Fourth Grade Curriculum

Religion
The fourth grade religion curriculum focuses on focuses on the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes as guides for living. The program is designed to help your child see the Ten Commandments and Beatitudes as guidelines given to us by our loving God, who intends for us to be happy in this life and in the next. Your child will be motivated to respond to God with faith and love, and to show his or her faith and love by observing his commands. 

English Language Arts
In grade four, students will continue to build important reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. They will read more challenging literature, articles, and other sources of information and continue to grow their vocabulary using Latin and Greek roots. They will also be expected to clearly explain in detail what they have read by referring to details or information from the text. In writing, students will organize their ideas and develop topics with reasons, facts, details, and other information.  They continue to develop their understanding of the conventions of the English language through grammar study.  Cursive handwriting is used regularly in all assignments.

Mathematics
Students will add and subtract within 1 million and multiply and divide multi-digit numbers.  Your child will use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve one and two step word problems, including problems involving measurement of volume, mass, and time.  Students will continue to build their understanding of fractions—creating equal fractions, comparing the size of fractions, adding and subtracting fractions, and multiplying fractions by whole numbers. They will also start to understand the relationship between fractions and decimals as well as how to represent and interpret data in charts, graphs, and tables.

Social Studies
Fourth grade Social Studies is focused on Pennsylvania State and local communities and their change over time, incorporating the study of geography, history, economics, and government. The course explores the state’s history from before the European colonial era to the modern period.  

Science
Students in grade four explore the transfer of energy and how wavelengths are used to transmit information.  Additionally, students learn how humans and animals process information.  Your child investigate how forces of nature create rock formations and changes in the landscape overtime.  Fourth grade students will practice the engineering design process through engineering projects where students generate workable solutions.