Grade 4

Class Subjects

Language Arts:

There is a strong emphasis on the entire writing process (drafting, proofreading, etc.). The children will be engaged in a number of writing assignments throughout the year. They will be given a lot of responsibility and independence in regards to their own writing. An important aspect of the writing process is revision. Often, the children will be asked to revise assignments more than once. Please be patient as I am sure you will be pleased with the final product.

Over the course of the year, we will be completing several novel studies. I hope you will have a chance to read together with your child. The students will be responding to various aspects of the novel (setting, plot, etc.), answering comprehension questions and will also be required to write a book review or creative task at the completion of some of the novels.

Once a week we will go to the library to return and check out books. This is an opportunity for your child to choose a book they are interested in. Please ask to see your child’s books and set aside time to read with them. Children love to be read to and they also enjoy reading to others. Please be sure your child brings the books back the following Friday so that he/she can renew them or check out new ones.

The children will be using the Houghton Mifflin Spelling and Vocabulary series on a weekly basis. A spelling test will be given every Friday morning; students are asked to spell and write a sentence for each word.

On Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays the children write for 15-20 minutes in their journals. This is a chance for them to share what has been going on in their lives, how they are feeling or something they have done recently. On Friday, your child will bring his/her journal home for you to read. Please respond to your child’s entry for that day and sign the book. They really do appreciate it.

We will be using the Houghton Mifflin Writer’s Express series and I supplement most writing assignments with a resource called Pushing the Pencil.

Math:

Houghton Mifflin Math series
The children will complete exercises from the textbook, as well as supplementary worksheets. In class the children will learn new concepts through the use of manipulatives, group work and individual class work. We spend a considerable amount of time each day on math; please expect your child to have math homework almost everyday.

Social Studies:

Over the course of the year they will study Europe, Japan and the Roman Empire. Our first unit will be the study of Europe. The students will be researching a European country. Time permitting, they will create a Power Point presentation in the computer lab and present it to the class. The children will also be engaged in various aspects of geography.

Science:

This year the children will be using the Houghton Mifflin Science series entitled “Discovery Works”. Units covered will include Earth’s Land, Properties of Matter, Classifying Living Things, Magnetism and Electricity, and Weather and Climate. The students will complete several inquiry based tasks to make subsequent readings more meaningful.

Computers:

Computers will be integrated into many different subject areas. The children will create a Power Point presentation, compose various stories/assignments using word processing programs, and work on their keyboarding skills.