WM 4th Grade Curriculum Update
December 2019
Reading and Writing
Reading
We will begin working in book clubs to develop stronger skills in identifying character traits, motivations, and external forces.
The big work of this unit is for students to:
find and explain details from a text to support my ideas about literary texts.
determine the theme of a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text.
Writing
We will begin writing literary essays based on the books we're reading in our book clubs. We’re going to be using previous experiences in boxes and bullets as an organizational tool to support our learning.
4th Grade Math
Finishing Unit 3: Fractions and Decimals
- Compare fractions with like and unlike denominators
- Locate fractions on a number line
- Add and subtract fractions with like and unlike denominators
- Identify equivalent fractions and decimals
- Compare decimal numbers
5th Grade Math
Finishing Unit 3: Place Value and Decimals
- Divide multi-digit whole numbers
- Read, write, order, model, compare decimal numbers
- Multiply and divide whole and decimal numbers by 10
- Add and subtract decimal numbers to the hundredths place
- Identify equivalent fractions and decimals
Science
Throughout the school year 4th graders will study:
Rocks and Minerals
Electricity and Magnetism
Structures of Life
Social Studies
Throughout the school year 4th graders will study:
History of Wisconsin
Five Regions of Wisconsin
United States Regions
LMC - Library
We’ll be exploring books with themes of winter and snow, including fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and chapter books. We’re practicing finding different types of books in the library, and we’re becoming more and more familiar with how books are organized in different areas.
Music
We are so excited to share all of our students’ hard work at our WINTER TEA AND TUNES in the Gym on December 12th. Students’ performance times can be found on the invitations they made, the bulletin board outside of the music room, and in the PTO newsletters that have gone home. We hope you are able to join us!
After Winter Tea is completed, we will be watching our performances and reflecting on our wonderful work.
Mrs. Spahn’s classes will be having their Winter Music Sharing Days on Friday the 13th, Monday the 16th, and Tuesday the 17th. Look for more information to come home closer to the dates!
Technology
Students will continue to strengthen their typing speed and words per minute. They are learning about the MCPASD Student Technology Acceptable Use Policy. Students will participate in Hour of Code, which is an introduction to computer science. It is designed to broaden participation in the field of computer science.
Art
How do artists create visual balance? Why is craftsmanship important? (Rotation Prints)
PE
We are starting our Gymnastics unit. Which will include tumbling, balance and apparatus skills. We will also play Holiday games and create the annual “maze.”