Grade 4
English Language Arts
EL Education is the provider of the OUSD ELA curriculum for grades K-5,.* The curriculum is standards-based, and relies heavily on fiction and nonfiction trade books. This curriculum is open access, and full materials are available to view and at the EL Education website.
* OUSD Dual Language schools use the Benchmark Education curriculum for language instruction.
Fall
Poetry, Poets and Becoming Writers
What makes a poem a poem? What inspires writers to write poetry?
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
A River of Words by Jen Bryant
Winter
Animal Defense Mechanisms
How do animals' bodies and behaviors help them survive? How can writers use knowledge from their research to inform and entertain?
Animal Behavior: Animal Defenses by Christina Wilsdon
Venom by Marilyn Singer
Can You Survive the Wilderness? by Matt Doeden
Spring
Ratifying the 19th Amendment
What can we learn from the process of ratifying the 19th Amendment?
The Hope Chest by Karen Schwabach
Math
Eureka Math2 (Eureka Math "Squared") is the adopted OUSD curriculum for elementary schools. The curriculum is aligned to California Common Core standards, which describe what students should know and be able to do in each subject in each grade.
Science
For elementary science instruction, OUSD uses FOSS (Full Option Science System), a research-based science curriculum developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley. This curriculum emphasizes hands-on activities and is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The order of the three modules varies from school to school, depending on the rotation of physical science kits at each school site.
Physical Science
Energy
When is energy present? How does energy transfer between systems?
Investigations:
Energy and Circuits
The Force of Magnetism
Earth Science
Soils, Rocks, and Landforms
What are Earth’s land surface made of? Why are landforms not the same everywhere?
Investigations:
Soils and Weathering
Lanforms
Life Science
Environments
How do the structures of organisms allow it to survive in its environment?
Investigations:
Environmental Factors
Ecosystems
Social Studies
OUSD 4th graders use Newsela to access a Social Studies curriculum that focuses on California history. This online curriculum is aligned to California Common Core state standards, and consists of individual articles that are adjusted to each student's reading level.
Fall
California History:
Early Years
Chapter 1
Physical and Human Features that Define California
Chapter 2
Pre-Contact Settlements and People
Chapter 3
European Exploration and Colonial History
Winter
California History:
18th and 19th Centuries
Chapter 4
Missions, Ranchos, and the Mexican War for Independence
Chapter 5
The Gold Rush and Statehood
Chapter 6
California as Agricultural and Industrial Power
Spring
California History:
18th and 19th Centuries
Chapter 7
California in a Time of Expansion
Chapter 8
California in the Post-War Era: Immigration, Technology, and Cities