Grade 4 Curriculum

Overview Grade 4 Curriculum Overview

The Fourth Grade curriculum provides opportunities for independent and group work. Working as a team toward common goals, students develop an appreciation for the value that each child brings to the classroom. Students also have ample opportunity to work independently, and the room is set up to encourage independence and growth. The curriculum includes a series of lessons and studies related to good manners. Practicing common courtesies such as holding a door for a friend or listening when another is speaking allows for a more peaceful classroom environment, diffuses classroom conflicts, and puts into practice important life lessons. These values are extended through the curriculum to writer’s workshop, allowing students to share their writing in a safe environment with classmates who are able to listen and allow for a different point of view. By creating an environment where it is safe to discover, explore, share, and grow, Fourth Graders at All Saints are able to successfully navigate this emotional, dynamic year.

Language Arts

The Fourth Grade Language Arts curriculum focuses on careful inventory of personal skills and areas for targeted focus as a way of preparing students for the academic demands of middle school. A strong emphasis is placed on reading skills and strategies to ensure a capacity to manage a variety of challenging materials including textbooks, essays, rich literature, and historical documents. Students are encouraged to engage fully in classroom discussions about literature and to challenge one another’s thinking by offering opposing points of view and understanding, particularly during Literature Circle meetings. Students are also engaged in a spelling curriculum that is designed to lead students toward mastery of essential spelling skills.

Mathematics

Math activities remain rooted in problem-solving and firsthand, often collaborative experience. Students apply skills, conceptual understanding and number sense that they have already learned to increasingly complex tasks. They extend their working understanding of fractions, measurement, geometry, and data collection and are expected to know their multiplication facts. Students are given several real world opportunities to apply their math skills. Beginning in the Fall, Fourth Graders run two year long fundraisers with proceeds benefiting their New Jersey Adventure Week. Students independently run the School Store to apply their mathematical skills in a practical setting. In the classroom students analyze topics such as, net and gross profits, purchase orders, and marketing.

Science

In Fourth Grade Science, students continue to build on their now sophisticated laboratory skills. Experiments move beyond focusing on the data gathered during a lab to how experiments are designed, how data is gathered, and how this information is recorded and used. Labs also become more independent. Their Open Science Morning focuses on using the design process to come up with an idea that would assist people in the event of extreme weather and natural disasters. Science topics include Studying Science; Severe Weather in U.S. Regions; Space; Energy; Motion and Speed; Electricity; and Animal and Plant Parts and Relationships. Fourth Grade focuses on communicating their findings in a variety of ways.

Social Studies

The Fourth Grade Social Studies curriculum is focused on New Jersey’s place in our nation’s history. Students begin the year by studying the first inhabitants of New Jersey, the Lenape. Students continue to explore New Jersey’s history during the Colonial Period, along with many other key historical events that shaped the culture and progress of our state. In addition, students learn about and visit the different cities, landmarks New Jersey offers. At the end of the school year, students prepare an all-day boardwalk event for the All Saints community to attend. Students incorporate their understanding of New Jersey history into interactive games and activities of their own creation, creating a fun and engaging, working boardwalk. The Fourth Grade year culminates with New Jersey Adventure Week, a series of trips across New Jersey to important geographical and historic sites.

Co-Curriculars

Grade 4 Students partake in several co-curricular activities such as music, ASL, art, physical education, and world language. Please see our Beyond Core Academics page.

Grade 4 Milestone Projects

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Grade 4 - Action Research

In Fourth Grade, students participate in a specialized “Action Research Course”. During this course, students conduct a yearlong action research project based on an area of need within the City of Hoboken. As part of their research, students interview City Council members and take “man on the street” surveys on the topic they are researching. In addition, students survey all of the Fourth Grade students throughout Hoboken. After students have conducted and analyzed their research, their findings are compiled into an extensive research report which is presented to the community of Hoboken at a City Council meeting.