their rhythmic repertoire expands to include the concept of pickup/anacrusis, the rhythms ti-tibi, tibi-ti (beamed eighth and sixteenth note figures), and “ti-ta--ti” (syncopated eighth-quarter-eighth note figure), and they begin using time signatures and the numbered beat-counting system. Students begin their study of soprano recorder and learn the treble-clef absolute note naming system, as well. Part-singing expands with more difficult rounds and partner songs, as well as reading in two parts. The dance program continues with more difficult contra and square dances, and social skills are reinforced through small-group dances and ensemble work.

Drama classes reinforce fourth graders' growing skills in stamina, literacy, and comprehension. Students develop focus, concentration, and memorization as they participate in longer scenes. They engage in storytelling and plot construction, define and give examples of ethical concerns, and analyze selections for important components of a plot (e.g. inciting moment, rising action, climax, falling action, denouement, conclusion). Some projects involve creating a conflict and a resolution for that conflict. Students also begin offering critiques of their peers’ work: how to look for positive components of planning and performance, and how to suggest improvements for unclear or ineffective areas of performance. Students employ these skills in their day to day activities and build a foundation for future performances on the stage.

Fourth grade PE emphasizes physical activity while continuing to develop fundamental skills, game strategies, teamwork, communication, and sportsmanship. Students refine basic skills such as passing, shooting, dribbling, and striking while learning the foundational rules and strategies of team sports, including soccer, flag football, capture the flag, basketball, floor hockey, kickball, volleyball, and badminton. Through modified and large-group games, students practice working together, applying tactics, and demonstrating good sportsmanship in a supportive and active environment. The curriculum encourages cooperation, strategic thinking, and confidence while fostering a lifelong enjoyment of physical activity.

Fourth graders become more independent in exploring our library, learning to use the online catalog to find books of choice and familiarize themselves with databases and source citations. Students also participate in a mock-Caldecott award roundtable, reading exemplary new picture books and evaluating the illustrations according to the Caldecott criteria. The unit culminates with students voting on which book should win the award. Students also read new biographies and learn how quotations  and backmatter function to expand a reader’s knowledge of a subject with facts and primary-source information.