The 4th grade is your student's first year as an intermediate student. You will likely find that your child's teacher has greater expectations for your student to demonstrate increased levels of independence. For example, he or she will be expected to set aside time for and complete homework with a minimum of parent involvement, manage his time on multi-part assignments, and handle routine social interactions, including minor disagreements with a minimum of teacher involvement.
Your 4th grader will be taking the statewide MSP assessments in reading, math and writing, and these subjects will form the lynchpins of his daily curriculum.
Writing - Detailed information on Fourth Grade Writing Power Standards
In terms of reading, there is less emphasis upon "learning to read", and instead, a focus upon using reading as a tool to gain knowledge about the world. In both narrative and expository writing, our focus will be upon elaboration and layering so that students learn to build upon an idea thoroughly.
Mathematics - Detailed information on Fourth Grade Mathematics Power Standards
Math Overview - Multiplication, division and fractions
In math, your child will be expected to master the basic multiplication facts (2 X 1 through 12 X 12), the related division fact families, and to use those facts to complete multi-digit problems. He or she will be exposed to various mulitiplication strategies, and will also explore fractions, area and perimeter, probability and interpreting data using mode and median.
Just in case you're thinking the 4th grade is all work and no play, the Rockwell 4th grade traditionally has a Halloween cake contest, enjoys several salmon-related field trips, participates in the care, feeding and eventual release of baby salmon and has a papier-mache' bear event in the spring of every year. This is also the first year when your student may participate in a service position on student council and try orchestra and choir. They're growing up, and as their abilities and our expectations increase, so do their opportunities.