4th Grade

Grade-Level Overview

Literacy:
Fourth graders build strong reading comprehension skills by engaging with a wide range of texts, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Students learn to identify themes, summarize main ideas, and use textual evidence to support their understanding. Writing instruction focuses on organizing ideas clearly in narratives, informative essays, and opinion pieces. Daily reading and writing activities also help students strengthen vocabulary, spelling, and grammar as they grow into confident, thoughtful readers and writers.

Math:
In math, students deepen their understanding of place value, multi-digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. They work to solve multi-step word problems using all four operations and learn to explain their mathematical reasoning. Geometry, fractions, and measurement are key areas of focus. Students also interpret data, identify patterns, and develop strong number sense and problem-solving skills.

Social and Emotional Learning:
Students continue developing collaboration, empathy, and self-management skills. They practice active listening, respectful communication, and positive ways to handle challenges. Kindness, responsibility, and teamwork are emphasized to create a caring and inclusive classroom community.

Creative Skills:
Throughout the year, students explore a variety of art projects inspired by well-known artists and diverse styles. Each piece encourages creativity and personal expression as students put their own unique twist on their work, helping to build artistic confidence and imagination.

Critical Thinking:
Students are guided to think deeply and independently by analyzing information, asking questions, and explaining their reasoning. They use evidence to support their conclusions and approach new challenges with curiosity and persistence. These skills help students make meaningful connections across all subject areas.

Field Trips:
As part of their study of Washington State, fourth graders take a field trip to the Washington State History Museum, where they explore exhibits and interactive learning experiences that bring their social studies lessons to life.

Standardized Tests:
Students complete the MAP assessment three times a year to measure growth in mathematics, reading comprehension, and language. Literacy skills are also assessed using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) three times annually.

Progress Reports:
Progress reports are provided three times a year. Fourth-grade students receive standards-based grades on a 0–4 scale, reflecting their progress toward grade-level expectations.

Annual Events:
Each year, fourth-grade students lead the All Saints Mass. They research and present information about a chosen Saint and may choose to dress up as their Saint for the celebration.

Parent-Teacher Meetings:
Parent-teacher conferences are held in November, prior to Thanksgiving break, with additional meetings available in February if needed to support student growth and communication.

Digital Learning Tools:
Fourth-grade students are introduced to Google Classroom and learn how to use digital tools such as Google Docs and Google Slides. They practice creating, editing, and sharing their work with their teacher, gaining valuable skills for responsible and effective digital learning.