Math- Like all grades at St. Andrew's School, Grade 4 uses Everyday Math. We start each year learning about Geometry, then move on to addition and subtraction methods. From there we review and learn the relationship between multiplication and division. These first 3 units set the foundation as our math concepts gradually become more and more in depth.
Reading- When students reach the 4th Grade, they know how to read. My hope is to further enhance their reading skills and instill a lifetime love of reading. I do this by providing choice with book selection. Grade 4 students learn how to find "Just Right" books and have 3-4 books in their personal book bin at any given time. We cover weekly literacy skills and the students use their chosen books as the resource to learn those skills. For instance, when we learn about setting, the students read a selection from their books and write about the setting of that particular book. When we learn about character development and how a character changes throughout the story, the students use their books to look for this.
Writing Workshop- In the 4th Grade classroom, we are a community of writers! Grade 4 students learn how to write personal narratives, personal and persuasive essays, historical fiction, fantasy, and informational texts.
Word Study- We use Word Study to learn spelling. Students focus on the specific word features weekly. Each week they have a choice of assignments to complete that helps them learn these words and there is a weekly test of the words.
Social Studies- Our Social Studies curriculum focuses on all things Virginia. We first learn about our location on earth. Then we learn about the geographic regions and major waterways in Virginia. Once we are familiar the the geography of our state, we learn about the history starting with the Native Americans who lived here before settlers arrived. We go through the different centuries and learn the historical significance of each time period.
Science- 4th Grade covers a wide variety of science topics from plant and animal adaptations to the different layers of the earth's crust. Since 4th Grade is in charge of the school's Trout in the Classroom project each year, much of the Science curriculum is incorporated into that project. For instance, when we learn about animal adaptations, we use the trout as an example. When we learn about habitat, we learn about the brook trout's habitat. I designed a WebQuest for the students to complete as we learn about the brook trout. Click on this link to view the WebQuest.
Reading- When students reach the 4th Grade, they know how to read. My hope is to further enhance their reading skills and instill a lifetime love of reading. I do this by providing choice with book selection. Grade 4 students learn how to find "Just Right" books and have 3-4 books in their personal book bin at any given time. We cover weekly literacy skills and the students use their chosen books as the resource to learn those skills. For instance, when we learn about setting, the students read a selection from their books and write about the setting of that particular book. When we learn about character development and how a character changes throughout the story, the students use their books to look for this.
Writing Workshop- In the 4th Grade classroom, we are a community of writers! Grade 4 students learn how to write personal narratives, personal and persuasive essays, historical fiction, fantasy, and informational texts.
Word Study- We use Word Study to learn spelling. Students focus on the specific word features weekly. Each week they have a choice of assignments to complete that helps them learn these words and there is a weekly test of the words.
Social Studies- Our Social Studies curriculum focuses on all things Virginia. We first learn about our location on earth. Then we learn about the geographic regions and major waterways in Virginia. Once we are familiar the the geography of our state, we learn about the history starting with the Native Americans who lived here before settlers arrived. We go through the different centuries and learn the historical significance of each time period.
Science- 4th Grade covers a wide variety of science topics from plant and animal adaptations to the different layers of the earth's crust. Since 4th Grade is in charge of the school's Trout in the Classroom project each year, much of the Science curriculum is incorporated into that project. For instance, when we learn about animal adaptations, we use the trout as an example. When we learn about habitat, we learn about the brook trout's habitat. I designed a WebQuest for the students to complete as we learn about the brook trout. Click on this link to view the WebQuest.