The fourth grade program encourages the youngest NCS artists to explore and respond to art materials and begin to reflect on their process. Students investigate new concepts and develop coordination of their hands and minds to bring their ideas to life in their artwork. Art projects focus on exploration and play with materials and concepts, the fourth grade class animal, and culture. Fourth graders attend two 55-minute art classes per rotation.

All 4th-grade students participate in the 4th Grade Choir, where they learn the organizing principles of a piece of music, what is “good” about a piece, the difference between “skill” and “talent” in singing, how to break a notation “code,” and what the role of the conductor is in choral music. The course enables students to perform capably, confidently, and knowledgeably within a vocal choral ensemble while serving as service musicians and community representatives. 

ENGLISH 4 includes the study of spelling, grammar, literature, and creative and analytical writing. Throughout the year, students analyze novels, through which they strengthen their reading comprehension, understanding of literary devices, and facility in self-expression. Along with weekly lessons in spelling or vocabulary, students study foundational grammatical concepts, including parts of speech, “the sentence,” and rules of punctuation and capitalization. Writing assignments spring from literary analysis of literature and personal experience; poetry is inspired by visits in science class to their “magical places” in the Bishop’s Garden. In the spring, students perform plays related to a genre, such as fractured fairy tales.

The 4th grade curriculum's purpose is to develop beginning language skills and instill in students an appreciation for other cultures.  Students will grasp beginner language through interpersonal speaking tasks (Q&A, surveys, interviews, skits, group projects), listening comprehension activities from authentic resources, as well as writing and reading comprehension exercises specific to each unit of study and grammatical points.

In this course, taught by the school counselor, we introduce our newest students to the social, emotional, spiritual, and academic aspects of school life that will help them be successful and comfortable at NCS. Students explore the five components of wellness, the schoolís core values (courage, conscience, excellence, and service), different learning styles, and how diversity enriches our learning environment. Students also learn productive ways to handle conflicts in friendships, communicate assertively and manage difficult feelings.†Fourth grade students attend this class during the first trimester of the year.

Along with time for reading, the major emphasis in this library class is on reading promotion through book talks, displays, and reading clubs open to all. Students will also spend a portion of each class developing their library skills. The 4th-grade library curriculum encourages the effective use of the online card catalog as it introduces students to methods of finding information in the library. Students also learn to use library databases for research. The 4th grade reads and compares fairy tales, folk tales, and the traditions of diverse cultures and social backgrounds. Listening skills are developed throughout the year as the 4th graders hear stories read aloud. At the end of the year, students are introduced to the Elizabethan period and Shakespeare’s theater in preparation for the 4thgrade Shakespeare plays.

MATH 4 promotes a strong mastery of computational skills, enabled by consistent attention to number sense and place-value comprehension. Decimal, fraction, and percentage units extend whole-number understanding. Data, geometry, and measurement work includes crosscurricular components and project-based learning. Problem-solving experiences are woven throughout the curriculum.

MUSIC 4 develops a basic understanding of rhythm, melody, and harmony. By the end of the course, students are able to read all letter pitches on the treble clef staff (low C to high A); read and sing C pentatonic solfege on the staff; read and perform whole, beat packets, and quarter note pick-up notes; improvise a pentatonic melody; and know basic forms for compositions (music and dance).

PHYSICAL EDUCATION 4 exposes students to a variety of skills and movements used in games, activities, and sports, so that they develop confidence and become proficient in fundamental skills. In addition, they will learn that physical activity provides an opportunity for enjoyment, challenge, and self-expression. Activities include: Throwing and  catching, dribbling, striking skills, shooting skills, cooperative games, lead up games to field hockey, soccer, volleyball, softball, swimming, basketball, tennis, flag football, frisbee, floor hockey, lacrosse, and track and field. Students are exposed to fundamentals of fitness that include running form, core stability, balance, and functional movmements.  Students also participate in an Olympics unit with focus on teamwork,  competition and fun.

This course introduces 4th grade students to the spiritual nature and distinctive Episcopal identity of NCS. Class projects include students interviewing their family members about their religious and spiritual identities, exploring sacred spaces in the Cathedral and Chapel, and beginning mindfulness and meditation practices. 

SCIENCE 4 provides an environment for active investigation and discovery in a variety of scientific disciplines, including chemistry, life, earth, and space science. Students use the scientific method to investigate each topic. Interdisciplinary, inquiry-based projects incorporating all academic and community-building aspects of the curriculum are key components of the course. Experiments and activities integrated into the course are designed to connect students’ new knowledge and skills to their personal lives and communities.

The 4th grade curriculum's purpose is to develop beginning language skills and instill in students an appreciation for other cultures.  Students will grasp beginner language through interpersonal speaking tasks (Q&A, surveys, interviews, skits, group projects), listening comprehension activities from authentic resources, as well as writing and reading comprehension exercises specific to each unit of study and grammatical points.

In fourth grade, we focus our social science learning on United States geography and use this discipline as a framework to develop important foundational skills. Course activities develop proficiencies in map making, map reading, and identifying geographic features of the USA. As students examine this country region by region, they are invited to see the topic of place through a variety of lenses—physical, economic, cultural, etc. A primary goal of course completion is the introduction of strategies associated with effective non-fiction reading. One highlight of the year: Each student is asked to examine the geography of her own family culture in a project that reminds us of the relationship between world geography and the United States.