4th/5th Grade Overview

LANGUAGE ARTS

General goals for 4/5 reading:

We look for students to become independent readers who select books at their own level and know what genres and authors they enjoy, and to share responses to reading that show understanding and personal connections through writing, discussion, and projects. Students are expected to read quietly and with attention during Reading and Writing Workshop, and to complete books in a timely manner suitable to the length and difficulty of the book. As active listeners and participants in the Sussex reading community, students are expected to write thoughtful responses about their reading once a week.

The 4/5 class has a literature-based approach to reading instruction. We have a large library and an inviting reading space with pillows and chairs. In the beginning of the year we spend time becoming acquainted with the library, exploring different genres of books as we develop the habits and practices of experienced readers. As the year progresses, our sense of community increases, and students share books they love along with their thoughts and connections to their reading.

The 4/5 reading program sees students reading the novels of their choice. Quiet reading time makes up a part of each day. The teacher circulates, checks in with students, and has informal reading conferences. Individuals who need differentiated instruction can receive it at this time. Students have reading folders in which they keep a list of books they are reading; in these folders, they write a weekly response letter about their book to which the teacher responds. We also utilize mini-lessons, read-alouds and book groups, which are detailed below:

Mini lessons are presented covering such topics as genre, setting, plot, character development, how to choose books, when it is okay to abandon a book, ways to connect and write about reading, how to share and discuss literature, and book talks (introducing new library books to students).
Daily read-aloud is an important opportunity to share good literature and model mini lessons. As we share a book together, we not only get excited about reading but we can also discuss a mutual book as a community.
Once a year, students form book groups. They are given several books to choose from and then form reading groups with other students who share similar interests. They meet, decide on the reading assignment for the next few days, and pick areas of focus for the reading. When the group meets, students take turns sharing their area of focus (perhaps setting, character development, vocabulary, or questions for the group) and the other members respond and discuss their own thoughts.

General goals for 4/5 writing:

We strive to establish a community of writers that has fun, is comfortable sharing, and can listen to others share; to understand the relationships among experience, writing, and reading; to be able to generate writing ideas independently; and to practice different genres of writing. We expect students to move away from phonetic spelling to conventional spelling; to increase their awareness of writing mechanics (sentence structure, paragraphs, capitalization, punctuation, and grammar); and to understand that writing is communication and that the reader must be able to read it.

The 4/5 writing program is taught through the Reading and Writing Workshop. This approach consists of the following:

Mini-lessons are taught related to writing. Examples are specific skills in mechanics, figurative language, the writing process (first draft, revision, and editing), and how to share and give feedback. Students are sometimes taken through specific exercises in writing which are generally designed to build fluency and to nurture descriptive writing.
Specific genres are covered that might include poetry, memoir, short story, and nonfiction. We also write pieces that build on ideas generated from our shared read-aloud experiences.
Students also have opportunities to choose the writing pieces they want to develop further, taking them through the process of revision, editing, and final publication.
Students create individualized spelling lists from their writing, from teacher-led word study, and from words from the word wall (interesting words collected by the class from their reading, studies in other subjects, or read-aloud).
Students select completed writing pieces for their portfolios and learn to write reflections on their writing.

Each year, students look forward to researching a topic of their choice. Students are guided through the process of developing questions to drive their research, accessing different sources of information, going to the public library, taking notes, formulating conclusions, and presenting their information. The school community is often invited to view students' projects and talk with students informally about their research.

to top

SOCIAL STUDIES

While enjoying our many faceted curriculum, 4/5 social studies students will be able to: develop a practical understanding of regional and world geography, and understand the five themes of: geography, location, place, human environment interaction movement, and regions. They will also be able to explore different cultures and make connections to their own cultural background. Students will be able to see history as a story told with different perspectives and biases, while accessing information through a variety of media and working cooperatively on a common goal.

Units we are likely to undertake are Explorers; Montana History; Lewis and Clark; Ancient Maya, Aztec, and Inca Civilizations; American Indian Cultures; Elections and Structure of Government; and the over arching themes of Geography.

We do not use textbooks; instead, we create our body of knowledge through explorations of different media, such as books, Internet, magazines, films, maps, and atlases. We often start our explorations by asking ourselves what we think we know about a topic, then, what we would like to know, and finally, how we can find out the answers. Students often work in small groups to research their topic and then present findings to the larger group. Sometimes students work independently to explore a topic within a larger theme. We strive to integrate social studies into language arts, math, languages, and the arts.

To lead into our studies of American Indian cultures, we first learn about what culture is and then about the different cultures represented in the students’ backgrounds. Students investigate their family backgrounds, research cultural aspects, and then create a fabric flag to represent their cultural backgrounds. Students study how environment affects culture in a variety of ways, with an emphasis on housing. We then approach the American Indian cultures and learn how their dwellings were influenced by the environment in which they lived. Students create realistic models of dwellings and share what they have learned with the class. From there, we reflect on the changes time has had on those choices.

Preparing for our annual spring field trip provides an opportunity to connect our studies to place. Every other year we go to Bannock Ghost Town and the Big Hole Battlefield National Monument. Students learn about the western expansion of this country and the motivations that drove settlers and fortune seekers westward. Students select an aspect of early Montana history to study and create a book from what they learn. While at the battlefield and ghost town, the students not only have excellent guided tours, but they are also given time to synthesize their experience through poetry and field journaling. In the alternate year, the class goes to the People's Center in Pablo and then on to Glacier National Park. Preparatory units are on Montana Tribes and the history of national parks.

During our Explorer unit, students focus on the reasons explorers ventured out into the undiscovered world and the impacts they had on the native peoples they found. Students study old maps of the world and how these maps have changed. They learn about cartography and the challenges of early map making. They race their ways around the world with daily trivia questions that give them miles traveled each day. The unit ends with students in costume presenting their research about the different explorers.

Students at Sussex School also learn about governance through class meetings and K-5 (Zip) meetings, in which students set agendas and openly discuss issues that concern them. For example, students might be having conflicts on the playground about forts. During a Zip meeting, students can share their thoughts and feelings and then decide on a way to handle future problems. Once a year, students vote for student school representatives. They listen to speeches given by the middle school students running for these positions and then cast their secret ballots.

to top

MATH

In 4/5 math, we work with a variety of methods to help students achieve the following goals: to find enjoyment in math while becoming confident problem solvers; to learn and implement appropriate methods of computation and a variety of strategies; to organize work on a page, to “show how you know”; to participate in discussion; to see math applications in daily life; to practice reading and writing in mathematical language. Furthermore, students learn to recognize when they don't understand a concept and are encouraged to ask questions toward a solution;

Our lessons and investigations often include the whole class. At times, though, students are organized into small working groups to help students move at their own pace within a general concept. When appropriate, hands-on materials are provided for exploration. Applications in daily life are emphasized!

Three examples of math explorations are the following:

Each year, as part of their community service, the 4/5 class makes birthday party boxes for the local food bank. There is quite a bit of math involved. The students solve problems related to the issues of poverty and hunger. They raise money for the party supplies through a bake sale where they experience setting prices and making change. After the sale, students figure out the percentages of the types of items sold and create pie graphs to accurately reflect those percentages. The students also figure out how much each group can spend for their party supplies. We then go out shopping! Students are responsible for keeping track of their expenses, computing how much they save on sale items, and figuring out how much of their budget they have left over after shopping. Students then have the reward of delivering their boxes to the Food Bank.
During our study of fractions, students create brownie mix to give as presents. They need to calculate how much of each ingredient needs to be bought for multiple batches of mix for the entire class. We then go to the local market's bulk food section and measure out the ingredients. Back in the classroom, each student then makes a bag of brownie mix.
Students also grapple with a problem involving making recycling bin frames. Students need to figure out which lengths of wood to select for the least amount of waste, and then they actually measure the wood to see if their calculations work.
We have a unit on different sampling methods that can be used to estimate how much of the Earth's surface is covered with water and land. Through a variety of methods, students practice finding latitude and longitude; organizing information; figuring ratios; working with decimals, percents, and graphs; and comparing data by using averages.

to top

SPANISH

The Sussex Spanish program spans Kindergarten through 8th grade, striving to teach children skills ranging from understanding isolated, concrete vocabulary to having conversations and completing detailed written projects. The hope is that all students will develop a love for other languages and cultures, becoming comfortable taking the risks that are inherent in learning a second language, while supporting each other in their attempts at language practice. Most goals stated at each grade level are intended to carry over to subsequent grades.

Goals for 4/5 Students are the following:

To have a desire to explore other cultures
To recognize and appreciate similarities and differences between their own native cultures and Spanish/Latin American cultures
To understand the main idea of a conversation or story on familiar topics
To figure out the main idea in simple written materials
To have short, guided conversations on familiar topics
To tell and write simple stories, both retold and original
To speak about themselves and familiar topics using phrases and short sentences
To write notes or fill out forms about themselves and familiar topics

4th/5th Grade Units and Methods:

Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS): We will build proficiency throughout the year through storytelling units. This method utilizes the framework of a story, which includes 2 to 4 words or phrases to be acquired each day. These are acquired through repetition in the form of different questioning techniques, oral retells of stories, translations, and written re-tells. Throughout a TPRS unit, I may incorporate acting, drawing, games, reading, songs, videos, flashcards, quizzes, and timed writings. Students come to love the character of Gabi, a cat who appears throughout the stories used in the 4/5 curriculum.
El bosque tropical: During their Rainforest unit, students have the opportunity to complete a booklet on the rainforest, which they can take home at the culmination of the unit. Vocabulary for this unit includes animals, colors and other adjectives, fruits, habitats, action verbs, and prepositions. Students enhance the acquisition of language through bingo games, graphs showing the activities of various animals, total physical response (using their bodies to practice words such as prepositions), partner activities, fruit tasting, artwork, and written descriptions. The unit may culminate in a “tour” through the classroom rainforest, complete with a rudimentary passport.
Las olimpíadas: Our unit on the Olympic Games (usually in winter) allows students to explore lots of Spanish vocabulary while following a sporting event, which interests many students. Some of the topics that are taught are geography, nationalities, telling time, names of sports, and numbers. Students learn to recognize (both orally and in writing) and answer questions about sports in the Olympic Games, as well as to categorize sports. We practice numbers up to 100 by completing listening activities with Olympic statistics, such as the age of athletes or the number of medals won by various countries. Students practice colors when speaking about country flags or Olympic medals, and they draw and label their favorite sport. Telling time is practiced in a pair activity, which involves communicating the schedule of events to a partner. Throughout the unit, students represent a participating country, following and charting their performance.
Other 4/5 units may include: La mariquita malhumorada (The Very Grouchy Ladybug); Weather Forecasts; Latin America and Exploration; a Healthy Lifestyle; and Poetry.

to top

ART

Art elements emphasized:
•Line
•Texture
•Value

Art principles emphasized:
•Balance
•Harmony
•Variety
•Proportion
•Unity

Sample lesson plan:

The 4th and 5th graders create pen and ink portraits inspired by one of Van Gogh's many drawings of his postman, Joseph Roulin, from southern France. The students study some of the portraits created by Van Gogh and then attempt to emulate his use of line and texture to convey a sense of value related to the human form.

Additional lessons may include but are not limited to:
•Perspective drawing
•Linoleum-block print-making
•Stencil print-making based on the rich Inuit print tradition of Baffin Island
•Hand-building functional and non-functional objects with clay

to top

MUSIC

Music Skills Explored in the 4/5 Class Include:

Recorder Music: Students will continue to develop both recorder skills and music reading from the treble clef. They will work to develop small group and ensemble skills by playing recorder parts as a round and in harmony with their classmates.
Music vocabulary: Students will add to their music vocabulary throughout the year. Students will begin to learn to use musical language in the correct context by discussing performances they see in and out of the classroom.
World Music: Students will study the Indonesian Gamelan on even years, having the chance to use Orff Instruments from the class that are modified to resemble the Gamelan Orchestra. The unit will include a trip to a local public school where they will be able to play on a real Gamelan. The Gamelan unit will also include a study of the culture and society of Asia. On odd years, students will have a ukulele unit where they learn to play the baritone ukulele. This unit will help prepare the students for middle school guitar class and will also incorporate taking a closer look at music from Hawaii and folk music from the United States.
Movement: The music teacher will incorporate body movement into songs that are being sung in order to identify different song forms by introducing appropriate movement, depending on the song style. Students will have the opportunity to help write the music and dance parts of several songs.
Music History, a study of Classical Composers: Students will have a “composer of the month”, starting from the Baroque period and moving to the contemporary. Students will also have a chance to hear and sing world music from different cultures throughout the school year.
Performance: The 4/5’s will perform at least twice during the school year, once for the winter Holiday Program and once at the Spring Meeting and Concert. Students will also have opportunities during the school year to perform at Samling as a group or individually.

to top

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

General Goals for Students in Physical Education at Sussex School are the following:

To be inspired by a passion for health enhancement
To be aware of the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle
To follow community agreements
To be prepared for class
To challenge themselves to work hard each time they have P.E.

We warm up for class by playing tag, running, and doing fitness activities. The younger students play more tag; the older students run and do more fitness activities. We learn and review basic psychomotor skills designed to enhance fitness and hand-eye coordination. We play small-sided games against the other students in class where we focus on having positive interactions with classmates and on learning how to win and lose with class. Above all, we attempt to expose the students to a variety of activities that will help them live an active and healthy life.

When introducing a new skill, we use the “whole-part-whole” method of demonstrating the skill. For example, if teaching them to throw a ball, we will first demonstrate the full method of throwing, then break it into smaller parts, and then show again the full method of throwing. Secondly, we use teaching cues to demonstrate many skills. For instance, when learning how to catch a Frisbee with two hands we tell the kids that their hands are the jaws of an alligator trying to eat a pancake.

Goals for 4/5 Students are the following:

•To continue to enjoy being in class
•To challenge themselves to improve their skills
•To spend more time on skill development work
•To begin sport-specific drills
•To be prepared for class with clothes designed for active play
•To be respectful to everyone in class
•To challenge themselves each day in class

The P.E. program consists of the following:

Tag games: The first activity we do in P.E. class is to play tag. Goals for tag games are that the kids learn to run and dodge others and learn how to elude another runner who is coming after them. While the games are altered slightly, the tag games we play in class fall into these two categories: Freeze tag: In this game there is one student who is the tagger. The tagger’s objective is to tag as many kids as possible during a specified amount of time. When students are tagged, they must “freeze” or stay where they are on the playing field. The other students are encouraged to “free” frozen class members by crawling under their legs, giving them a jumping hi ten, or putting a hoop over their heads. After a minute or so, another student gets to be the tagger. We play until everyone has had a chance to be the tagger. Rainbow tag: This type of tag game starts with one tagger, with the rest of the class attempting to elude this person. When a student gets tagged, that student becomes a tagger as well, and the tagging group gets bigger. The game continues until everyone has been tagged. Traditionally, the last person tagged is the first person to be “it” for the next game.
Frisbee: With the 4th and 5th grade, the goals for the Frisbee unit are for the students to improve upon previously learned skills and to begin to learn how to run to open space during a game. The kids are taught the cues for throwing the traditional backhand throw, as well as the side arm or fore hand throw. The kids learn how to catch with two hands like an “alligator eats a pancake”. After the kids are comfortable throwing and catching the Frisbee, we review familiar warm up games and begin to learn cuts that are specific to Ultimate Frisbee. The students learn how to make fade cuts, where they fake one way and then run another direction. These cuts are designed to help the kids learn how to run to open space on a playing field. This will help them learn how to get open during a game. The students are then given the opportunity to play small-sided games of Ultimate Frisbee against their classmates.
Soccer: The main goals for the soccer unit are for the students to improve upon previously learned skills and to continue to grow as soccer players and athletes. During our soccer unit, each student spends a lot of class time with a soccer ball. They are instructed in how to use the inside, outside, and top of their dominant and non-dominant foot to travel with the ball. We then play dribble games where the students must dribble the ball in a confined area while eluding other players. These games are designed to get the students to realize they must control the ball to be successful soccer players. The students are then given the opportunity to play small-sided games of 4 vs. 4. We typically set up two fields so that the class can all play simultaneously.
Familiar gymnasium and playground games: At Sussex there are a few games that the kids play a great deal of during their free time. During this unit, we attempt to teach some basic skills to the students so they are better prepared to do well during games they play in their free time. The skills we work on during this unit are: throwing at moving objects, dodging, bouncing, and catching. We practice throwing balls of varying sizes to a partner, as well as hitting stationary objects with these different sized balls. We play games that reinforce these skills as well.
Fitness Stations: For this unit the main goals are to get the kids to understand that fitness is important to living a healthy lifestyle and that it’s fun. During this unit, different stations are set up around the gym or playing area. The kids perform a different activity for 30, 60, or 90 seconds. These activities include, but are not limited to, the following: jumping up to touch the wall and then touching the floor; running up and down a small flight of stairs; jumping on and off a fitness step; jumping rope; doing partner push ups; doing sit ups with a ball; and balancing on a balance board. During this unit, we keep a very friendly and fun atmosphere in class. We play music and “Johnny Says”. The goal is for the students to realize that fitness is fun.
Basketball: For the basketball unit, the primary goals are to get the kids to learn how to dribble a basketball comfortably with their dominant and non-dominant hands, to learn the basics of shooting, and to learn how to pass the basketball. We have small basketballs and the kids are able to pick which size ball is most comfortable to handle. They learn how to dribble by using the tips of their fingers and by pushing down on the ball with their forearms. The kids dribble around the gym freely and are encouraged to try shooting the ball into the basket. The next step is to get the kids to dribble at varying levels with their dominant and non-dominant hands. They’re also taught how to make a chest and bounce pass. The students are then taught how to shoot the ball, and we play games that reinforce these skills. Some of these games are dribbling games where you have to dribble the ball in a confined area while eluding other players. Other games are shooting games where you have to make a basket in a certain amount of time, or repeat a type of shot that another player has made.
Floor Hockey: The main goals for our floor hockey unit are to improve upon previously learned skills and to continue playing floor hockey in P.E. class. We begin by reviewing how to travel around the gym with a puck. Then various skill stations are set up where the kids practice a particular skill for a certain amount of time. Examples of these skills would be: using the forehand and backhand sides of the blade to travel around a cone with the puck; passing the puck in a circle with another student; maneuvering through a set of cones with the puck on your stick. The students are given opportunities to play games of 4 versus 4 during class. Typically, the class is divided into 4 teams. While two teams are playing, the other two watch and cheer on their classmates. After 3 or 4 minutes the groups switch roles.
Team Handball: The main goals for this unit are to improve the students’ throwing and catching skills and to continue teaching them to run to open space on a playing field. This game is very popular throughout Europe; it involves two teams trying to throw a small ball through a large goal. Players are not allowed to run with the ball unless they are dribbling it, and they are encouraged to make a lot of passes before trying to score. The students learn proper ways of throwing overhand, and we continue to practice strategies of finding open space on a playing field. We practice “give and goes”, where a thrower tosses the ball to a teammate and then darts off in a certain direction. We play games where two kids are trying to throw the ball back and forth while a third attempts to block the ball. The students are then given a lot of time to play small-sided games against their teammates. As with floor hockey, half of them will play a game while the other half watches, cheering on their classmates.
Volleyball: The main goals for our volleyball unit are for the kids to get comfortable bumping a volleyball over the net and to understand how the game is played. For this unit, we begin by having the kids throw a soft-touch volleyball that does not hurt their forearms when practicing the bump. We review how to bump or pass the volleyball. Typically, the students are paired up, with one student tossing the ball to another, who then attempts to bump it back to the partner. As they improve, they attempt to bump the ball over the net to another group. This evolves into a game to see how many times you can toss the ball to your partner and then bump it over the net to another group. To begin this exercise, we allow the students to catch the ball coming over the net. This allows the game to run smoothly while the students master the skill of bumping.
Tennis: The main goals for our tennis unit are for the kids to improve upon previously learned skills and to have fun playing tennis in P.E. We begin by giving each kid a racket and a ball. We review with them how to balance the ball on the racket and then how to bounce the ball on the racket. We then review the basic forehand and backhand strokes. Just like in volleyball, the kids usually pair up and one student tosses the ball to the other, who then attempts to hit the ball back. While this is going on, the teacher circulates among the groups to ensure the students are mastering the skills. We then play various games in which these tennis skills are practiced. When possible, we go to local tennis courts to play. This is a very popular unit.
Long Ball: Long ball is a game that has been very popular at Sussex for many years. It is a ball and bat game that requires a hitter to hit a tossed ball and then run across the field without getting hit by the ball. The fielding team cannot run with the ball, but must field it and then throw it to a team member who is positioned to hit the runner. It is a fast paced game that involves hitting, running, dodging, throwing, catching, and fielding. The students have already been exposed to throwing overhand. They learn how to field ground balls and how to catch balls that have been hit high into the air. As with our other games, we play simulated lead up games that reinforce the above-mentioned skills. This very popular unit is the last unit of the school year.
Shorter units: During the year, we oftentimes have guests come in and teach short units on stretching, yoga, and creative movement. We teach the kids beginning skills in juggling. We jump rope and learn how to play fun playground games like “Four Square”.

to top