Fourth Grade Standards of Learning

English | Math | Science | Social Studies

English

Oral Language

The student will use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings.

Present accurate directions to individuals and small groups.
Contribute to group discussions.
Seek ideas and opinions of others.
Use evidence to support opinions.
Use grammatically correct language and specific vocabulary to communicate ideas.

The student will make and listen to oral presentations and reports.

Use subject-related information and vocabulary.
Listen to and record information.
Organize information for clarity.

Reading

The student will read fiction and nonfiction with fluency and accuracy.

Use context to clarify meanings of unfamiliar words.
Explain words with multiple meanings.
Use knowledge of word origins; synonyms, antonyms, and homonyms; and multiple meanings of words.
Use word-reference materials, including the glossary, dictionary, and thesaurus.

The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of fiction.

Explain the author’s purpose.
Describe how the choice of language, setting, and information contributes to the author’s purpose.
Compare the use of fact and fantasy in historical fiction with other forms of literature.
Identify major events and supporting details.
Describe the relationship between text and previously read materials.
Identify sensory words.

The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction.

Use text organizers, such as type, headings, and graphics, to predict and categorize information.
Formulate questions that might be answered in the selection.
Explain the author’s purpose.
Make simple inferences, using information from texts.
Draw conclusions, using information from texts.
Summarize content of selection, identifying important ideas and providing details for each important idea.
Describe relationship between content and previously learned concepts or skills.
Distinguish between cause and effect and between fact and opinion.
Identify new information gained from reading.

The student will demonstrate comprehension of information resources to research a topic.

Construct questions about a topic.
Collect information, using the resources of the media center, including online, print, and media resources.
Evaluate and synthesize information.

Writing

The student will write effective narratives, poems, and explanations.

Focus on one aspect of a topic.
Develop a plan for writing.
Organize writing to convey a central idea.
Write several related paragraphs on the same topic.
Utilize elements of style, including word choice and sentence variation.
Write rhymed, unrhymed, and patterned poetry.
Use available technology.

The student will edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

Use subject-verb agreement.
Include prepositional phrases.
Eliminate double negatives.
Use noun-pronoun agreement.
Use commas in series, dates, and addresses.
Incorporate adjectives and adverbs.
Use the articles a, an, and the correctly.
Use correct spelling for frequently used words, including common homophones.

Math

Number and Number Sense

The student will

identify (orally and in writing) the place value for each digit in a whole number expressed through millions;
compare two whole numbers expressed through millions, using symbols ( >, <, or = ); and
round whole numbers expressed through millions to the nearest thousand, ten thousand, and hundred thousand.

The student will

identify, model, and compare rational numbers (fractions and mixed numbers), using concrete objects and pictures;
represent equivalent fractions; and
relate fractions to decimals, using concrete objects.

The student will compare the numerical value of fractions (with like and unlike denominators) having denominators of 12 or less, using concrete materials.
The student will

read, write, represent, and identify decimals expressed through thousandths;
round to the nearest whole number, tenth, and hundredth; and
compare the value of two decimals, using symbols (<, >, or =), concrete materials, drawings, and calculators.

Computation and Estimation

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 .
The student will add and subtract whole numbers written in vertical and horizontal form, choosing appropriately between paper and pencil methods and calculators.
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.
The student will estimate and find the quotient of two whole numbers, given a one-digit divisor.
The student will

add and subtract with fractions having like and unlike denominators of 12 or less, using concrete materials, pictorial representations, and paper and pencil;
add and subtract with decimals through thousandths, using concrete materials, pictorial representations, and paper and pencil; and
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

The student will

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;
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
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.

The student will

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;
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
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.

The student will

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;
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
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 unit

The student will

identify and describe situations representing the use of perimeter and area; and
use measuring devices to find perimeter in both standard and nonstandard units of measure.

Geometry

The student will investigate and describe the relationships between and among points, lines, line segments, and rays.
The student will

identify and draw representations of points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles, using a straightedge or ruler; and
describe the path of shortest distance between two points on a flat surface.

The student will identify and draw representations of lines that illustrate intersection, parallelism, and perpendicularity.
The student will

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]);
identify congruent and noncongruent shapes; and
investigate congruence of plane figures after geometric transformations such as reflection (flip), translation (slide) and rotation (turn), using mirrors, paper folding, and tracing.

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

The student will

predict the likelihood of outcomes of a simple event, using the terms certain, likely, unlikely, impossible ; and
determine the probability of a given simple event, using concrete materials.

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

The student will recognize, create, and extend numerical and geometric patterns, using concrete materials, number lines, symbols, tables, and words.
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].

Science

Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic

The student will plan and conduct investigations in which

distinctions are made among observations, conclusions, inferences, and predictions;
hypotheses are formulated based on cause-and-effect relationships;
variables that must be held constant in an experimental situation are defined;
appropriate instruments are selected to measure linear distance, volume, mass, and temperature;
appropriate metric measures are used to collect, record, and report data;
data are displayed using bar and basic line graphs;
numerical data that are contradictory or unusual in experimental results are recognized; and
predictions are made based on data from picture graphs, bar graphs, and basic line graphs.

Force, Motion, and Energy

The student will investigate and understand characteristics and interaction of moving objects. Key concepts include

motion is described by an object’s direction and speed;
forces cause changes in motion;
friction is a force that opposes motion; and
moving objects have kinetic energy.

The student will investigate and understand the characteristics of electricity. Key concepts include

conductors and insulators;
basic circuits (open/closed, parallel/series);
static electricity;
the ability of electrical energy to be transformed into heat, light, and mechanical energy;
simple electromagnets and magnetism; and
historical contributions in understanding electricity.

Life Processes

The student will investigate and understand basic plant anatomy and life processes. Key concepts include

the structures of typical plants (leaves, stems, roots, and flowers);
processes and structures involved with reproduction (pollination, stamen, pistil, sepal, embryo, spore, and seed);
photosynthesis (sunlight, chlorophyll, water, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and sugar); and
dormancy.

Living Systems

The student will investigate and understand how plants and animals in an ecosystem interact with one another and the nonliving environment. Key concepts include

behavioral and structural adaptations;
organization of communities;
flow of energy through food webs;
habitats and niches;
life cycles; and
influence of human activity on ecosystems.

Interrelationships in Earth/Space Systems

The student will investigate and understand how weather conditions and phenomena occur and can be predicted. Key concepts include

weather measurements and meteorological tools (air pressure – barometer, wind speed – anemometer, rainfall – rain gauge, and temperature – thermometer); and
weather phenomena (fronts, clouds, and storms).

Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change

The student will investigate and understand the relationships among the Earth, moon, and sun. Key concepts include

the motions of the Earth, moon, and sun (revolution and rotation);
the causes for the Earth’s seasons and phases of the moon;
the relative size, position, age, and makeup of the Earth, moon, and sun; and
historical contributions in understanding the Earth-moon-sun system.

Resources

The student will investigate and understand important Virginia natural resources. Key concepts include

watershed and water resources;
animals and plants;
minerals, rocks, ores, and energy sources; and
forests, soil, and land.

Social Studies

Skills

The student will develop skills for historical and geographical analysis including the ability to

identify and interpret artifacts and primary and secondary source documents to understand events in history;
determine cause and effect relationships;
compare and contrast historical events;
draw conclusions and make generalizations;
make connections between past and present;
sequence events in Virginia history;
interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;
evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;
analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic characteristics, and historical events.

Virginia: The Land and Its First Inhabitants

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the geography and early inhabitants of Virginia by

locating Virginia and its bordering states on maps of the United States;
locating and describing Virginia’s Coastal Plain (Tidewater), Piedmont, Blue Ridge Mountains, Valley and Ridge, and Appalachian Plateau;
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);
locating three American Indian (First American) language groups (the Algonquian, the Siouan, and the Iroquoian) on a map of Virginia;
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

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the first permanent English settlement in America by

explaining the reasons for English colonization;
describing how geography influenced the decision to settle at Jamestown;
identifying the importance of the charters of the Virginia Company of London in establishing the Jamestown settlement;
identifying the importance of the Virginia Assembly(1619) as the first representative legislative body in English America;
identifying the importance of the arrival of Africans and women to the Jamestown settlement;
describing the hardships faced by settlers at Jamestown and the changes that took place to ensure survival;
describing the interactions between the English settlers and the Powhatan people, including the contributions of the Powhatans to the survival of the settlers.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of life in the Virginia colony by

explaining the importance of agriculture and its influence on the institution of slavery;
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;
explaining how geography influenced the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Jamestown to Williamsburg to Richmond;
describing how money, barter, and credit were used.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the American Revolution by

identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with England as expressed in the Declaration of Independence;
identifying the various roles played by Virginians in the Revolutionary War era, with emphasis on George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry;
identifying the importance of the American victory at Yorktown.

Political Growth and Western Expansion: 1781 to the Mid 1800s

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the establishment of the new American nation by

explaining why George Washington is called the “Father of our Country” and James Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution”;
identifying the ideas of George Mason and Thomas Jefferson as expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom;
explaining the influence of geography on the migration of Virginians into western territories.

Civil War and Post-War Eras

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the issues that divided our nation and led to the Civil War by

identifying the events and differences between northern and southern states that divided Virginians and led to secession, war, and the creation of West Virginia;
describing Virginia’s role in the war, including identifying major battles that took place in Virginia.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of the reconstruction of Virginia following the Civil War by

identifying the effects of Reconstruction on life in Virginia;
identifying the effects of segregation and “Jim Crow” on life in Virginia;
describing the importance of railroads, new industries, and the growth of cities to Virginia’s economic development.

Virginia: 1900 to the Present

The student will demonstrate knowledge of twentieth century Virginia by

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;
identifying the social and political events in Virginia linked to desegregation and Massive Resistance and their relationship to national history;
identifying the political, social, and/or economic contributions made by Maggie Walker, Harry F. Byrd, Sr., Arthur R. Ashe, Jr., and L. Douglas Wilder.

The student will demonstrate knowledge of government, geography, and economics by

identifying the three branches of Virginia government and the function of each;
describing the major products and industries of Virginia’s five geographic regions;
explaining how advances in transportation, communications, and technology have contributed to Virginia’s prosperity and role in the global economy.