Samantha Redmond

Fourth Grade Curriculum Overview

LEARNING GOD’S WORD

In fourth grade the students learn God’s word through lessons on:

• God blesses His family of believers
• God makes a people for Himself
• Israel in the Promised Land
• God’s faithfulness to His people
• Looking for the Savior
• Jesus begins His ministry
• Jesus teaches and performs miracles
• Jesus leaves His disciples with His power

MEMORY

Fourth grades memory work focuses on the following areas:

• The Ten Commandments and their Meanings
• Close of the Commandments
• First Article of the Apostles’ Creed and Meaning
• Second Article of the Apostles’ Creed and Meaning
• Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed and Meaning
• Names of the Old Testament Books
• Names of the New Testament Books
• Verses from the Bible
• Psalm 23 and Psalm 100

SPELLING AND VOCABULARY

In fourth grade the students expand their vocabulary while making Real World connections. They work on spelling strategies while memorizing words with the same spelling patterns. They are increasing the developmental phase of syllables and affixes and look at the origins of the words. Context clues are used to gain a clearer understanding of the meaning of words.

• Dictionary
• Proofreading and writing
• Synonyms and antonyms
• Analogies
• Categorization activities
• Spelling-meaning connection

ENGLISH

English skills in fourth grade are taught using direct instruction, guided practice, and individual practice. The focus is on reading, writing, and comprehension skills. The curriculum is divided into:

• Language
• Reference and Study Skills and Strategies
• Listening and Speaking Skills and Strategies
• Literature and Writing
• Writing Mechanics
• Capitalization
• Punctuation
• Spelling
• Composition
• Vocabulary
• Creative Writing
• Thinking Skills and Strategies
• Creative Writing Projects

LANGUAGE ARTS

The language arts program curriculum focuses on multilevel literature and reading comprehension. They focus on lessons and activities for spelling, writing, grammar, listening, and speaking. The language arts curriculum also covers:

• Vocabulary
• Study Skills
• Phonics skills and strategy instruction
• Book Report

MATH

The math skills the students work on in fourth grade directly builds off of the foundation gained in the previous years. They work on:

• Place value through millions
• Order and round numbers
• Addition and subtraction
• Expressions and equations
• Multiplication and division
• Variables
• Equations with two variables
• Divide three digit numbers
• Number Theory
• Measurement
• Temperature and Negative Numbers
• Fractions and mixed number
• Decimals

SOCIAL STUDIES

Students in fourth grade focus on the history of California – starting with Colonial California through modern day. They do this through focusing on the following areas:

• Geography of California
• People and Places
• Newcomers change California
• Economics of California
• Growth and Development
• Culture of California
• Ethics and Belief Systems
• Social and Political Systems

SCIENCE

In fourth grade, science is broken into four main areas of study. Within the areas of study, the students delve deeper into what they have learned in the previous years. These areas of study are:

Life Science

• Plant and animal structures
• Energy in ecosystems
• Surviving in the environment
• Physical Science
• Matter
• Force and motion
• Electricity and magnetism
• Light and sound

Earth Science

• Weather
• Explore Earth, oceans, and solar system

Human Body

• Digestive system
• Circulatory system
• Nervous system
• Keeping body systems healthy

ART

Art education is integrated throughout the other areas of study in fourth grade. The students use different mediums to create art throughout the year. They also make seasonal and holiday crafts, as well as participate in five Art To Grow On projects. The mediums used are:

• Tissue paper
• Pencils
• Crayons
• Colored pencils
• Chalk
• Paper folding
• Watercolor painting

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Physical education is an integral part of our students curriculum. It fosters good sportsmanship, encourages cooperation through helping classmates learn the games, and it helps promote leadership through student-led exercises. They develop skills throughout the school year and learn the rules for the following sports:

• Soccer
• Volleyball
• Kickball
• Softball
• Dodge ball
• Running

TECHNOLOGY

• Typingweb.com – each student has their own account to learn and improve on their typing skills
• “Techno Report” – use the internet to research an endangered species; reword the facts to write a 2 page report with graphics (Microsoft Word); learn how to format the document into 2 columns to appear as a newspaper article
• Use search engines to research minerals and sea animals
• Make a menu for a restaurant – learn how to insert a table into Microsoft Word; list menu items and prices; insert graphics and format text
• “Techno Hero” – identify a personal hero and research to create a factual profile of the hero; create a biography, a timeline and a table layout to produce a presentation (Microsoft Power Point); share hero presentation with the class
• Internet Safety

MUSIC

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”

Plato

The music program at Christ Lutheran School (Grades K-6) employs the Orff-Schulwerk process, in which students, through play, movement, improvisation and creativity, learn musical concepts and theory. Singing and rhythm training is a regular part of the curriculum. Students are assessed in their ability to keep a steady beat, sing on pitch, and their understanding of basic music theory. Students in fourth grade learn to play the recorder (a flute-like instrument) as part of the music education. The goal of the music program is not to create future musicians, but to foster a safe environment in which students enjoy the art of music, and are encouraged to be creative and expressive without judgment. Students learn to objectively asses what they hear or what their fellow students create.

“The fact that children make beautiful music is less significant than the fact that music makes children beautiful.”

Cheryl Lavender

FIELD TRIPS

These are some of the typical field trips for fourth grade

• Cabrillo Marine Museum
• Banning Museum
• Rancho Los Cerritos
• Amtrak train to San Juan Capistrano Mission