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4th grade curriculum reading students will learn strategies for reading including schema making connections questioning determining importance inferring visualizing and monitoring meaning the year will be dedicated to helping students read and understand both narrative and expository text our reading resources may include houghton mifflin this is the district adopted text time for kids literature selected by the teacher o titles may include island of the blue dolphins the cricket in times square by the great horn spoon student s choice writing the following areas of the writing process will be emphasized creation of clear coherent paragraphs developed around a central idea and with a specific purpose and audience in mind writing will be developed through the stages of the writing process prewriting drafting revising editing and publishing journaling note-taking also the following writing strategies will be taught throughout the course of the year narrative response to literature informational reports summary of a non-fiction article the following grammar skills will be developed identifying parts of speech using correct punctuation and capitalization mechanics and word usage expanding sentences paragraphs and language programs that may be used step up to writing by maureen e auman 6+1 traits of writing teacher created lessons write source oral language students will do oral presentations this year to develop their oral language skills our goal is to complete two oral presentations during each trimester the emphasis will be speaking in a manner that guides the listener and supports proper volume pitch phrasing pace modulation and gestures that enhance meaning word study spelling we will be using a word study approach to examine how words are spelled there will be spelling tests as well if a test is going to be given students will receive a week to prepare primarily students spelling will be assessed through their writing math our math studies and activities incorporate the following areas review of addition subtraction and multiplication concepts of problem solving division fractions decimals and geometry writing and evaluating algebraic expressions statistics and probability mean median mode graphing making predictions

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text/resources houghton mifflin california math various enrichment resources investigations science students will participate in a variety of hands-on activities which are included in the cusd science kits listed below all of our science units allow the students an opportunity to write a scientific plan make a hypothesis carry out an experiment and make conclusions electricity and magnetism solid earth environments health and drug awareness resources social studies we will be studying the history of california through the following topics geography native americans spanish explorers and settlers missions and ranchos gold rush transcontinental railroad immigration modern california we will be using the cusd adopted our california by scott foresman and teacher selected activities to supplement the text art students will have the opportunity to use a variety of media through the parent art docent program with the school s art teachers through the arts attack series and through my own prepared activities p.e our class will participate in physical education with the district p.e coach in two 45-minute sessions on wednesdays and thursdays physical fitness skill development and sportsmanship will be emphasized students are required to wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing it is also highly recommended that students bring water bottles on p.e days technology we have access to the 4th grade laptop cart daily though we will not use it every day we will be exploring different programs including microsoft office inspiration kidspiration and more we will also be using the internet for research web quests and many other things your child s signed student acceptable use of technology policy must be on file with the teacher before your child may use any computers or other technology music our district teacher mrs lisa brown will instruct the music class on mondays for 45-minutes the program involves rhythm dance and instruments her instruction will be focused on 4th grade social studies themes.

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