4th Grade

Language Arts

Language arts are integrated through all of the subjects in fourth grade. We use the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators Curriculum (MAISA) for reading and writing and Sitton Curriculum for spelling.

The reading units include Launching Strong Reading Habits, Analyzing Characters and Informational Reading.  The writing units include Extending Personal Narratives, Persuasive Letters, Literary Essays, Non-Fiction Informational Writing and Poetry.  Both the reading and writing units use example texts from children’s literature – both picture books and novels. As they work on their writing, fourth graders should be able to write in complete sentences, compose good paragraphs and write simple essays with clear objectives and organization that makes sense to the reader.

Math

The fourth grade uses Math Expressions to teach math standards according to the Common Core.  We help prepare students to be mathematically prepared for serving God and others in our world.  The units we explore include:  addition and substraction, multiplication, division, measurement, fractions and decimals and geometry.  Much attention is given to learning to understand and solve word problems.

Science

In fourth grade science, students explore the cause and effect relationship of weathering and erosion to Earth’s surfaces. They explore changes over time due to Earth’s forces and natural hazards.  In life science, students determine how internal and external structures support the survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction of plants and animals. In the last unit fourth graders learn how energy moves from place to place and is observable through sound, light, heat transfer, motion, and electric currents.

Social Studies

In fourth grade students study the U.S. as a Geographer, a Historian, an Economist, and a Political Scientist. As a Geographer, they study the land and water of the U.S. and the ways in which people interact with both. As a Historian, they look at the people and events of the past, in particular, immigration to the U.S. and migration with the U.S. As an Economist, students study how people in the U.S. use resources to fulfill economic wants and examine the choices people and societies make. Finally, as a Political Scientist, students study the government of the U.S. and how its citizens interact with their government. For each unit students are challenged to develop Christian responses to many major issues the U.S. faces in each of these areas. The whole world belongs to God who has given us the mandate to love each other and to be good stewards of the earth. This world and life view permeates the Social Studies Curriculum.

Students also use maps, globes and atlases to do a geographical survey of the world.  Students learn the locations of the continents and oceans.  They also find major land and water forms on the earth.  Students take a tour of the United States using road atlases.  Students learn about major points of interest in their country while learning how to use a map key, symbols and improving their map skills.

Art

By fourth grade, students are becoming more skillful in their artwork and more interested in that skill and discipline rather than in the expressive free aspect of art.  Materials can be quite complex for a fourth grader, and attention can be sustained for lengthy projects.  Students enjoy interacting with their class-mates by working together on projects that also co-ordinate with their classroom studies.

Library

Appreciation of literature is taught as the children listen to books read aloud from various genres by the librarian and as they are aided in selecting books to read for enjoyment.  They are taught how to use reference materials such as encyclopedias and almanacs, in addition to learning to locate books through the card catalog.

Music

In fourth grade music children learn that music is fun and is a gift from God. This gift will continue to be developed and discovered through tuneful, beatful, and artful activities. Tuneful activities focus on being able to think a tune and coordinate his/her voice to sing that tune. Beatful activities focus on feeling the pulse of the music and how it can be grouped into twos or threes. Artful activities give the student the opportunity to feel and be moved by the music. Students will continue to read music in duple/triple meter but will also begin to learn how to read pitch. The recorder will be used to apply knowledge of reading skills as well as helping to prepare for band and orchestra in 5th grade.

Physical Education

In fourth grade physical education we develop the sports skills and learn the rules of soccer, basketball, floor hockey, volleyball, and softball.  We have fitness tests in the spring.  In every activity we continue to develop sportsmanship.  When we participate in physical education class, we not only exercise our bodies, but we also “exercise” our Christianity.

Spanish

In fourth grade Spanish we review conversational questions, continue to sing praise and worship songs, perform skits and practice praying in Spanish.  Students will also learn Spanish through vocabulary words, books and interactive activities.  Our goal is for students to be able to use their Spanish to glorify God.   For more information, please refer to the HCS Spanish webpage.

Study Skills

In order for fourth graders to be organized, they must have a three-ring notebook for their schoolwork.  They will be filling out daily assignment sheets which will come home every afternoon. Fourth graders will be doing research projects this year. Teacher-guided class activities will be used to teach research skills, and an independent project will be assigned.  Homework will include Bible memory, unfinished work, book reports, reviewing for tests, and occasional projects.