Class Description

“For the Fourth Grade child, the inner and outer worlds are no longer one. The child experiences these worlds torn apart. Self-consciousness becomes stronger, and the soul life becomes more inward and independent. The task of the teacher and parent is to lead the child into a world that is filled with beauty and meaning.” – Rudolph Steiner

During this year, children become increasingly awake to the awareness of their individuality, they look around and seek to discover where they stand in the world around them. Some of their experiences can be filled with confusion and contradictions as they feel the need to begin learning how to navigate both, the calm and rocky waters of their world. They experience rising self-consciousness and heightened cognitive awareness. They become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and will. A fourth grader’s questioning springs forth with “Why? How come? Are you sure? How do you know?” on a daily basis. The curriculum seeks to help them discover and explore possible answers to these seemingly endless questions.

Meeting the children in the beauty of colors, creative artistic explorations, and outdoor experiences in nature can provide nourishment for their soul journey and inspiration to their inquisitive minds as they strengthen their confidence in the sense of connection and belonging to their family, community, their class, and their friends near and afar. The curriculum meets them in this stage with the mythological images from Norse Sagas, stories, and legends inspired by their local area history, mapmaking, and the colorful qualities of artistic work.

Math curriculum reflects their perception of many, seemingly very separate, parts of their world by introducing them to fractions, their qualities, and ways of working with them through the four basic processes.

Science studies take a turn from nature and living on the earth to more specifically observe the world of nature around them. The children take a close look observing animals, landscapes, and their relationships to each other and to the human being.

Main Themes of Grade 4

Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar, Norse Mythology, stories inspired by local history, stories inspired by the history and cultures of Native civilizations 

Math: Expanding on the work with large numbers, Introduction to Fractions, Long division, averages, checking own work 

Science: Human Being & Animals, Landscapes & Animals 

Social Studies: Compass, Mapmaking, Local Geography (neighborhood, town, state, region), Stories inspired by local history, stories inspired by the history and cultures of Native civilizations 

Artistic Work: Watercolor, Drawing with pencils, Drawing with crayons, Form Drawing and Freehand Geometry, Songs, Recitation (poetry and class plays), clay modeling 

Work Samples:

Sample Video's from Mrs. Daniela:

Handwork With Ms. Maggie

As the children begin crossing over from childhood to adolescence during the 4^th grade year, the primary focus of handwork is to awaken an appreciation for form and to strengthen fine motor skills through embroidery and cross stitch. We will begin the year learning basic embroidery stitches and techniques to make an embroidered needle book and scissors pouch. Next, we will work with color theory, color conversation between two color families, and creating a symmetrical form to embroider onto a handwork bag. The students will continue working with color theory and symmetry to create a beautiful unique design on a cross stitch pin cushion. The students will carefully consider their color pattern for the pin cushion, stitching the lightest color in the center. The stitched form will duplicate and mirror itself in all directions, including diagonally. This process develops pattern recognition and sharpens eye hand coordination.

Eurythmy Inspired Movement With Ms. Tiffany 

The theme of the fourth grade is “We are here; we work hard; we are humans. Apollonisians.” We will work hard! This year will we will dive deeper into the eurythmy gestures and what they mean. When we walk forms; we do it always facing towards the front of the room, which brings about spatial awareness. We will work with rhythmic principles like basic tone gestures, as well as, beat, rhythm, and pitch. For copper rod exercises, we bring a mix of basic rod exercises for a light mood, and intermediate exercises which take work and concentration.

American Sign Language with Ms. Rebecca

Grade 3 will be learning vocabulary in ASL surrounding map making, kingdoms of nature, and math terminology. In grade 4, children will begin to learn the grammar system of ASL by exploring prepositions, articles and pronouns. 

Music with Mr. Mark

In Music Class 4 we use singing games, dancing games, sing-alongs and stories to create music together. We explore physically the steady beat, how the beat relates to rhythm, and how beat and rhythm relate to melody in a naturally organic progression. The material we use incorporates the season we're in as well as aspects of the students’ Main Lesson blocks. Emphasis is on creative expression and musical exploration, where everyone participates together in the creation of beautiful music. Music Notation is introduced in a fun, organic way that relates to the Feeling Life of the music rather than the Intellectual. We incorporate Beginning/Intermediate Recorder into our musical explorations (some students may already be playing recorder at this age, and I take that into account as I incorporate complete beginners with those who have some recorder skills, so that we can all progress together).