United Friends School Grades 4 and 5 Curriculum
Language Arts
Reading: Children continue to develop book selection, reading and comprehension skills, and fluency.
Students begin to read analytically to gather meaning and information. Their response to literature
includes journal entries, projects, and class discussions. Children read silently with sustained
concentration; self-correct without prompting, and apply a range of word building strategies for decoding.
Writing: Extended vocabulary; subject/verb, noun/pronoun agreement; more complex language structure;
expresses ideas fluently; develops relationships between character and actions; revises while drafting;
more attention to editing; stories in chapters, essays; reports.
Spelling: Words Their Way. Syllables and Affixes Stage (Grades 3 to 5): Students examine consonant
doubling and inflected endings; focus on unaccented syllables such as er and le; join spelling and
vocabulary studies; link meaning and spelling; explore grammar through word study; sort and study
affixes (prefixes and suffixes); maintain a word study notebook.
Handwriting: Cursive Success/ Can Do Cursive addresses letter formation and connections. Children
begin to write cursive automatically in a smaller size. Continued practice develops skills and fluency.
Library: Use electronic card catalog independently; use internet and periodical databases to answer
questions; develop search strategies; explore biography and non-fiction section of library and understand
relationship to Dewey number and location; use reference section; use the Big6 information problem
solving model to answer questions and present their learning; develop into life-long readers by engaging
students in read alouds, book talks, genre studies, and author studies.
Math:
The Fourth Grade Everyday Mathematics Program emphasizes the following grade level goals:
Number and Numeration: Read, write, and compare whole numbers through millions, decimals
through thousandths; identify places in such numbers and the values of the digits in those places between
whole numbers and decimals represented in words and in base 10 notation; read, write, and model
fractions; solve problems involving fractional parts of a region or a collection; describe and explain
strategies used; given a fractional part, identify the unit whole; find multiples of whole numbers less than
10; find whole number factors of numbers; use numerical expressions involving one or more of the basic
operations and grouping symbols to give equivalent names for whole numbers; use numerical expressions
to find and represent equivalent names for fractions and decimals; use and explain a multiplication rule to
find equivalent fractions; rename fourths, fifths, tenths, and hundredths as decimals and percents;
compare and order whole numbers up to a billion and decimals through thousandths; compare and order
integers between -100 and 0; use area models, benchmark fractions, and analyses of numerators and
denominators to compare and order fractions., negative numbers to -20, and fractions; understand
relations between fractions, decimals, and percents; locate fractions and mixed numbers on a number line;
generate equivalent fractions.
1
Operations and Computation: Use automaticity with basic addition and subtraction facts and fact
extensions; Use manipulatives, mental arithmetic, paper and pencil algorithms, and calculators to solve
problems involving the addition and subtraction of whole numbers and decimals through hundredths;
describe the strategies used and explain how they work; demonstrate automaticity with multiplication
facts through 10 x 10 and proficiency with related division facts; use basic facts to compute fact
extensions such as 30 x 60; use multiple ways to solve problems involving the multiplication of multidigit
whole numbers by 2 digit whole numbers and the division of multidigit whole numbers by 1 digit whole
numbers; describe the strategies used and explain how they work; use multiple ways to solve problems
involving the addition and subtraction of fractions with like and unlike denominators; describe the
strategies used; make reasonable estimates for whole number and decimal addition and subtractions
problems and whole number multiplication and division problems; explain how the estimates were
obtained; use repeated addition, skip counting, arrays, area, and scaling to model multiplication and
division
Data and Chance: Collect and organize data or use given data to create charts, tables, bar graphs, line
plots, and line graphs; use the maximum, minimum, range, median, mode, and graphs to ask and answer
questions, draw conclusions, and make predictions; describe events using certain, very likely, likely,
unlikely, very unlikely, impossible and other basic probability terms; use more likely, equally likely,
same chance, 50-50, less likely, and other basic probability terms to compare events; explain the choice of
language; predict the outcomes of experiments and test the predictions using manipulatives; summarize
the results and use them to predict future events; express the probability of an event as a fraction.
Geometry: Identify, draw, and describe points, intersecting and parallel line segments and lines, rays, and
right, acute, and obtuse angles; describe, compare, and classify plane and solid figures, including
polygons, circles, spheres, cylinders, rectangular prisms, cones, cubes, and pyramids, using appropriate
geometric terms including vertex, base, face, edge, and congruent; identify, describe, and sketch examples
of reflections; identify and describe examples of translation and rotations.
Measurement and Reference Frames Estimate length with and without tools; measure length to the
nearest ¼ inch and ½ centimeter; estimate the size of angles without tools; describe and use strategies to
measure the perimeter and area of polygons, to estimate the area of irregular shapes, and to find the
volume of rectangular prisms; describe relationships among U.S. customary units of length and among
metric units of length; use ordered pairs of numbers to name, locate, and plot points in the first quadrant
of a coordinate grid.
Patterns, Functions, and Algebra: Extend, describe, and create numeric patterns; describe rules for
patterns and use them to solve problems; use words and symbols to describe and write rules for functions
that involve the four basic operations and use those rules to solve problems; use conventional notation to
write expressions and number sentences using the four basic operations; determine whether number
sentences are true or false; solve open sentences and explain the solutions; write expressions and number
sentences to model number stories; evaluate numeric expressions containing grouping symbols; insert
grouping symbols to make number sentences true; apply the distribute property of multiplication over
addition to the partial-products multiplication algorithm.
The Fifth Grade Everyday Mathematics Program emphasizes the following grade level goals:
Number and Numeration: Read and write whole numbers and decimals; identify places in such
numbers and the values of the digits in those places; use expanded notation to represent whole numbers
and decimals; solve problems involving percents and discounts; describe and explain strategies used;
identify the unit=whole in situations involving fractions; identify prime and composite numbers; factor
numbers; find prime factorizations; use numerical expressions involving one or more of the basic
operations, grouping symbols, and exponents to give equivalent names for whole numbers; convert
2
between base 10, exponential, and repeated factor notations; use numerical expressions to find and
represent equivalent names for fractions, decimals, and percents; use and explain multiplication and
division rules to find equivalent fractions and fractions in simplest form; convert between fractions and
mixed numbers; convert between fractions, decimals, and percents; compare and order whole numbers up
to a billion and decimals through thousandths; compare and order integers between -100 and 0; use area
models, benchmark fractions, and analyses of numerators and denominators to compare and order
fractions.
Operations and Computation: Use mental arithmetic, paper and pencil algorithms, and calculators to
solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of whole numbers, decimals, and signed numbers;
describe the strategies used and explain how they work; demonstrate automaticity with multiplication
facts and proficiency with division facts and expressions; use multiple strategies to solve problems
involving the multiplication of whole numbers and decimals and the division of multidigit whole numbers
and decimals by whole numbers; express remainders as whole numbers or fractions as appropriate;
describe the strategies used and explain how they work; solve problems involving the addition and
subtraction of fractions and mixed numbers; describe the strategies used and explain how they work;
solve problems involving the multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers; use diagrams, a common
denominator method and calculators to solve problems involving the division of fractions; describe the
strategies used; make reasonable estimates for whole number and decimal addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division problems and fraction and mixed number addition and subtraction problems;
explain how the estimates were obtained; use repeated addition, arrays, area, and scaling to model
multiplication and division; use ratios expressed as words, fractions, percents, and with colons; solve
problems involving ratios of parts of a set to the whole set.
Data and Chance: Collect and organize data or use given data to create bar, line, and circle graphs with
reasonable titles, labels, keys, and intervals; use the maximum, minimum, range, median, mode, and mean
and graphs to ask and answer questions, draw conclusions, and make predictions; describe events using
certain, very likely, likely, unlikely, very unlikely, impossible and other basic probability terms; use more
likely, equally likely, same chance, 50-50, less likely, and other basic probability terms to compare
events; explain the choice of language; predict the outcomes of experiments, test the predictions using
manipulatives, and summarize the results; compare predictions based on theoretical probability with
experimental results; use summaries and comparisons to predict future events; express the probability of
an event as a fraction, decimal, or percent.
Measurement and Reference Frames: Estimate length with and without tools; measure length with
tools to the nearest 1/8 inch and millimeter; estimate the measure of angles with and without tools; use
tools to draw angles with given measures; describe and use strategies to find the perimeter of polygons
and the area of circles; choose and use appropriate formulas to calculate the area of rectangles,
parallelograms, and triangles, and the volume of a prism; define pi as the ratio of a circle’s circumference
to its diameter; describe relationships among U.S. customary units of length, among metric units of length
and among U.S. customary units of capacity; use ordered pairs of numbers to name, locate, and plot
points in all four quadrants of a coordinate grid.
Geometry: Identify, describe, compare, name, and draw right, acute, obtuse, straight, and reflex angles;
determine angle measures in vertical and supplementary angles and by applying properties of sums of
angle measures in triangles and quadrangles; describe, compare, and classify plane and solid figures using
appropriate geometric terms; identify congruent figures and describe their properties; identify, describe,
and sketch examples of reflections, translations, and rotations.
Patterns, Functions and Algebra: Extend, describe, and create numeric patterns; describe rules for
patterns and use them to solve problems; write rules for functions involving the four operations; represent
3
functions using words, symbols, tables, and graphs and use those representations to solve problems;
determine whether number senteces are true or false; solve open number sentences and explain the
solutions; use a letter variable to write an open sentence to model a number story; use a pan balance
model to solve linear equations with one unknown; evaluate numeric expressions containing grouping
symbols and nested grouping symbols; insert grouping symbols and nested grouping symbols to make
number sentences true; describe and use the precedence of multiplication and division over addition and
subtraction; describe and apply properties of arithmetic.
Science (Grades 4 and 5)
Position and Motion of Objects: Forces and Motion- Newtonian Laws of Forces and Motion:
An object’s motion is the result of all forces acting on it. A force is required to change an objects
speed or direction. The greater the force, the greater the change in motion. Simple machines
provide mechanical advantage. Explorations include: Simple machines,
Properties of Objects and Materials: Atomic Molecular Theory of Matter-The characteristic
properties of matter can be used to identify and separate on substance from another. Matter has
observable physical properties and the potential to mix and form new materials. Explorations
include: Atom Matter, Dry Ice, Water Drops, Measuring Mass and Density
Transfer of Energy: Light, Heat, Electricity, and Magnetism: There are a variety of ways to
make things go. Explorations include: Electrical Circuits, Heat energy transfer, Prisms and
Lenses, Sound waves, Measuring Magnet Strength,
Earth Systems Theory: The Earth system changes constantly as air, water, soil, and rock
interact, and the Earth is part of a larger sun, earth, moon system. Solid, liquid, and
gaseous earth materials all circulate in large scale systems at a variety of time scales, giving
rise to landscapes, the rock cycle, ocean currents, and weather and climate. The earth and
the solar system are closely interacting systems. Energy from the sun warms air and water, which
creates moving currents within them. The water cycle plays an important role in climatic
patterns. Earth rotates on its axis giving it days and nights. The tilt of the axis produces seasons.
The earth has a water cycle. Most ground water eventually returns to the ocean. Weather
variables can be observed and measured and weather patterns predicted. Explorations include:
Properties of Earth materials: Earth materials (rocks and soils) are composed of different
combinations of minerals that can be classified. Soil is formed from the breakdown of rocks and
organic material. Earth is mostly rock, with a metallic core, a thin layer of water covering ¾ of
the earth’s surface, and surrounded by a thin blanket of air. Sedimentary rock layers confirm the
long history of Earth changes. Explorations include:
Objects in the sky: Objects in the sky have patterns of movement that can be observed. The sun
provides the light and heat necessary for life on Earth. The moon’s revolution around the Earth is
visible as moon phases. Anything near Earth is pulled toward it by gravity. Explorations
include: Space unit
4
The characteristics of organisms: Organisms have basic needs and can only survive where
their needs are met. Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive
and have offspring. Each organism has different structures that serve different functions in
growth, survival, and reproduction. The behavior of individual organisms is influenced by
internal and external cues. Explorations include: Habitats, Cricket mapping,
Cell Theory: The cell is the basic unit of structure and function for all living things. All
living things are made up of smaller units called cells. Cells carry out many functions needed to
sustain life. Different body tissues and organs are made up of different kinds of cells. Cells take
in the nutrients that they use to provide energy to carry out their life functions. Explorations
include: Cricket mapping, plants
Life cycles of organisms: Plants and animals have life cycles that are different for different
organisms. Plants and animals closely resemble their parents. Many characteristics of an
organism are inherited from their parents but other characteristics result from interactions with
the environment. The gene is the basic unit of inheritance. Every organism has a set of genetic
instructions that determines its inherited traits. Explorations include: Cricket mapping
Organisms and environments: All animals depend on plants. An organism’s patterns of
behavior are influenced by its environment. All organisms cause changes in the environment
where they live. Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of populations and
entire species. Extinction of a species occurs when the environmental conditions and changes
and adaptive characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow its survival. Humans depend on
their natural and constructed environments. Explorations include: Cricket mapping, plants
Social Studies: map and globe skills; family history; states and capitals, products, natural
resources.
5