Fourth-grade

For the fourth grade student, the year ahead promises a new level of emotional self-awareness. One may notice a corresponding evolution in the student’s thought process as reasoning becomes more objective. The curriculum is designed to support this new level of academic and social-emotional maturity.

The fourth grade curriculum focuses on the core academic subjects through the lens of Norse myths, as they are particularly suited to impart the gifts, along with the risks, of free will. The combination of history and geography gives students a sense of the interrelated nature of space, time, culture, and the individual. In addition, the fourth grade curriculum brings local geography, study of local Native and Indigenous culture, Celtic knots, composition writing, grammar, fractions, and cross-stitch in handwork. Homework obligations remain thoughtful and succinct with daily string instrument practice and weekly tasks like spelling practice and daily reading, and the culminating Fourth Grade Animal Project.

  • Language Arts: Grammar, punctuation, the nine parts of speech, the four sentence structures and composition, independent reading, discussion, speech and drama
  • Literature: Norse myths and Native American tales
  • Mathematics: Long division and fractions, including adding, subtracting, multiplying and reducing mixed numbers and prime numbers.
  • Science: Zoology
  • Geography: Cartography, local geography
  • History: Minnesota history
  • Spanish: Formal grammar, gender, irregular verbs and personal pronouns, spelling practice, poems, tongue twisters and songs
  • Physical Education: Gymnastics, double dutch, hula hoops, dribbling balls, clapping, chasing games and creating original games, folk dances
  • Handwork: Cross stitch embroidery and woodworking
  • Art: Watercolor painting, geometric and form drawing and clay modeling
  • Music: Recorder, singing in harmony and string ensemble

Michael Roth

Michael Roth joined our grades teacher faculty following 12 years of elementary teaching experience in both independent and public schools. He completed his Masters in Education at DePaul University in Chicago and is pursuing his Waldorf certification through the Great Lakes Waldorf Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.