Grade 4 Arts, Music & PE Curriculum Supplement

About This Supplement

This 36-week curriculum supplement for 4th grade in Visual Art, Music, and Physical Education is designed to deepen students' understanding of each discipline, introduce more sophisticated techniques and concepts, and encourage independent problem-solving and creative expression. It aligns with the general principles and content areas found in the standards of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, fostering critical thinking and collaborative skills.

Fourth graders are ready for more complex artistic concepts, increased technical proficiency in musical literacy, and strategic thinking in physical activities—all of which are thoughtfully integrated into this supplement.

Curriculum Assumptions

Time Allocation: Each category (Visual Art, Music, Physical Education) will have approximately 90 minutes of dedicated instruction per week.
Supplemental Focus: This is a supplement that builds upon or enhances a core curriculum, offering additional depth and resources.
Resources Required: The curriculum assumes access to a classroom, gymnasium/outdoor space, and basic art and music supplies.

Curriculum Overview

Visual Art

Apply elements of art and principles of design with greater intent, develop realistic representation, and explore diverse art movements and cultural art forms.

Overarching Themes

Applying Elements of Art and Principles of Design with Greater Intent and Sophistication
Developing Realistic Representation and Stylistic Variation
Exploring Diverse Art Movements and Cultural Art Forms
Using Art as a Medium for Self-Expression and Social Commentary

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Drawing and Perspective

Weeks 7-12: Painting with Emotion and Realism

Weeks 13-18: Sculpture and Functional Art

Weeks 19-24: Printmaking and Digital Art Introduction

Weeks 25-30: Art Movements and Cultural Narratives

Weeks 31-36: Art, Design, and the Built Environment

Music

Expand music literacy, deepen understanding of musical elements, explore music history and global traditions, and develop creative composition skills.

Overarching Themes

Expanding Music Literacy (Reading, Writing, and Performing from Notation)
Deepening Understanding of Musical Elements and Structure
Exploring Music History and Global Music Traditions
Fostering Creative Composition and Collaborative Performance

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Rhythmic Literacy and Syncopation

Weeks 7-12: Melodic Literacy and Intervals

Weeks 13-18: Harmony, Chords, and Texture

Weeks 19-24: Music History and Famous Composers

Weeks 25-30: World Music, Genres, and Cultural Context

Weeks 31-36: Composition, Improvisation, and Performance

Physical Education

Refine complex motor skills, develop personal fitness goals, understand game strategies, and promote leadership and ethical play.

Overarching Themes

Refining Complex Motor Skills and Applying Them in Diverse Contexts
Developing and Tracking Personal Fitness Goals
Understanding Game Strategies and Roles in Team Sports
Promoting Leadership, Ethical Play, and Conflict Resolution

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Locomotor and Agility Drills

Weeks 7-12: Balance, Body Control, and Gymnastics Basics

Weeks 13-18: Manipulative Skills (Targeting and Offensive Strategy)

Weeks 19-24: Manipulative Skills (Striking and Defensive Strategy)

Weeks 25-30: Health-Related Fitness and Personal Goal Setting

Weeks 31-36: Sport-Specific Games, Leadership, and Ethical Play

Visual Art Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Drawing and Perspective

Focus: One-point perspective (creating the illusion of depth in landscapes and interiors); drawing with various values (light to dark) using pencils for realism; figure drawing basics (proportion, gesture).

Activities:

Drawing rooms or hallways using one-point perspective.
Creating a cityscape or landscape showing distant and near objects using atmospheric perspective and size.
Shading geometric forms (cube, cylinder, sphere) to show light and shadow.
Drawing simple human figures in action poses (stick figures as starting points for gesture drawing).

Resources:

Books:

Drawing from the Right Side of the Brain for Kids by Betty Edwards (adapted concepts)
Perspective for the Absolute Beginner by Mark Willenbrink and Mary Willenbrink (simplified concepts for teacher)

Supplies:

Drawing paper, a range of drawing pencils (2B, 4B, 6B), kneaded erasers, blending stumps, rulers, small boxes for still life.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos on one-point perspective for children.
Examples of Renaissance art (perspective in paintings).

Weeks 7-12: Painting with Emotion and Realism

Focus: Advanced color mixing (achieving specific hues, tones, and shades); painting with various brushstrokes to create texture; portrait painting basics (facial proportions, capturing expression).

Activities:

Painting self-portraits or portraits of peers, focusing on realistic skin tones and features.
Creating paintings that convey a specific mood (e.g., peaceful, energetic, mysterious) through color and brushwork.
Painting still life arrangements, focusing on light and shadow and realistic color.
Exploring impasto (thick paint application) versus smooth washes.

Resources:

Books:

Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors by Jane O'Connor (color and form)
Meet Georgia O'Keeffe by Patricia Geis

Supplies:

Tempera or acrylic paints, various brush sizes and shapes, canvases or heavy paper, palettes, water containers, mirrors.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos on advanced color mixing and painting techniques.
Examples of Expressionist, Impressionist, and Realist paintings.

Weeks 13-18: Sculpture and Functional Art

Focus: Combining multiple techniques in sculpture (e.g., coil and slab in clay); creating sculptures with movable parts or kinetic elements; exploring functional art forms (e.g., pottery, masks, decorative boxes).

Activities:

Creating a multi-part sculpture from air-dry clay (e.g., an animal with textured fur, or a fantastical creature).
Designing and building a functional item from recycled materials (e.g., a pencil holder, a small container).
Creating masks inspired by cultural traditions, focusing on form and symbolism.
Introduction to paper maché for larger, lightweight forms.

Resources:

Books:

Art & Max by David Wiesner (encourages creativity with materials)

Supplies:

Air-dry clay, modeling tools, wire, cardboard, recycled containers, paper maché paste, newspaper, paints for decoration.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos demonstrating paper maché techniques.
Examples of traditional and contemporary functional art (e.g., pottery, jewelry).

Weeks 19-24: Printmaking and Digital Art Introduction

Focus: Advanced relief printing (linocut safety, multiple colors); understanding screen printing concepts; introduction to digital drawing/painting tools.

Activities:

Creating linocut prints (using child-safe carving tools and soft linoleum blocks), focusing on positive/negative space.
Experimenting with simple screen printing (e.g., using a stencil and mesh screen for a simple design).
Introduction to digital art tools (e.g., basic drawing programs, online art makers) to create simple designs or edit photos.
Designing and printing a greeting card or small poster.

Resources:

Books:

The Adventures of Inkblot: A Story about Printmaking by Sara L. Smith

Supplies:

Soft linoleum blocks, child-safe linocut tools, brayers, water-soluble block printing ink, printing paper, screens (optional), stencils, sponges.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos demonstrating linocut safety and printing.
Basic online drawing programs (e.g., Google Drawings, free browser-based editors).
Examples of famous prints (e.g., Japanese woodblocks, Pop Art screen prints).

Weeks 25-30: Art Movements and Cultural Narratives

Focus: Exploring significant art movements (e.g., Impressionism, Cubism, Pop Art) and their characteristics; understanding how art tells stories and reflects historical events or cultural values; art as a form of protest or advocacy.

Activities:

Creating artwork inspired by a specific art movement (e.g., a "Cubist" still life, an "Impressionist" landscape).
Researching and presenting on how a particular art piece or movement reflects its time period.
Designing a "storyboard" or multi-panel artwork that tells a narrative.
Creating an artwork that expresses a belief or advocates for a cause.

Resources:

Books:

A Little Bit of Oomph! by Jennifer Adams (art movements)
Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Amy Prince

Supplies:

Various drawing and painting materials, research resources (books, online access).

Multimedia/Online:

Google Arts & Culture (in-depth artist and movement explorations).
Documentaries on art history (age-appropriate segments).

Weeks 31-36: Art, Design, and the Built Environment

Focus: Understanding art in architecture and urban design; exploring public art and murals; designing for a purpose (e.g., product design, graphic design); developing an art portfolio for presentation.

Activities:

Designing a fantastical building or a dream room, incorporating architectural elements.
Creating a mural design for a specific wall or community space.
Designing a logo for a fictional company or a book cover.
Curating and presenting a personal art portfolio, explaining artistic choices and growth.

Resources:

Books:

If I Built a House by Chris Van Dusen
Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty

Supplies:

Drawing paper, colored pencils, markers, large paper for mural designs, portfolio folders.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos on architecture for kids.
Examples of public art and street art from around the world.
Simple graphic design tutorials.

Music Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Rhythmic Literacy and Syncopation

Focus: Identifying and performing dotted quarter notes, sixteenth notes, and eighth note rests; understanding compound meter (e.g., 6/8 time); introduction to syncopation.

Activities:

Clapping and playing rhythms with more complex note values and rests.
Creating and performing syncopated rhythmic patterns.
Playing rhythm patterns in 6/8 time.
Transcribing simple rhythmic phrases by ear.

Resources:

Books:

Jazz ABZ: An A to Z Collection of Jazz Portraits by Wynton Marsalis (rhythmic inspiration)

Supplies:

Rhythm instruments, drumsticks, whiteboards, staff paper.

Multimedia/Online:

YouTube: "Rhythm Drills" with dotted and sixteenth notes.
Online rhythm apps and games with more advanced patterns.

Weeks 7-12: Melodic Literacy and Intervals

Focus: Reading and writing notes on the treble and bass clef (introduction to bass clef); identifying and singing melodic intervals (2nds, 3rds, 4ths, 5ths); understanding major scales.

Activities:

Practicing note identification on both treble and bass clef.
Singing and identifying intervals by ear.
Playing major scales on pitched instruments.
Composing short melodies using specific intervals.

Resources:

Books:

Maestro: The Story of a Little Blue Sparrow by Lisa C. Westberg (exploring music theory concepts)

Supplies:

Classroom keyboard/piano, pitched instruments (xylophones, glockenspiels), large staff board, note flashcards.

Multimedia/Online:

Online note reading games for both clefs.
Videos explaining musical intervals and major scales.

Weeks 13-18: Harmony, Chords, and Texture

Focus: Identifying major and minor chords by sound; understanding chord progressions (I, IV, V); exploring different musical textures (monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic - simplified concepts).

Activities:

Listening to music and identifying major vs. minor chord sounds.
Playing simple chord progressions on a keyboard or ukulele.
Singing in two or three parts (rounds, partner songs).
Listening to examples of different musical textures (e.g., single melody, melody with accompaniment, multiple independent melodies).

Resources:

Books:

The Jazz Fly by Matthew Gollub (exploring jazz harmony/texture)

Supplies:

Classroom keyboard/piano, recordings illustrating various harmonies and textures.

Multimedia/Online:

Carnegie Hall's Music Educators Toolbox (Grade 4 harmony/texture activities).
Videos explaining basic chord theory and texture.

Weeks 19-24: Music History and Famous Composers

Focus: Introduction to major periods in music history (Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Contemporary - simplified); learning about famous composers (e.g., Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Copland); understanding the evolution of musical forms.

Activities:

Listening to representative pieces from different historical periods.
Learning about the lives and contributions of famous composers.
Creating "composer timelines" or "listening journals."
Identifying instruments and forms characteristic of different periods.

Resources:

Books:

Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (And What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull
Story of the Orchestra by Meredith Hamilton

Supplies:

Recordings of classical music, composer biographies, maps.

Multimedia/Online:

Classics for Kids website (composer biographies, listening guides).
PBS LearningMedia (classical music resources).

Weeks 25-30: World Music, Genres, and Cultural Context

Focus: Deeper exploration of diverse global music traditions and instruments (e.g., traditional Asian, Middle Eastern, indigenous American, African, Latin American music); understanding the social and cultural functions of music in different societies; exploring various genres in detail (e.g., rock, pop, hip-hop, folk).

Activities:

Listening to and analyzing a variety of world music, identifying unique instruments and vocal styles.
Learning about the cultural significance of specific songs or musical traditions.
Researching and presenting on a music genre or cultural music style.
Creating "soundscapes" inspired by different cultures or genres.

Resources:

Books:

This Jazz Man by Karen Ehrhardt
Salsa ABC by Margarita Engle

Supplies:

World music recordings, maps, globe, access to online research.

Multimedia/Online:

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (extensive collection of world music).
TED-Ed videos on music and culture.

Weeks 31-36: Composition, Improvisation, and Collaborative Performance

Focus: Composing longer rhythmic and melodic pieces (8-16 measures); improvising within given parameters (e.g., specific scale, rhythm); collaborating in small ensembles; planning and executing a more complex musical performance.

Activities:

Students compose a class song or instrumental piece, incorporating learned notation.
Small group improvisation sessions on classroom instruments or voices.
Working in ensembles to rehearse and perform a piece, focusing on blend, balance, and expression.
Creating simple arrangements of familiar songs.
Planning and executing a class concert or musical showcase.

Resources:

Books:

Because by Mo Willems (can inspire creative storytelling through music)

Supplies:

Classroom instruments, staff paper, whiteboards, music stands, recording devices (optional).

Multimedia/Online:

Chrome Music Lab (more advanced compositional tools).
Videos of youth orchestras and ensembles for inspiration.

Physical Education Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Locomotor and Agility Drills

Focus: Combining multiple locomotor skills with increased speed and precision; agility drills (e.g., shuttle runs, ladder drills); rapid change of direction and stopping/starting.

Activities:

Complex warm-up routines incorporating various locomotor movements.
Agility ladder drills and cone drills.
Tag variations that require quick thinking and precise movements.
Relay races that demand accuracy and speed in transitions.

Resources:

Books:

The Amazing Fitness Adventure for Kids: A Fun Way to Learn About Fitness and Nutrition by Angela Bowen and Jeffrey Bowen

Supplies:

Agility ladders, cones, timing devices (optional).

Multimedia/Online:

Videos demonstrating various agility drills for youth.

Weeks 7-12: Balance, Body Control, and Gymnastics Basics

Focus: Static and dynamic balance in challenging positions; transferring weight smoothly; introduction to basic gymnastic movements (e.g., forward roll, backward roll, cartwheel preparation); understanding body tension and relaxation.

Activities:

Performing balance challenges on uneven surfaces or with eyes closed for longer durations.
Learning and practicing forward and backward rolls (with proper spotting and safety).
Developing cartwheel preparation exercises.
Creating short, simple gymnastic routines combining rolls, balances, and jumps.

Resources:

Books:

Gymnastics by Jean Patrick

Supplies:

Mats, low balance beams, springboards (optional).

Multimedia/Online:

Videos demonstrating safe and progressive gymnastic skills for elementary students.

Weeks 13-18: Manipulative Skills (Targeting and Offensive Strategy)

Focus: Throwing, catching, and kicking with increased accuracy and power over distance; understanding offensive strategies in target games (e.g., getting open, creating space); refining dribbling skills for control.

Activities:

Target practice with various balls, emphasizing aiming for specific zones.
Games like "Ultimate Frisbee" (modified) or "Dodgeball" (modified) emphasizing throwing and dodging.
Soccer drills focused on passing to teammates and moving into open space.
Basketball drills for dribbling and shooting from various spots.

Resources:

Books:

My Basketball Book by Gail Gibbons

Supplies:

Variety of balls (basketballs, soccer balls, soft volleyballs, frisbees), cones, targets, goals.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos demonstrating advanced passing and shooting techniques in various sports.

Weeks 19-24: Manipulative Skills (Striking with Implements and Defensive Strategy)

Focus: Striking with racquets/paddles (badminton, pickleball - modified); batting for contact and distance; understanding defensive strategies (e.g., guarding, intercepting, positioning).

Activities:

Badminton or pickleball drills (hitting over a low net, rallying).
Baseball/softball drills (batting from a soft toss or pitcher, fielding ground balls).
Modified games that emphasize defensive positioning and teamwork (e.g., zone defense in basketball, guarding in soccer).
Volleyball passing (forearm pass) and setting basics.

Resources:

Books:

The Home Run Kid by Matt Christopher

Supplies:

Badminton/pickleball racquets, shuttlecocks, soft balls, foam bats, whiffle balls, baseball bases, volleyballs, low nets.

Multimedia/Online:

Videos on basic striking and defensive strategies for various sports.

Weeks 25-30: Health-Related Fitness and Personal Goal Setting

Focus: Understanding components of fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength/endurance, flexibility, body composition) in more detail; developing personal fitness goals; tracking progress.

Activities:

Designing and implementing a personal fitness routine over several weeks, tracking exercises.
Engaging in circuit training with more challenging exercises.
Participating in fitness challenges (e.g., "mile run" for time, push-up/sit-up challenges).
Discussing the link between nutrition, hydration, and physical performance.

Resources:

Books:

The Busy Body Book: A Kid's Guide to Fitness by Lizzy Rockwell

Supplies:

Jump ropes, resistance bands, exercise mats, cones, stopwatches, journals for tracking.

Multimedia/Online:

P.E. with Joe Wicks (more advanced workouts).
Websites like SHAPE America for fitness assessments and goal setting.

Weeks 31-36: Sport-Specific Games, Leadership, and Ethical Play

Focus: Playing modified versions of popular sports (e.g., basketball, soccer, capture the flag, floor hockey) with more formal rules; taking on leadership roles (captain, referee); demonstrating advanced sportsmanship, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

Activities:

Tournament play for selected modified sports, with student-led teams.
Students take turns as "referees" or "coaches" for segments of games.
Role-playing scenarios for resolving disputes in games.
Group discussions on fair play, respect for opponents, and celebrating effort.
Designing new game variations with established rules.

Resources:

Books:

The Recess Queen by Alexis O'Neill (conflict resolution and play)

Supplies:

Various sports equipment, pinnies, whistles, scoreboards (optional).

Multimedia/Online:

Videos on good sportsmanship and team-building in sports.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Cross-Curricular Projects

Fourth graders thrive with integrated projects that connect multiple subjects:

State/Region Study: Create art, music, and movement inspired by a specific state or region's geography, history, and culture
Time Period Exploration: Develop artistic works, musical performances, and movement pieces that reflect a historical era being studied
Science Connections: Create visual representations of scientific concepts, compose sound patterns that reflect natural phenomena, and develop movement sequences that model physical principles
Math in Art and Music: Explore geometric design, patterns, and proportion in visual art and musical composition

Year-End Culminating Projects

These substantial projects showcase fourth-grade skills across disciplines:

Student-Led Arts Festival

Students plan and execute a mini-arts festival with displays of visual art, musical performances, and movement demonstrations. They take leadership roles in organizing, promoting, and presenting their work to an audience.
Community Arts Initiative

Students identify a community need or issue and develop artistic responses—designing public art concepts, composing theme music, and creating movement pieces that raise awareness or propose solutions.
Digital Arts Portfolio

Students create a digital collection of their best work across visual arts, music composition, and physical activities, with reflective writing about their process, challenges, and growth throughout the year.

Advanced Assessment Strategies

Process-Based Assessment

Fourth graders are developmentally ready to reflect on their learning process:

Process Journals: Document steps, decisions, and revisions in art, music, and physical activities
Growth Documentation: Compare early and late work to identify improvement
Drafting Process: Save multiple drafts/attempts to show development
Problem-Solving Log: Record strategies used to overcome challenges

Peer Assessment

Fourth graders can learn to give and receive constructive feedback:

Gallery Walks: Structured feedback sessions for visual art
Performance Feedback: Specific criteria for evaluating music and movement
"Two Stars and a Wish": Two positive observations and one suggestion
Feedback Protocols: Explicit instruction in constructive communication

Authentic Assessment

Real-world applications and exhibitions demonstrate mastery:

Art Exhibitions: Planning and hosting public displays of artwork
Musical Performances: Preparing and presenting music for audiences
Sports Tournaments: Organizing and participating in skill competitions
Teaching Others: Explaining techniques to younger students
Service Applications: Using arts for community benefit

Enhanced Resources for Grade 4

Advanced Digital Resources

Fourth Grade Reading List

Books that support deeper exploration in arts education:

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain for Kids by Betty Edwards
The Art Book for Children by Phaidon Editors
Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (And What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull
This Land Is Your Land by Woody Guthrie (illustrated by Kathy Jakobsen)
Who Was Leonardo da Vinci? by Roberta Edwards
Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? by Yona Zeldis McDonough
Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream by Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan
A Dance Like Starlight: One Ballerina's Dream by Kristy Dempsey

Community Connections

Fourth graders can connect with broader artistic communities:

Artist Interviews: Connect with local artists, musicians, or athletes via video calls
Virtual Museum Tours: Explore major museums with guided virtual field trips
Online Performances: Watch professional performances and discuss techniques
Homeschool Collaborations: Join with other homeschooling families for larger projects
Service Learning: Use arts to address community needs

Grade 4 Arts, Music & Physical Education

About This Supplement

Curriculum Assumptions

Curriculum Overview

Visual Art

Overarching Themes

Music

Overarching Themes

Physical Education

Overarching Themes

Visual Art Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Drawing and Perspective

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 7-12: Painting with Emotion and Realism

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 13-18: Sculpture and Functional Art

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 19-24: Printmaking and Digital Art Introduction

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 25-30: Art Movements and Cultural Narratives

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 31-36: Art, Design, and the Built Environment

Activities:

Resources:

Music Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Rhythmic Literacy and Syncopation

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 7-12: Melodic Literacy and Intervals

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 13-18: Harmony, Chords, and Texture

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 19-24: Music History and Famous Composers

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 25-30: World Music, Genres, and Cultural Context

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 31-36: Composition, Improvisation, and Collaborative Performance

Activities:

Resources:

Physical Education Detailed Curriculum

Weeks 1-6: Advanced Locomotor and Agility Drills

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 7-12: Balance, Body Control, and Gymnastics Basics

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 13-18: Manipulative Skills (Targeting and Offensive Strategy)

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 19-24: Manipulative Skills (Striking with Implements and Defensive Strategy)

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 25-30: Health-Related Fitness and Personal Goal Setting

Activities:

Resources:

Weeks 31-36: Sport-Specific Games, Leadership, and Ethical Play

Activities:

Resources:

Interdisciplinary Connections

Cross-Curricular Projects

Year-End Culminating Projects

Student-Led Arts Festival

Community Arts Initiative

Digital Arts Portfolio

Advanced Assessment Strategies

Process-Based Assessment

Peer Assessment

Authentic Assessment

Enhanced Resources for Grade 4

Advanced Digital Resources

Fourth Grade Reading List