Welcome to Fourth Grade!

Fourth grade is such an exciting year! There is so much you will learn, see and do!  When is the last time you marched along Civil War earthworks, pretending to be a Civil War soldier?  Have you ever explored weather patterns and acted like a meteorologist? Do you know who declared “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!”?  Your fourth grade year will be filled with new stories, experiences, and knowledge from which you will grow as an active, life-long learner.

Language Arts is divided into three areas, Reading Workshop, Writing Workshop and Word Study.

Reading workshop will be composed of whole group instruction, as well as flexible small group instruction. A wide variety of literature is used while guiding students to develop high level thinking and comprehending skills. Students may also participate in novel studies, literature circles and book talks. In addition to developing stronger comprehension skills, students will be instructed on how to communicate their thinking orally and in written form.

The writing process will be revisited in 4th grade, as students write to prompted and self-selected topics. Students will be taught how to LIVE LIKE WRITERS, paying attention to the details in the world around them, and then writing about them in their Writer’s Notebooks. Various genres of writing will be explored including, narrative, essay, research, and poetry. Grammar will be taught within the context of the students writing. Students will be analyzing word structure to develop patterns in spelling. Word study groups will be used to introduce sorts each week, and to practice working with the word feature that week. Students will be held accountable for the word features studied as well as grade appropriate words in their daily writing

In fourth grade, there is a standard paced math class and accelerated math class (includes 5th grade math standards). Instruction in each of these classes includes whole group, small group, games, activities, technology integrated/enhanced instruction and problem solving. Areas of study include:

• Number sense (place value with whole numbers and decimals)
• Estimate/add/subtract whole numbers and decimals
• Patterns
• Ordered pairs
• Line and Bar graphs
• Estimate/multiply whole numbers
• Geometry
• Elapsed time
• Estimate/divide with 1 and 2 digit divisors
• Fractions and mixed numbers concepts
• Probability
• Measurement (length, liquid volume, mass/weight, temperature)
• Estimate/add/subtract fractions and mixed numbers

Fourth-grade Science offers students the opportunity to ask questions about their world and use a hands-on approach to find answers. Students use the scientific method to investigate basic principles, relationships, phenomena and conditions in our world. From observing behaviors between Anoles and crickets to dissecting a flower, students will be actively engaged in discovering knowledge. The topics we cover in fourth grade are: Natural Resources, Weather, Electricity, Plants, Ecosystems, Space Systems and Force, Motion and Energy.

Moving from the study of ancient civilizations, fourth graders enjoy an in-depth study of the history of Virginia. Students will enjoy learning about Virginia through primary/secondary sources, technology and group/individual projects! We will also explore our own city’s rich historical monuments, buildings and structures. Areas of study include:

• Regions of Virginia
• Early Virginia (Native American Groups)
• Jamestown
• American Revolution
• Civil War
• Post-War Era
• Virginia 1900-Present