Fourth Grade: WATER Class
Reading
The aim of the fourth grade reading curriculum is to cultivate “wide awake readers” who are asking questions, making predictions, and identifying connections as they work through text. Students begin to go beyond basic comprehension and develop tools to read with deeper meaning and nuance. WATER students also hone their nonfiction reading skills, as they use various texts as resources for their research. They become more adept at pulling factual information from literature and using that information as a catalyst to make their own meaning and draw their own conclusions.
Writing
By fourth grade, students have developed strategies for idea generation and explored various writing genres, so a more concentrated focus is placed on structure and organization. WATER students will learn how to collect information (both from outside factual sources and their own ideas) and create a piece of writing that has cohesive sections and logical flow. In addition, authors in the WATER class begin to dig deeper in their writing, going beyond the surface to answer the “how” and the “why.” Students place a watchful eye on self-editing and revising, as they embrace the notion that the work of a writer requires multiple drafts.
Mathematics
Students work on problems and investigations in the areas of number, operations, algebraic thinking, measurement, and geometry, developing their mathematical thinking and reasoning skills. Students are encouraged to explore, develop, test, discuss, and apply ideas: to see mathematics as something that is creative and relevant. WATER students focus on developing divisibility rules and building a deep understanding of place value up to one million, powers of ten and exponents, and linear measurement. They also learn to model multi-digit multiplication and division with arrays and ratio tables, gain efficient strategies for multi-digit addition and subtraction, including the standard algorithms, and use visual models including arrays, shapes, and money for making sense of fractions
Social Studies
The WATER class theme of Home guides the social studies curriculum. In their project, "The Story of Us," students reflect on how identity and home intertwine by contemplating what home means to each of them. They extend their reach beyond the personal and into the larger community to research the causes of hunger and homelessness. The fourth grade "California as Home" project integrates literacy and social studies. Combining a study of state history with family histories, students focus on stories of immigration, learning some of the reasons people have made California their home over time. Areas of focus include learning about the Ohlone people, both past and present, the mass migration brought on by the Gold Rush, and the history of the immigration through Angel Island.
Science
Fourth graders begin the year by exploring the forces that shape California, their home state. They study the layers of the Earth, plate tectonics, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Students then use that understanding to engineer earthquake-resistant buildings. Their Ecosystem as Home project is a study of natural systems, with a fall focus on trees and the urban forest and a spring shift to bees as a keystone species. Exploring the causes of tree inequity and bee decline motivates the students to design solutions to improve our local ecosystems.
Social Emotional Learning
The overarching theme of social emotional learning in the fourth grade is “A move towards independence.” In the WATER class, we cultivate enthusiastic and curious learners who are beginning to recognize the value of their education and its real world application. Students are asked to be accountable for not only their work and materials, but also their actions and words. They work on recognizing, verbalizing, and regulating typical daily emotions, and seeking out teacher assistance when necessary. Fourth graders hone their ability to make connections with peers and express sympathy and compassion in appropriate situations. The WATER students are becoming more aware of the world around them and the role each individual plays within a community.
Social Justice
WATER students use the theme of Home to explore themselves, their families, and their community. Fourth grade students reflect on stereotypes, racism, socioeconomic difference, xenophobia, sexism, and ageism. This understanding allows WATER students to identify injustices in the world (both big and small) and empowers them to take action and be of service in their communities.
Specialist Classes
Specialist classes are part of the daily schedule for all students, including art, music, physical education, wood shop, and Latin. Our rich specialist program ensures a well-rounded daily experience for all students.
