What to expect from 4th Grade!

Changes in Independence

Fourth Graders seek ways to gain independence, so in 4th grade:

• we carefully scaffold activities and lessons to foster independence, building positive independent habits.
• we create projects that support and allow for growth in independence.
• we create motivation systems that foster independence and quality work completion

Changes in Executive Functioning:

Fourth Graders increase responsibility, so in 4th grade we:

• build attention span for completing work.
• support organization, routines and planning by using the gradual release of responsibility method.
• we support empathy and working it out through group problem solving & community service.
• we support the development of self-monitoring by keeping track of their own work.

Changes in Content: Concrete to Abstract

In 4th grade we use teaching through a concrete-to-representational-to-abstract sequence of instruction is to ensure students truly have a thorough understanding of the math concepts/skills they are learning.

1. Each math concept/skill is first modeled with concrete materials.
2. Students are provided many opportunities to practice and demonstrate mastery using concrete materials
3. The math concept/skill is next modeled at the representational (semi-concrete) level which involves drawing pictures that represent the concrete objects previously used.
4. Students are provided many opportunities to practice and demonstrate mastery by drawing solutions
5. The math concept/skill is finally modeled at the abstract level (using only numbers and mathematical symbols)
6. Students are provided many opportunities to practice and demonstrate mastery at the abstract level before moving to a new math concept/skill.