Grade 4

Ms. Okvist, Mrs. Ansman, Ms. Stone and Ms. Varghese

ELA

In our IB unit, How We Organize Ourselves, we connected the central idea that systems have functions that support a community to reading skills such as visualizing, point of view, problem-solution, context clues, and suffixes, all within the guiding question, "In what ways can you help your community?" We analyzed how understanding perspectives and identifying solutions, as seen in the Civil Rights Movement, can inspire us to take principled actions to support fairness and equality in our own communities. Students used research skills to gather evidence for their argumentative essays on why the Civil Rights Movement was needed, and social skills to collaborate respectfully and share ideas. By being reflective, students considered how the lessons of the past could guide their own roles in creating positive change, while being communicators ensured their arguments were clear and impactful. These activities helped us see how literacy and historical understanding are essential systems that empower individuals to support and strengthen their communities.

Social Studies

Students have been learning how European colonies were established in New York and their interactions with Native Americans. We explored how colonial systems, such as trade, governance, and agriculture, functioned to sustain the community, while Native American systems of resource use and social organization supported their way of life. Students used research skills to investigate these systems and social skills to collaborate, ensuring respectful communication when discussing the complex relationships between colonists and Native Americans. By being principled, we acknowledged the importance of fairness and ethical behavior in these historical interactions, while being reflective helped us evaluate the successes and challenges of these systems in fostering community. Through effective communication, we shared our insights, recognizing how understanding past systems and relationships can inform how we organize ourselves today.

Science

In our IB unit, How We Organize Ourselves, we explored the central idea that systems have functions that work together to support a community, which is directly connected to our current science unit on human body and plant systems. We learned that just as communities depend on organized systems like transportation and education, the human body and plants rely on interconnected systems like the circulatory system or photosynthesis to function efficiently. To deepen our understanding, we used research skills to investigate these systems and social skills to collaborate on projects, ensuring we communicated our findings effectively. By being principled, we respected others’ contributions and ensured our work was accurate and ethical, while being reflective helped us evaluate the connections between natural and human-made systems. Through this process, we demonstrated the importance of being effective communicators and critical thinkers, recognizing how every system plays a vital role in maintaining balance and support.

Math

In the lense of our IB unit, we connected the central idea that systems have functions that support a community to the math concepts of patterns, equivalent fractions, factors, and multiples. We examined how mathematical systems, such as the relationships between numbers and patterns, create structure and efficiency, much like systems in a community. Students used research skills to explore real-world applications, such as how patterns help in organization or how factors and multiples support problem-solving in daily life. By being principled, students ensured their calculations and reasoning were accurate and fair, while being reflective allowed them to analyze their methods and improve their understanding of these concepts. Through effective communication and social skills, students worked collaboratively to share ideas and build connections between math systems and their roles in supporting communities.

Field Trip: Bowling!

End of Year Celebration!

The 4th grade came together to celebrate the New Year! 4th grade teachers threw their classes "New Years Eve" parties to come together as a community and celebrate our accomplishments so far this year, and to look forward to all the possibilities in the new year!

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Check out these dance moves!

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