The new Georgia performance standards: 4th grade [2008]

Assessment
Throughout the year, classroom teachers will assess each student's growth and progress toward achievement of the learning goals specified in the state curriculum (GPS or QCC if GPS have not been implemented).
These classroom assessments will be used to guide instruction in order to provide every child with the opportunity to learn and to succeed.
Students will be made aware of the performance expectations for 4th grade and will acquire self-monitoring and self-assessing skills to help them maximize their achievement.
In the spring, Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests in Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies will be administered to 4th graders in order to provide a standardized measure of student learning.
Beginning in the year the Georgia Performance Standards are implemented for a content area, the CRCT will directly align with those GPS.
In addition, NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) is required by federal and state law in grade 4. Not all schools and students are administered these assessments. The selection of schools and students is determined by a random sample.

Dear Parents,
Thank you for all you do as parents to guide your children's learning! I am confident that the future of all our children will be bright because of your continued support of public education in Georgia.
We are beginning the most extensive improvement in Georgia education undertaken in the last 18 years-- the implementation of the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS). The new state curriculum sets high standards, maintains clear expectations, and will place our schools and our students not just at the top of the Southeast, but at the top of the nation.
As a parent, I personally understand that this kind of change may generate questions and concerns: Why do we need a change? How will this impact my child? What will be different in my child's classroom?
For this reason, I have made communication and keeping you informed an absolute priority. Georgia's teachers and administrators have been preparing for this change, and they will be able to answer many of your questions at your local schools. I also encourage you to visit the Georgia Department of Education website to find out more about the new curriculum: www.georgiastandards.org.
It is a great day for education in Georgia. Like never before, our state is unified behind a mission to raise the achievement level of all students in our public schools. Toward this aim, we have rallied together and successfully tackled many challenges, ushering in a new level of accountability and quality in education. Thank you for your support as we continue to raise the bar for our state's most precious resource, our children.
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools

Implementation Schedule for the Georgia Performance Standards
in 4th Grade
2005-2006 English Language Arts
2006-2007 Science
2007-2008 Mathematics
2008-2009 Social Studies
Curriculum & Instructional Services 1754 Twin Towers East Atlanta, Georgia 30334 Tel (404) 656-2608 FAX (404) 656-5744
www.georgiastandards.org
In accordance with State and Federal law, the Georgia Department of Education prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its educational and employment activities. Inquiries regarding the application of these practices may be addressed to the General Counsel of the Georgia Department of Education, 2052 Twin Towers East, Atlanta, Georgia, 30334, (404) 656-2800.

4th Grade
THE NEW GEORGIA PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
We will lead the nation in improving student achievement.
Kathy Cox, State Superintendent of Schools
www.gadoe.org

4th Grade Language Arts
Fourth grade students will be engaged in reading, writing, and listening, speaking, & viewing. By the end of 4th grade, students will demonstrate mastery of many concepts and skills, including the following:
Read and comprehend texts from a variety of genres
Understand and learn from texts independently
Read and understand informational texts from other content areas as well as from language arts
Use a variety of strategies, such as summarizing, to understand texts
Use writing as a tool to show comprehension
Use evidence/reasoning to support opinions and solutions to problems
Write effectively for a variety of audiences and purposes

4th Grade Mathematics
Fourth grade students will be actively engaged in developing mathematical understandings in real and relevant contexts. By the end of 4th grade, students will be able to:
Use properties of the four arithmetic operations to solve and check problems involving whole numbers
Determine when and how to use rounding
Solve problems involving multiplication and division of whole numbers (2-3 digits by 1-2 digits)
Add and subtract simple decimals and common fractions with common denominators
Measure weight using metric and standard units, and also measure angles
Understand and construct plane and solid geometric figures; and graph points in the first quadrant of the coordinate plane
Use mathematical expressions in problemsolving situations
Identify features and tendencies of graphs
Problem solve, develop arguments, use language of mathematics, make connections, and communicate

4th Grade Science
Fourth grade students will gather and interpret data and make models to focus on "doing" science related to earth science, physical science, and life science. By the end of 4th grade, students will be able to:
Differentiate between observations and ideas
Use records, tables, or graphs to identify patterns of change
Write instructions and make sketches that allow others to carry out a scientific procedure
Compare and contrast attributes of stars and planets
Model position and motion of the Earth, moon, and sun
Describe how mirrors, lenses, and prisms affect the way in which light travels
Identify simple machines and explain their uses
Demonstrate how sound is produced
Describe the roles of organisms and the flow of energy within an ecosystem
Identify factors that affect the survival or extinction of organisms

4th Grade Social Studies
Fourth grade students will begin the formal study of United States history, from the development of Native American cultures to the year 1860. Concepts in geography, government, and economics will interface with the study of history. By the end of 4th grade, students will be able to:
Explain the development of early Native American cultures in North America
Describe the European exploration of North America and explain the factors that shaped British colonial America, as well as the causes, events, and results of the American Revolution
Analyze the challenges faced in governing the new American nation, westward expansion, and the abolitionist and suffrage movements
Locate the important geographical features of the United States, both natural and man-made, and describe how these physical systems affect the growth of the U. S.
Describe and explain the significance of selected historical documents and of governmental functions as they relate to democratic beliefs and freedoms
Use economic concepts of trade, opportunity cost, specialization, voluntary exchange, productivity, and price incentives to illustrate historical events