Grade 4

Grade 4 is an exciting year, where students build on their independence from Grade 3 and take further ownership of their learning as the last year of the middle of the primary school years. They work both individually and collaboratively with their peers. It is the year of the ‘pen licence’; where students develop a neat, legible handwriting style to receive their ‘licence’ of using pens in their book work.

Literacy
Each morning, students read independently to build stamina and practise their ‘next step to learning’. Students participate in levelled guided reading sessions with the teacher on a weekly basis. These groups are focused around areas of need. Teaching is centred around: Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary, using a range of genres.

In Writing, students are exposed to a variety of text types, as well as opportunities for ‘free-choice’ writing. They are taught to follow the Writing Process: Planning, Drafting, Revising, Editing, Peer and Teacher Conferencing of their work to then Publishing. During these units of work, students learn about different text structures (organisation), word choices, ideas and sentence fluency. Word Study sessions are focused around spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Numeracy
In Numeracy, students learn about Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability. There is a strong emphasis on Multiplicative Thinking and Fractions in Grade 4 as well as the use of mental strategies to solve problems through ‘Number Talks’. Students develop strategies for multiplication and related division facts. They are given opportunities to experiment and explore different maths concepts using hands-on materials. Students also collaborate in open-ended maths investigations to develop students’ critical thinking skills and verbal skills of explaining what they are thinking.

Inquiry
In Grade 4 students will investigate the following topics:

‘How Does our Local Community Run?’
In this unit, students learn about their local government, their rights and responsibilities as citizens and the benefits of being part of a democratic society.

‘How Does Science affect Everyday Life?’
During this unit, students investigate how science helps us in our everyday life and gain a greater understanding of the world around them. They identify and give examples of different branches of science. Students follow the scientific processes and use these to plan, conduct, analyse and evaluate science experiments.

‘What are the histories and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?’
Students learn about what life was like for Indigenous peoples before European settlement and the significance of the Dreamtime to Indigenous Australians. They explore the nature and consequences of contact between Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander peoples and the early explorers and settlers.

‘Why do People Immigrate to Australia?’
Students gain an understanding of the reasons for immigration and its impact on people and places. They learn about countries and where they are in relation to others in the world. Students explore the similarities and differences of these places, especially those closest to Australia. They also investigate why people immigrate to Australia.

Throughout the year, students participate in a range of incursions and excursions to further enhance and support their learning.

Homework
Students are encouraged to complete weekly homework tasks that revises the learning that has taken place in class. Homework consists of a range of Literacy, Numeracy and Inquiry/Wellbeing activities. It provides opportunities for students to challenge themselves in their learning. Each day they take home levelled readers and read to themselves or out loud to a family member, which is then recorded in their diaries and signed by a parent/guardian.