Fourth Grade
Language Arts
Students in fourth grade language arts apply reading strategies and skills automatically, strategically, and flexibly to comprehend fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. They read for literary experience, to gain information, and to perform a task. They use various strategies and writing process elements to compose fiction, nonfiction, drama, and poetry. As they expand vocabulary through wide reading, word study, exposure to content area words, and discussion; and use advanced knowledge of grammar and language conventions, students become increasingly proficient in active listening, speaking, working collaboratively, and using media and technology.
Math
In Fourth Grade Mathematics, instruction focuses on the following concepts: Place value (reading and writing whole numbers up to 1,000,000,000 and decimals through thousandths); Fractions (reading, writing, and modeling fractions; solving problems involving fractional parts of a region or a collection; describing and explaining strategies used; understanding the concept of the “whole”); Number Theory (Finding multiples of whole numbers less than 10; find whole-number factors of numbers. Understanding the relationship of equivalent numbers: whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents; Comparing and ordering numbers: whole numbers up to 1,000,000,000 and decimals through thousandths; compare and order integers between -100 and 0); Computation (Demonstrating automaticity with basic addition, subtraction, multiplication up to12*12, and division facts; Using mental math, manipulatives, paper and pencil algorithms, and calculators to solve and explain problems; Using repeated addition, skip counting, arrays, area, and scaling to model multiplication and division; Estimation (Making reasonable estimates for whole number and decimal addition and subtraction problems as well as whole number multiplication and division problems; explain how the estimates were attained; Graphical and Landmark Data (Collecting and organizing data to create charts, tables, bar graphs, line plots, and line graphs; Identifying and appropriately using the terms: maximum, minimum, range, median, mode; Using ordered pairs of numbers to name, locate, and plot points in the first quadrant of a coordinate grid); Probability and Statistics (Describing the likelihood of events in terms of percentages and fractions); Measurement (Estimating measurements and measuring length to the nearest ¼ inch and ½ centimeter; estimating the size of angles without tools: acute, obtuse, right, straight, and reflex; Measuring the perimeter and area of polygons, estimating the area of irregular shapes, and finding the volume of rectangular prisms; Describing relationships among U.S. customary units of length and metric units of length); Geometry (Identifying, drawing, and describing points, intersecting and parallel line segments and lines, rays, and right, acute, and obtuse angles; Describing, comparing, and classifying plane and solid figures, including polygons, circles, spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, cones, cubes, and pyramids, using appropriate geometric terms including vertex, base, face, edge, and congruent; Identifying, describing, and sketching examples of reflections; identifying and describing examples of translations and rotations); Patterns, Functions, and Algebra (Determining whether number sentences are true or false; solving open sentences and explaining the solutions; writing expressions and number sentences to model number stories; Demonstrating understanding of Open Sentences: solving for a variable using one of the four basic operations).
Science
Students develop their understanding of the Scientific Method and strengthen critical thinking, research skills, and the ability to synthesize information while developing scientific vocabulary, knowledge, and lab skills. Units include: Watery Earth, a comprehensive field study; Neuroscience, anatomical function as well as practical application of that knowledge; Matter, a study of chemical and physical changes, density and volume, and the conservation of mass; Nature’s Recyclers, the role decomposition plays in nature and how organic and inorganic materials affect our environment. In Science Expo, students apply the Scientific Method to identify problems and test their hypotheses.
Social Studies
Fourth grade social studies begins with the five themes of geography: location, theme, human and environment interaction, movement, and region. Students begin to understand the rich history of Texas. They learn about the first Texans, our Native Americans. This leads into study of the European explorers who touched the land of Texas and their influence on Texas culture with the building of the Spanish mission life. This study leads into the Americans settling in Texas and the conflicts and resolutions that developed between these settlers and the Mexican government. After independence and statehood, the students study Texas into the twenty first century. The students are involved in reading, note taking, outlining, research projects, independent projects, and using technology in their studies. In addition to these lessons, there is a yearlong study in building citizenship skills.
