Fourth Grade
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Oral Language
4.1 The student will use effective oral communication skills in a
variety of settings.
a) Present accurate directions to individuals and small groups.
b) Contribute to group discussions.
c) Seek ideas and opinions of others.
d) Use evidence to support opinions.
e) Use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to
communicate ideas.
4.2 The student will make and listen to oral presentations and reports.
a) Use subject-related information and vocabulary.
b) Listen to and record information.
c) Organize information for clarity.
Reading
4.3 The student will read fiction and nonfiction with fluency and
accuracy.
a) Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
b) Explain words with multiple meanings.
c) Use knowledge of word origins; synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms; and
multiple meanings of words.
d) Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and
thesaurus.
4.4 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fiction.
a) Explain the author's purpose.
b) Describe how the choice of language, setting, and information
contributes to the author's purpose.
c) Compare the use of fact and fantasy in historical fiction with other
forms of literature.
d) Identify major events and supporting details.
e) Describe the relationship between text and previously read materials.
f) Identify sensory words.
4.5 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction.
a) Use text organizers, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict
and categorize information.
b) Formulate questions that might be answered in the selection.
c) Explain the author's purpose.
d) Make simple inferences, using information from texts.
e) Draw conclusions, using information from texts.
f) Summarize content of selection, identifying important ideas and
providing details for each important idea.
g) Describe relationship between content and previously learned concepts
or skills.
h) Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion.
i) Identify new information gained from reading.
4.6 The student will demonstrate comprehension of information resources
to research a topic.
a) Construct questions about a topic.
b) Collect information, using the resources of the media center,
including online, print, and media resources.
c) Evaluate and synthesize information.
Writing
4.7 The student will write effective narratives, poems, and
explanations.
a) Focus on one aspect of a topic.
b) Develop a plan for writing.
c) Organize writing to convey a central idea.
d) Write several related paragraphs on the same topic.
e) Utilize elements of style, including word choice and sentence
variation.
f) Write rhymed, unrhymed, and patterned poetry.
g) Use available technology.
4.8 The student will edit writing for correct capitalization, spelling,
punctuation, and sentence structure.
a) Use subject-verb agreement.
b) Include prepositional phrases.
c) Eliminate double negatives.
d) Use noun-pronoun agreement.
e) Use commas in series, dates, and addresses.
f) Incorporate adjectives and adverbs.
g) Use the articles a, an, and the correctly.
h) Use correct spelling for frequently used words, including common
homophones.
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The fourth-grade standards place emphasis on multiplication and division
with whole numbers and solving problems involving addition and
subtraction of fractions and decimals. Students will continue to learn
and use the basic multiplication facts as they become proficient in
multiplying larger numbers. Students also will refine their estimation
skills for computations and measurements and investigate relationships
between and among simple two-dimensional (plane) figures and three-
dimensional (solid) figures. Students will identify and draw
representations of points, lines, line segments, and rays. Students will
graph points in the first quadrant in the coordinate plane and extend
and duplicate patterns. Concrete materials and two-dimensional
representations will be used to solve problems involving perimeter,
patterns, probability, and equivalence of fractions and decimals.
Students will recognize a geometric transformation, such as reflection
(flip), translation (slide), and rotation (turn).
While learning mathematics, students will be actively engaged, using
concrete materials and appropriate technologies such as calculators and
computers. However, facility in the use of technology shall not be
regarded as a substitute for a studentâs understanding of quantitative
concepts and relationships or for proficiency in basic computations.
Mathematics has its own language, and the acquisition of specialized
vocabulary and language patterns is crucial to a studentâs understanding
and appreciation of the subject. Students should be encouraged to use
correctly the concepts, skills, symbols, and vocabulary identified in
the following set of standards.
Problem solving has been integrated throughout the six content strands.
The development of problem-solving skills should be a major goal of the
mathematics program at every grade level. Instruction in the process of
problem solving will need to be integrated early and continuously into
each studentâs mathematics education. Students must be helped to develop
a wide range of skills and strategies for solving a variety of problem
types.
Number and Number Sense
4.1 The student will
a) identify (orally and in writing) the place value for each digit in a
whole number expressed through millions;
b) compare two whole numbers expressed through millions, using symbols (
>, <, or = ); and
c) round whole numbers expressed through millions to the nearest
thousand, ten thousand, and hundred thousand.
4.2 The student will
a) identify, model, and compare rational numbers (fractions and mixed
numbers), using concrete objects and pictures;
b) represent equivalent fractions; and
c) relate fractions to decimals, using concrete objects.
4.3 The student will compare the numerical value of fractions (with like
and unlike denominators) having denominators of 12 or less, using
concrete materials.
4.4 The student will
a) read, write, represent, and identify decimals expressed through
thousandths;
b) round to the nearest whole number, tenth, and hundredth; and
c) compare the value of two decimals, using symbols (<, >, or =),
concrete materials, drawings, and calculators.
Computation and Estimation
4.5 The student will estimate whole-number sums and differences and
describe the method of estimation. Students will refine estimates,
using terms such as closer to, between, and a little more than.
4.6 The student will add and subtract whole numbers written in vertical
and horizontal form, choosing appropriately between paper and pencil
methods and calculators.
4.7 The student will find the product of two whole numbers when one
factor has two digits or fewer and the other factor has three digits
or fewer, using estimation and paper and pencil. For larger products
(a two-digit numeral times a three-digit numeral), estimation and
calculators will be used.
4.8 The student will estimate and find the quotient of two whole
numbers, given a one-digit divisor.
4.9 The student will
a) add and subtract with fractions having like and unlike denominators
of 12 or less, using concrete materials, pictorial representations,
and paper and pencil;
b) add and subtract with decimals through thousandths, using concrete
materials, pictorial representations, and paper and pencil; and
c) solve problems involving addition and subtraction with fractions
having like and unlike denominators of 12 or less and with decimals
expressed through thousandths, using various computational methods,
including calculators, paper and pencil, mental computation, and
estimation.
Measurement
4.10 The student will
a) estimate and measure weight/mass, using actual measuring devices, and
describe the results in U.S. Customary/metric units as appropriate,
including ounces, pounds, grams, and kilograms;
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S.
Customary system (ounces and pounds) and between units within the
metric system (grams and kilograms); and
c) estimate the conversion of ounces and grams and pounds and kilograms,
using approximate comparisons (1 ounce is about 28 grams, or 1 gram
is about the weight of a paper clip; 1 kilogram is a little more than
2 pounds). *
* The intent of this standard is for students to make ballpark
comparisons and not to memorize conversion factors between U.S.
Customary and metric units.
4.11 The student will
a) estimate and measure length, using actual measuring devices, and
describe the results in both metric and U.S. Customary units,
including part of an inch (1/2, 1/4, and 1/8), inches, feet, yards,
millimeters, centimeters, and meters;
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S.
Customary system (inches and feet; feet and yards; inches and yards)
and between units within the metric system (millimeters and
centimeters; centimeters and meters; and millimeters and meters); and
c) estimate the conversion of inches and centimeters, yards and meters,
and miles and kilometers, using approximate comparisons (1 inch is
about 2.5 centimeters, 1 meter is a little longer than 1 yard, 1 mile
is slightly farther than 1.5 kilometers, or 1 kilometer is slightly
farther than half a mile). *
* The intent of this standard is for students to make ballpark
comparisons and not to memorize conversion factors between U.S.
Customary and metric units.
4.12 The student will
a) estimate and measure liquid volume, using actual measuring devices
and using metric and U.S. Customary units, including cups, pints,
quarts, gallons, milliliters, and liters;
b) identify equivalent measurements between units within the U.S.
Customary system (cups, pints, quarts, and gallons) and between units
within the metric system (milliliters and liters); and
c) estimate the conversion of quarts and liters, using approximate
comparisons (1 quart is a little less than 1 liter, 1 liter is a
little more than 1 quart).*
* The intent of this standard is for students to make ballpark
comparisons and not to memorize conversion factors between U. S.
Customary and metric units.
4.13 The student will
a) identify and describe situations representing the use of perimeter
and area; and
b) use measuring devices to find perimeter in both standard and
nonstandard units of measure.
Geometry
4.14 The student will investigate and describe the relationships between
and among points, lines, line segments, and rays.
4.15 The student will
a) identify and draw representations of points, lines, line segments,
rays, and angles, using a straightedge or ruler; and
b) describe the path of shortest distance between two points on a flat
surface.
4.16 The student will identify and draw representations of lines that
illustrate intersection, parallelism, and perpendicularity.
4.17 The student will
a) analyze and compare the properties of two-dimensional (plane)
geometric figures (circle, square, rectangle, triangle,
parallelogram, and rhombus) and three-dimensional (solid) geometric
figures (sphere, cube, and rectangular solid [prism]);
b) identify congruent and noncongruent shapes; and
c) investigate congruence of plane figures after geometric
transformations such as reflection (flip), translation (slide) and
rotation (turn), using mirrors, paper folding, and tracing.
4.18 The student will identify the ordered pair for a point and locate
the point for an ordered pair in the first quadrant of a coordinate
plane.
Probability and Statistics
4.19 The student will
a) predict the likelihood of outcomes of a simple event, using the terms
certain, likely, unlikely, impossible; and
b) determine the probability of a given simple event, using concrete
materials.
4.20 The student will collect, organize, and display data in line and
bar graphs with scale increments of one or greater than one and use
the display to interpret the results, draw conclusions, and make
predictions.
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra
4.21 The student will recognize, create, and extend numerical and
geometric patterns, using concrete materials, number lines,
symbols, tables, and words.
4.22 The student will recognize and demonstrate the meaning of equality,
using symbols representing numbers, operations, and relations
[e.g., 3 + 5 = 5 + 3 and 15 + (35 + 16) = (15 + 35) + 16].
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The fourth-grade standards stress the importance of using information,
analyzing data, and validating experimental results. Defining variables
in experimentation is emphasized, and making simple predictions from
picture, bar, and basic line graphs is underscored. Questioning and
hypothesizing become more detailed at this level. Students are
introduced to basic principles of electricity and to the concept of
motion. Relationships are investigated in the interactions among the
Earth, moon, and sun and among plants and animals and their
environments. In examining weather phenomena and conditions, students
identify various factors, make predictions based on data, and evaluate
the results. The importance of natural resources in Virginia is
emphasized.
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic
4.1 The student will plan and conduct investigations in which
a) distinctions are made among observations, conclusions, inferences,
and predictions;
b) hypotheses are formulated based on cause and effect relationships;
c) variables that must be held constant in an experimental situation are
defined;
d) appropriate instruments are selected to measure linear distance,
volume, mass, and temperature;
e) appropriate metric measures are used to collect, record, and report
data;
f) data are displayed using bar and basic line graphs;
g) numerical data that are contradictory or unusual in experimental
results are recognized; and
h) predictions are made based on data from picture graphs, bar graphs,
and basic line graphs.
Force, Motion, and Energy
4.2 The student will investigate and understand characteristics and
interaction of moving objects. Key concepts include
a) motion is described by an objectâs direction and speed;
b) forces cause changes in motion;
c) friction is a force that opposes motion; and
d) moving objects have kinetic energy.
4.3 The student will investigate and understand the characteristics of
electricity. Key concepts include
a) conductors and insulators;
b) basic circuits (open/closed, parallel/series);
c) static electricity;
d) the ability of electrical energy to be transformed into heat, light,
and mechanical energy;
e) simple electromagnets and magnetism: and
f) historical contributions in understanding electricity.
Life Processes
4.4 The student will investigate and understand basic plant anatomy and
life processes. Key concepts include
a) the structures of typical plants (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers);
b) processes and structures involved with reproduction (pollination,
stamen, pistil, sepal, embryo, spore, and seed);
c) photosynthesis (sunlight, chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen,
and sugar); and
d) dormancy.
Living Systems
4.5 The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals
in an ecosystem interact with one another and the nonliving
environment. Key concepts include
a) behavioral and structural adaptations;
b) organization of communities;
c) flow of energy through food webs;
d) habitats and niches;
e) life cycles; and
f) influence of human activity on ecosystems.
Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems
4.6 The student will investigate and understand how weather conditions
and phenomena occur and can be predicted. Key concepts include
a) weather measurements and meteorological tools (air pressure-
barometer, wind speed-anemometer, rainfall-rain gauge, and
temperature-thermometer); and
b) weather phenomena (fronts, clouds, and storms).
Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
4.7 The student will investigate and understand the relationships among
the Earth, moon, and sun. Key concepts include
a) the motions of the Earth, moon, and sun (revolution and rotation);
b) the causes for the Earthâs seasons and phases of the moon;
c) the relative size, position, age, and makeup of the Earth, moon, and
sun; and
d) historical contributions in understanding the Earth-moon-sun system.
Resources
4.8 The student will investigate and understand important Virginia
natural resources. Key concepts include
a) watershed and water resources;
b) animals and plants;
c) minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources; and
d) forests, soil, and land.
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Virginia Studies
The standards for Virginia Studies allow students to develop a greater
understanding of Virginiaâs rich history, from the early settlements of
American Indian language groups and the founding of Jamestown to the
present. Geographic, economic, and civic concepts are presented within
this historic context. Students will develop the skills needed to
analyze, interpret, and demonstrate knowledge of important events and
ideas in our history, and understand the contributions made by people of
diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Students will use geographic
tools to examine the influence of physical and cultural geography on
Virginia history. Ideas that form the foundation for political
institutions in Virginia and the United States also are included as part
of the story of Virginia.
The study of history must emphasize the intellectual skills required for
responsible citizenship. Students practice these skills as they extend
their understanding of the essential knowledge defined by all of the
standards for history and social science.
Skills
VS.1 The student will develop skills for historical and geographical
analysis including the ability to
a) identify and interpret artifacts and primary and secondary source
documents to understand events in history;
b) determine cause and effect relationships;
c) compare and contrast historical events;
d) draw conclusions and make generalizations;
e) make connections between past and present;
f) sequence events in Virginia history;
g) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
h) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;
i) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms,
water features, climatic characteristics, and historical events.
Virginia: The Land and Its First Inhabitants
VS.2 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early
inhabitants of Virginia by
a) locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United
States;
b) locating and describing Virginiaâs Coastal Plain (Tidewater),
Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian
Plateau;
c) locating and identifying water features important to the early
history of Virginia (Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, James River,
York River, Potomac River, and Rappahannock River);
d) locating three American Indian (First American) language groups (the
Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia;
e) describing how American Indians (First Americans) adapted to the
climate and their environment to secure food, clothing, and shelter.
Colonization and Conflict: 1607 through the American Revolution
VS.3 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent
English settlement in America by
a) explaining the reasons for English colonization;
b) describing how geography influenced the decision to settle at
Jamestown;
c) identifying the importance of the charters of the Virginia Company of
London in establishing the Jamestown settlement;
d) identifying the importance of the Virginia Assembly(1619) as the
first representative legislative body in English America;
e) identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and women to
the Jamestown settlement;
f) describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the
changes that took place to ensure survival;
g) describing the interactions between the English settlers and the
Powhatan people, including the contributions of the Powhatans to the
survival of the settlers.
VS.4 The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the Virginia
colony by
a) explaining the importance of agriculture and its influence on the
institution of slavery;
b) describing how European (English, Scotch-Irish, German) immigrants,
Africans, and American Indians (First Americans) influenced the
cultural landscape and changed the relationship between the Virginia
colony and England;
c) explaining how geography influenced the relocation of Virginiaâs
capital from Jamestown to Williamsburg to Richmond;
d) describing how money, barter, and credit were used.
VS.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in
the American Revolution by
a) identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with England as
expressed in the Declaration of Independence;
b) identifying the various roles played by Virginians in the
Revolutionary War era, with emphasis on George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson, and Patrick Henry;
c) identifying the importance of the American victory at Yorktown.
Political Growth and Western Expansion: 1781 to the Mid 1800s
VS.6 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in
the establishment of the new American nation by
a) explaining why George Washington is called the ãFather of our
Countryä and James Madison is called the ãFather of the
Constitutionä;
b) identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as
expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia
Statute for Religious Freedom;
c) explaining the influence of geography on the migration of Virginians
into western territories.
Civil War and Post-War Eras
VS.7 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the issues that divided
our nation and led to the Civil War by
a) identifying the events and differences between northern and southern
states that divided Virginians and led to secession, war, and the
creation of West Virginia;
b) describing Virginiaâs role in the war, including identifying major
battles that took place in Virginia.
VS.8 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the reconstruction of
Virginia following the Civil War by
a) identifying the effects of Reconstruction on life in Virginia;
b) identifying the effects of segregation and ãJim Crowä on life in
Virginia;
c) describing the importance of railroads, new industries, and the
growth of cities to Virginiaâs economic development.
Virginia: 1900 to the Present
VS.9 The student will demonstrate knowledge of twentieth century
Virginia by
a) describing the economic and social transition from a rural,
agricultural society to a more urban, industrialized society,
including the reasons people came to Virginia from other states and
countries;
b) identifying the social and political events in Virginia linked to
desegregation and Massive Resistance and their relationship to
national history;
c) identifying the political, social, and/or economic contributions made
by Maggie Walker, Harry F. Byrd, Sr., Arthur R. Ashe, Jr., and L.
Douglas Wilder.
VS.10 The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography,
and economics by
a) identifying the three branches of Virginia government and the
function of each;
b) describing the major products and industries of Virginiaâs five
geographic regions;
c) explaining how advances in transportation, communications, and
technology have contributed to Virginiaâs prosperity and role in the
global economy.