Unit 8 : Geometric Concepts

The student applies mathematical process standards to analyze geometric attributes in order to develop generalizations about their properties.The student applies mathematical process standards to solve problems involving angles less than or equal to 180 degrees.

Learning Targets

• Students will classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines.

• Students will determine the approximate measures of angles in degrees to the nearest whole number using a protractor.

• Students will identify points, lines, line segments, rays, angles, and perpendicular and parallel lines.

• Students will identify and draw one or more lines of symmetry.

• Students will apply knowledge of right angles to identify acute, right, and obtuse triangles.

• Students will draw an angle with a given measure.

• Students will  illustrate the measure of an angle as the part of a circle whose center is at the vertex of the angle that is “cut out” by the rays of the angle.

Some questions you can ask your child to support their thinking:

• What attributes can we use to classify two-dimensional figures?

• How can we identify parallel and perpendicular lines?

• How can we identify acute, right and obtuse angles?

*Please make sure your child is practicing their basic multiplication facts and fact fluency each night for 15 minutes. This is a major skill that 4th graders are expected to have mastered by the end of the year.

Unit 8: Connecting Readers as Writers

In this unit, students will demonstrate social awareness skills as they take on others’ perspectives when investigating argumentative texts. Students will recognize strengths in arguments and understand the influences those arguments pose on themselves and the community. Students will compose an opinion essay, which will highlight their opinions on a particular topic. 

Novel Study: Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Maltick

While engaging in a class novel study, students will: 

• Students will use their inquiry skills and take ownership over their own learning. 

• Students will analyze and comprehend informational texts.

• Analyze and comprehend literary nonfiction, as a type of informational text.

• Make inferences about the author’s claim in an argumentative text to deepen their understanding and synthesize new information.

Essential Questions: 

• How will synthesizing information in an argumentative text deepen our understanding?

• How do writers use a claim and supportive evidence to build a cohesive argument?

Unit 3: Informational: Opinion Writing

In this unit, students will practice creating constructed responses in order to respond to a text. They will be using the R.A.C.E. strategy to respond to both short answer and extended answers. 

• I will use characteristics of informational writing in a real life context.

• I will revise drafts to improve sentence structure and word choice by adding, deleting, combining, and rearranging ideas for coherence and clarity.

• I will incorporate all steps of the writing process to state and support my claim in an opinion essay.

• I will use proper capitalization in my writing. 

Unit 10: Traits and Adaptations

In this unit students will explore how structures and functions enable organisms to survive in their environment. 

Big Ideas: 

• Explore and describe traits that are inherited from parents to offspring. 

• Explore learned behaviors of humans and animals.

Essential Questions

• Why do living things adapt to their environment?

• What is an example of a physical adaptation and a behavioral adaptation and explain how it enables the organism to survive in their environment. 

• What is the difference between inherited traits and learned behaviors?

Learning Targets: 

• I will write to explain why organisms develop adaptations.

• I will explain how adaptations enable organisms to survive in their environment. 

• I will explore plant adaptations.

• I will explore animal adaptations.

• I will examine inherited traits passed from parents to offspring.

• I will identify learned traits of various creatures.

Unit 6: Revolution in Texas

In this unit students will analyze the causes, major events, and effects of the Texas Revolution. Students will also summarize the significant contributions of individuals such as William B. Travis, James Bowie, David Crockett, Juan N. Seguín, Antonio López de Santa Anna, Susanna Dickinson and Enrique Esparza.

Big Ideas: 

• Examine the conflict between Texas settlers and the Mexican government. 

• Explain the causes and effects, and explore the individual contributions of the Texas Revolution.

Essential Questions:

• What were the causes and effects of the Texas Revolution? 

• What was the most important event of the Texas Revolution and why?

• How did individuals contribute to the Texas Revolution?

• How did the actions of _________________  affect the course of history? (Fill in the blank with any of the suggested individuals from 4.3B)

Learning Targets: 

• I will analyze the__________________ of the Texas Revolution

  • Major events

  • Causes and effects

• I will explain the purpose and importance of _____________________

  • The Texas Declaration of Independence

  • The Texas Constitution

• I will explain the meaning of various patriotic symbols and landmarks of Texas.

• I will summarize the significant contributions of individuals of the Texas Revolution.