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Fourth Grade Course Descriptions
Biblical Foundations
Goals for K-4 through Fifth Grade:
- Recognize God’s existence and character.
- Understand the Bible as God’s inspired word and absolute truth.
- Use the Bible consistently to locate and memorize selected verses.
- Pray daily.
- Acknowledge need for salvation and respond to Jesus as God’s provision.
- Know and practice Biblical principles in relationships and service to others.
Fourth Grade – In 4th grade our Biblical Foundations theme is “Our Story Inside God’s Story.” We begin the year with a study of “PeaceMakers” and how to biblically solve conflicts, which we reinforce throughout the year. We use Bible study tools which include timelines, maps, and concordances to better understand and read the Bible. Other areas of study in 4th grade include: Attributes of God, an in-depth look at the life of Jesus and study of the gospel of Mark, The Holy Spirit, Man (sin and salvation), Eternity, the Church, and Prayer. Memory passages include Luke 2: 1-20, Philippians 2:5-11, and Psalm 1:1 - 6.
History-Social Studies
Students look at people, places, and events from a Biblical worldview, using timelines to develop chronological thinking. Four components are included: History, Geography, Civics, and Economics. Students gain knowledge and understanding of people’s lives, and discover causes and consequences of their actions. Students learn about the places people live, the rules and responsibilities they live by, and the ways in which they work to meet their needs.
Fourth Grade – History: United States History into the Civil War (1865), including Arkansas History for this period. Geography: Regions of the United States, the natural regions of Arkansas, latitude and longitude, major mountain ranges and rivers in the U.S., physical, historical, and political maps, and the effects of geography on settlement. Civics/Government: Levels of government (purpose, function, and responsibilities), branches of government, fundamental principles of democracy, founding documents (Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, U.S. Constitution), American Flag etiquette, citizenship and the election process (in Arkansas and the United States). Economics: Opportunity cost, supply and demand, scarcity, goods and services, productive resources, specialization and interdependence, entrepreneurship, characteristics of money, services provided by taxes, inflation, imports and exports.
Mathematics
Focus Areas for K-4 through Fifth Grade:
- Number (Properties, Operations, Computation)
- Algebra (Patterns, Relations, Functions)
- Geometry (Spatial Sense)
- Measurement (Units, Systems, Processes)
- Data Analysis and Probability
Fourth Grade – Number: write/compare whole numbers to 1,000,000, expanded notation, understand whole-part relationship of fractions, write/compare decimals to hundredths, equivalent fractions and decimals using money, associative and zero properties of multiplication, odd/even numbers, divisibility rules, multiply (2-digit by 2-digit) and divide (3-digit by 2-digit) fluently. Algebra: use multiples of 10, 100, and 1,000, write equations to find unknown, create a chart/table to organize and explain information, proportional change. Geometry: classify 3-dimensional solids, regular and irregular polygons, draw and describe: line, line segment, ray, angle, intersecting, perpendicular, and parallel lines, 90 degree angle, identify: slide, flip, turn, locate points on coordinate grid, construct 3-dimensional model. Measurement: seconds in a minute, convert hours and minutes to solve problems, elapsed time to 5-minute intervals, change with fewest coins, measurement problems using customary and metric units. Data: graphs with intervals greater than one, predict probability.
Science
Students know and discern the world in which they live through observation, study, and experimentation, including the use of available equipment and technology. They question, observe, compare, use tools, describe, explain, predict, use data to solve problems, and use appropriate scientific language in these areas: Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science. Student exploration leads to greater explanation and appreciation of God’s creation and encourages responsible stewardship.
Fourth Grade – Animal Classification and Adaptations * Plant Life Cycles * Work and Simple Machines * Matter: chemical changes * Electricity: circuits, conductors, and insulators * Rocks and Minerals * Earth’s surface changes: volcanoes and earthquakes * Planets in the Solar System * Water Cycle Processes: precipitation, evaporation, condensation * Body Systems and Frog Dissection
Language Arts
Children grow tremendously during these years as God’s gifts of language, thought, and imagination are put to work in listening, speaking, writing, and reading. They are challenged to think deeply, read widely, and write purposefully in all subjects. They develop extensive vocabularies and understand how language carries beliefs and ideas that shape the world. They read a variety of books and recognize quality literature. They write clearly in various forms as they share their thinking with others. They ask questions to move their learning forward. They use language skills to know God, to understand themselves and others, and to make sense of the world in which they live.
Fourth Grade – Participate actively in discussions, present reports, listen and infer messages. Read and write multi-syllable words with affixes. Write compound and complex sentences, and eliminate run-ons. Use commas within sentences, write plural possessives, and maintain verb tense. Write dialogue correctly. Write, revise, and edit multiple paragraphs on same topic, using precise vocabulary, punctuation, and capitalization. Write summaries, reports, mysteries, poems, brochures. Identify parts of speech, including conjunctions and interjections, and use irregular and linking verbs. Read actively: infer, visualize, question, and generalize. Read widely and fluently at grade level from many genres, including mystery, nonfiction, and poetry, adjusting reading rate to text difficulty. Information sources: use guide words, internet resources, notes.
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