4th Grade

The Child

The transition from early childhood is complete; the transition into puberty has not yet begun. Fourth graders are becoming more self-confident as their perceptions of the world sharpen and sometimes seem larger than life, filled with both burning questions and profound realizations. At this age children experience a stronger separation from their surroundings and become more independent. These developmental steps broaden the student’s perspective and reveal a world of endless, exciting possibilities. The familiar bonds of authority are loosening and children may begin to feel fearful or uncertain in areas where before they were fearless or confident; while at the same time the fourth grader is curious, adventurous, and eager to explore new capacities for learning and creativity.

The Class

Because of their growing independence, fourth graders are keen to make their own choices. The introduction of Norse mythology models the process of conscious choice and the responsibility for actions taken. These traditional tales foreground strength of character, courage, self-sacrifice, and perseverance while revealing hidden motives, and character fallibility. The stories highlight for students the gifts and the risks of exploring independence as free human beings. Geography is introduced to support the student’s expanding sense of their neighborhood and world. Knowledge of geography is extended each year through eighth grade until students have been all around the globe! In mathematics, the four basic operations and measurements continue with greater complexity, and fractions are introduced. The study of the animal kingdom and its relationship to the human being forms the core of the fourth grade science curriculum. In language arts, grammar is studied through parts of speech, verb tenses and continued study of punctuation.

    • Four operations

    • Intro to fractions

    • Measurement

    • Form drawing

    • Geometric drawing

    • Independent writing & reading

    • Grammar

    • Punctuation

    • Spelling

    • Cursive writing

    • Norse mythology

    • World legends

    • California and local studies

    • Spanish

    • Geography

    • Map-making

    • Animal kingdom

    • C-flutes

    • Reading & musical notation

    • Part & rounds singing

    • Strings

    • Drawing

    • Free-hand geometric drawing

    • Watercolor Painting

    • Beeswax modeling

    • Crocheting Cross-stitching

  • Eurythmy, developed by Rudolf Steiner, is an art of human movement set to music, poetry, or speech. It is intended to be a complement to intellectual learning. By studying eurythmy, students learn dexterity of movement, grace, poise, balance, and concentration. They also develop a sense for sound and space and a feeling for social harmony.

    • Collaborative games & skills

    • Hikes