The focus of social studies includes world geography, cultural backgrounds, Native Americans, the Pioneers, and religious and ethnic holidays. Science instruction emphasizes plants and water, weather, the earth's structure, earthquakes, volcanoes, and simple machines as part of the class work. Fourth Grade The Literacy Arts program at this level includes comprehension, decoding, vocabulary, writing complete and complex sentences, outlining, weekly creative writing assignments, and study skills. Post-writing skills such as dictionary work, editing, and parts of speech help in developing reference, study, thinking, and listening skills. Basic math is interwoven with a problem-solving emphasis using data organization.
All classes have a regular and a challenge group in mathematics.
California history constitutes the year's social studies program, and fourth grade students experience their first reading from a Social Studies text. Science is a hands-on program focusing on our environment and its ecology, with three field trips scheduled from the mountains to the sea. The curriculum in fifth grade is integrated around the Civil War. Note taking and outlining skills, utilizing topic sentences, main ideas, and key words are utilized in summarizing research material. Oral reading and comprehension is emphasized to improve listening skills.