Cross-Curricular Academic Vocabulary for 4th Grade
Listed below are the cross-curricular academic vocabulary words for 4th grade. The words and definition for each subject area are given. Please work to incorporate a minimum of 2-3 words into your LiveLessons, phone conversations, webmails, and teacher feedback each week throughout the school year.
Check out the Direct Instruction and Practice and Reinforcement pages for ideas on how to teach the words and integrate them into your curriculum.
Language Arts1. Accurate - Consistent and free from error
2. Author's Purpose - The reason the author wrote a story 3. Cause and Effect - Cause and effect are and action/reaction combination. The cause is the reason something happens, and the effect is what happens as a result. 4. Chronology - Going in order in which the past events occur. 5. Clauses - Contains the subject and predicate in a sentence. Forms only part of a sentence or is a whole simple sentence 6. Compare -To examine two or more objects based on similarities and differences Venn Diagram 7. Comprehension - Understanding or grasping the meaning of a story or article 8. Conclude -To bring to an end 9. Context Clues - The method by which the meaning of unknown words is found by using parts of sentences around the unknown word 10. Complex Sentences - A sentence with one or more dependent clauses in addition to the main clause. When the bell rings (dependent), I walk to my next class (main/independent). 11. Describe - To tell verbally or in written form, to give an account of 12. Drawing Conclusions -Information that a reader implies or infers from a story. 13. Explain - To make clear and understandable 14. Expository Non-Fiction - A type of writing that explains or informs a reader about a certain topic 15. Fact - A statement that can be proven. Example - My birthday is on September 20th. 16. Figurative Language - A word or phrase in which figures of speech such as metaphors, similes freely occur. 17. Journal -A written account that describes your thoughts and experiences during a day in your life. 18. Main Idea - What a story is mainly about. These are usually found at the beginning of a story. 19. Memoir -A written account of a specific time in one’s life 20. Non Fiction -A branch of literature containing factual information IE: text books, news papers, biographies 21. Opinion – A statement that contains beliefs, judgements, or personal views. Some people may think it is true, and others may not. Opinions cannot be proven as true. Example - September 20th is the greatest day of all because it is my birthday. 22. Retell - Going over a story again from memory 23. Scene - The place where an action or event occurs; a subdivision of a play 24. Sequence - The following of one thing after another; first, next, then, last 25. Strategy Reading - A strategy that helps you increase your reading knowledge and comprehension. 26. Supporting Details - The information in a story that supports the main idea, adds more information about the main idea 27. Textual Evidence - Evidence used to support an argument or position. |
Math Angle - A figure formed by two rays that have the same endpoint.
Area -The number of square units needed to cover a region. Array - A way of displaying objects in rows and columns. bar graph - A graph using bars to show data. centimeter (cm) - A metric of length. 100 centimeters = 1 meter. circle graph - A graph in the shape of a circle that shows how the whole is broken into parts. Commutative Property of Multiplication - Factors can be multiplied in any order and the product remains the same. compatible numbers - Numbers that are easy to compute mentally. Cone - A solid figure with a base that is a circle and a curved surface that meets at a point. congruent figures - Figures that have the same shape and size. coordinate grid - A grid used to show ordered pairs. Cube - A solid figure with six congruent squares as its faces. Cylinder - A solid figure with two congruent circles as bases. Data - Pieces of collected information. decimal point - A dot used to separate dollars from cents or ones from tenths in a number. decimeter (dm) - A metric unit of length. 1 decimeter = 10 centimeters. degree Celsius (°C) - A metric unit of temperature. degree Fahrenheit (°F) - A customary unit of temperature. Difference - The answer when subtracting two numbers. Digits - The symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 used to write a number. Distributive Property - Breaking apart problems into two simpler problems. Example: (3 x 21) = (3 x 20) + (3 x 1) Divide - An operation to find the number in each group or the number of equal groups. Divisor - The number by which another number is divided. In the equation 32 ÷ 4 = 8, 4 is the divisor. Edge - A line segment where two faces of a solid figure meet. Equation - A number sentence that uses the equal sign (=) to show that two expressions have the same value. Example: 9 + 3 = 12 equivalent fractions - Fractions that name the same region, part of a set, or part of a segment, expanded form - A number written as the sum of the values of its digits. Example: 2,476 = 2000 + 400 + 70 + 6 Face - A flat surface of a solid that does not roll. fact family - A group of related facts using the same numbers. Factors - The numbers multiplied together to find a product. Example: 3 x 6 = 18, so 3 and 6 are the factors of 18. foot (ft) - A customary unit of length. 1 foot equals 12 inches. Fraction - A fraction is a symbol used to name a part of a whole, a part of a set, a location on a number line, or a division of whole numbers. gram (g) - A metric unit of mass. 1,000 grams = 1 kilogram hundredth - One part of 100 equal parts of a whole. Identity Property of Multiplication - The product of any numer and one is that number improper fractions - A fraction in which the numerator is greater than or equal to the denominator. Inch (in.) - A customary unit of length. 12 inches = 1 foot Inequality - A number sentence that uses the greater than sign (>) or the less than sign (<) to show that two expressions do not have the same value. intersecting lines - Lines that cross at one point. inverse operations - Operations that undo each other. Examples: Adding 6 and subtracting 6 are inverse operations -Multiplying by 4 and dividing by 4 are inverse operations. kilogram (kg) - A metric unit of mass, the amount of matter in an object. 1 kilogram = 1,000 grams. Line - A straight path of points that goes on and on in two directions. line graph - A graph that connects point to show how data changes over time. line of symmetry - A line on which a figure can be folded so that both halves are congruent. line plot - A way to organize data on a line. line segment - A part of a line that has two endpoints. line segment - A part of a line that has two endpoints. liter (L) - A metric unit of capacity. 1 liter = 1,000 milliliters. Mass - The amount of matter that something contains. Mean - An average, found by adding all numbers in a set and dividing by the number of values. Median - The middle number in an ordered data set. meter (m) - A metric unit of length. 1 meter = 100 centimeters. mile (mi) - A customary unit of length. 1 mile equals 5,280 feet. milliliter (mL) - A metric unit of capacity. 1,000 milliliters = 1 liter. Minute - A unit of time equal to 60 seconds. mixed number - A number that has a whole number and a fraction. Mode - The number or numbers that occur most often in a data set. Multiple - The product of any two whole numbers. Net - A pattern used to make a solid. obtuse angle - An angle that measures more than a right angle. ordered pair - Two numbers used to name a point on a coordinate grid. Outcome - A possible result of a game or experiment. Outlier - A number in a data set that is very different from the rest of the numbers. parallel lines - In a plane, lines that never intersect. Parallelogram - A quadrilateral in which opposite sides are parallel. partial products - Products found by breaking one factor in a multiplication problem into ones, tens, hundreds, and so on and then multiplying each of these by the other factor. Perimeter - The distance around a figure. Period - In a number, a group of three digits, separated by commas, starting from the right. perpendicular lines - Two intersecting lines that form right angles. Plane - An endless flat surface. Point - An exact location in space. Polygon - A closed plane figure made up of line segments. pound (lb) - A customary unit of weight. 1 pound equals 16 ounces. Prime number - A whole number greater than 1 that has only two factors, 1 and itself Probability - A number telling the likelihood an event will happen. Product - The answer to a multiplication problem. Quadrilateral - A polygon with 4 sides. Quotient - The answer to a division problem. Range - The difference between the greatest value and the least value in a data set. Ray - A part of a line that has one endpoint and continues endlessly in one direction. Rectangle - A quadrilateral with 4 right angles. rectangular prism - A solid figure with faces that are rectangles. rectangular pyramid - A solid figure with a rectangle for its base and triangles for all other faces. Reflection - Gives its mirror image. Remainder - The number that remains after the division is complete. Rhombus - A quadrilateral with opposite sides parallel and all sides the same length. right angle - An angle that forms a square corner. Rotation - Moves a figure about a point. Rounding - Replacing a number with a number that tells about how many or how much to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000, and so on. Scale - The numbers that show the units used on a graph. Second - A unit of time. 60 seconds equals 1 minute. Side - A line segment forming part of a polygon. simplest form - A fraction in which the numerator and the denominator have no common factors other than 1. solid figure - A figure that has length, width, and height. Sphere - A solid figure which includes all points the same distance from a point. Square - A quadrilateral with 4 right angles and all sides the same length. square pyramid - A solid figure with a square base and four faces that are triangles. standard form - A way to write a number showing only its digits. Example: 3,845. stem-and-leaf plot - A display that shows data in order of place value. Sum - The result of adding numbers together. Survey - Collect information by asking a number of people the same question and recording their answers. Symmetry - A figure has symmetry if it can be folded along a line so that both parts match exactly. Tenth - One of 10 equal parts of a whole. It can be written as 0.1. ton (T) - A customary unit of weight. 1 ton = 2,000 pounds. Translation - A change in the position of a figure that moves it up, down, or sideways. Trapezoid - A quadrilateral with only one pair of parallel sides. Triangle - A polygon with 3 sides. triangular prism - A solid figure with two bases that are triangles and the other three faces are rectangles. Vertex (plural, vertices) - The point where two rays meet to form an angle. The points where the sides of a polygon meet. The points where three or more edges meet in a solid figure that does not roll. The pointed part of a cone. Volume - The number of cubic units needed to fill a solid figure. Weight - How heavy an object is. word form - A number written in words. Example: Four Thousand, six hundred, thirty-two. yard (yd) - A customary unit of length. 1 yard equals 3 feet or 36 inhes. Zero Property of Multiplication - The product of any number and zero is zero. |
ScienceAdaptation - A trait that helps one kind of living thing
survive in its environment. Acceleration - Any change in the speed or direction of a moving object. Acid - A substance that tastes sour and turns blue litmus paper red. air pressure - The force of air pushing down on an area. Amphibian - A cold-blooded vertebrate that spends part of its life in water and part of its life on land. Area - The number of unit squares that fit inside a surface. Asteroid - A chunk of rock or metal that orbits the sun. Atmosphere - The blanket of gases that surrounds Earth. Atom - The smallest particle of an element. All atoms of one element are alike, but are different from those of any other element. Attract - To pull. Barometer - A device for measuring air pressure. Base - A substance that tastes bitter and turns red litmus paper blue. Biome - One of Earth's large ecosystems, with its own kind of climate, soil, and living things. biotic factor - A living part of an ecosystem. Buoyancy - The upward force of a liquid or gas on an object. Camouflage - An adaptation by which an animal can hide by blending in with its surroundings. Cell - The smallest unit of living matter. change of state - A physical change of matter from one state—solid, liquid, or gas—to another state because of a change in the energy of the matter. Circuit -A path through which electric current can flow. circulatory system - The organ system that moves blood through the body. Climate - The average weather pattern of a region over time. Cloud - A collection of tiny water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere. cold front - A boundary where a cold air mass slides under a warm air mass. cold-blooded - Said of an animal that cannot control its body temperature. Comet - A chunk of ice, rock, and dust that orbits the sun. Community - All the populations in an ecosystem. Compound - A substance made when two or more elements join and lose their own properties. Condensation - The process of a gas changing to a liquid. Conduction - The transfer of energy between two objects that are touching. Conductor - A material through which heat or electricity flows easily. Conservation - Saving, protecting, or using resources wisely. Convection - The transfer of energy by flowing gases or liquid, such as the rising of warm air from a heater. Crater - A hollow area or pit in the ground. Crust - Solid rock that makes up the moon's and Earth's outermost layers. Current - The directed flow of a gas or liquid. Decomposer - An organism that breaks down wastes and the remains of other organisms into simpler substances. Density - The amount of matter in a given space. In scientific terms, density is the amount of mass in a unit of volume. Desert - A sandy or rocky biome with very little rainfall. digestive system - The organ system that breaks down food for fuel. Distillation - The use evaporation and condensation to separate the parts of a mixture. Earthquake - A sudden shaking of the rock that makes up Earth's crust. Ecosystem - The living and nonliving things in an environment, and all of their interactions. Electromagnet - A magnet formed when electric current flows through wire wrapped in coils around an iron bar. Element - A substance that is made up of only one type of matter. Endangered - Close to becoming extinct; having very few of its kind left. Energy - The ability to do work. Environment - All the living and nonliving things in an area. Erosion - The removing of weathered rock. Evaporation - The process through which a liquid changes into a gas. excretory system - The organ system that removes wastes from the body. Exoskeleton - A hard covering that protects the bodies of some invertebrates. Extinct - Said of an organism no longer alive on Earth. Fertilization - The joining of a female sex cell, the egg, and a male sex cell, the sperm, to produce a fertilized egg. Filter - A tool that physically separates matter by size. It has a mesh or a screen that retains the bigger pieces but allows smaller pieces to fall through the holes. food chain - The path that energy takes from one organism to another in the form of food. Force - A push or a pull. Forecast - A prediction about the weather; the act of making such a prediction. Frequency - The number of wavelengths that pass a reference point in a given amount of time. Friction - A force between surfaces that slows objects or stops them from moving. Front - A boundary between air masses with different temperatures. Gas - A state of matter that has no definite shape or volume. Gravity - A force of attraction, or pull, between objects. Habitat- The home of an organism. Heat -The movement of thermal energy from warmer to cooler objects. Hibernate - To rest or sleep through the cold winter. Humidity - A measurement of how much water vapor is in the air. inclined plane - A flat, slanted surface that is used as a simple machine. Inertia - The tendency of an object to remain in motion or to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. Instinct - An inherited behavior that is automatic. kinetic energy - Energy in the form of motion. Kingdom - The largest group into which an organism can be classified. learned behavior - An action or set of actions that an animal changes through experience. life cycle - The stages of growth and change that an organism goes through. Liquid - A state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape. magnetic field - The region around a magnet where its force attracts or repels. Mammal - A warm-blooded vertebrate with hair or fur. Female mammals produce milk to feed their young. Mass - The amount of matter making up an object. Matter - Anything that has mass and takes up space. Metal - Any of a group of elements that conducts heat and electricity, has a shiny luster, and can be hammered into a sheet. Metamorphosis - A series of changing body forms during an animal's development. Meteor - A chunk of rock from space that travels through Earth's atmosphere. Meteorite - A meteor that hit Earth's surface. metric system - A system of measurement based on units of ten. It is used in most countries and in all scientific work. Mineral - A natural, nonliving, usually solid material found in rock. Mixture - Two or more types of matter that are blended together and keep their own properties. muscular system - The organ system made up of muscles that help the body move. nervous system - The set of organs that uses information from the senses to control all body systems. Newton - A metric unit for weight, measuring an amount of force. nonrenewable resource - A natural material or source of energy that is useful to people and cannot be replaced easily. Orbit - The path one object travels around another object. Organ - A group of tissues that work together to do a certain job. Organism - A living thing that carries out basic life functions on its own. parallel circuit - A circuit in which electric current flows through more than one path. periodic table - A chart that classifies all the known elements by their properties. Photosynthesis - The process in green plants and certain other organisms that uses energy from sunlight to make food from water and carbon dioxide. physical change - A change that begins and ends with the same type of matter. Pitch - The highness or lowness of a sound as determined by its frequency. Planet - A large sphere in space that orbits a star. Pole - One of two ends of a magnet, where the magnetic force is strongest. Pollination - The transfer of a flower's pollen from anther to pistil. potential energy - The energy that is stored inside an object. Precipitation - Water in the atmosphere that falls to Earth as rain, snow, hail, or sleet. Producer - An organism, such as a plant, that makes its own food. Property - A characteristic of matter that can be observed or measured. Radiation - The transfer of energy through space. Recycle - To make new objects or materials from old objects or materials. Reflection - The bouncing of light waves off a surface. renewable resource - A useful material that is replaced quickly in nature. Reproduction- The making of offspring. Reptile - A cold–blooded vertebrate that has scaly, waterproof skin, breathes air with lungs, and lays eggs. Resource- A material or object that has useful properties. respiratory system - The organ system that brings oxygen to body cells and removes waste gas. Rotation - The act of spinning around an axis. Seed - An undeveloped plant with stored food sealed in a protective covering. series circuit - A circuit in which electric current flows in the same direction along a single path. simple machine -Anything that has few parts and makes it easier to do a task. skeletal system - The organ system made up of bones that support the body. solar eclipse - A blocking of the sun's light that happens when Earth passes through the moon's shadow. At that time the moon is between Earth and the sun. solar system - The sun and all the objects that orbit around it. Solid - A state of matter that has a definite shape and volume. Solution - A mixture in which one or more kinds of matter are mixed evenly in another kind of matter. sound wave -An area of bunched-up and spread-out particles that move outward in all directions from a vibration. Speed - The distance traveled in an amount of time. Star - A hot sphere of gases in space that makes its own light. Stem - The part of a plant that holds the plant up and carries food, water, and other materials to and from the roots and leaves. Temperature - A measurement of how hot or cold something is. Thermometer - A tool that measures temperature. The thermometer shows a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. unbalanced forces - Forces that do not cancel each other out when acting together on a single object. Velocity - The speed and direction of a moving object. Vertebrate - An animal with a backbone. Volume - (1) A measure of how much space matter takes up. (2) The loudness or softness of a sound. warm-blooded - Said of an animal whose body temperature does not change much. water cycle - The constant movement of water between Earth's surface and the atmosphere. water vapor - water in the form of a gas. Wavelength - The distance from the top of one wave to the top of the next. Weathering -The breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces. Weight - The measure of the pull of gravity between an object and Earth. Work - The use of force to move an object a certain distance. |
Social Studiesadapt- to fit, change, or modify to suit a new or different purpose
agriculture-the raising of crops or animals amendment-a change to the Constitution of the United States annexation-to incorporate a country or a territory into another country or territory for themselves, and wealth and glory for Spain, in the conquest of Americas canyon-a deep valley with steep rocky walls citizen -an official member of a country conquistador-one of the Spanish soldiers that sought riches and power conservation- protection, preservation, and careful management of natural resources and of the environment constitution-the written plan for governing the United States of America culture-a way of life followed by a group of people diversity-the fact or quality of being diverse; difference- varied economy-the way in which the resources of a country, state, region, or community are managed empresario- the Spanish word for a land agent whose job it was to bring in new settlers to an area entrepreneur-a person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture Executive Branch- the part of government that enforces the laws hierarchy-a body of persons having authority Immigrant-a person who comes to live in a new land interdependent-when regions rely on one another for goods, services, or resources Judicial Branch-the part of government, made up of courts and judges, that interprets laws landform-a natural feature of the earth’s surface Legislative Branch-the part of government that makes laws manifest destiny-the view that the United States should expand its borders from coast to coast manufacturing-making things to use or sell migration-the process of migrating-the act of changing from one place to another mission-a settlement set up by a religious group to teach religion and help area people nomad-a member of a group that wanders from place to place Nomadic-a member of a group of people who have no fixed home and move accordingly to the seasons from place to place in search of food, water, and grazing land. plateau-a large, flat, raised area of land presidio-a Spanish military outpost profit-the money left over after costs are paid reconstruction-the period of time after the United States Civil War when the South was rebuilt reservation-an area of land set aside by the United States for Native Americans Suffrage-the right to vote |