This year's fourth grade is taught by Amy Cederborg.

Gold Nuggets from the Mine - Weekly class newsletter:

Curriculum
BIBLE (ACSI)

Christ and His Word is very basic theology with weekly studies beginning with learning tools for studying the Bible and continuing with who God is, man’s sinful nature, and the consequences of sin.  Fourth graders weekly memorize and are tested on selected Bible verses applying to the week’s lesson.  In addition students also memorize and given written tests on the books of the Bible, Psalm 100, and Luke 2:1-19.  Each Friday students attend a school chapel service.

MATHEMATICS (Houghton Mifflin)

Fourth graders are introduced to math concepts ranging from concrete to abstract.  Students learn place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, money, geometry, fractions, measurement, time, temperature, data, graphing, perimeter, area, volume, fractions, and decimals.

READING (Open Court) 

Students participate in Literacy Groups of 3 to 4 students.  Each group reads a different novel fit to suit the needs of the participants.  Student Literacy Groups participate in discussions to promote comprehension growth, meet weekly with the teacher to check oral reading skills, and produce projects and work related to demonstrate understanding of various literature components such as setting, story development, character traits, and retelling. Over the Moon text is used for whole group reading of short stories.  Comprehension activities are used with each story. Students also read the novels The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Esperanza Rising in class with corresponding comprehension work.  Monthly book reports are assigned varying in genre, and a variety of book reports are used including an oral report.  To encourage reading, the teacher reads aloud from chapter books relating to the students’ studies, especially social studies.

LANGUAGE (ABeka)

God’s Gift of Language A covers sentence types, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as the eight parts of speech (verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections).  Daily Oral Language is used to help students recognize and correct language errors in given sentences.

COMPOSITION/WRITING (Write Reflections)

Write Reflections is used to teach expository writing.  Fourth graders learn to identify a topic sentence and begin by writing three supporting (detail) sentences for each of three main ideas with up to six supporting sentences and introduction and conclusion paragraphs.  Narrative writing and poetry forms are taught throughout the year.

SPELLING (ACSI)

Weekly spelling word lists are given according to patterns with review lessons every sixth lesson.  A variety of activities are used to practice the list words. Each list is tested weekly.

HANDWRITING (Zaner-Bloser)

Neatness and correct letter formation in the Zaner-Bloser cursive form are reinforced and encouraged.

SCIENCE (ABeka)

Understanding God’s World is the text and basis for our study of geology, astronomy, energy, matter, oceanography, and plants.

SOCIAL STUDIES (Houghton Mifflin)

Oh, California is the basis for our study of California history beginning with early California natives and continuing through the Spanish missions, pioneers, gold rush, growth, agriculture, and more.  A special unit is completed about the pioneers. To reinforce our studies usually one field trip a month is taken to such places as: California State History Museum, Governor’s Mansion, State Capitol, Railroad Museum, Eagle Theater, Sutter’s Fort, Indian Museum, Handcar Demonstration, 49er Camp (overnight campout in Coloma), and Donner State Park.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

During daily PE time emphasis is placed on cooperation as a team and showing good sportsmanship.

ART 

A variety of art projects are completed throughout the year.

MUSIC

A band teacher gives weekly instruction to fourth grade students in reading musical notes and playing a recorder. Students perform twice during the year as a part of the WCS band concerts.  Students participate in singing at a weekly chapel and at various times in the classroom.  All students participate in a musical program prepared and presented to the parents at Open House. 

ENRICHMENT

Fourth grade students attend an overnight 49er camp in Coloma.  Students have the opportunity to attend the school library once a week, enjoy special day celebrations, and take many field trips reinforcing classroom social studies instruction.  They attend chapel weekly, occasionally participate in providing the chapel program and are involved in the class’s Open House and Grandparents’ Day programs.