K-12 Curriculum 

Fourth Grade Key Learning Targets

Clarkston School District (CSD) strives to provide opportunities for students to meet their full potential. Students must develop the ability to be independent thinkers. They must learn to solve real-life problems and keep up with latest developments. This curriculum summary identifies key learning targets that represent the skills and knowledge required in each classroom to meet the Washington State Essential Academic Learning Requirements at this grade level.

We encourage you to contact any of our elementary schools if you would like additional information.

Character Education

CSD believes that values education is central to the personal growth and development of its students. It helps prepare them to meet the complex challenges of a rapidly changing world. The district further believes the following common values are essential to the character of an educated person. The school must model, teach and reinforce these values:

• Respect
• Self Discipline
• Honesty
• Work Ethic
• Responsibility
• Citizenship

Communication

Communication develops at different rates and is used in all aspects of life.

The fourth grade student in CSD works on using listening and observation skills.

• Focuses attention.
• Listens for information.
• Checks for understanding through questioning and paraphrasing.

The fourth grade student in CSD works on communicating ideas clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences.

• Develops content and ideas.
• Uses effective delivery, language and style.
• Presents effectively using action, sound, or images.

The student in CSD works on using communication strategies and skills to work effectively with others.

• Works cooperatively as a member of a group.
• Seeks agreement through agreement and discussion.

The student in CSD works on analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of formal and informal communication.

• Assesses own and others communication strengths.
• Sets goals for improvement.
• Seeks and offers feedback.

Reading

The fourth grade student in the CSD strives to understand and use different strategies and skills to read fluently.

• Uses text to read unknown words.
• Expands phonics usage.
• Reads aloud with fluency and expression.
• Uses structural analysis to interpret meaning of unknown vocabulary (roots, endings, affixes, and tenses).

The fourth grade student in the CSD strives to understand the meaning of what is read.

• Paraphrases and summarizes the sequence of a story.
• Compares and contrasts story elements.
• Identifies and analyzes cause and effect.
• Reads text independently.

The fourth grade student in the CSD works on reading different materials for various purposes.

• Utilizes primary sources in preparing a report.
• Uses primary sources in bibliographic form.
• Application in content areas.
• Reads and follows written directions (multi-step).
• Formulates questions and evaluations.
• Reads silently for pleasure (30 minutes).
• Uses graphs, maps and tables to locate information.
• Uses guide words to locate information in dictionaries and encyclopedias.
• Uses index, table of contents, and glossary.
• Recognizes different types of text forms: historical, fiction, novels, memos.

The fourth grade student in the CSD works on setting goals and evaluating progress to improve reading.

• Develops an interest and shares reading experiences.• Seeks and uses feedback to improve reading.
• Assesses own strengths and need for improvement.
• Practices test taking strategies.WRITTEN LANGUAGE

Learning to write brings the learner into the literate community as an active participant.  The fourth grade student in the CSD works on writing clearly and effectively.

• Writes papers with introductory paragraphs, two or three paragraphs in the body and conclusion.
• Demonstrates narrative and expository writing using organization, a main idea, specific details and correct mechanics.

The fourth grade student in the CSD works toward writing in a variety of forms for different audiences.

• Finds information using graphs, maps, and tables.
• Uses encyclopedia and dictionary through the use of guide words.
• Uses index, table of contents, and glossary.
• Selects correct dictionary meanings for words.
• Writes reports with two or more sources.
• Writes business letters.

The fourth grade student in the CSD works toward understanding and using the writing process.

• Revises sentences for subject/verb agreement.
• Edits and demonstrates use of punctuation for plural possessives; use of colon in lists, use of comma for compound sentences; use of quotation marks for conversation.
• Analyzes main idea through graphic organizers.
• Views technology as an important part of learning.

The fourth grade student in the CSD works toward analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of written work.

• Uses the assessment process for self and peers in literacy.
• Practices test taking strategies.
• Writes legibly in cursive.

Mathematics

The fourth grade student in the CSD understands and applies the concepts and procedures of mathematics to solve problems.

Number Sense

• Reads, writes, and compares numbers to 1,000,000 and common fractions.
• Rounds numbers to the nearest tens, hundreds, and thousands.
• Demonstrates the meaning of commutative, associative, and identity property.
• Adds and subtracts whole numbers to five places.
• Readily recalls multiplication facts to ten.
• Readily recalls division facts to ten.
• Uses proper vocabulary for: addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and fractions.
• Multiplies using one and two digit multipliers.
• Divides three-digit dividends by a one-digit divisor.
• Identifies, compares and orders simple fractions up to sixteenths.
• Uses mental math to divide by 10s and 100s.

Measurement

• Estimates temperature using the Fahrenheit scale.
• Determines and explains the relationship of area and perimeter of irregular two-dimensionals.
• Uses standard linear (in, ft, yd, cm, m), liquid (cup, pint, quart, gallon, liter) and area measures.
• Measures to the nearest whole and common fractional parts of units.

Geometric Sense

• Uses physical models to determine volume of rectangular solids.
• Plots coordinates on a line graph.
• Describes acute/obtuse/right angles, parallel, perpendicular and intersecting lines.

Probability/Statistics

• Explores probability with certain and uncertain events.

Algebraic Sense

• Writes addition, subtraction, and multiplication equations algebraically.

Calculator Use

Science

Our science curriculum is under review. We are updating goals and choosing materials to teach the following concepts at this grade level.

Clarkston’s Science Program focuses on Earth, Life and Physical Sciences at each grade level. Through the study of specific topics at each grade level, students will gain a breadth of knowledge and develop abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry.

The following topics have been selected at this grade level.

Electricity, Energy, Mixtures and Solutions, Human Body Systems, Classification of Plants and Animals, Food Chains and Webs, Land Features of the Pacific Northwest, Earth Forces (Volcanoes), Soil.

Social Studies

Social studies provides students with the knowledge and skills they need to participate as responsible and effective citizens in an increasingly complex world.  The fourth grade student in CSD develops an understanding of major events, turning points, chronology, and the cause and effect relationship among them in Pacific Northwest history.

• Understands the traditions and celebrations in the region.
• Compares and contrasts cultures from the past and present within the region.
• Understands how growth and development change a region.
• Shows respect for contributions of different cultural communities throughout the region.

The fourth grade student in CSD begins to develop a stronger sense of the impact of the environment on regional choices.

• Recognizes the impact of environment on the Pacific Northwest.
• Shows responsibility in caring for the regional environment.
• Identifies how technology impacts the Pacific Northwest.

The fourth grade student in CSD continues to develop an understanding of the influences of continuity and change.

• Understands our region is always growing and changing (migration).
• Recognizes changes impact region choices (i.e. Pacific Rim influences).
• Identifies how past and present choices influence the future of the Pacific Northwest (emerging cultures).

The fourth grade student in CSD begins to understand how people participate in making decisions for Pacific Northwest (Civics).

• Begins to understand the structure and processes of state government.
• Practices appropriate processes and responsibilities of good citizenship.
• Expands the understanding that rules impact safety, order, and harmony regionally.

The fourth grade student in CSD continues to develop an understanding of the principles of economics.

• Understands that work is rewarding.
• Develops an understanding of economic systems and emerging careers that impact the Pacific Northwest.
• Expands their understanding that economic choices involve costs and consequences.
• Compares and contrasts the impact of the business market on the region and the Pacific Rim neighbors.

The fourth grade student in CSD continues to develop an understanding of geographical concepts.

• Identifies areas of a map or globe (i.e. hemisphere, gulf, Puget Sound, peninsula, rim of fire, mountain ranges, major rivers and lakes in the Pacific Northwest).
• Creates regional maps of the Pacific Northwest.
• Uses geographic tools (compass rose, map legends, atlases & globes).
• Continues to develop an understanding of states, capitals, and major cities.
• Begins to use technological tools in geographical research.

Music

Music is an essential part of the curriculum of the Clarkston School District. The objective of music education is to provide each student with meaningful knowledge and skills to empower them to be involved in music throughout their life.

The major goals of music education in CSD include:

• to develop self-discipline and a positive self-image.
• to broaden student’s sensitivity to their own and other cultural heritages.
• learn appropriate social behavior in group situations.
• provide students with knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in music.
• provide an opportunity for students to display their musical knowledge and skills through performances.

The fourth grade student acquires the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a healthy, active life: movement, physical fitness, and nutrition.

Health & Wellness

Understands personal well-being and develops a plan to achieve it.

• Knows how heredity, environment, and lifestyle affect the health of family members.
• Possesses strategies for coping with stress in a healthy manner.
• Knows what factors help create a positive self-concept (attitudes, motivations, skills, perceptions).
• Knows the relationship between physical well-being and mental/emotional health.
• Develops a plan to take charge of your self-concept in a positive manner.

Understands how to gain the most benefit from physical activities.

• Uses the social skills for participating in physical activities.
• Knows how exercise affects heart rate, including determining own heart rate.
• Knows how to improve strength, endurance, and flexibility.
• Develops a personal plan for being physically active.

Understands the benefits and strategies for living a safe life.

• Knows benefits and strategies for proper bike, traffic, water, and unknown substance safety.
• Develops a personal plan for safety on a bike, in traffic, in the water, and with unknown substances.
• Knows how to behave during tornadoes, blizzards, flooding, earthquake, and electrical storms.

Understands the influences of peers and advertising on the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and strategies for resisting their use.

• Knows laws regulating the use, sale, and advertising of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
• Knows why people start using alcohol, tobacco, and drugs
• Knows how and why peers influence the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
• Knows how and why advertising influences the use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
• Knows strategies for resisting the pressure of peers and advertising.

Understands and is able to cope with the emotional effects of disease.

• Knows how the fear of being different influences and affects the ways we act toward others.
• Knows factors which affect a person’s lifestyle.
• Is able to relate personal behavior to contracting diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, noninfectious diseases).
• Knows sources of information and services for diseases and disorders.

Understands nutrition.

• Food group pyramid.
• Serving sizes and number of servings.
• Reducing fat in the diet and avoiding obesity.
• Makes responsible eating choices.
• Recognizes the influence of media and advertising on weight and eating habits.

Physical Education

Applies physical education to life.

• Demonstrates physical fitness (coordination, endurance, good attitude).
• Assesses physical fitness needs.
• Knows basics of individual and group sports and recreational activities (benefits, safety practices, responsibilities of participation, rules of activities).
• Manages personal health, wellness, and fitness needs (prevention and care of injuries, nutrition and diet, commitment necessary to gain and maintain fitness).
• Demonstrates sportsmanship in sports and recreation (value of winning and losing, united goal-setting, ground rules for team play, basic social and cooperative skills).
• Uses a variety of strategies to succeed in sports and recreational activities (recognize strengths and weaknesses, know value of repetition and practice).
• Demonstrates proper treatment of sports equipment (safety, care, storage, for intended purposes only).
• Is familiar with local sports and recreational activities and places.
• Is familiar with equipment used in various sports.

Shows knowledge and skills which better enable and/or improve participation in group and team sports (i.e. basketball, flag football, soccer, softball, and volleyball).

Increases muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, body awareness, and agility through fitness and recreational activities ( i.e. jumping rope).

• Shows you are in the shape you should be in for your age (Achieve age-appropriate norms on a standardized fitness test).
• Does warm-up exercises, jumping jacks, pushups, and stretches.

The district strives to provide access to technology to all students. Age-appropriate curriculum is being developed in these areas:

Technology

The fourth grade student understands and uses:

• Basic Computer Operation
• Word processing, drawing and painting software
• Electronic database
• Presentation and communication software