4th Grade Curriculum

Language Arts

The purpose of the Language Arts curriculum is to immerse the students in a reading, speaking, listening, and writing environment. This environment optimizes the students' strengths and interests by engaging them in hands-on experience thus creating life-long learners. The focus of this program is to have the students learn from their own writing. Spelling and vocabulary are incorporated in the reading/writing process. Topics covered in the writing process include:

• Telling About Yourself
• Communicating With Others
• Explaining Facts
• Giving Directions
• Using Your Imagination
• Painting Pictures with Words
• Persuading Others
• Giving Information
• Comparing and Contrasting
• Parts of Speech
• Descriptive Paragraph
• How-to-Paragraph

Reading
The purpose of the Reading program is to produce students who not only know how to read but who also have a desire to read. The students will obtain the skills needed to aid them in analysis and comprehension techniques. The students will be encouraged to apply these skills in all academic areas. Both a basal reader and novels are incorporated into the curriculum.

Math
The purpose of fourth grade math is to provide students with a structural foundation for the basic mathematical processes, to prepare students for future mathematics, and to develop a sense of strong Christian character, recognizing God's perfection through numbers. A solid working
Knowledge of the multiplication facts is required for success. The yearly goals are as follows:

Place value
Addition facts with carrying
Subtraction facts with borrowing
0 - 12 multiplication tables
1 - 12 division tables
Terminology of four processes
Story problems
Average numbers
Estimation
English and metric measures
Convert measurements
Roman numerals 1 - 1,000
Fractions
Factoring
Divisibility rules
Decimals
Money (making change)
Read a thermometer
Solve for unknown number
Recognize and read graphs
Geometric shapes and figures
Perimeter
Area

Science
The science curriculum will enable students to become scientifically literate. Students are taught to investigate and to distinguish between fact and opinion. Scientific knowledge will be acquired by identifying, classifying, hypothesizing, predicting, comparing, interpreting, and analyzing. Topics for Study are as follows:

Cells
Plants
Animals
Simple Machines
Ecosystem
Matter and Energy
Earth & Space

Social Studies
The purpose of fourth grade heritage studies is to provide students with an understanding of the development of the United States of America. Students will learn basic facts of history and geography while developing an appreciation for the accomplishments of our forefathers in the development of our country. Along with knowledge, students will be encouraged to develop Christian character and willingness and a determination to work diligently in every undertaking in life. Map and citizenship skills are an intricate part of the curriculum. Units taught are as follows:

• A View of the United States
• The Northeast
• The South
• The Middle West
• The West
• The United States
• State History (Notebook)