What your child learns in 4th grade in Alabama
4th grade raises the pace with multi-digit multiplication and division, fractions and decimals, and longer writing. Science covers energy, waves and Earth's changing surface, with the first ACAP science test. Social studies follows Alabama and the United States from the colonies through statehood in 1819, the Civil War and Reconstruction, to the late 1800s.
4th grade subjects in the Alabama Course of Study
Math
Focus areas
- Numbers and operations: multi-digit multiplication and division, equivalent fractions, and decimals
- Measurement, data and geometry: measurement conversions, angles, classifying shapes, and line plots
- Student mathematical practices: making sense of problems and explaining reasoning
15 units, including Numbers to 10,000, Add & Subtract, Multiply & Divide, Fractions.
English Language Arts
Focus areas
- Reading: theme, inference, point of view and comparing texts
- Writing, speaking and listening: writing with reasons and evidence, and research
- Vocabulary and language: building word knowledge and using grammar, spelling and punctuation
14 units, including Reading Detectives, Text Features, Figurative Language, Point of View.
Science
Focus areas
- Energy and waves, plant and animal structures, and Earth's changing surface
- Science and engineering practices: making models and comparing solutions
- Engineering design: solving real problems in Alabama and beyond
14 units, including Energy, Speed & Collisions, Energy on the Move, Forms of Energy, Waves & Codes.
Social Studies
Focus areas
- Course: Alabama in American History and Government II: Colonies to 1900
- The colonies and the American Revolution
- Statehood and westward expansion
12 units, including States & Capitals, Reconstruction, Colonial Regions & Work, The American Revolution.
Printable 4th grade sheets
One free practice sheet for each subject, with an answer key. Print them, or work through them on screen.
What to look for on the report card
Look for comments on reading for meaning, organized paragraphs, fractions and decimals, and research on Alabama history.
Alabama has no statewide report-card scale in 4th grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. See what each level means.
4th grade students also take the Alabama state tests (ACAP). Read the state tests guide.
Alabama's learning practices apply in every grade. Read about Learning practices.
The four practice steps in 4th grade
- Beginning
- Practice shows a first understanding of the content standards. Most answers still need a hint or a second try.
- At home: Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Practice shows a partial understanding of the content standards. Some answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practicing the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Practice shows a solid understanding of the content standards. Most answers are right on the first try.
- At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Practice shows a deep understanding of the content standards, including harder, unfamiliar questions.
- At home: Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Ready for 4th grade?
4th grade builds on what your child practiced in 3rd grade. If a skill feels shaky, a few short practice sessions before or early in the year can help:
- Math: Add & Subtract, Multiplication, Division, Fractions, Patterns & Equations
- English Language Arts: Read and Think, Story Elements, Word Jobs, Punctuation Power, Spelling Patterns
- Science: Pushes, Pulls & Forces, Speed & Motion, Magnets and Static, Magnet Inventions, Life Cycles
- Social Studies: Maps of Our World, Map Tools & Grids, Alabama's Land Regions, Alabama's Rivers, Parks, Symbols & Landmarks
Common questions
4th grade covers math, English language arts, science, social studies in the Alabama Course of Study. 4th grade raises the pace with multi-digit multiplication and division, fractions and decimals, and longer writing. Science covers energy, waves and Earth's changing surface, with the first ACAP science test. Social studies follows Alabama and the United States from the colonies through statehood in 1819, the Civil War and Reconstruction, to the late 1800s.
Alabama has no statewide report-card scale in 4th grade, so Gradelings describes practice in four steps: Beginning, Approaching, Meeting, Exceeding. Students in 4th grade also write the Alabama state tests (ACAP), which is separate from the report card.
Practice shows a solid understanding of the content standards. Most answers are right on the first try. At home: Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
4th grade builds on 3rd grade. In math, that means Add & Subtract, Multiplication, Division. In English language arts, that means Read and Think, Story Elements, Word Jobs.
About 15 minutes a day of short practice works better than long sessions, on the skills your child's teacher flags. Practice math facts in short bursts, such as five minutes while dinner cooks. Take turns reading a page aloud, and chat about what happened and why. Praise effort, and stop on a success.
Practice 4th grade skills with Gradelings
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