A Grade 4 Snapshot
As Grade 4 students mature, they approach learning with a more reflective and thoughtful attitude. Teachers guide them through a deeper exploration of ethical issues, fairness, and justice, fostering critical thinking and confident problem-solving. Activities such as note-taking and test preparation help students feel more secure and capable, building independence as they take ownership of their learning.
Socially, Grade 4 students are learning to balance their developing individuality with peer dynamics. Teachers support and help them navigate conflict resolution, problem-solving, and self-reflection as they build friendships and manage social challenges. They guide students through these transitions, helping them grow emotionally and socially while encouraging curiosity and self-expression.
As students become more self-aware—physically, socially, and emotionally—Trinity helps them find their voice, build confidence, and embrace their individuality in a supportive and nurturing environment.
Reading: Empowering Critical Thinkers
In Grade 4, Trinity students engage deeply with complex texts, honing their critical thinking ability and expressing their unique perspectives. Through book clubs independent, and shared reading, students explore both fiction and nonfiction genres, analyzing characters, themes, and different viewpoints. This approach encourages students to take ownership of their reading journey, fostering curiosity and allowing them to broaden their worldviews.
Word study is done in tandem, equipping students with the tools to quickly and accurately recognize and produce words. This foundation allows students to focus on more profound comprehension and meaning as they decode complex vocabulary, grasp main ideas, and analyze texts from diverse cultures, perspectives, and historical contexts.
Our program emphasizes reading comprehension as a tool for academic success and personal growth. Students gain valuable research skills, explore historical contexts, and refine their ability to synthesize information across texts. Grade 4 students are encouraged to ask big questions as they engage with more intricate texts:
- How can I use various techniques to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words?
- What strategies help me understand the importance of a text?
- How can literature from different eras and perspectives help me make personal connections to the world?
- How can I describe and analyze story elements to uncover deeper meaning?
By the end of Grade 4, students emerge as confident, thoughtful readers who can navigate complex texts, apply critical thinking, express their ideas with clarity and purpose, and enjoy a variety of genres.
Writing: Finding Our Unique Voice
In Grade 4 at Trinity, students become confident authors as they learn to express their ideas, beliefs, and discoveries through focused writing practice. They explore meaningful themes found in their fiction and nonfiction reading. They engage in various forms of writing, including creative writing, blogging, report drafting, expository essays, and persuasive arguments. This approach helps them structure their thoughts using thesis statements and well-organized paragraphs while nurturing their imaginative and critical thinking.
Focused writing time allows students to write independently, confer with teachers, and receive targeted feedback while developing their unique voices. Integrated word study will enable students to apply spelling, punctuation, and grammar rules meaningfully. This combination helps students see the practical application of these skills in their writing and deepens their communication ability.
Through a variety of writing units, students explore key questions, including:
- How can I share my unique thoughts, opinions, and critical thinking with a global audience?
- How do I apply the conventions of capitalization, punctuation, and spelling in my writing?
- How can I evaluate my writing and set growth goals in challenging areas?
Students engage in creative projects, formal essays, and real-world writing applications like blogging and reporting. As they refine their writing skills through structured practice and feedback, they learn to articulate complex ideas clearly and precisely. By the end of Grade 4, students develop a comprehensive set of writing skills, preparing them for future academic challenges and enabling them to express their voices confidently as authors.
Mathematics: Building Foundational Skills for Mathematical Success
In Grade 4, our mathematics program develops the foundational skills students will rely on throughout their academic lives and beyond. Using a concept-based approach, students learn strategies and procedures and understand the principles behind them. They explore mathematical ideas deeply, ask critical questions, and find multiple ways to solve problems, fostering a flexible and creative approach to math.
We balance whole-group instruction, where students engage in collaborative discussions, with small-group activities that provide differentiated support. This ensures that all students are challenged and supported regardless of learning styles. Collaboration is central, as students collaborate to share problem-solving strategies, strengthen their understanding, and articulate their thinking.
Hands-on activities, visual aids, and real-world applications help students grasp complex concepts. They work with variables, symbols, patterns, and properties throughout the year to write and solve mathematical expressions. Students learn to organize, represent, and interpret data, connecting whole numbers, decimals, and fractions to mathematical equations.
Guiding questions deepen their understanding, such as:
- How do whole numbers, decimals, and fractions relate to mathematical equations?
- How can I connect what I already know to solve problems?
- How can I identify and use critical information effectively?
By focusing on understanding rather than memorization, our program builds students' skills and confidence to tackle complex problems, preparing them for future challenges with curiosity and resilience.
Social Studies: Thinking Critically, Locally, and Globally
In Grade 4, students explore historical and contemporary topics in-depth, honing their critical thinking and research skills. Through an inquiry-based approach, students learn to investigate complex social studies topics using various online and print resources, working independently and collaboratively to organize their findings. They develop essential skills such as citing sources, sequencing information, and presenting their analyses clearly and engagingly, including media presentations, dioramas, and posters.
Additionally, students participate in simulation-based learning experiences, providing opportunities to apply their knowledge in realistic, problem-solving scenarios. These simulations test students' understanding by placing them in situations where they must actively solve problems, reinforcing their grasp of complex concepts and preparing them for real-life challenges. This hands-on, reflective approach encourages them to think critically about local and global issues, fostering an understanding of their role and impact.
Key questions students explore include:
- Who are the people and significant events that have shaped California's rich history?
- How have Native Americans and the establishment of missions affected the history of California?
- What do we mean by economics, and how do they affect me?
- How should we use the natural resources of the United States?
Focusing on these essential questions and engaging in simulation-based learning helps students develop the research, communication, and problem-solving skills necessary to analyze historical events and contemporary issues thoughtfully. Our Social Studies program empowers Grade 4 students to connect their learning to the world around them, fostering a deeper understanding of their place in both local and global contexts. This inquiry-driven approach helps build their voice, agency, and curiosity, preparing them to become informed and active community participants.
Social and Emotional Learning: Exploring Emotions, Independence, and Mindfulness
In Grade 4 at Trinity, students deepen their social-emotional learning by expanding on the skills they've developed in earlier years. At this stage, they gain greater self-awareness and understand how their actions affect others. Students also become more adept at regulating their emotions, handling conflicts more independently, and building stronger peer connections.
Mindfulness is a crucial part of the Grade 4 SEL experience. Students incorporate mindfulness practices into their daily routines, helping them improve focus, manage stress, and enhance their emotional well-being.
Additionally, Grade 4 students improve their communication skills, learning to express themselves effectively and resolve conflicts positively and constructively. As they build trust within their peer groups, they also learn to respect individual differences, fostering an inclusive and supportive community.
Additionally, Grade 4 students improve their communication skills, learning to express themselves effectively and resolve conflicts positively and constructively. As they build trust within their peer groups, they also learn to respect individual differences, fostering an inclusive and supportive community.
In Grade 4, there is a greater focus on developing self-advocacy and independence. Students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning, speak up for their academic and social needs, and confidently navigate challenges in and out of the classroom.
Students are guided by essential questions such as:
- How can I recognize and understand my emotions and those of others?
- How can I integrate mindfulness into my daily life to improve focus and emotional well-being?
- What strategies can I use to develop positive communication and resolve conflicts?
- How can I build trust with others and respect individual differences?
- How can I take ownership of my actions and my learning?
- How can I best advocate for myself?
As part of their social-emotional development, Grade 4 students also focus on building empathy, practicing active listening, and learning to see situations from different perspectives. These skills help them navigate social situations more confidently and develop a more profound sense of kindness and respect for others.
