English Language Arts 140
2 Semesters: 36 Units
Required Course Materials
Fourth Grade Language Arts consists of reading, spelling, grammar, and writing. Some science concepts are integrated into reading, and some basic math skills are practiced in spelling. Students continue to engage in skill units to develop reading fluency and comprehension. They read a variety of genres including chapter books, tall tales, fables, poetry, folk tales, and informational articles. In each unit, students complete a journal entry and learn to use a rubric for journal writing. Students use the writing process and engage in a variety of writing applications.
Math 140
2 Semesters: 36 Units
Required Course Materials
In this course, students investigate the base-ten number system by reading, writing, representing, comparing and rounding whole numbers and decimals; compute with whole numbers using 1 and 2 digit numbers; develop strategies for performing mental computations; and generate equivalent forms of fractions and decimals to estimate, add, and subtract decimals and fractions with like denominators. Students count money and make change; examine prime and composite numbers; make simple measurement conversions of units; solve multi-step problems; and develop strategies to find perimeter, area, and volume. In geometry, students investigate, classify, and model plane figures and solids. They plot locations in the first quadrant of a coordinate system and make transformations of slides, flips, and turns; use words, tables, and graphs to analyze patterns and relationships to make predictions and solve problems; represent unknowns as variables in equations and inequalities and relate how change in one variable affects the value of a related variable. Students gather and organize data in tables, charts, and graphs and make predictions based on interpretations and appropriate display of data; use mode, median, and range to describe characteristics of data; conduct simple probability experiments and make predictions of possible outcomes ordering events as impossible, unlikely, equal, likely, and certain-to-happen; and make lists to display all possible combinations of different sets of items.
Science 140
2 Semesters: 36 Units
Required Course Materials
Fourth-graders continue to safely conduct investigations, choose appropriate tools, measure, collect, formulate conclusions and communicate findings. They draw inferences from simple experiments and study the physical and chemical changes of matter. Properties of materials and the discovery of new materials formed by combining two or more materials are explored. Students expand the study of life cycles of plants by examining characteristics, growth and functions. Students gather information on the weather and its patterns and how weather impacts the Earth's surface, land, air and water. They explore how utilizing technology affects human lives and how technology and inventions change to meet people's needs.
Social Studies 140: Ohio History
2 Semesters: 36 Units
In this course, students will learn that the state of Ohio is the focus for fourth grade. Students learn about the geography, history, government and economy of their state. They learn about issues and ways citizens participate in Ohio's government. Students develop research skills through individual and group activities.
Social Studies 140: National Social Studies
2 Semesters: 36 Units
The National Fourth Grade Social Studies course may be used in place of the traditional JCESC VLA Social Studies course that focuses exclusively on Ohio Academic Content Standards. This national course features ten themes that serve as organizing strands for the social studies curriculum at the fourth grade level. Those themes are included in the following explanation.
This curriculum includes experiences that provide for the study of culture and cultural diversity; the ways human beings view themselves in and over time; historical knowledge, skills and values; geographic concepts and skills; identification and analysis of how individuals relate to one another; various institutions that affect students’ lives; rights and responsibilities in specific contexts; economic decisions as they compare with the students’ own economic experiences as well as those of others; technologies that form systems and an explanation of how daily lives are intertwined with a host of technologies; global connections and basic issues and concerns; and civic ideals and practices with views of citizenship in other times.
This course is the integrated study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Its primary purpose is to help young people develop the ability to make informed and reasoned decisions for the public good as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world.
Spanish 140
1/2 Semester: 18 Units
Required Course Materials
Students in Spanish 140 will further explore their study of the Spanish language. In each unit, students will learn the cultural importance of a holiday or tradition from the Spanish-speaking world. They will continue to be introduced to new Spanish vocabulary, as well as review and use vocabulary that was previously learned. They will look more closely at Spanish pronunciation and rules for accentuation. The students will begin to form sentences, work with gender and formality and learn to respond to questions, using their own personal opinion. In addition, they will have the opportunity to view videos from Spanish-speaking countries and replicate cultural objects, in order to gain a greater understanding of the target language.