{"product_id":"what-your-fourth-grader-needs-to-know-revised-and-updated-isbn-9780553394672","title":"What Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know (Revised and Updated)","description":"\u003cb\u003eGive your child a smart start with the revised and updated\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e How can you help your child at home? This book answers that important question and more, offering the specific shared knowledge that thousands of parents and teachers across the nation have agreed upon for American fourth graders. Featuring full-color illustrations throughout, a bolder, easier-to-follow format, and a thoroughly updated curriculum, \u003ci\u003eWhat Your Fourth Grader Needs to Know\u003c\/i\u003e is designed for parents and teachers to enjoy with children. Hundreds of thousands of students have benefited from the Core Knowledge Series. This edition, featuring a new Introduction, gives today’s generation of fourth graders the advantage they need to make progress in school  and establish an approach to learning that will last a lifetime. Inside you’ll discover\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eFavorite poems\u003c\/b\u003e—old and new, from the familiar classic “Paul Revere’s Ride” to Langston Hughes’s “Dreams”\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eLiterature\u003c\/b\u003e—from around the world, including African and Chinese folktales, excerpts from beloved novels, and condensed versions of popular classics such as \u003ci\u003eGulliver’s Travels \u003c\/i\u003eand “Rip Van Winkle”\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eLearning about language\u003c\/b\u003e—the basics of written English, including grammar, punctuation, parts of speech, synonyms and antonyms, plus an introduction to common English sayings and phrases\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eWorld and American history and geography\u003c\/b\u003e—explore world and American history, including creation of a constitutional government and early presidents and politics\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eVisual arts\u003c\/b\u003e—a broad spectrum of art from around the world, including African masks, Islamic architecture, Chinese calligraphy, and great American painters—featuring full-color reproductions\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eMusic\u003c\/b\u003e—understanding and appreciating music, from the basics of musical notation to the orchestra, plus great composers and sing-along lyrics for such favorites as “Auld Lang Syne” and “Waltzing Matilda”\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eMath\u003c\/b\u003e—challenging lessons ranging from fractions and decimals to understanding graphs, making change, square roots, and the metric system\u003cbr\u003e • \u003cb\u003eScience\u003c\/b\u003e—discover the wonders of the human body and its systems, learn about electricity, atoms, chemistry, geology, and meteorology, plus concise biographies of some of the great scientists of our time\u003cb\u003eE. D. Hirsch, Jr.,\u003c\/b\u003e is an emeritus professor at the University of Virginia and the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Knowledge Deficit, The Schools We Need,\u003c\/i\u003e and the bestselling \u003ci\u003eCultural Literacy \u003c\/i\u003eand the\u003ci\u003e Dictionary of Cultural Literacy\u003c\/i\u003e. He and his wife, Polly, live in Charlottesville, Virginia, where they raised their three children.Chapter I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Language and Literature\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reading, Writing, and Your Fourth Grader: A Note to Parents\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e In this chapter, you and your child will learn to appreciate the magic of words, travel to other worlds without leaving the room, and understand how words work together to create meaning. This chapter presents a rich and varied selection of literature, including poems and stories. You will also read brief discussions of grammar and writing and explanations of common sayings and phrases.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e By the end of fourth grade, students should be able to engage in the mental process of turning letters into sounds automatically. This year, they will focus more on meaning as they read, extending their vocabulary and understanding of the texts. Asking questions is a good way to draw your children into a story. Here are a few that work well:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “What do you think is going to happen next?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “How might the story have turned out differently if . . . ?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “What did you hear\/read that makes you believe that . . . ?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “What does the author mean by the statement . . . ?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “How is this story similar to . . . ?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You might also ask your child to retell the story. You can even encourage your child to change events or characters: this is a rich tradition of storytelling and explains why there are so many versions of traditional stories.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You may also encourage your child to write and illustrate her own stories. Some children may be interested in beginning to keep a journal or writing letters to friends or relatives—these are both fine ways for children to cultivate their writing skills. Another way to build vocabulary and foster language skills is by playing word games such as Scrabble, Boggle, or hangman and doing crossword puzzles. You can download many of these popular word games on tablet devices and computers.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Experts say our children already know more about grammar than we can ever teach them. But standard written language does have special characteristics that children need to learn. The treatment of grammar and language conventions in this book is an overview. It needs to be supplemented and rounded out by giving your child opportunities to read and write and to discuss reading and writing in connection with grammar and spelling.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At school, children should be working on vocabulary and spelling in the fourth grade. They should enjoy a rich diet of fiction, poetry, drama, biography, and nonfiction. They should be involved in the writing process, inventing topics, discovering ideas in early drafts, and revising toward “publication” of polished final drafts—all with encouragement and guidance along the way. They should practice writing in many modes, including stories, poetry, journal entries, formal reports, dialogues, and descriptions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For some children, the section on sayings and phrases may not be needed; they will have picked up these sayings by hearing them in everyday speech. But this section will be useful for children from homes where American English is not spoken.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e For additional resources to use in conjunction with this section, visit the Core Knowledge Foundation’s website at www.coreknowledge.org.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Literature\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Introduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This selection of poetry, stories, and myths can, in most cases, be read independently by fourth graders. We hope you’ll take this as a starting point in your search for more literature for your child to read and enjoy.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We have included both poetry and prose. The best way to help children appreciate the spirit of poetry is to read it aloud to them and encourage them to speak it aloud so that they can experience the music in the words. Until children take pleasure in the sound of poetry, there is little reason to analyze it technically.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Most of the stories in this book are either excerpts from longer works or abridged versions of those works. If a child enjoys a particular story, he should be encouraged to read a longer version. Several of the novels excerpted here are available in child-friendly versions as part of the Core Knowledge Foundation’s Core Classics series, available for purchase through the foundation’s website, www.coreknowledge.org.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This book continues the effort, begun in previous books, to allow you to coordinate readings about literature and other subjects, including history, visual arts, music, and science. These stories and poems also give you the opportunity to discuss the value of virtues, such as friendship, courage, and honesty, with your child.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Poetry\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Monday’s Child Is Fair of Face\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e (author unknown)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Monday’s child is fair of face,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Tuesday’s child is full of grace,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Wednesday’s child is full of woe,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Thursday’s child has far to go,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Friday’s child is loving and giving,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Saturday’s child works hard for a living,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But the child that is born on the Sabbath day\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Is fair and wise and good and gay.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Humanity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e by Elma Stuckey\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If I am blind and need someone\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e To keep me safe from harm,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It matters not the race to me\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of the one who takes my arm.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e If I am saved from drowning\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As I grasp and grope,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I will not stop to see the face\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Of the one who throws the rope.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Or if out on some battlefield\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e I’m falling faint and weak,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The one who gently lifts me up\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e May any language speak.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We sip the water clear and cool,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e No matter the hand that gives it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A life that’s lived worthwhile and fine,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What matters the one who lives it?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fog\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e by Carl Sandburg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The fog comes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e on little cat feet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e It sits looking\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e over harbor and city\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e on silent haunches\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e and then moves on.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Clouds\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e by Christina G. Rossetti\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e White sheep, white sheep\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e On a blue hill,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the wind stops\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You all stand still.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the wind blows,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e You walk away slow.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e White sheep, white sheep,\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Where do you go?Support Common Core achievement with readings and activities in Literature, Mathematics, History, science, the arts; 4th Grade; Core Knowledge","brand":"Bantam","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300710895845,"sku":"NP9780553394672","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780553394672.jpg?v=1767743919","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/what-your-fourth-grader-needs-to-know-revised-and-updated-isbn-9780553394672","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}