4th Grade

4th grade continues to refine the work habits learned throughout Lower School. Students are encouraged to manage an increased amount of independent work. The 4th grade team incorporates the principles of The Responsive Classroom to support the maturing students' ability to self- regulate and manage increasingly complex social situations.

In Social Studies, students learn all about Texas history, and interact with important community leaders as part of understanding the importance of citizenship. Emphasis is placed on individual responsibility, both throughout history and in the students' own future as community members.
In Mathematics, students continue to work with all four operations, but begin to use more complex numbers as well as fractions and decimals. Students solve problems involving both customary and metric measurement. Geometry emphasis is on classifying shapes, symmetry, as well as angle measurement.
In Language Arts, students read and analyze many kinds of texts: expository, fiction, novels, short stories, and poetry. They explore point of view, theme, character traits, and plot analysis, strengthening their reading comprehension as they begin to read increasingly complex material. Students are expected to write in cursive daily, in interactive journals and through the formal writing process. They use prewriting, revising, and editing to refine their writing skills. The class reads novels together that enhance both Social Studies and social-emotional learning.

4th Grade Curriculum

Math

4th Grade Math

The 4th grade math program emphasizes reasoning and problem-solving skills. Students work with numbers into the billions place, learning to round, estimate, and assess the reasonableness of their answers. Students learn long division and, through practice, become proficient at performing all four operations with whole numbers, fractions, and decimals. Students explore different number systems throughout the year. Geometry topics include types of triangles, area and perimeter of polygons, and measuring angles. Students convert between units of measurement through hands-on tasks to develop useful algorithms for conversions. In the spring, 4th grade students practice multi-step word problems and math puzzles that require higher-order thinking.

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Language Arts

4th Grade Language Arts

4th grade language arts classes sustain the development of foundational language skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking. Through authentic reading and reflective writing, 4th grade students practice skills by engaging in active lessons, exploring ideas, and extending their understanding through writing and reading projects. Students benefit from whole group instructions as well as small groups with the teacher, by incorporating learning stations into the Language Arts block. By 4th grade, students are ready to not only comprehend and learn from texts, but to evaluate different genres and make connections. Through this approach, students gain independence, confidence, and the ability to problem-solve both independently and with their peers. Students read a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts, and consider the author's purpose and craft, theme, point of view, and text structure. They study vocabulary in context, as well as learning affixes and word roots to help them determine the meaning of new words. Students write longer research papers, poetry with figurative language, and newspaper articles to practice interviewing and writing for an audience. They engage in debates where they are challenged to consider others’ perspectives.

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Social Studies

4th Grade Social Studies

4th grade social studies focuses on Texas. Students learn the state’s geography, history, and culture through reading, writing, and mapping activities. They learn and practice note-taking and nonfiction reading skills as texts become more complex. Social studies lessons come alive with skits, songs, demonstrations, field trips, and projects. A hallmark of the 4th grade experience is a lively Texas history performance on Go Texan Day, which students work together to create and perform each year.

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Science

4th Grade Science

4th grade students attend science class twice every six days. Students learn about and engage in the scientific process as well as use many scientific tools such as microscopes, thermometers, and devices to measure time, weight, volume, and capacity. Science process skills include observing qualities, measuring quantities, sorting/classifying, inferring, predicting, experimenting, and communicating. 4th grade science classes are held in labs where students design investigations, engage in scientific reasoning, manipulate equipment, record data, analyze results, and discuss their findings. Science experiments offer students many opportunities to work in groups, follow their own interests, explore cause and effect, and get messy!

4th grade science topics include investigating force and motion, magnetism, sinking and floating, mixtures, energy, investigating circuits, the water cycle, phases of the moon, producers and consumers, food webs, and inherited traits and learned behaviors.

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Social-Emotional Learning

Lower School Social-Emotional Learning

Lower School classrooms use the Responsive Classroom approach to classroom management. This approach focuses on establishing classroom routines, procedures, and relationships so students learn to make good choices that contribute to a positive learning environment. Students participate in classroom meetings where they discuss class issues, set goals, and practice active listening to work together to reach a common goal. Teachers guide students to collaborate in whole-class and small group settings successfully.

2nd graders focus on showing grit and perseverance through STEAM challenges, which require them to create and follow a plan, test their product, and reflect on the outcome of the challenge.
In 3rd grade, students begin to receive math and language arts grades, which are based on classwork, homework, participation, and work habits. Teachers help students make the transition to receiving grades by showing examples of high-quality work, providing rubrics, and meeting with students one-on-one to discuss areas for improvement along the way.
Our 4th grade program embraces the principles of the Responsive Classroom approach to support emotional well-being and social skills. Every classroom begins the day with a morning meeting, where students work together to establish class expectations, solve problems, and develop a sense of community.

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Enrichment Classes

Lower School Computer Science

Lower School Computer Science teaches students how to safely and effectively navigate technology devices, learn through using technology, share their learning using technology, and code. Students participate in lessons about digital citizenship, learning how to be safe, respectful, and responsible online. They learn how to use functions and features of iPads, apps, and websites. They also learn how to use several apps to conduct research, and practice research skills by working on social studies or science projects. Research apps include online encyclopedias, databases, Google Earth, and online books. Students learn a variety of ways to organize and present information using technology such as Google Docs, Google Drawing, and Google Slides. They use Wixie to create presentations including both visual and auditory components. Students build their typing skills by participating in the TypingClub web app lessons throughout the year. As we move further into technology education, students develop computational thinking skills in preparation for learning to write code and solve other problems.

Lower School Music

Lower School students attend Music class twice every six days. Our Lower School music classes follow the Kodály Today curriculum, a sequenced program emphasizing singing, music literacy, and musicianship skills. Musical elements such as pitches and rhythms are prepared, presented, and practiced through a multi-year sequence, allowing students to gain greater literacy skills. Students develop musicianship through singing, playing instruments, movement and folk dancing, using manipulatives, reading music, improvising, composing, and performing. Students perform for the school community at holiday chapel services and spring concerts, and they learn performance skills and audience manners in preparation for these exciting events.

Lower School Religion

Our Episcopal identity is at the heart of our school. In addition to attending chapel service each week, students attend Religion classes. Our Religion class employs the Godly Play curriculum, a creative, imaginative, Montessori-based approach to religious education. Children explore the mystery of God’s presence, finding direction in their lives, and making meaning through story, wonder, and play. The Godly Play curriculum is a three-year, spiral curriculum. Within this time, students explore core stories, expanded core stories, and enrichment stories that continue to stretch our student’s biblical knowledge. Lower School students serve as acolytes or readers in chapel services, roles they prepare for during Religion class. As part of our Episcopal identity of welcoming other faiths, students learn about other religious observances incorporated throughout the year.

Lower School Library

Lower School students attend Library class one time every six days, but are welcomed into the Library to explore and check out books several times each week. The school librarians love working with students to help them select diverse books from the robust collection. Lower School Library classes teach library skills, literacy skills, and research skills. Students learn skills needed to enjoy and navigate the library, such as using the catalog to search for books and place holds, checking books in and out, finding books in the library using alphabetical order or call numbers, and why and how books are shelved by topic in libraries. Literacy skills include listening to and learning about many genres and types of books as well as features of books. Students study award-winning authors and illustrators, and develop an awareness of characteristics unique to selected authors’ or illustrators’ books. They also learn research skills in Library classes that help them conduct research for their classroom projects, social studies lessons, and science classes. Students explore and practice using a variety of print and digital resources, including PebbleGo and World Book Online. Our Lower School librarian partners with classroom teachers to help students develop basic concepts of citing sources in 1st and 2nd grade, and independently cite sources by 3rd and 4th grade.

Lower School Spanish

Lower School students build their communicative competence in the Spanish language through listening, speaking, reading, writing, and cultural activities. Meaningful communication is achieved through the use of TPR (Total Physical Response), which combines gestures with words to assist with comprehension in young students’ minds. Social studies, science, language arts, and math topics are integrated into Spanish class, which help students review academic concepts while also acquiring the Spanish language. Students enjoy creating artwork, singing songs, dramatization, and movement to deepen their understanding of the Spanish language and Spanish-speaking cultures and celebrations.

Lower School PE / Athletics

Lower School students attend PE classes twice every six days. In PE, students learn form and technique for many physical skills such as running, throwing, and catching. They learn about good sportsmanship, strategizing with others, and working as part of a team. Formal rules of several sports, including basketball, soccer, and volleyball, are taught and practiced. Students participate in games that involve individual competition, group competition, and cooperation.

In addition to PE, Lower School students have athletic opportunities in the fall, winter, and spring to play on competitive sports teams including soccer, bounce ball, and basketball. These teams are open to all students without tryouts, and they practice and compete after school or on the weekends.

3rd & 4th Grade Art

3rd and 4th grade students attend art class once every six days, where they learn about artists and art techniques, art in different cultures and throughout time, and how to evaluate artworks of self, peers, and historical and contemporary artists. 3rd and 4th grade students learn to use appropriate vocabulary when discussing the elements of art, including line, shape, color, texture, form, space, and value, and the principles of design, including emphasis, repetition/pattern, movement/rhythm, contrast/variety, balance, proportion, and unity. Students produce drawings, paintings, prints, sculpture, and other art forms such as ceramics, fiber art, constructions, mixed media, installation art, digital art and media, and photographic imagery using a variety of materials. Each trimester, students will focus on one time period in art history—Renaissance for the 1st trimester, Impressionism for the 2nd trimester, and Modernism for the 3rd trimester.

Learn more about enrichment courses across the St. Mark's experience.