|
 Chapin’s fourth grade year is one marked by
ever increasing individual responsibility, as students
manage their own homework duties and take on greater time
management skills with several long-term assignments.
The
curriculum moves from a study of Japan, its culture,
history, geography and people, to a look at the Immigrant
Experience and the notion of the U.S. as a melting pot, and
then to a look at how our nation was formed with an emphasis
on life in Colonial America and the conditions leading to
the War for Independence. Relevant and meaningful
literature selections accompany these units of study, as
well as a unit on “Perspectives,” which gives children an
opportunity to gain a greater appreciation for the arts, to
build greater respect for others by understanding others’
individual perspectives, and, through research, to study an
artist of their own choosing. Astronomy, Electricity and
Magnetism, and Ideas and Inventions are some of the science
topics covered.
Various community resources are used to
enhance many fourth grade experiences with, for example,
trips to Princeton University’s Art Museum, Drumthwacket,
The State House in Trenton, as well as the Old Barracks
historical site. Math challenges are provided appropriately
as fourth graders review fraction concepts and move into
greater facility in using fractions, and as they plunge into
the concepts and algorithms of long division, decimals,
geometry, graphing and measurement, to name a few of their
topics of study.
Fourth graders enjoy being the “big buddy”
for the first time at Chapin, as they partner with
Pre-Kindergarten students in fun and educational experiences
throughout the year and forming lasting bonds. |
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