Language Arts
The goals and objectives of the fourth grade language arts program are to provide opportunities for developing and strengthening reading and writing skills and to enhance critical, logical, and creative thinking skills. Writing opportunities include many types of writing such as personal narrative, fiction, expository and poetry with an emphasis on the writing process. Spelling strategies, capitalization, grammar, mechanics and punctuation are taught in context of daily writing as well as in specific lessons. Students read a variety of genres in structured reading groups and independent reading as well as in self-selected literature and passages in content area books.
An in-depth inquiry into writing explores how people write to explain their understanding of the world. This IB unit of inquiry covers different types of writing and shows how writing is used as a tool for communicating personal viewpoints and feelings. Essays, poetry and personal narratives are explored.
Mathematics
The major units of study are fraction concepts, division, numeration and order, geometry and spatial sense, patterns, numerical sentences, measurement, algebra and uses of variables, and exploring data. Fourth grade students will continue to acquire the knowledge of the four basic operations of math. These operations are reviewed and extended through problem solving activities and real-life applications. Various mental math techniques, calculators, computers, and the Smart Board reinforce the basic concepts and extend the knowledge acquired for these operations. New concepts are introduced through appropriate manipulatives and are reinforced through math games and cooperative problem solving strategies. The fourth grade math curriculum is periodically integrated with language arts, social studies, and science through real-life applications, map skills, and measurement.
IB Units
Science
The focus of the science curriculum is to expand and refine the students’ scientific skills and knowledge. The content includes topics in life, physical, earth and space sciences. A variety of techniques, activities, and materials are utilized to stimulate scientific awareness to make science relevant and engaging for students. Hands-on investigations are designed to promote inquiry/process skills within the scientific approach.
Through an IB unit of inquiry exploring physical health, students will investigate how the body systems work. They will discover how the lifestyle choices they make play a role in their health and well-being.
During an IB unit of inquiry into ecosystems, students will explore how human interactions and natural disasters affect ecosystems. Students will probe into solutions for balancing and maintaining healthy ecosystems.
Social Studies
The program encourages proficiency and independence in using reference materials as well as maps, globes and technology. The integration of the reading and writing goals are key in the presentation and exploration of social studies concepts. These studies build the background knowledge for students to understand themselves and the world they inhabit.
An IB unit of inquiry about government explores how societies develop systems to support their own culture and beliefs. Students learn about various types of government systems. They inquire into how the decisions made by governments reflect the viewpoints of the leaders and the ideals of society.
Through an IB unit of inquiry investigating exploration, students discover how the world has been impacted by exploration. Students explore the driving forces of explorers and the changes (positive and negative) brought about by exploration.
During an IB unit inquiry exploring the struggle to share finite resources, students explore the basic needs of humans and how this can influence the perspective of people. Students will also explore the conflict between indigenous and exogenous people.
Stories, songs, rhymes, and plays
continue to be the core of the program. Confidence in giving oral presentations is reinforced. Songs, games, and stories from Chinese/Spanish culture are a key component of the program, as well as occasional integration with the classroom curriculum. Students memorize and rehearse a play as a class and in groups. They are able to spell correctly high-frequency words introduced and begin to use various strategies to determine meaning and make sense of unfamiliar words.
Early American, Chinese, African and Medieval European art will be discussed throughout the year. Students continue to identify elements of design and principles of art. Emphasis will be placed upon the ability of the students to work in a more realistic manner in creating their own art.
Fourth grade students comprehend the color scheme based on the color wheel: warm/cool, contrasting, mood, and "grayed" colors. They become aware of how artists depict animals and the human figure through looking at art and can identify different media, subject matter, and art form, such as sculpture, tempera, watercolor, prints, portraits and landscapes. Our students understand that artists express themselves and their cultural identities through their artwork. Moreover, they recognize architecture from various climates and cultures of the world based on the construction materials used, including regional architecture.
Art studies are integrated into social studies and Wisconsin studies. When children study the art of various cultures, they begin to gain insight into the beliefs and origins of their own culture and into being internationally minded.
Fourth grade music activities continue to build music literacy. Basic compositional projects are introduced. Listening exercises focus on the ability to compare and contrast listening selections. Students use pitched instruments to learn how to perform in an ensemble with independent parts. Topics in music history are presented in the context of a general historical time line and in conjunction with homeroom studies. Topics in world music are introduced in conjunction with the international curricula.
Physical Education
In physical education the emphasis is on the refinement of fundamental skills and continued development of specialized skills used in various recreational, individual, and team activities. Self –testing activities and fitness measurement will be used to analyze movements and improve performance. Students will learn to use teacher feedback to improve skills and work with peers in cooperative settings.
The goal of technology instruction is to teach students to effectively use the computer and other technology tools to enhance, support and extend their learning in all areas of the curriculum. Technology is purposefully taught and used to increase productivity, promote creativity, and develop problem-solving skills.
Library/Research Skills
Fourth graders are introduced to a wide variety of books and authors during their regularly scheduled library period. In fourth grade, students complete a comprehensive unit on the Dewey Decimal System to learn how books are organized in the Dewey Decimal System. They develop more sophisticated information literacy and research skills as they work on research projects. They independently select appropriate reference materials to locate information, evaluate information for relevancy, appropriateness, detail, currency, authority and bias.
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