4th Grade Program
We are committed not only to establishing concrete knowledge and skills in the core subject areas, but we are also devoted to cultivating strong characters in our students. Our goal is to create classroom environments that nurture discovery, creativity, and mutual respect among all students. Our job as the teacher is to provide learning opportunities for students to capitalize on their strengths and talents as they work toward achieving success in all areas: Reading, Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, and Spelling. Students attend chapel daily and have the opportunity to be chapel leaders and cross bearers.
Special Area classes include Music, Physical Education, Computer Science, Engineering Design, Library, Spanish, two Fine Arts blocks each week and Special Purpose Fridays.
A variety of electives are also offered for the first time in 4th Grade.
Special Events and Activities:
Texas History Essay Contest: Students learn how to write an essay using an interdisciplinary and multisensory approach to enrich reading comprehension, integrate technology, and reinforce their skills.
Texas History Field Trip: The students work very hard on their essays, and as a reward we plan an out of town field trip for them and their families. Some cities we’ve visited include San Antonio, Austin, and Houston. It has become an Episcopal Day School tradition and an educational experience the students never forget!
Spelling Bee: Three representatives from each class participate in the EDS spelling bee for a chance to compete in the BANSA spelling bee.
Christmas Around the World: The students are placed in cooperative learning groups. Each group selects a country (ex. Spain, Italy, Philippines) for which they have to research. They learn how Christmas is celebrated around the world, focusing on different customs and traditions. The group is responsible for creating a PowerPoint Presentation, wearing traditional costumes, and preparing a home cooked Christmas dish to share with their classmates.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Students are given a famous Hispanic individual to research. The students then complete a summary, create a poster, and present their final project to their classmates.
Novel Studies: Students read a variety of novels throughout the year. Some of the class favorites are “Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing” and “Esperanza Rising.”
Black History Project: Students are given a famous African American individual to research. The students then complete a summary, create a poster, and present their final project to their classmates.
Honor Roll: Fourth grade is the first year that students are eligible to qualify for Blue Knight and Honor Roll. Students who maintain all 90% or above in every subject or a 90% overall average will receive a Blue Knight or Honor Roll certificate at the end of every quarter.
9 Months of Smiles