Quarter 4 Curriculum

Fourth Quarter Curriculum

Math: Module 6: Decimals

This 20-day module gives students their first opportunity to explore decimal numbers via their relationship to decimal fractions, expressing a given quantity in both fraction and decimal forms. Utilizing the understanding of fractions developed throughout Module 5, students apply the same reasoning to decimal numbers, building a solid foundation for Grade 5 work with decimal operations. Previously referred to as whole numbers, all numbers written in the base-ten number systemwith place value units that are powers of 10 are 
henceforth referred to as decimal numbers, a setwhich now includestenths and hundredths (e.g., 1, 15, 248, 0.3, 3.02, and 24.35). Module 4: Angle Measurement & Plane Figures

Module 4: Geometry

This 20-day module introduces points, lines, line segments, rays, and angles, as well as the relationships between them. Students construct, recognize, and define these geometric objects before using their new knowledge and understanding to classify figures and solve problems. With angle measure playing a key role in their work throughout the module, students learn how to create and measure angles, as well as create and solve equations to find unknown angle measures. In these problems, where the unknown angle is represented by a letter, students explore both measuring the unknown angle with a protractor and reasoning through the solving of an equation. Through decomposition and composition activities as well as an exploration of symmetry, students recognize specific attributes present in two-dimensional figures. They further develop their understanding of these attributes as they classify two-dimensional figures based on them.

Science: Energizing Everything: Energy, Motion, & Electricity

This introductory energy unit will encourage students to think about the energy that things need to move. Students will explore how energy makes things go, from powering vehicles to moving one’s body. Students will experiment with rubber bands to discover the relationship between how much energy is stored in a material and how much is released. They will investigate the role that hills play in making roller coasters move and the energy transfer that happens when two objects collide. Students will realize that thinking about the world in terms of energy helps them make sense of how and why things speed up and slow down. Hands-on activities focus on engineering, testing hypotheses and using results to develop their ideas.

Social Studies: The Southwest Region & The West Region

We will study the states, capitals, and features of the last two regions during quarter 4. Students will learn the states and capitals of these regions as well as important features and industries. Students will be quizzed on labeling a map with the names of the states and their matching capital cities at the end of the unit.