Math

 

While following MI standards, our goal is to develop confident learners and versatile problem solvers. We develop students’ higher-order thinking as we look at the interrelatedness of operations. Students become fluent in math vocabulary as they build their understanding of fundamental math concepts.

 

First Quarter

• Place Value through 100 million
• Compare and order whole numbers and money amounts
• Number sense using number lines
• Addition and subtraction properties and strategies for whole numbers and money amounts
• Expressions and variables
• Addition and subtraction of large numbers with regrouping
• Estimating and rounding skills
• Problem-solving strategies including making tables/charts, logical reasoning, choosing correct operation

Second Quarter

• Multiply up to 4 digit numbers and money amounts by 1- and 2-digit numbers with and without regrouping
• Multiplication properties
• Divide by 1-digit to find 1-,2-, and 3-digit quotients for whole numbers and money amounts
• Division rules
• Problem-solving: working backwards and multiple steps

Third Quarter

• Order of operations and finding mean
• Measurements: customary and metric
• Statistics and probability: graphing
• Fractions concepts
• Addition and subtraction of fractions

Fourth Quarter

• Geometry: shapes, lines, rays/angles
• Perimeter, area, and volume
• Divide by 2-digits
• Decimals: place value, order/compare, add and subtract
• Problem-solving: find a pattern, draw a model, multiple-step

  

Social Studies

 

All themes of geography are used to expand student know of the state of MI and the entire United States.  4th graders focus on developing economies in Michigan from 1837 to present time.  The impact of immigrants on our economy and local culture is also a focus.  Students develop mapping skills as they learn about how and why our nation can be divided into various regions.  The workings of the Federal government and the role of citizens in American democracy are also incorporated.

 

First Quarter

• Map skill (built on throughout the year)
• Study of branches of government
• Constitution and Bill of Rights
• U.S. Regions overview with corresponding vocabulary
• Renewable/Nonrenewable resources
• NE region studies (economy, geography, history)

Second Quarter

• Holiday: Thanksgiving historical facts
• SE region studies (economy, geography, history)
• Midwest and Great Plains region (economy, geography, history)
• Michigan's role as a Great Lakes state

Third Quarter

• Michigan economy 1837-present including major contributions to national/global economy
• Changes in transportation and the people who made those changes
• SW region studies (economy, geography, history)
• WWI and WWII and the part MI played

Fourth Quarter

• West region (economy, geography, history)
• Pacific West region (economy, geography, history)
• MI residents making a difference in our world
• Diversity in our state; ethnic groups and how they enrich our culture
• Culminating project to connect MI to our nation

 

Charts, graphs, and time line skills are developed throughout the year.

  

 

Science

 

Students strengthen their ability to think like scientists in their pursuit of understanding new concepts through structured, guided, and student-initiated inquiry. Life, Earth, and Physical sciences are all investigated through hands-on projects, experiments, research, and readings.  Skills developed: observation prediction, experimenting, communication, inference.

 

First Quarter:

• Intro to science skills
• Animal and plant cells
• Classify organisms
• Organisms of the past; endangered species
• Ecosystems(food chains and webs) and what can cause changes in them
• Producers, consumers, decomposers
• Describing Animals: animal characteristics

Second Quarter

• Animal survival tactics
• Rocks and minerals
• Fossils as clues to Earth's past
• Sun, Earth, and Moon systems
• Water in our world: states of matter, locations, importance

Third Quarter

• Water in our world: conservation education
• Earth’s water: usable vs. non-usable
• Properties of matter
• Measuring matter
• Changes in matter
• Physical and chemical changes

Fourth Quarter

• Forms of energy- focus on heat and electrical energy, but with an overview of all main forms of energy
  
• Energy and temperature
• Electrical circuits
• Magnets

   

Language Arts

 

Language Arts encompasses grammar, writing, reading, spelling and vocabulary, and handwriting skills. MI standards are the guidelines used. Students are expected to increase writing skills using the writing process, demonstrate their understanding of grammar usage, and model improved fluency as they read and write across the curriculum. They are also challenged to analyze their reading and writing based on a variety of criteria.

 

Reading Skills

• Read and respond to all genres of literature including fiction (fantasy, historical, realistic, science fiction), non-fiction (science articles, biography, autobiography)
• Develop reading skills: story elements, problem/solution, cause/effect, inference, drawing conclusions, form generalizations, sequences events, and author purpose and point of view
• Relate to characters and story events and compare characters of various stories

Writing Skills

• Develop sentence and paragraph writing skills
• Use the writing process to clearly develop ideas in writing
• Develop a voice in the writing
• Write with varied purpose: poetry, narrative, explanatory, how-to, persuasive, opinion, autobiography, and biography
• Write a research paper following steps: note cards, outline, rough draft, final draft with bibliography

Grammar Skills

• Types of sentences and when to use them
• Parts of a sentence
• Capitalization and punctuation rules
• Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs
• Conjunctions in sentence variety
• Prepositions and prepositional phrases

Spelling and Vocabulary Skills

• Students improve their ability to use phonics skills to spell new words
• Synonyms and antonyms, homophones, homonyms
• Clusters and blends, and other patterns
• Root words, suffixes, and prefixes
• Use context clues to gain meanings
• Use a dictionary and thesaurus

   

Religion

 

The fourth grade curriculum focuses on moral development using Scripture as our guide. Students grow as responsible members of their families, school, community, and the world through their increased understanding of what is expected of us as Catholic Christians.

 

First Quarter

• Jesus shows us how to live
• Beatitudes
• Temptation and sin and our freedom to make our own choices
• Forgiveness from God through Jesus
• Sacrament of Reconciliation
• Liturgical Year: Ordinary Time

Second Quarter

• The first three Commandments: help us to love and honor God
• The parts of the Mass: what we do and why we do it
• Liturgical Year: Advent and Christmas

Third Quarter

• Fourth – Eighth Commandments: helping us to love and respect others
• Human life is sacred: right to life is the most basic human right
• Promoting peace as a way to respect life
• Chastity and respect for marriage
• We act with justice and respect property of others
• Liturgical Year: Lent and the Easter Triduum

Fourth Quarter

• Ninth and Tenth Commandments: Our call to holiness
• Feelings and the virtue of modesty
• Jesus as our model of holiness
• The Holy Spirit gives us courage
• The Church as a worldwide community
• The virtues of faith, hope, love
• Liturgical year: Easter

    

Share Time Programs

 

The Livonia Public School district provides St. Damian with extensive programs in Computer Skills, Music, Art, and Physical Education. Each class meets for 50 minutes once a week.

 

Students in fourth grade also attend Spanish class for 50 minutes once a week.