Summer Before
4th Grade

So, you're going to be a 4th grader!
Below are lots of ideas that can help you prepare for 4th grade.

MATH

Multiplication and Division:

Practice your multiplication facts this summer!!! Depending on how well you knew your fact by the end of third grade, try to practice anywhere from 5-20 minutes/day.

Ways to practice your multiplication facts:

  • Have a family member or friend quiz you on your facts

  • Buy or print flashcards (free on my teacher page, at varsitytutors.com or factmonster.com)

  • Use the deck of cards and games I gave to you over the holiday break (also available on my teacher page)

  • Watch the multiplication videos on my teacher page

  • Print worksheets and/or practice online with drills, games, and activities

    • Multiplication.com

    • Mathisfun.com

    • Factmonster.com

    • Go Math: www-k6.thinkcentral.com

    • Mathplayground.com

    • ABCYa.com

    • Worksheetfun.com

Addition and Subtraction:

Review our lessons in multi-digit addition and subtraction (with regrouping) by printing out worksheets and/or practicing online with drills, games and activities.

Fractions:

Be on the lookout for fractions this summer! They are EVERYWHERE - in the kitchen, at summer camp, in your pizza, in your family, in your book, at the grocery store, in your closet, in your bag of M&Ms! Find them, think about them and talk about them. You can also review our lessons in fractions by printing out worksheets and/or practicing online with drills, games and activities.

Preparing for 4th Grade Math:

4th Grade Math Topics: Get a head start by watching videos online, trying out some worksheets or even have an older sibling, friend, or other relative introduce you to the concepts.

  • Addition and subtraction within 1,000,000

  • Multiplication and division with 1- and 2-digit numbers

  • Add and subtract fractions

  • Multiply fractions by whole numbers

  • Relate fractions and decimals

  • 2-Dimensional figures and angles

  • Relative sizes of measurement units

  • Perimeter and area

Go Math - Getting Ready for 4th Grade Worksheets

READING:

Reading over the summer is VERY important!


Check out Mrs. Peritore's AMAZING list of books by reading level.

  • Try to read EVERY day! At least 30 minutes per day.

  • Practice reading “long and strong” to build stamina

  • Set reading goals for yourself!

  • Read “just-right” books to help you grow as a reader. Not too hard, not too easy, but just-right!

      • 2-3 challenging words on the page

      • Something you understand at the end of the page

  • Remember your strategies when a word doesn't look right, sound right, or make sense:

      • Read before and after the word

      • Try to substitute the word with a possible synonym

      • Chunk it, sound it out, or try different letter sounds

      • If you need to, look it up

  • Read out loud to someone else to help improve your fluency

  • Be sure to keep a mental movie going in your head and stop to think about the reading along the way. Even better - keep a Reading Response Journal or post-its to record your stop-and-jots

    • Retell/Summarize

    • Connections

    • Predictions

    • Questions

    • Thoughts

    • Compare/Contrast

    • Cause/Effect

    • Problem/Solution

    • Sequence

    • Interesting Information

Online Reading: Raz Kids, Big Universe and Storia will continue to work with your login and password until they’re changed for 4th grade. I’ll be checking in to see who’s logging on!

Other Reading Opportunities:

WRITING:

Pick one or more to keep your writing skills sharp this summer. Don’t forget the non-negotiables:

  • Complete sentences

  • Correct capitalization

  • Correct punctuation

  • Best effort with spelling

Keep a summer journal:

Use a spiral notebook, composition notebook, journal or type it on the computer! Make a plan to write a little every few days or every week. Be sure to start each entry with the date so you can look back on your memories from the summer. Here are some ideas…

  • Write about something you did or a place you went. Write about it as a diary/journal entry or write a small moment story! Either way try to use a story-teller’s voice by including detail and “showing-not-telling.”

    For example: instead of “I went to the pool on Tuesday. It was crowded.” write “One hot, muggy Tuesday afternoon, we decided to visit the community pool. We were not the only people in town with that idea, though, because the pool was full of kids and almost all of the tables and chairs were taken.”

  • Write a realistic fiction story. Use inspiration from your summer vacation mixed with a little imagination to write a fiction story.

  • Create your own “morning” responses and answer them in complete sentences. Use “would you rather...?” questions or “what is your favorite…?” questions. For ideas, google “would you rather questions for kids?”

Write a letter or send a postcard:

The five parts of a letter are easy to remember… heading, greeting, body, closing, signature… parts of a letter, parts of a letter.

  • Write a persuasive letter. Write to someone in your family, someone at Salt Brook, or someone in the community about something you want to change. Don’t forget to plan before you write: introduction, three reasons with examples, and conclusion.

  • Write a letter to someone famous. Sometimes you can find addresses for famous people online by searching for their management office or agency. Think about your favorite author, athlete, musician, actor/actress, politician, or even youtuber. Tell them what you like about them and why and ask them questions about what they do.

Write an All-About:

Pick a topic you know a lot about or think about something you are really interested in and do some research. Make a google slideshow with pictures and other non-fiction features

SCIENCE & SOCIAL STUDIES

Some of my favorite YouTube channels…

  • BrainPop and BrainPop Jr.

  • SciShow Kids

  • Crash Course Kids

  • National Geographic Kids

  • Slick Slime Sam

  • Peekaboo Kids (The Dr. Binocs Show)

  • BrainPOP

  • Simple History

  • Homeschool Pop