A significant focus in fourth grade is on developing and strengthening the skills involved in reading informational texts. The students practice identifying key details in historical texts that help them to understand what happened and why. They practice integrating information from multiple sources in order to write and speak about a subject knowledgeably. They also compare and contrast various accounts of the same event or topic, identifying the points of difference, and then applying critical thinking skills to attempt to explain the reasons behind those differences.
Students in Grade 4 apply various reading strategies to enhance comprehension, make their thinking visible as they write down ideas, and make connections and ask questions while reading a text. They understand the features of texts (e.g., table of contents, titles, subtitles, captions, diagrams, graphs, index, glossary) and read at different speeds, using scanning, skimming, or careful reading for various purposes. To increase phonics mastery, word recognition, and additional reading strategies and increase fluency and comprehension, students discuss literary elements and devices in stories, including setting, characters, plot, theme, mood, foreshadowing personification, and metaphor. They distinguish cause and effect, fact and opinion, the main idea, and supporting details in nonfiction texts and poetry. They also provide evidence from the texts to support conclusions and responses and summarize central ideas in informational texts.
All students read a minimum of two independent books per trimester while maintaining an independent reading log. Students continue to use the developmental writing program, Write from the Beginning, to help strengthen and advance their expository and narrative writing. Grade 4 students publish multiple individual and/or group works, using various methods to organize information. They also enhance fluency in writing by using transitional words and phrases to connect ideas and present their work in complete sentences. They apply elements of grade-appropriate guidelines to improve and evaluate their writing. The students produce writing in the following genres: reflection, narrative, expository, descriptive/creative, and persuasive. Students spell grade-level high-frequency words correctly and apply knowledge of word families, spelling patterns, and syllabication to spell new words.
Students use notes and other aids to memorize a short presentation and employ techniques to maintain audience interest during formal presentations. They incorporate adequate volume, proper pacing, and clear enunciation while incorporating peer feedback and teacher suggestions for revisions in content, organization, and delivery in their presentations. Through a multi-sensory study of grade-level Greek and Latin affixes and roots, students learn the meaning of word parts which supports their reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. They use these affixes and roots as clues to determine the meanings of words. When writing, they choose words and phrases to convey their ideas precisely.