Bible
Fourth grade uses Building on the Rock Bible Curriculum, published by Summit Ministries. Building on the Rock lays the groundwork for worldview education. This innovative Christian elementary school Bible curriculum is the first truly integrated biblical worldview and Bible survey course of its kind. Students learn to view the world through four distinct relationships with the Creator, with each other, with ourselves, and with His creation. Building on the Rock is constructed in a spiral sequence, built around twenty biblical truths found throughout Scripture. Through this framework, students begin seeing all of reality from a biblical viewpoint. They stop seeing the Bible as just a book of unique stories and start seeing Scripture as the litmus test for every idea they encounter. Students start “connecting the dots” between what they find in Scripture and how they should think and live. Engaging activities across all curriculum subjects and utilizing the Socratic Method help shape our students’ spiritual formation and instill a confident faith. Students will learn to know, love and trust God’s Word.
Language Arts
Reading/Literature
Students experience literature through reading, writing, responding, and sharing. The BJU Reading program focuses on developing skilled readers and writers. Fourth grade students will explore literature through guided reading, annotating, and whole class discussion. As students read novels and the BJU Press Reading books, the following skills will be used: vocabulary, comprehension, analysis, predicting, sequencing, and plot mapping. Literature used in 4th grade consists of: Because of Winn Dixie, The Indian in the Cupboard, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Mr. Popper’s Penguins, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and Island of the Blue Dolphins. Students are required to participate weekly in an Accelerated Reading (AR) program. This program has students reading books at their independent reading levels and taking periodic quizzes over these books. The goals of the AR program are to create a love of reading and increase reading comprehension skills.
Grammar/Writing
BJU Press English connects grammar, writing and oral language. Students are taught grammar, capitalization and punctuation rules, sentence clarification, and parts of speech. Writing instruction includes emphasis on journaling, research reports, note taking, compare and contrast essays, tall tales, story writing, book reviews and poetry. BJU Press English focuses on developing strong writers by providing instruction in organization, development of ideas, sentence fluency, and word choice. Pre-writing, editing, revising, and publishing are part of all writing assignments.
Handwriting
A Reason for Handwriting integrates faith and learning by featuring lessons based on Scripture verses and built-in opportunities for sharing God’s Word with others. Fourth graders focus on alignment, slant, size, shape and spacing of their cursive letters.
Vocabulary/Spelling
The Sadlier-Oxford vocabulary curriculum recognizes that vocabulary instruction is critical to success in reading. Research confirms that word knowledge is essential to reading comprehension and that it is the best indicator of how well a reader will understand what he or she reads. The more words that a student masters, the more accomplished he or she will be as a reader and as a writer. Spelling is a fundamental skill in written communication. During 4th grade, the spelling goal is for the students to learn and understand how and why words are spelled the way they are. Spelling words are incorporated from Sadlier-Oxford vocabulary curriculum, states, books of the Bible, and high frequency words. Students are tested through sentence dictation, spelling tests, alphabetical order, and a variety of weekly practice activities. Throughout the year, students can see how God gifted us with the privilege of being able to spell and understand our language.
Public Speaking
Scottsdale Christian Academy believes in building student confidence and communication skills early in their education by providing students numerous public speaking opportunities. Students from K-6th grade are given classroom oral reports several times a year, with the additional possibility to publicly address the entire elementary student body in Chapel. With the new global, technologically advanced society surrounding our youth today, SCA believes it is imperative, more than ever, to provide a foundation and enable students to cultivate public speaking at a young age. Expressing thoughts and ideas still remain the cornerstone in any profession or relationship. Development of public communication skills early in life allows students to position themselves for optimal success.
Math
enVision Math (Savvas) is a comprehensive mathematics curriculum for Grades K-5. It is organized to develop mathematical content connections with built-in connections across lessons, across topics, across strands, and across grades. When students connect ideas, they deepen their understanding. enVision Math is organized into clusters of connected topics and lessons. Students learn to see relationships, ask questions and try different approaches. Since the goal and promise of enVision Math is to develop understanding, the math practices are infused in all aspects of the program. Finally, enVision Math grows from the organization of the program and the core instructional model used daily. However, there are many other elements that contribute to making enVision Math a high-quality curriculum. Throughout the program, students at every grade level will make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. enVision Math provides a wide variety of differentiation resources and strategies. Tiered activities, learning centers, flexible grouping, and technology help accommodate learning styles and readiness. enVision Math also allows students and parents to access online tools from the math curriculum. This online suite allows students and parents access to lessons, practice, videos, and assessments.
Science
Mystery Science is a standards driven, hands on learning program that encourages learning through writing, discussion, and exploration. Topics include the rock cycle, human systems, and energy. The fourth quarter is spent studying the Scientific Method through hands on labs that allow students to observe, question, hypothesize, and reflect on their learning after completing an experiment.
History
Fourth grade students use the BJU Press Heritage Studies curriculum. This curriculum focuses on American history and the cultures of the states, regions and territories. Historical events and leaders are studied through a biblical worldview and encourages students to think about the impact of the Christian faith and the history of our nation. Students also study the state of Arizona. Focus is on the native people, landmarks, monuments and resources that make our state unique.
Music
Students in 4th grade attend music class twice per week. SCA’s music program focuses on creating a love and awareness of music in daily life. Children are encouraged to have a heart for worship and glorifying God. Basic note reading, rhythms, and music theory are taught through either band or choir. Student objectives are based on National Music Standards and SCA values.
Art
Students in 4th grade attend art class once per week. They review the elements of art – line, texture, form, shape, color, balance, value, and symmetry. They begin to recognize patterns and how to draw with the “off the page” concept. They study artwork of the Native American Indians, paying close attention to line and shape. They explore the use of clay by creating pinch pots. One point perspective is introduced, and this is used in landscapes and in drawing 3D shapes. Students learn the concept of printmaking. They develop more attention to detail in the shape of trees. More techniques are introduced in drawing and painting. Fourth graders continue their study of master artists through the Art Masterpiece program. It is a national art enrichment program that uses reproductions of fine works of art to promote art literacy in children. Parent volunteers bring the prints to the classroom and present a lesson planned for 4th grade. Art Masterpiece lessons are taught monthly, usually six times per school year. They usually consist of a “hands-on” project. The purpose of the lesson is to increase the child’s awareness of art. As this occurs, students can recognize more of the art that they encounter in their world every day.
Technology
Students in 4th grade attend computer class twice per week. The technology program focuses on higher order skills and curriculum integration with classroom topics and activities. Computers are used to reinforce the curriculum and provide both guided and independent practice. Student objectives are based on the Arizona Technology Standards and SCA technology goals.
Research Skills
Students in 4th grade visit the library once per week for research skills class. Research skills classes focus on using grade specific critical thinking skills to discover facts and information using online and bound reference materials, and library resources. Research is integrated with classroom curriculum and topics. Critical thinking skills are also developed via genre and author studies.
Spanish
Students in 4th grade go to Spanish class once per week. Students will be able to: respond to classroom commands, understand, read, and write vocabulary related to numbers 1-20, colors, family members, clothing; count to 100 by tens: identify people and objects based on oral and written descriptions: greet someone and ask how they are and respond appropriately; ask and answer a question about age; ask for someone else’s name and be able to give name when asked; express desire using the verb “I want”; recite a short poem, sing a song, memorize and recite a Bible verse; know and use appropriately the greetings according to the time of day, say goodbye in a variety of ways, use courtesy phrases: using a map of the world, identify parts of the world where Spanish is spoken by coloring in the countries: in a group, make a list of words borrowed from Spanish; compare the consonants in the alphabet.
Innovation & Creation Hub
Each elementary homeroom class visits the Innovation and Creation HUB once a week. Students focus on STEAM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). Students are provided with hands-on learning with activities centered around the problem solving method of Ask, Discuss, Design, Create, Test and Revise. Activities are determined by the curricular units being studied in homeroom classes and are designed for age-appropriate learning. Students are encouraged to take risks whether it is designing a Moon Lander, coding a robot to engage in a specific task, or designing a piece to be 3D printed. In the HUB students embrace the four C’s: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, and Communication. These four C’s are crucial to fostering innovators and leaders of the 21st century.
Field Trips
Fourth grade classes take several field trips throughout the year. These may include the following:
Physical Education
•Increasing dodging and fleeing skills inside of higher competition
•Increasing fitness skills
•Setting fitness goals
•Understanding the connection between fitness and health
•Leadership skills
•Cooperation, teamwork, and encouragement