Grade 4 Curriculum guideline
To Parents/Guardian: This guideline contains a brief description of each of the subjects your child will study in Fourth Grade. It is designed to provide you with a general overview of the content and skills which are taught as well as other pertinent information. For specific benchmarks for each subject area, go to www.aps1.net and visit the Parents section of the website. We hope that the continued use of this guideline and the meetings with your child’s teachers and learning specialists will keep you informed about the goals of the Andover Public Schools and how they affect your child’s learning progress.
-The Elementary School Principals
English/Language Arts
The Balanced Literacy approach is used in our classrooms and provides students with both small and whole group instruction on specific reading strategies. Students read fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies to refine decoding skills, increase fluency, and develop comprehension and vocabulary. Through class discussion, written work, and projects, students develop an appreciation and understanding of a variety of genres. Independent reading is considered an integral part of the curriculum. Students are expected to read at home as well as in school. Students write in all curricula areas and for different purposes, such as answering open-response questions and responding to literature. They are expected to compose multi-paragraph essays in response to specific prompts often relating to their person experiences. Students learn that writing is a process as they draft, revise, rewrite, edit, and publish their work.
Language - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the structure of the English language. Students will be expected to: Participate appropriately in informal and formal discussions in small and large groups, pose questions, listen to the ideas of others, and contribute information in discussions. Students will make oral presentations that demonstrate consideration of audience and purpose, understand, acquire, and use new vocabulary, analyze standard English grammar and usage, recognize how other languages have influenced English vocabulary, and describe, analyze, and use formal and informal.English.
Reading and Literature - Students will learn to respond thoughtfully to all forms of spoken and written literature, identify basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as a basis for interpretation. Students will learn to make connections by relating a literary text to its contemporary context or historical background, and distinguish among various forms of literature, identify themes in a literary work, and provide evidence from the text to support the theme. Students will learn to identify elements of fiction such as plot, character, and setting, identify elements of non-fiction such as textual features, graphic features, and organizational structures, identify elements of poetry, and how authors use descriptive language to create imagery and mood. Students will learn to identify themes, structure, and elements of myths, traditional narratives and classical literature, and to identify elements of dramatic literature. Students will plan and present dramatic readings with consideration of audience and purpose.
Composition - Students will write well-organized compositions with a beginning, middle, and end.
They will draw on a variety of strategies needed to generate and organize ideas. Students will be expected to write with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient detail for different audiences and purposes, and to revise writing to improve content, detail, and word choice. Students will be expected to edit writing using knowledge of standard English conventions, gather and analyze information from a variety of sources, and develop criteria to assess their own compositions and projects.
Media -Students will obtain information by using a variety of media and evaluate the quality of materials they obtain. Students will be expected to compare and contrast stories in print with their film adaptations and students will create presentations using computer technology.
MATHEMATICS
In 4th grade, your child will gain important new skills while continuing to build on what he or she learned the previous year. One of the main areas studied in 4th grade is arithmetic and applying it to solve problems. This is an important life skill, and your child should make significant strides in this area during the year. Your child will also build knowledge and skills with fractions to prepare for mastering this topic in 5th and 6th grades. These skills will help ensure your child is ready for algebra and advanced math.
A Sample of What your Child Will Be Working on in Fourth Grade:
■ Using whole-number arithmetic to solve word problems, including problems with remainders and problems with measurements
■ Adding and subtracting whole numbers quickly and accurately (numbers up to 1 million)
■ Multiplying and dividing multi-digit numbers in simple cases (e.g., multiplying 1,638 × 7 or 24 × 17, and dividing 6,966 by 6)
■ Understanding and applying equivalent fractions (e.g., recognizing that 1⁄4 is less than 3⁄8 because 2⁄8is less than 3⁄8)
■ Adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions in simple cases (such as 2 3⁄4 − 1 1⁄4 or 3 × 5⁄8), and solving related word problems
■ Understanding simple decimals in terms of fractions (e.g., rewriting 0.62 as 62⁄100)
■ Measuring angles and finding unknown angles in a diagram
HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Throughout the year, the focus of the curriculum is to answer the essential question or big idea, which is “How have the geographic regions of North America evolved?” Students in fourth grade will: Learn map and globe skills, learn the themes of geography, explore Mexico, Canada, and the ten regions of the United States by investigating the history, cultural influences, climate, natural resources, economy, and physical features of each. Students will learn the 50 states and capitals, how immigrants and indigenous people influence North American culture, and explore the role that citizenship plays in the development of a community.
SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING
The Science Program provides our students with the foundation and understanding of scientific topics through the acquisition of scientific knowledge, the development of thinking skills, and the application of the scientific method. The topics of study which correlate with the science frameworks are: Life Science: Ecosystem & Adaptations; Physical Science: Electrical Circuits; Earth Science: Earth & Space. Students in fourth grade will be expected to: Ask questions and make predictions, select and use appropriate tools and technology to extend observations, keep accurate records, conduct multiple trials to test a prediction, recognize simple patterns in data, record data and communicate findings to others.
LIBRARY
Students learn to make independent use of the library media center to complete class assignments. They use the electronic card catalog to locate materials by subject, author, and title, and interpret information on the catalog to compile a simple bibliography. At this level, students learn that the purpose of the Dewey Decimal System is to gather materials on the same subject, and they become familiar with the ten main classes of the system. Students can define what a biography is, locate information about a person, make regular use of the reference collection using an encyclopedia for answering questions, for background information, and as a starting point for research and use dictionaries to obtain word definitions.
MUSIC
Through singing, playing, moving, and listening, students continue to analyze songs and pieces of music using the elements of music previously learned (melody, rhythm, harmony, form, and tone), as a guide. They can identify orchestral instruments and the pattern of extensive music selections. Students can improvise melody and harmony through singing and tonal and rhythm instruments. They have the opportunity to sing in a school-wide chorus. Students are invited to begin band instruction through the Andover After School Music Program. Once students have reached a level of proficiency; students have the ability to participate in a town-wide orchestra or band.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in grade four are introduced to more specific skills that relate to team and individual sports and activities. These activities include gymnastics, dance, speedball, basketball, track and field, volleyball, and jump rope. Students begin to acquire the knowledge and understanding of the strategies and rules of various sports and games. They also develop problem-solving skills. Laced sneakers and appropriate attire for physical education are required for participation.
-The Elementary School Principals
English/Language Arts
The Balanced Literacy approach is used in our classrooms and provides students with both small and whole group instruction on specific reading strategies. Students read fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies to refine decoding skills, increase fluency, and develop comprehension and vocabulary. Through class discussion, written work, and projects, students develop an appreciation and understanding of a variety of genres. Independent reading is considered an integral part of the curriculum. Students are expected to read at home as well as in school. Students write in all curricula areas and for different purposes, such as answering open-response questions and responding to literature. They are expected to compose multi-paragraph essays in response to specific prompts often relating to their person experiences. Students learn that writing is a process as they draft, revise, rewrite, edit, and publish their work.
Language - Students will demonstrate an understanding of the structure of the English language. Students will be expected to: Participate appropriately in informal and formal discussions in small and large groups, pose questions, listen to the ideas of others, and contribute information in discussions. Students will make oral presentations that demonstrate consideration of audience and purpose, understand, acquire, and use new vocabulary, analyze standard English grammar and usage, recognize how other languages have influenced English vocabulary, and describe, analyze, and use formal and informal.English.
Reading and Literature - Students will learn to respond thoughtfully to all forms of spoken and written literature, identify basic facts and main ideas in a text and use them as a basis for interpretation. Students will learn to make connections by relating a literary text to its contemporary context or historical background, and distinguish among various forms of literature, identify themes in a literary work, and provide evidence from the text to support the theme. Students will learn to identify elements of fiction such as plot, character, and setting, identify elements of non-fiction such as textual features, graphic features, and organizational structures, identify elements of poetry, and how authors use descriptive language to create imagery and mood. Students will learn to identify themes, structure, and elements of myths, traditional narratives and classical literature, and to identify elements of dramatic literature. Students will plan and present dramatic readings with consideration of audience and purpose.
Composition - Students will write well-organized compositions with a beginning, middle, and end.
They will draw on a variety of strategies needed to generate and organize ideas. Students will be expected to write with a clear focus, coherent organization, and sufficient detail for different audiences and purposes, and to revise writing to improve content, detail, and word choice. Students will be expected to edit writing using knowledge of standard English conventions, gather and analyze information from a variety of sources, and develop criteria to assess their own compositions and projects.
Media -Students will obtain information by using a variety of media and evaluate the quality of materials they obtain. Students will be expected to compare and contrast stories in print with their film adaptations and students will create presentations using computer technology.
MATHEMATICS
In 4th grade, your child will gain important new skills while continuing to build on what he or she learned the previous year. One of the main areas studied in 4th grade is arithmetic and applying it to solve problems. This is an important life skill, and your child should make significant strides in this area during the year. Your child will also build knowledge and skills with fractions to prepare for mastering this topic in 5th and 6th grades. These skills will help ensure your child is ready for algebra and advanced math.
A Sample of What your Child Will Be Working on in Fourth Grade:
■ Using whole-number arithmetic to solve word problems, including problems with remainders and problems with measurements
■ Adding and subtracting whole numbers quickly and accurately (numbers up to 1 million)
■ Multiplying and dividing multi-digit numbers in simple cases (e.g., multiplying 1,638 × 7 or 24 × 17, and dividing 6,966 by 6)
■ Understanding and applying equivalent fractions (e.g., recognizing that 1⁄4 is less than 3⁄8 because 2⁄8is less than 3⁄8)
■ Adding, subtracting, and multiplying fractions in simple cases (such as 2 3⁄4 − 1 1⁄4 or 3 × 5⁄8), and solving related word problems
■ Understanding simple decimals in terms of fractions (e.g., rewriting 0.62 as 62⁄100)
■ Measuring angles and finding unknown angles in a diagram
HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Throughout the year, the focus of the curriculum is to answer the essential question or big idea, which is “How have the geographic regions of North America evolved?” Students in fourth grade will: Learn map and globe skills, learn the themes of geography, explore Mexico, Canada, and the ten regions of the United States by investigating the history, cultural influences, climate, natural resources, economy, and physical features of each. Students will learn the 50 states and capitals, how immigrants and indigenous people influence North American culture, and explore the role that citizenship plays in the development of a community.
SCIENCE/TECHNOLOGY/ENGINEERING
The Science Program provides our students with the foundation and understanding of scientific topics through the acquisition of scientific knowledge, the development of thinking skills, and the application of the scientific method. The topics of study which correlate with the science frameworks are: Life Science: Ecosystem & Adaptations; Physical Science: Electrical Circuits; Earth Science: Earth & Space. Students in fourth grade will be expected to: Ask questions and make predictions, select and use appropriate tools and technology to extend observations, keep accurate records, conduct multiple trials to test a prediction, recognize simple patterns in data, record data and communicate findings to others.
LIBRARY
Students learn to make independent use of the library media center to complete class assignments. They use the electronic card catalog to locate materials by subject, author, and title, and interpret information on the catalog to compile a simple bibliography. At this level, students learn that the purpose of the Dewey Decimal System is to gather materials on the same subject, and they become familiar with the ten main classes of the system. Students can define what a biography is, locate information about a person, make regular use of the reference collection using an encyclopedia for answering questions, for background information, and as a starting point for research and use dictionaries to obtain word definitions.
MUSIC
Through singing, playing, moving, and listening, students continue to analyze songs and pieces of music using the elements of music previously learned (melody, rhythm, harmony, form, and tone), as a guide. They can identify orchestral instruments and the pattern of extensive music selections. Students can improvise melody and harmony through singing and tonal and rhythm instruments. They have the opportunity to sing in a school-wide chorus. Students are invited to begin band instruction through the Andover After School Music Program. Once students have reached a level of proficiency; students have the ability to participate in a town-wide orchestra or band.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Students in grade four are introduced to more specific skills that relate to team and individual sports and activities. These activities include gymnastics, dance, speedball, basketball, track and field, volleyball, and jump rope. Students begin to acquire the knowledge and understanding of the strategies and rules of various sports and games. They also develop problem-solving skills. Laced sneakers and appropriate attire for physical education are required for participation.