Fourth grade curriculum guide - Middleton Cross Plains Area School ...

To educate all students to be
contributing members of a
global society by inspiring them
Middleton-Cross Plains Area
School District
with a lifelong love of learning,
Elementary Curriculum Brochures
challenging them with rigorous
Grade Four
http://www.mcpasd.k12.wi.us/
curriculum, and empowering
them with 21st century skills. To
be an innovator and leader of
public K-12 education within the
state and nation by meeting the
needs of all students with
excellent programs and staff.
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MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Literacy
Students in grades third
through fifth have a
literacy block with a
minimum of 90 minutes daily. This provides a
focused time to develop skills in reading, writing
and word study. MCPASD teachers use whole
group instruction, small group instruction,
individual instruction and independent practice to
differentiate for the student learner.
All students are actively engaged in learning
whether they are in a small teacher led group of
students or reading independently, or writing.
Independent activities will often focus on concepts
being studied in science, and social studies.
Reading
The National Reading
Panel identified key skills
and methods central to
reading achievement.
The five essential
elements of reading
instruction are what we
teach. The elements are
phonemic awareness,
phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
Current research states that systematic and explicit
approaches to instruction in each of the major
components are imperative.
In the intermediate grades, there is less focus on
foundational skills (e.g., phonemic awareness and
phonics), as most students have these skills.
Instead, we focus more on word study, both from a
vocabulary and spelling lens, at the intermediate
level. Students also study genre and literary
elements in more depth in grades three through
five.
Balanced Literacy
Balanced literacy is how we teach literacy. It
involves several methods for teaching reading and
writing. These essential literacy skills are taught in
the context of authentic reading and writing
experiences. There are eight components of
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balanced literacy: reading aloud, shared reading,
guided reading, independent reading, modeled &
shared writing, guided writing, independent
writing, and interactive writing.
The power of the balanced literacy framework is
the manner in which students are supported as
they are exposed to new learning and guided as
they learn to use skills and strategies
independently. During read alouds and modeled
writing lessons, the teacher explicitly models
his/her own thinking for students. Students are
supported as they learn to apply new skills and
strategies in authentic reading and writing tasks.
Our ultimate goal is for students to take on the
responsibility for these skills and strategies and be
able to use them independently.
Writing Process
We use Units of Study for Teaching Writing,
developed by Lucy Calkins and her colleagues from
the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project.
Each year, teachers deliver six “units of study,”
each lasting four to six weeks.
Launching the Writing Workshop
Raising the Quality of Narrative Writing
Breathing Life into Essays
Writing Fiction: Big dreams, Tall Ambitions
Literary Essays: Writing About Reading
Memoir: The Art of Writing Well
6 + 1 Traits
Not only do we talk about
the writing process, we
also talk about the craft
of writing. We use the
common language of the
6 + 1 Traits of Writing to
discuss and describe
authors’ craft. The 6 + 1
traits include the
following: ideas,
organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency,
conventions, and presentation.
MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Mathematics
Children’s experiences
shape their attitude
toward mathematics. The
Everyday Mathematics
curriculum is engaging,
encouraging, and
designed to build
children’s understanding
over time. This program respects children’s
intuitive understanding of mathematics and helps
them develop the range of sophisticated
mathematical knowledge and skills necessary for
success in our information and technology oriented
world.
In Everyday Mathematics, all students in grades K-5
develop a broad background by learning concepts
and skills in the six content strands of Number and
Numeration; Operations and Computation; Data
and Chance; Measurement and Reference Frames;
Geometry; and Patterns, Functions, and Algebra.
The Fourth Grade program emphasizes the
following content.
Number and Numeration
Reading, writing, and using whole numbers,
fractions, decimals, percents, and negative
numbers
Exploring scientific notation
Operations and Computation
Practicing addition and
subtraction to
proficiency
Developing
multiplication and
division skills
Exploring addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division methods
Inventing individual procedures and
algorithms
Experimenting with calculator procedures
Data and Chance
Collecting, organizing, and interpreting
numerical data
Measurement and Reference Frames
Exploring metric and U.S. customary
measures for length, area, volume, and
weight
Exploring geographical measures
Using numbers in reference frames
Using number lines, coordinates, times,
dates, latitude and longitude
Geometry
Developing and intuitive sense about 2-
dimensional and 3-dimensional objects,
their properties, uses, and relationships
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
Designing,
exploring, and using
geometric and
number patterns
Reading, writing and
solving number
sentences
In Everyday Mathematics you can
expect to see…
A problem-solving approach based on
everyday situations
Key mathematical ideas repeated over time
in slightly different ways
Learning through age-appropriate, playful
activities
A broad range of mathematics topics based
on an optimistic view of children’s
capabilities and motivation to learn
Opportunities to “do math” at home
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MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Science
The Middleton-Cross
Plains Area School
District utilizes the Full
Option Science System
(FOSS) at the K-5 Level.
FOSS strives to develop students' abilities to do and
understand scientific inquiry through:
Asking and answering questions
Planning and conducting simple
investigations
Employing tools and techniques to gather
data
Using data to construct reasonable
explanations
Communicating investigations and
explanations
Understanding that scientists use different
kinds of investigations and tools to develop
explanations using evidence and knowledge
The Fourth Grade program emphasizes the
following content.
The Structures of Life Module consists of
investigations dealing with observable
characteristics of organisms. Students observe,
compare, categorize, and care
for a selection of organisms, and
in so doing they learn to identify
properties of plants and animals
and to sort and group organisms
on the basis of observable properties. Students
investigate structures of the organisms and learn
how some of the structures function in growth and
survival.
worlds by observing and manipulating materials in
focused settings using simple tools.
The Earth Materials Module consists of
investigations dealing with observable
characteristics of solid materials from the earth—
rocks and minerals. The focus is on taking materials
apart to find what they are made of and putting
materials together to better
understand their properties.
The module introduces
fundamental concepts in
earth science and takes
advantage of the students' intrinsic interest in the
subject matter and in the physical world around
them.
The Sun, Moon, and Stars Module consists of
investigations designed
to introduce students to
objects we see in the
sky. Through outdoor
observations made
during the day and at
night, active
simulations, readings,
videos, and discussions, students study the Sun,
Moon, and stars to learn that these objects move
in regular and predictable patterns that can be
observed, recorded, and analyzed.
The Magnetism and
Electricity Module consists of
investigations designed to
introduce or reinforce
concepts in physical science.
The investigations provide opportunities for
students to explore the natural and human-made
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MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Social Studies
The elementary social studies curriculum is based
on the 2010 National Council for the Social Studies
standards. The aim of social studies is the
promotion of civic competence. Young people
who are knowledgeable, skillful, and committed to
democracy are necessary to
sustaining and improving our
democratic way of life, and
participating as members of a
global society. The national
standards are focused on ten
themes. These themes
represent a way of categorizing knowledge about
the human experience, and they constitute the
organizing strands that thread through our
elementary social studies program.
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Culture
Time, Continuity, and Change
People, Places, and Environments
Individual Development and Identity
Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
Power, Authority, and Governance
Production, Distribution, and Consumption
Science, Technology, and Society
Global Connections
Civic Ideals and Practices
At the elementary level,
these themes are explored
through an ageappropriate
“lens.” In
fourth grade, the scope of
the social studies
curriculum is “Regions of
the United States and Development of Wisconsin.”
Teachers and students use a variety of materials
and resources, including Wisconsin Historical
Society: Wisconsin—Our State, Our Story, and
Perfection Learning: US Regional Road Trip. Units
of Study include the following:
US Regions: Geography
US Regions and Their History
US Regions: Resources and Industry
Wisconsin’s Resources
Wisconsin Cultures and People: Native
Americans; Fur Trade; Logging, Mining, and
Agriculture; Immigration; and Science,
Technology, and Industrialization
Wisconsin Government
Wisconsin Today
Visual Arts
Art is a way of understanding ourselves and our
relationship with the world around us. Throughout
the K-12 Art program, students explore the three
essential questions of:
What is art
How is art created
Why is art important
Students explore the answers to the above
questions when engaged in art experiences
focused around the following six Art standards.
Creation
Understanding and applying media, techniques,
and processes
Perception
Using knowledge of structures and functions
Interpretation
Choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter,
symbols, and ideas
Relation
Understanding the visual arts in relation to history
and cultures
Reflection
Reflecting upon and assessing the characteristics
and merits of their work and the work of others
Connection
Making connections between visual arts and other
disciplines
MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Music
What Exactly Do We Do In Music Class
The short answer to this question is that in music
class we sing, play instruments, and learn about
how music works. But there's more to it than that -
music in the Middleton-Cross Plains Area School
District reflects the national music education
standards, also adopted in the state of Wisconsin.
Our Elementary Music Curriculum is based on
students learning eight main concepts:
Time: beat, rhythm, meter, rhythmic notation,
playing rhythmic patterns on instruments, time
signatures, improvising rhythms
Pitch: matching pitch, relationship of pitches to
each other,
Melody: types of melodic
movement, playing and singing
melodies, improvising/composing
melodies
Harmony: performing
accompaniments, learning to sing
and play rounds, melodies with an
ostinato, echo harmony, partner songs, countermelodies,
simple harmonic theory
Form: recognizing sounds that are the same or
different; form (structure of songs/compositions),
solo vs. group, types of form: AB, ABA, rondo,
sonata, suite
Expression: tempo, texture, dynamics,
phrasing, and articulation
Timbre: effects and mood, instrument families,
world instruments, ensembles, and orchestra
History and Culture: relationship of music to
society, function of music, multicultural music,
music of famous composers, music of American
composers, musical styles
The curriculum model designed
to increase skill level throughout
all conceptual areas as students
get older is also known as a
spiral curriculum. Over the
course of the elementary music
experience, the use of each
concept becomes more sophisticated. For
example, in regard to time, students learn about
and practice keeping steady beat in kindergarten,
but by 5 th grade are working on eight and sixteenth
notes, as well as triplets and the offbeat.
Technology
As foundational technology skills
penetrate throughout our society,
students will be expected to apply the
basics in authentic, integrated ways
to solve problems, complete projects,
and creatively extend their abilities. Students at the
elementary level participate in technology
enrichment classes, and students in grades 4 and 5
participate in keyboarding classes. The technology
standards and curriculum help students prepare to
work, live, and contribute to the social and civic
fabric of their communities.
Technology standards addressed at the elementary
level identify several higherorder
thinking skills and digital
citizenship as critical for
students to learn effectively for
a lifetime and live productively
in our emerging global society. These areas include
the ability to:
Demonstrate creativity and innovation
Communicate and collaborate
Conduct research and use information
Think critically, solve problems, and make
decisions
Use technology effectively and productively
These eight concepts are geared towards students
increasing in skill level in each of the eight areas.
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MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure

Physical
Education
Physical activity is
critical to the
development and
maintenance of
good health. The
goal of physical
education is to develop physically educated
individuals who have the knowledge, skills and
confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical
activity. A physically educated person:
Ideas and Resources for Parents
Hide an object in a room of your house,
and give your child directions for finding it.
Have your child practice math games at
www.everydaymathonline.com
Play a card or board game.
http://www.fossweb.com/
http://www.pta.org/4th%20Grade_B-
W.pdf
Standard 1:
Demonstrates competency in motor skills and
movement patterns needed to perform a variety of
physical activities.
Standard 2:
Demonstrates understanding of movement
concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics as they
apply to the learning and performance of physical
activities.
Standard 3:
Participates regularly in physical activity.
Standard 4:
Achieves and maintains a health-enhancing level of
physical fitness.
Standard 5:
Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior
that respects self and others in physical activity
settings.
Standard 6:
Values physical
activity for health,
enjoyment,
challenge, selfexpression,
and/or
social interaction
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MCPASD 4th Grade Curriculum Brochure