At Corvian, while we teach isolated skills, we strive to continuously give students meaningful and purposeful opportunities to use those newly learned skills. All students at all grade levels are always participating in multi-disciplinary, integrated units of study that allow the students to participate in meaningful, purposeful, and relevant studies. Rather than memorizing isolated facts, students will ponder and reflect upon big ideas that truly matter in the larger picture of life. For every unit, there are one or two of the core commonalities studied as threads that tie our learning together. We adhere to the brain research that supports helping students find connections across all learning.
4th grade Thematic Studies is broken up into 4 units focused around NCSCOS Standards for Science and Social Studies and are taught continuously throughout the year. All lessons are interactive and packed with hands-on, minds-on instruction. Throughout the year, we will have plays and field trips that tie into our topics of study during each unit.
Unit 1: The In’s and Out’s of North Carolina
In Unit 1, students will learn all about North Carolina. Since NC has such a rich history, we break it up into the three regions (Coastal, Piedmont, and Mountain Regions). In this first unit, we get a nice overview of each region and we continue to focus on different aspects of each region as we progress through the school year. Our first play of the year, Cracking the Case: The Lost Colony of Roanoke ties in with our study of early NC history. Additionally, we focus heavily on the NC state government. We learn about the structure and function of the different branches and round this unit off with our field trip to Raleigh to visit various museums and government buildings.
NCSCOS Standards Covered:
4.G.1- Understand how humans, environmental and technological factors affect the growth and development of NC
4.H.1- Analyze the chronology of key historical events in NC History
4.H.2- Understand how notable structures, symbols, and place names are significant to NC
4.CG.1- Understand the development, structure and function of NC’s Government
4.CG.2- Analyzed the NC Constitution
Unit 2: Into the Wild: Properties of Minerals, Fossils, and Animal Adaptations
In Unit 2, students will start by learning about how animals adapt to the environments around them over time through adaptations. With this first portion of unit 2, students will conduct a research project that asks them to focus on one specific animal. They will explore how it has adapted to survive in its habitat. We will take a field trip to the North Carolina Zoo to assist them with their research. Students will also dig deep and learn about fossils and minerals. They discover how scientists use fossils to learn about animals, fish, bugs, and other life forms that existed in the past. We will also discuss the properties of minerals through various hands-on activities.
NCSCOS Standards Covered:
4.E.2- Understand the use of fossils and changes in the surface of the earth as evidence of the history of Earth and its changing life forms
4.P.2- Understand the composition and properties of matter before and after they undergo a change or interactions
4.L.1- Understand the effects of environmental changes, adaptations and behaviors that enable animals (including humans) to survive in changing habitats
4.L.2- Understand food and the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and exercise
Unit 3: Changes in Economy and Changes in the Moon
In unit 3, students will prepare for our annual 4th grade trip to JA Biztown. This field trip allows students to gain early exposure to life and workplace skills such as financial literacy, business place etiquette, and advertising tactics. Additionally, through this simulation, students will get to see, firsthand, how a market economy functions. Once we wrap up this unit, we will focus on how the moon changes and cycles through its phases. Finally, around this unit we will do our performance of our second play, Jack and Jackie vs. The Citizens of Appalachia: A Jack Tales Mock Trial.
NCSCOS Standards Covered:
4.E.1- Understand how a market economy impacts life in NC
4.E.2- Understand the economic factors when making personal choices
4.E.1- Explain the causes of day and night and phases of the moon
Unit 4: Types of Energy
In unit 4, we will round out our curriculum with an in-depth exploration of magnets and the various types of energy. Through various exploration activities, we will learn about the unique qualities of light, thermal, and sound energy as well as electrical currents and static electricity.
NCSCOS Standard Covered: