Fourth Grade

Fourth Graders’ appreciation of literature continues to grow as they are exposed to a variety of reading materials, both fiction and nonfiction. Reading skills focus on comprehension of more complex texts. They review, analyze, and critique works as a class or in small-group discussions. Students predict outcomes, identify story elements, read “between the lines,” draw conclusions, make comparisons, and recognize figures of speech.  They develop their skills in creative writing, expository paragraph-writing, and public speaking.

Students begin the year examining the essential question: How do plants and animals survive in their environment? They begin this process by further developing their understanding of the characteristics and structures of living things. Later, through the exploration of a variety of human body systems, scientists learn to identify the functions of different systems and articulate how these systems work with others to ensure the survival of individual organisms. The unit culminates with a study of the structure and function of our visual system and a dissection of a bovine eyeball in class.

The understanding of behavioral and structural adaptations builds upon students’ knowledge of the characteristics and structures of living things. Students identify how specific adaptations facilitate the survival of species in their particular habitats. They create fictional organisms with unique adaptations and explain how their structures and functions enable them to survive in their environments.

In the second semester, students explore and design electromagnets. They isolate and test variables to determine the best design with the available components. They are introduced to the field of electrical engineering, the engineering tool of schematic diagrams, and the many ways people harness electricity. They learn that energy comes in many different forms, and they learn the scientific definition of the term “energy” — the ability to make change happen, or the ability to do work. They explore the “circuit language” of schematic diagrams and their essential role in electrical engineering. The unit culminates with students using the Engineering Design Process as they design, build, and test circuits. Working in small groups, they create schematic diagrams of their circuits, which include batteries, a bulb, wires, and a switch.

In an earth science unit students dive into exploring and understanding the history of the landscape around them as we travel through time using the geologic record. Students investigate the rock cycle, how to identify rock types and what rocks can tell us about the history of the land we are on. Students examine the correlation between plate tectonics and natural disasters and the unit will culminate in a study on volcanoes including building and erupting model volcanoes. 

The semester concludes with an opportunity for students to design, execute and present individual science projects. Students are introduced to the scientific process starting with identifying a problem. They brainstorm solutions, execute tests, collect data and present findings to an audience in both written and spoken formats. 

The focus of Fourth Grade History is Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece and Rome. Students also study the fundamental elements of a civilization and how a society is influenced by geographical conditions and structural and economic factors. For example, students explore how the Nile’s seasonal floods enabled the Egyptians to progress from daily survival to “works of the mind.”  Geographical work focuses on the Nile River, major cities, and geographical landforms in Egypt. Students read and analyze Greek myths in connection with Greek and Roman history. They also study the influence of Greek mythology in literature, art, science and politics in Western history and contemporary American society.

Fourth Grade students study line, color, and shape through painting. They also work on drawing, learning about one-point perspective. They explore foil relief and create folk art-inspired art using marker and colored pencils. As they each choose an Egyptian god or goddess for a Social Studies project, they craft their chosen god in art class. These elaborate three-dimensional sculptures are a great way to learn about dimension and form. To build their Egyptian dolls, the Fourth Graders create armatures, then apply plaster and paint. They design and sew clothes, then adorn the gods with jeweled accessories.

Fourth Grade students continue their journey in string instrumentation with violin. They learn to incorporate and apply notation, tempo, dynamics, and other musical constructs in vocal and orchestral music. Fourth Graders also explore various cultures and genres through songs, movement, and music literature to build upon their understanding of music and its influence and beauty over time and around the world.

A weekly class meeting puts social-emotional learning at the forefront of the Fourth Grade community. In activities with Lower School Counselor Mary Stokes, children explore the theme of the month, which ranges from “Inclusiveness” in September to “Humility” in April. Fourth Grade can be a time of heightened emotional growth for children, and guided discussions in class meeting help them address interpersonal concerns and find positive solutions.