By the end of Grade 4, children tend to be at the height of their ability to work as a group. They are industrious and their memories are sharp. Gillispie’s fourth grade teachers encourage these positive traits by organizing the first overnight field trip (to Mission San Juan Capistrano), planning small and large group projects, and expecting their students to memorize their multiplication tables. The understanding of fractions, decimals, data, graphing, and the metric system are strengthened with the Everyday Math program. Children write in multiple genres and study novels with themes that resonate in fourth grade. Social studies projects enhance the California history text. Along with learning about California’s unique geography, students continue their continental studies by exploring the geography of South America.
Key programs and texts: Daily Grammar Practice; Everyday Math; literature and novel study; Second Step; Houghton Mifflin – California Studies; Continent of geographic study – South America; Second Step
Grade 4 Curriculum Benchmarks
By the end of fourth grade, students will be able to—
Language Arts
- Read independently and fluently at grade level for enjoyment and information.
- Extend oral and written vocabulary through use of the Wordly Wise program along with book and subject study.
- Define role of characters, setting, problem, main events, and solution in a given book.
- Identify author’s purpose, viewpoint, and important information in fiction and nonfiction.
- Utilize the main characteristics of textbooks, i.e., pictures, questions, and headings, to aide in understanding of material.
- Use varied reference materials with purpose.
- Use technology for reference materials (i.e. World Book Encyclopedia online).
- Reread, skim, and scan with purpose.
- Describe elements of genres including tall tales, mysteries, and biographies.
- Draft, revise, edit, self-evaluate, and share writing.
- Submit/publish written pieces with no spelling or grammatical errors, strong vocabulary, and varied sentence structure of the following types: persuasive, narrative, and descriptive.
- Maintain cursive writing skills.
- Demonstrate proper grammar and mechanics skills at fourth grade level.
- Deliver planned oral presentations using proper language skills.
Math
- Order whole numbers through 1,000,000, decimals through thousandths.
- Compare decimals: .10, .100, .1000.
- Compare fractions to thirds, halves, fourths.
- Add fractions with like denominators.
- Recall multiplication facts up to 12 X 12.
- Break down numbers as factors.
- Solve multiplication problems up to three digit by two digit numbers.
- Solve division problems up to three digit by one digit numbers, and four digit by two digit numbers.
- Use strategies to estimate whole numbers.
- Measure to the nearest millimeter.
- Name and label multiple kinds of angles and quadrilaterals.
- Find area of squares, rectangles, and irregular shapes on grid paper.
- Solve for an unknown in an equation with one operation.
- Differentiate between polygons and non-polygons.
- Identify parallel and perpendicular lines and right angles.
- Identify and describe points on a grid in quadrant one.
- Determine probability (e.g. 3 out of 4).
Social Studies
- Identify California on maps of the United States, western hemisphere, and globes.
- Describe California’s unique geography and compare and contrast regions; list natural resources.
- Discuss Northern California Indian tribes; compare and contrast with Indians in San Diego region.
- Define vocabulary concerning Spanish California, including conquistador, colony, missionary, and presidio.
- Describe mission life and the end of the mission era.
- Explain ways that Mexican independence affected life in California.
- Discuss the reasons pioneers moved to California, describe the Gold Rush years, and place important events on a historical timeline.
- Summarize the ways several important people changed California.
- Trace the transcontinental railroad route on a map; compare and contrast the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroad workers’ roles in the railroad.
- Discuss and review difficulties faced by indigenous people, immigrants from other parts of America, and immigrants from other countries.
- Explain the road to statehood.
- Locate South America on maps and globes
- Identify oceans and bordering countries around South America.
- Describe notable physical features.
- Describe the role of South America in terms of the exploration of California.
- Name and locate several South American countries.