Fourth Grade

Curriculum Guidelines – 4th Grade
English Language Arts
Mathematics
Social Studies
Science

The intermediate elementary grades are a time of transition. Rigor in the curriculum increases and the students rotate in cycles to teachers for various core subjects. Beginning in 4th grade, the subjects of science and social studies are taught on a daily basis. Children are taught to read for information (students are not “Learning to read” as much as they are “Reading to learn”) and reading levels increase in difficulty. Students attend Spanish twice weekly, with one of the three sections of Spanish offered for those students who are “Spanish speakers”. Students continue to attend P.E. and religion daily. Art, music, and computer, are attended weekly.

English Language Arts
English

  • Apply background knowledge to understand settings, problems and characters.
  • Determine the purpose for reading, the author’s purpose for writing and the perspective and point of view in various literary pieces.
  • Analyze literary devices such as plot structures, character development and informational organization across multiple genres.
  • Use book clubs to enhance comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary.

Language Arts

  • Develop personal narratives, persuasive writing, poetry, letters and create folktales using the writing process.
  • Identify parts of speech, sentence structure and spelling patterns.
  • Analyze and apply figurative language such as similes, metaphors, idioms and analogies in original writing and mentor texts.

Mathematics

  • Place Value.
  • Adding and Subtracting Whole Numbers & Decimals.
  • Number Sense: Multiplying by 1-digit and 2-digit numbers.
  • Number Sense: Dividing by 1-digit divisors.
  • Patterns and Equations.
  • Fraction Meanings and Equivalence.
  • Adding and Subtracting Fractions with like denominators.
  • Measurement Units and Conversions; solving measurement problems.
  • Lines, Angles and Shapes.
  • Data Analysis.
  • Personal Financial Literacy.

Science

Earth Science

  • Measure and record changes in weather, make predictions about weather.
  • Observe and identify changes to earth’s surface.
  • Examine properties of water and soil.
  • Physical Science.
  • Measure, Compare, and Contrast properties of matter.
  • Differentiate between and explore different forms of energy.

Life Science

  • Explore how adaptations allow organisms to survive in an environment.
  • Describe the flow of energy through an ecosystem and predict how changes can affect the system.

Social Studies

  • Understand their roles and responsibilities of being a good citizen.
  • Explore major events and people connected to Texas history.
  • Read and create maps, graphs, and other informational organizers.
  • Identify regions and geographic features of Texas.
  • Understand the structures and divisions of power in government.

Religion

  • The children will learn that God is revealed in creation, Sacred Scripture, the Church, and his Son.
  • Learn about their obligation as Christians to live like Jesus, loving God and others.
  • Know how to show love for God, as outlined in the first three commandments.
  • Know how the last seven commandments guide us to love our neighbors and ourselves. They will develop reverence for life and for the gifts of the earth.
  • Learn that Jesus gave us the Beatitudes as a guide to happiness both in this life and in the life to come.

Spanish

  • Demonstrate mastery of basic vocabulary previously covered.
  • Exposure to the Spanish language through songs, stories, games, pictures, puzzles, skits, and group activities.
  • Build and expand vocabulary through thematic units.
  • Explore simple grammar concepts.
  • Read, understand, and interpret expanded vocabulary.
  • Exposure to a variety of Hispanic cultural events, centered around holidays and cultural customs.
  • Make comparisons between English and Spansih and between cultures creating cultural awareness, mutual respect and tolerance.