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Fourth Grade
Fourth grade is an exciting year of learning as students look toward moving to the middle school. Because a strong foundation for learning has been established in the previous grades, fourth grade students are prepared to expand their reading and writing skills, explore more complex math concepts, and dig deep into our state’s history. Students transition from using iPads as centers for reinforcing skills to a one-to-one program. Students use technology to strengthen math skills, practice the writing process, research information, organize thinking, connect with the world, communicate ideas, and demonstrate learning. Our fourth grade students experience a robust program that emphasizes critical thinking, problem solving, and communication.
Blogging, role-playing, class meetings, and discussions facilitate learning and enable students to have a common language to solve problems, express opinions and ideas, and to form positive relationships with peers and teachers.
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The primary goal of the fourth grade reading program is to cultivate a love of reading that inspires students to become independent readers. Listening, speaking, and silent reading skills are explicitly taught and practiced. Activities and lessons that focus on creative writing, expository writing, vocabulary development, grammar, spelling, handwriting, and public speaking provide opportunities for students to refine their language arts skills. Students are immersed in a print rich environment and appreciate the power of language, both spoken and written, in their daily lives.
Fourth graders explore the world of numbers, algorithms, patterns, shapes, data, and spatial relationships. The enriched math curriculum includes an emphasis on using and appreciating math in our everyday lives. All fourth grade students are expected to master the multiplication and division facts, as well as the steps to solve multi-digit multiplication and multi-step word problems. Students continue to expand their understanding of fractions, decimals, long division, measurement, symmetry, and graph interpretation. Through daily exercises and the use of manipulatives, students learn to use the principles of mathematics to communicate, reason, and problem-solve, using real-world problems.
The history of California is the focus of the fourth grade social studies program. The topics of study include geography, agriculture, Spanish explorers, missions, rancho days, westward movement, gold rush, and the transcontinental railroad. Students learn how the landscape of California has provided varying resources to different people throughout history. Students develop an appreciation for the various cultural influences, which have shaped California’s history. The Santa Barbara community allows for many opportunities to enrich the social studies curriculum. Throughout the year students visit and tour missions, historical sites in the county, museums, and the Channel Islands to bring our state's vivid history to life.
Fourth graders explore the world of numbers, algorithms, patterns, shapes, data, and spatial relationships. The enriched math curriculum includes an emphasis on using and appreciating math in our everyday lives. All fourth grade students are expected to master the multiplication and division facts, as well as the steps to solve multi-digit multiplication and multi-step word problems. Students continue to expand their understanding of fractions, decimals, long division, measurement, symmetry, and graph interpretation. Through daily exercises and the use of manipulatives, students learn to use the principles of mathematics to communicate, reason, and problem-solve, using real-world problems.
The history of California is the focus of the fourth grade social studies program. The topics of study include geography, agriculture, Spanish explorers, missions, rancho days, westward movement, gold rush, and the transcontinental railroad. Students learn how the landscape of California has provided varying resources to different people throughout history. Students develop an appreciation for the various cultural influences, which have shaped California’s history. The Santa Barbara community allows for many opportunities to enrich the social studies curriculum. Throughout the year students visit and tour missions, historical sites in the county, museums, and the Channel Islands to bring our state's vivid history to life.
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Laguna Blanca is Santa Barbara’s premier private, co-educational, college preparatory day school for students in Early Kindergarten through Grade 12.