Our Favorite Books for 4th Grade

Diligence must be cultivated as daily habit so that it is a joy. – Shinichi Suzuki, Young Children’s Talent Education and Its Method

Religion

St. Joseph Baltimore Catechism No. 1

The Golden Children’s Bible with Christian Studies I

Fifty-Seven Saints or Saints and Heroes

My Path to Heaven

See this post,  The 7 Strands of a Great Religion Curriculum, for more details.

Math

Primary Math 4A and 4B At a minimum, use the textbooks and workbooks. I recommend using the test books and extra practice books as well.

For more info on this program, see Lesson Plans that Simplify Singapore Math. 

For free lesson plans, see Free Singapore Math Lesson Plans.

Alternatively, you might want to look at Saxon 5/4.

Grammar and Writing

Language of God C or D – This grammar series by Catholic Heritage Curricula is both gentle and thorough. I love how they reinforce the teachings of the church throughout the various exercises.
Fables, Myths, and Fairy Tales Writing Lessons in Structure and Style by the Institute for Excellence in Writing. I cannot recommend this writing program highly enough. The genius behind IEW’s program is that it teaches writing, which can be nebulous and subjective, with concrete and manageable steps. Students are given tools and vocabulary with which they can expand and develop their writing style. Parents are given checklists to help them objectively assess their children’s writing assignments.
Whether or not you use this writing program, I highly recommend listening to these free podcasts by Andrew Pudewa, the founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing.
Nurturing Competent Communicators and The Four Deadly Errors of Teaching Writing

Handwriting and Spelling

Cursive Success (Gr. 4)  and/or Can-Do Cursive (Gr. 5)Pentime Cursive Grade 4 is a great alternative, especially if your child is studying American history or geography.

All About Spelling – If your child is new to All About Spelling, you may want to start at book two so your student will become familiar with the spelling rules. This is an excellent program and well worth the time you will need to spend teaching your children the rules.

Poetry

Each week my children copy and memorize a new verse. At the end of the week, they recite as much of the poem as they can. This is an excellent way to fill your child’s mind with beautiful language patterns and imagery as well as sharpen his memory.

The Harp and Laurel Wreath  – This is a wonderful collection of poems presented by level.

Favorite Poems Old and New – This anthology has over 700 poems for children categorized by theme.

Reading Comprehension and Story Time

Check out this post: What to do About Reading Comprehension.

Encourage your child to read children’s literature on his/her own. One way to get a child hooked onto a book is to read the first few chapters aloud. If a book is really exciting or intruiging, they will be happy to finish it on their own.

Also, continue to read aloud to your children. According to this study, reading aloud is the best way to help children develop word mastery and grammatical understanding. Perhaps just as important, reading aloud to your child is a wonderful way to bond with him and to develop his moral compass. It’s our favorite part of school. We usually read historical novels or picture books from our  history book list, saint biographies, and classic children’s literature.

Check out the free Read-Aloud Revival Booklist and the 1000 Good Books list for good recommendations.

History and Geography

For History, see Gr. 3-6 History Lesson Plans. You will find lesson plans for  Ancient History, Early Church and Medieval History, and American history. All lesson plans contain lists of historical novels that you can assign as independent reading or read aloud to your child.

Third and fourth grades are a great time for  memorizing the states and capitals or world countries and capitals. Here are some fun resources to facilitate this:

Geo Cards USA and USA and Canada Geo Puzzle

Geo Cards World   and  World Geo Puzzle

The pieces in these puzzles are the same shape as the states, provinces, or countries. Very clever! These puzzles are a great way for children to know the shape of the states/countries and where they belong in relation to the other states/countries.

The pieces in these puzzles are the same shape as the states, provinces, or countries. Very clever! These puzzles are a great way for children to know the shape of the states/countries and where they belong in relation to the other states/countries.

Science

Understanding God’s World  – This is an easy and straightforward science text. I made these lesson plans for my kids so they could work independently. I recommend the test/quiz book and, if you have time, the activity book. However, the only activities from the activity book that are listed in the lesson plans are the Backyard Detective Activities. For these, have your student go outside and try to find the insects he/she is learning about.

Usborne Complete First Book of Nature is a wonderful resource, especially on those lovely spring days when you and your kids need a change of routine. Read one of the two-page lessons and then go on a nature walk to find what you have read about. Nature Study opens a child’s eyes to the beauty of God’s creation and soothes the soul.

Art and Music

Drawing Textbook – This may be a simple little book, but it really works. My children teach themselves how to draw in 3-D with this book.

Paint by Number Museum Series – If your child has the patience and interest, this is a great introduction to painting.

A Child’s Book of Prayer in Art – This lovely book contains beautiful artwork accompanied by gentle meditations for children.

Little by little, build a collection of classical music and play it for your kids. I give my kids their daily dose of classical music during breakfast.

If you can, encourage your children to sing in a choir or learn a musical instrument. It is so enriching and worth the time, money, and effort.

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