Mrs. Blackstead welcomes you to fourth grade at Bellevue Elementary School! Please find a brief summary of our Fourth Grade curriculum below!

English Language Arts (ELA)

Using the McGraw-Hill Reading Wonders materials, students read Common Core State Standards based text in various fictional genres and informational text. Students will practice vocabulary, contextual clues for meaning, multisyllabic phonics strategies, syllables, morphology, dictionary/thesaurus skills, fluency, comprehension, theme, point-of-view, and evidence-based writing. Grammar and spelling components are embedded in each unit.  Fourth graders also use the Accelerated Reader program to assist with their independent reading. Each semester students set point goals for themselves (with teacher's help), read within the ZPD that the district benchmark assessment, iStation, suggests in order to be a successful, goal-earning reader. Students take comprehension quizzes to show they understand what they read. 

Math

Math instruction is taught in the homeroom classroom and differentiated within. The district has adopted materials named Illustrative Math. The units taught are: Factors and Multiples, Fraction Equivalence and Comparing, Fraction Computation, Place Value, Multiplication and Division, Measurement Conversion, and Geometry. 

Social Studies

Idaho History is the emphasis in our Social Studies curriculum for fourth graders. We start the year with the hands-on outdoor program, Wagons Ho. This really gets the students excited about studying the pioneers and pioneer life. We then work our way through geography map skills, learn the symbols of Idaho, the 5 tribes of Idaho, trappers, missionaries, and miners. We discuss the influences of our nation’s westward movement starting with Lewis & Clark’s Corp of Discovery through the time period of the Oregon Trail. We study a history of Idaho’s economy that includes lumber and agriculture industries as well as the newer high-tech industries. Social Studies is concluded with a look at the government of Idaho in preparation for our culminating field trip to Boise in the spring.

Science

• Environments
• Soils, Rocks, & Landforms
• Energy

Curriculum materials from FOSS (Full Option Science System) Next Generation and Mystery Science. 
 

Health

The 3 Health units studied in 4th include:

• The Digestive System
• Stay Drug-Free! Build Your Assets
• It’s My Body

Health Curriculum Materials are from The Great Body Shop.

We look forward to working with you.  Don't hesitate to call either of us if you have any questions.