4th Grade Curriculum Overview

Welcome to Fourth Grade

Reading
   As fourth grade teachers, we consider all student's thoughts, ideas, opinions, and learning.  Instruction is designed to engage students and guide them as they synthesize information and concepts.  Using Strategies that Work by Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvais, as a model, students are taught strategies that are not merely used for reading, but that will also allow them to construct meaning as they read and gain deeper comprehension in all content areas.  In addition, we are able to respond to their reading needs through assessment and observations.  Finally, we provide additional support as needed to prepare them to become independent readers and lifelong learners  Strategies that we will continually integrate into all content areas are the following:

• Monitoring Comprehension
• Activate and Connect with Background Knowledge
• Ask Questions
• Infer Meaning
• Determine Importance
• Summarize and Synthesize

    Throughout the year, our fourth grade students will be utilizing various form of literature, magazines, age appropriate newsletters, poetry, and several non-fiction sources to become competent and versatile readers.

Writing
   As fourth grade writers, students are expected to expand simple sentences into longer more sophisticated sentences and paragraphs, integrating various parts of speech, as well as, metaphors, similes, and personification.  Different forms of writing require students to summarize, give opinions, and compare and contrast reading selections with the use of significant supportive details.  Specifically, students writing will include; narratives (stories), informational writing (explaining/persuading), poetry, and functional writing such as; friendly letters, formal letters and test writing.
Math 
   Bright School's math curriculum was developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) called Everyday Mathematics. For fourth grade there are six strands of content studied by students: 1) Operations and computation 2) Numeration 3) Patterns, functions, and algebra 4) Data and chance 5) Measurement and reference frames 6) Geometry. In this program, emphasis is placed on linking new knowledge to students' past experiences, discussing and sharing new ideas, using and comparing equivalent expressions, expressing numbers in context by using units, and learning about the reversibility of things. Students in our class will have a daily math message on the screen as a warm up. There will be class activities, the student journal and a written journal, discussions, games and practice, as well as the "at home" component called the "Study Link."

   In addition to Everyday Math, the math curriculum is enriched using Marcy Cook Math. These hands-on strategies provide manipulatives, communicating math, cooperative math experiences, active mathematical thinking, problem solving, and create an exciting mathematical environment that challenges students to think.

Social Studies

   Our fourth grade Social Studies curriculum is thematic based, integrating the

core subjects, technological skills, physical education, music and art. It is our goal to immerse the students in authentic learning experiences that will engage them through the use of collaborative projects, guest speakers, special activities and field trips.   

   Our first objective is to study the life  of Tennessee, both past and present.  Secondly, an intensive study of the three divisions of Tennessee, including its unique geography, Native Americans, the government, and a historical look at the people and places that make our state thrive.  After our study of Tennessee, we broaden our horizons to focus on the different regions of the United States. We focus on the landforms, heritage, and history to determine what makes each region unique and special. Another objective for the year will be to simultaneously learn each state, capital, postal abbreviation and its location.  We culminate our study of the United States with special projects and presentations designed to share the information we have learned.