• Literacy
    Literacy
    Greenacres 4th Grade
     
    In the fourth grade writing curriculum, the units include narrative writing, literary essay, persuasive essay, historical fiction journaling, and  informational writing. The goal of our writing program is to lift the level of students' writing. Lessons are taught using the workshop model. Mini-lessons are centered around the teaching of a specific skill or strategy. These are introduced with explicit teaching, mentor texts, modeling, and the active engagement of the students.  Progress is assessed frequently during conferences, and goal-setting is an important part of the students' growth.
     
     
    In reading, the units include Character/Heart of the Story, Reading the Weather, Reading the World, Interpretation Book Clubs, Poetry, and Reading History. The focus of our reading program is reading with deep engagement & comprehension.

     

    Learning to read and write is the focus of the elementary school English Language Arts curriculum. We take a balanced approach to literacy, an approach that is built on a comprehensive view of literacy instruction. Literacy is not solely reading. Students learn to read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding. They develop and sharpen their skills in comprehension and critical analysis while immersed in various genres. Students explore literacy with various levels of support and independence. Writing is taught as a process, not as disconnected skills. Students engage in thinking and talking about literacy and observe modeling of good reading and writing skills and habits. A well balanced literacy program includes several components: read alouds, shared reading & writing, guided reading & writing, and independent reading & writing.

     
    We read books together as a whole class and also in small groups.  Students also read independently daily, at home and at school.  Logs, Must Read Lists, Responses, Whole Class Book Discussion Questions, Skills and Strategies Work, Checklists, and Rubrics are all used to support and monitor student's growth as readers. Students conference with me regularly to share what they are reading, discuss how it's going, and ask any questions they may have. Students recommend good books to each other during Book Talks in class and in our online class community, Google Classroom.
     
     
    Students gather ideas and write freely in their Writer's Notebook throughout the year. We bring selected pieces through the writing process with the goal of publishing and celebrating in mind.


    Grammar mini-lessons are taught daily.  Daily Fundamentals practice helps students improve their editing skills. 

    • Parts of Speech
    • Sentences
    • Mechanics
    • Editing
    • Writing
    • Research Skills

    We will be using Wordly Wise for our vocabulary program this year.  

    We will use Spelling Connections as our word study/spelling program this year.