Fourth Grade Curriculum Overview

Language Arts
Fourth grade students solidify their basic reading skills and their knowledge of literary form by using an introductory Literature book,  enriched by a study of various fun-to-read novels, short stories, and poetry selections. They explore a variety of literary genres, including well-known children’s stories from around the world, the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, biographies of famous people, poetry, and literature which supports the United States History Social Studies theme. They also learn about public speaking and are encouraged to produce a play. Comprehension and thoughtful consideration of the literature’s meaning are stressed. Students distinguish between the structural features of the text and make use of the literary terms such as plot, setting, characters, and theme.

Fourth graders extend their composition skills by writing weekly essays, including persuasive and informational compositions, comparison and contrast essays, stories, letters, personal narratives, memoirs, poems, and research reports. Students write and speak with an attention to standard English conventions, including sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.

Research tools, including the dictionary, thesaurus, atlas, and encyclopedia are used as aids in the writing process. Sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar are stressed in drills and writings. Spelling and vocabulary are expanded through word studies and vocabulary-building exercises.

Students also continue to learn speech techniques and to do formal declamations (memorizations) and speeches.

Mathematics
Fourth graders continue their mastery of basic facts and concepts including multiple-digit operations of multiplication, long division, fractions, and decimals. Students gain an understanding of ratios, proportions, percents, measurements, and geometric concepts including identifying angles and designing and reading graphs. Solving word problems and group problem solving are emphasized. Students learn to use variables in simple expressions and equalities, and how to compute the value using algebraic reasoning. Students also learn to compute the area and volume of simple objects.

Science
Life science concepts in fourth grade include a study of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems of the human body and progress to genetics and reproduction.  Earth science focuses on earth systems including air, water, weather, and climate, as well as changes over time and meteorology. In physical science, students learn about matter, energy, atoms, elements, chemical reactions, and electricity. Hands-on experiments, literature, and videos are a regular part of the curriculum. Each year the students do an individual science project for the annual Science Fair, helping them to learn the important concepts of observation, prediction, gathering information, recording results, creating a display, and presenting the material to others.

Social Studies
Fourth grade students study United States history including the exploration and colonization of America, the native American cultures and conflicts, the struggles of the young American nation, the formation of a constitutional government, the push westward, Civil War including its causes, conflicts, and consequences, and an overview of the events in the twentieth century. They will also do an overview of the Eastern Mediterranean countries of Greece, Israel, Turkey, Syria, and Angola in preparation for the International Fair.

In third grade, students also study California History once a week, including the Native American history, pioneer life, missions, the Gold Rush, railroad development and its effect on the state, the various regions and peoples of California, the important geographical features of the state, and the impact California has had on historical events. They take one or more field trips to intensify their appreciation of our state. Examples of field trip extensions include Mission Dolores, Oakland Museum of California, Yosemite Overnighter, and Old Sacramento. As part of their Language Arts studies, students will read several historical novels reflecting California history in order to deepen their understanding of our state.

They will also do an overview of the Eastern Mediterranean countries of Greece, Israel, Turkey, Syria, and Angola in preparation for the International Fair.

Spanish
Fourth graders will build upon their knowledge of Spanish while they study what would normally be taught in the first half of a second year high school course. Opportunities to make use of their Spanish skills are provided through internet websites and pen pals. Students have Spanish three times a week.

Art

Fourth graders continue to challenge themselves as artists under the tutelage of an art specialist. Students explore different fields of art, including mask making, textile arts, and sculpture. They also study the art of the areas covered in their Social Studies class, including the art of the young United States. Students have art class once a week.

Music
Fourth graders continue their instrumental instruction on the recorder and various percussion instruments. Students learn to sing more complex rounds and harmonies while singing character and patriotic songs. Students continue their overview study of the various historical musical periods and a study of important composers associated with those periods. Students have music once a week.

Physical Education
The physical education curriculum for fourth grade increases students' basic knowledge and skills in sport activities. They gain precision with increasing control and accuracy. They develop habits of teamwork, learn how to apply the basic rules of various sports, and participate in the Presidential Physical Fitness Program each year. Students have physical education 2-3 times a week.

Technology and Research
Fourth grade students develop solid keyboarding skills in our computer laboratory. They also use the lab for internet research, word-processing, and for in depth reports for their Science and Social Studies classes. In addition, students have weekly internet-based assignments to support the emphasis on current events and science across the curriculum. Students use the computer lab several times each week.

Character Education, Environmental Education, and Community Service
Fourth grade students talk about many character issues presented in their books: perseverance, civic virtue, individualism, loyalty, and heroism. Some of these topics may be used in simple dramas. The students determine a service learning project based on a community need, and then work together to complete it. This provides an opportunity to cooperate, plan, and show their caring spirits while they help someone else in the community. An example of a past project is research into local organizations which reach out to the homeless, learning how homelessness can affect children, and volunteering to help at a homeless shelter and to interact with homeless children. This project is integrated with Social Studies and Language Arts. The class also does some sort of project which promotes environmental awareness. One example tying into their science studies was an awareness campaign concerning the preservation of Hilldale School’s water and electricity. Another was building a schoolyard habitat for birds native to California.