Grade 4

Below is a list of 2008-09 forms and information for Grade 4 students. All forms are due in the office by August 1, 2008. Students may not start School without a completed General Information Form on file.

Students in Grade 4 experience a semi-departmentalized setting. There are two sections with 18 students in each and a certified teacher. One grade level teacher instructs Math and Social Studies, while the other teaches the Language Arts block of reading, grammar, spelling and composition.

Core curriculum includes a literature and novel-based reading program, word study using the "Words Their Way" spelling program and daily writing focusing on the writing process, journals, reading responses and grammar. The program includes flexible math groups using the Houghton Mifflin text and Accelerated Math. Social Studies topics covering Virginia history, map studies and the geography of South America, and a four-times a week science lab accompanied by the Harcourt text. Students in Grade 4 also participate in the WordMasters Challenge, a Language Arts competition that encourages growth in vocabulary and verbal reasoning.

Students in Grade 4 learn Spanish twice a week. Music and art are scheduled twice weekly, and physical education is taught for 45 minutes, four times a week. Students also have a weekly period of library instruction, reading and research. Time is given to select personal reading books. Guidance is provided weekly for a 30-minute period. Students spend time once a week in the computer lab as well.

Grade 4 students participate in weekly assemblies for parents and fellow students. Grade 4 produces a play each year in addition to participation in the Winter Holiday and Grandparents Day programs. Fourth graders also take three or four field studies each year. Students in Grade 4 take an overnight field study to Jamestown, Va., to facilitate curriculum development and focus on cooperative group activities to build trust and support among peers.

The implementation of Lower School student representatives provides students in Grades 3 and 4 leadership opportunities as well as the opportunity to suggest ways to improve the School and to strengthen the cooperation among the students in this division.

Students' reading and math skills are assessed using STAR reading and STAR math. In addition to classroom assessment, reading comprehension is also checked using the Accelerated Reader program. All three programs are linked to a School-wide database so student progress can be tracked across the grades. Fourth graders are administered the ERB standardized test in the spring.

Resource assistance is available for students in need of one-on-one and/or small group instruction.

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