Literacy

The Farmington reading program is a comprehensive one designed to develop skills, strategies, and habits in order to foster life-long reading in accordance with the Science of Reading. Students read and discuss high quality texts with teacher guidance and independently read self-selected books. Students also read a variety of content texts in other curriculum areas, such as science, social studies and mathematics.

Writing is integrated into all aspects of the curriculum. Students write in a variety of forms to communicate information, express opinions, and explore personal understanding of the world. Students also engage in the process of writing by developing prewriting strategies, composing drafts, revising, editing and reflecting upon finished work. Students are also provided with opportunities to develop library, technology, and research skills.

All literacy instruction is based on the following essential understandings:

● Reading and writing require a fundamental knowledge of sounds, letters, words and the conventions of language to read, write and speak effectively;

● Reading is a thinking process used to construct meaning; and

● Writing is a thinking process used to generate, clarify and communicate ideas.

Reading

The fourth grade literacy program continues the development of skills and strategies necessary for reading and understanding more complex texts independently while also broadening a wide interest in reading. Through a program rich in both fiction and non-fiction, students continue to build extensive vocabulary and word recognition skills. They apply multiple reading strategies while fluently reading more complex texts. During the year, students participate in units of study where they learn specific strategies to enhance their understanding of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry selections. Fourth-grade readers continue to practice choosing books that best match their personal interests and skill levels, and they are expected to read self-selected books independently throughout the year. 

Fourth grade students continue to develop the ability to comprehend a variety of texts. They read silently most of the time. They can sustain reading, interest, and understanding over long texts. They analyze words in flexible ways and attempt to figure out unfamiliar, multi-syllable words in flexible ways. When reading, students are involved in a continuous process of building background knowledge, which they use to understand increasingly complex ideas. They continue to acquire new vocabulary through reading and to use reading as a tool for learning in the content areas. As they read a wide variety of texts, fourth-grade readers apply higher-level thinking skills and form interpretations. They integrate a variety of reading skills and strategies to enhance their understanding of a text, and they become increasingly adept at sharing text-related ideas in written responses and in discussions with others.

Writing

In fourth grade, the writing program continues to emphasize the writing process, the writing traits, and reflective thinking. Students engage in the writing process as they generate topics, plan, draft, revise, edit, and share their work with various audiences. They continue to have opportunities to write for different audiences, for specific purposes, and in a variety of forms including narrative, opinion, and informational writing.

 Throughout the year, students will be introduced to mentor texts—published works by accomplished authors that serve as models for various writing techniques across narrative, opinion, and informational genres. These texts help students understand different styles of storytelling, persuasive arguments, and informative writing, inspiring them to incorporate similar techniques into their own compositions. Rubrics will be used to provide clear criteria for what constitutes successful writing in each genre, guiding students toward achieving proficiency in developing compelling narratives, well-supported opinions, and informative texts that effectively convey their thoughts and ideas.

Reading

• Interpreting Characters

• Reading the Weather

• Reading History- The American Revolution

• Book Clubs: Historical Fiction and Social Issues

Writing

• Narrative Writing - writing realistic fiction

• Opinion Writing - personal and persuasive essays, literary essays

• Informational Writing - bringing history to life