4th Grade

4th Grade
Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Below you will find our Fourth Grade schedule along with information on how homework is to be completed, and the units we will be teaching. If you ever have any questions please do not hesitate to call 240-236-1800. Thanks again and we look forward to a fabulous year!
Fourth Grade Schedule
  9:00-9:45
 Specials
  9:45-11:05
 Rotation #1
 11:05-11:25
 Read Aloud
 11:25-12:05
Lunch & Recess
 12:10-12:55
 Social Studies (M,W,Th,F)
 12:55-2:10
 Rotation #2
2:10-3:25
 Rotation #3
3:30-4:00
Dismissal

Homework
Homework is done Monday-Thursday, for no more than 40 minutes nightly (FCPS homework guidelines.) Assignments are written down in homework assignment book.
·                                 Please read for 15 minutes each night
·                                 Practice math fact cards each night

Word Study
All lessons are direct, explicit and systematic. Phonics is one component of a complete Language Arts program. Phonics unlocks the door to reading, it provides the decoding skills to become a fluent reader. Each student will have his/her own personal word lists for each unit, based on individual needs. The units will run for a week and a half with the final tests on Wednesday.
All students will learn:
·                                 rhyming and syllables
·                                 blending (c/a/t= cat) and segmenting (i.e. cat= c/a/t) sounds in a one syllable word
·                                 identify the onset and rime of a one syllable word
·                                 (i.e. t- op = top)
·                                 short and long vowel patterns through manipulation of letters and word sorts
·                                 blends (i.e. bl, tr, sm)
·                                 digraphs (sh, wh, th, ch)
·                                 plurals, contractions, compound words, prefixes and suffixes will be developed

Readers’ Workshop
All reading activities will focus on before, during and after reading strategies. We will utilize both fiction and non-fiction text for increasing comprehension.
All students will:
·                                 independently read a wide variety of books, based on personal interests
·                                 practice general reading processes, such as locating main ideas and using context clues to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words
·                                 read and identify many genres of fiction
·                                 Identify story elements within fiction (plot events, character traits, themes)
·                                 infer implied  main ideas and meanings within stories
·                                 take notes to summarize key ideas in text
·                                 Complete a teacher-guided novel study
·                                 Read and identify elements of poetry
·                                 Apply before, during and after reading strategies to social studies and science textbooks
·                                 Apply before, during and after reading strategies to ancillary materials (newspapers, magazines,     websites            )
·                                 Learn elements of plays
·                                 Practice reading functional documents (graphs, tables, menus, flyers)

Writers’ Workshop
Students house all of their work in a Writing Binder. This collection included work in progress, writing tools and finished work. During Writer’s Workshop student compose and develop writing based on both teacher-directed tasks and personal choice tasks that inspire them. 
All children will:
·                                 write complete sentences using nouns, verbs and adjectives
·                                 express personal ideas through writing personal narratives
·                                 write non-fiction paragraphs
·                                 write an original fiction story
·                                 develop a persuasive poster and/or paragraph
·                                 brainstorm ideas, organize his/her writing and use conventions (capitals, spaces, punctuation, spelling)
·                                 use the writing process to guide writing experiences

Math
Units of study are:
·                                 Multiplication & Division
·                                 Data Analysis & Probability
·                                 Multiplication & Division 2
·                                 2D Geometry & Measurement
·                                 Addition & Subtraction and the Number System
·                                 Fractions & Decimals
·                                 3D Geometry & Measurement
·                                 Multiplication & Division 3
·                                 Patterns, Functions & Change

Science
All children will use the scientific process to guide all experiments. Science is taught on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays throughout the year.
Units of study are:
·                                 Motion & Design
·                                 Our Place in Space & Light
·                                 Environments

Social Studies
Units of study are:
·                                 Maryland Economics
·                                 Maryland Government
·                                 Maryland Colonial Period
·                                 Maryland Revolutionary War
·                                 Maryland Civil War
·                                 Maryland Regions
·                                 Maryland Indians
·                                 Maps & Globes