Cascade Canyon

3rd and 4th Grade

In third and fourth grades, students stretch their skills immensely in reading, writing, listening, speaking, math and social studies. In our class, we work together to develop the necessary organizational and interpersonal skills to work successfully in groups, to complete short and long term assignments in a range of subjects, and to manage daily homework. Over these two years, students develop personal and academic confidence. LANGUAGE ARTS The objectives and skills for the four strands of the Language Arts program are as follows: Reading The goals of the reading curriculum are to improve fluency and comprehension, create a love of reading, and enhance the joy that a good book can bring to one's life.  Students will read and respond to a variety of fiction and non fiction texts, and will keep records of their reading in the book logs.  Through our novel studies, students will examine and work extensively on story elements, grammar, vocabulary, and comprehension. In third and fourth grade, students will learn to: Develop comprehension strategies Recall major points in the text and distinguish the main idea Follow simple multiple-step written instructions Distinguish between cause and effect Distinguish between fact and opinion (4th) Identify story elements (theme, plot, setting, characters) Use various reference materials (dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, websites)  Main Reading resources:       Imagine, Houghton Mifflin         "Northern California Studies Weekly"     "Time for Kids" Novel Studies:     Stone Fox by J. Gardiner     There's a Boy in the Girl's Bathroom by Louis Sachar     By the Great Horn Spoon by Sid Fleischman Writing In addition to working on writing skills, students will participate in our Writers' Workshop and will be exposed to four different types of writing: Narrative, Writing into Reading, Poetry and Writing Fiction. Through direct instruction and modeling, students will learn a variety of strategies for generating narrative and descriptive texts. The process of drafting, revising, and finalizing will be practiced consistently in all the written assignments. Through our third and fourth grade writing program, students will learn to: Write cohesive paragraphs Respond to a wide variety of children's literature Write descriptively using the five senses Create journal entries Write informational reports Write summaries containing the most significant details Create multiple-paragraph compositions (4th) Write legibly in cursive      Word Study Study and practice spelling strategies Practice spelling of most frequently used words Listening &Speaking Listen actively, respectfully, and critically Respond appropriately  Deliver brief oral presentations MATHEMATICS In third and fourth grades, students continue to develop understanding of math concepts and their application in real life situations.  Class activities include working in textbooks and workbooks, investigating new concepts through hands-on activities, and participating in math games and problem solving sessions. In-Class Textbook:  Mathematics:  Exploring Your World by Silver Burdett Ginn Workbooks: Applying My Skills by Silver Burdett Ginn & Math 4 Today Third Grade Objectives: Understand the place value of whole numbers Calculate and solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division Use appropriate addition and subtraction strategies Understand the relationship between whole numbers, simple fractions and decimals  Select appropriate symbols, operations, and properties to represent, describe, simplify, and solve simple                         number relationships Represent simple functional relationships Choose and use appropriate units and measurement tools to quantify the properties of objects Describe and compare the attributes of plane and solid geometric  figures and show relationships         Fourth Grade Objectives: Solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication, and  division of whole numbers and understand the relationships among the operations Understand the place value of whole numbers and decimals to two decimal places Understand how whole numbers and decimals relate to simple fractions Extend the use and understanding of whole numbers to the addition and subtraction of simple decimals Understand prime and composite numbers Write numbers in expanded and standard form Understand perimeter and area Use two-dimensional coordinate grids to represent points and graph lines and simple figures  Demonstrate an understanding of plane and solid geometric objects         Organize, represent, and interpret data  Make predictions for simple probability situations  Make decisions about how to approach problems SOCIAL STUDIES Our third and fourth grade curriculum is designed to create interest in learning about the past, to guide students to understand the significance of history in our present life, and to help students develop an objective understanding of historical events and movements. California History  Our community's history Major nations of California Indians including their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs European settlements in California Spanish exploration, missionaries Daily lives of the people, native and non-native, who occupied the presidios and missions Mexican rule Economic, social, and political life in California from the establishment of the Bear Flag Republic through the Mexican-American War Compare how and why people traveled to California Effects of the Gold Rush on settlements, daily life, politics, and the physical environment People who helped build early California Immigration to California, diversity; and conflicts among the diverse groups The Civil Rights Movement Family History Geography World on a globe World on a map Definition of continent, country, state, city, town, and village. Regions of the United States Location of the states California rivers and mountains Direction Compass Rose Symbols, Map Keys Parts of a Map Reading a Map Basic Geographical Terms Geographic Grid Major Bodies of Water Famous Landmarks SCIENCE Our 3rd-4th grade science program at Cascade Canyon is taught by our Science Specialist who is an expert in her field. For more information on the 3rd- 4th grade science curriculum, click here . ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS    Students will learn to use a calendar, make a schedule, meet due dates, and plan ahead by maintaining a planner.