4th Grade

 

Catholic identity must and does permeate the curriculum guidelines, instruction, and assessments. Curriculum guidelines provide a template for teachers to provide instruction, and assessments demonstrate that learners have achieved unsurpassed academic success. A process of continuous improvement ensures that curriculum guidelines are regularly examined and updated or revised where needed. For more detailed curriculum information, please contact Mrs. Andrea Allen, Associate Principal, [email protected].

 

The Faith and Life Series aims to help fourth-grade students understand their purpose and goal in life and to see God's plan in history to lead us all to Heaven, our true, eternal home.  The Faith and Life student textbook incorporates the four principal components of catechesis: the Creed, the Commandments, the Sacraments and Liturgy, and Prayer and Scripture.  Many of our fourth graders choose to serve at the Lord’s Table as altar servers in fourth grade.

 

In fourth grade, we begin the year by studying Life Science (ex: cells, plants, and animals, as well as ecosystems).   Additionally, we cover Earth Science (ex: water cycle, weather, Earth’s surface) and Physical Science (ex: Properties of Matter, Simple Machines).

 

Students use the Wonders curriculum which provides differentiation for students while strengthening reading skills and confidence. Comprehension skills such as making inferences and determining themes are mastered through thematic units.  Graphic organizers are often used to scaffold mastery of comprehension skills.  The reading curriculum is enriched with quarterly book reports, focusing on a variety of genres.

 

Fourth graders learn about the types of sentences, parts of the sentence, and correcting improper sentences. There is a strong focus on English grammar in all writing.  Students write several pieces of work including personal narratives, formal letters, book reports, descriptive writing, how-to articles, expository writing, and creative writing.

 

By fourth grade, students have a good foundation for algebraic thinking and problem-solving.  We will cover topics of place value, adding and subtracting large numbers, multiplying by three-digit numbers, dividing by two-digit numbers, measurement, probability, fractions, geometry, decimals, and some concepts of algebra.

 

In fourth grade, our students explore the regions of the United States.  They work to strengthen map skills and analyze information from timelines.  Students choose a state to study in-depth, using research skills in order to focus on the five themes of geography.

 

We choose books based on curriculum alignment, grade level appropriateness, and overall quality.