Fourth grade is a year of growing independence, lots of question, and lots of growth. Our curriculum recommendations continue to center connection, representation, and play while gently expanding structure and academic rigor. We’ve chosen resources that support curiosity, emotional wellbeing, and critical thinking, with plenty of room for child-led exploration and creative expression.
Each title contains a link to the curriculum. We receive no incentives on our recommendations.
Beast Academy Level 4
This comic-style curriculum builds strong problem-solving skills through logic, puzzles, and visual thinking. It’s rigorous but perfect for fourth graders who love a challenge and think outside the box. You can choose they physical books or the online version. It’s about $100 for the year. Tutoring is also available.
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Life of Fred
For families who enjoy story-driven learning, Life of Fred offers a whimsical, narrative approach to math. Each chapter follows Fred through real-life scenarios that naturally introduce mathematical thinking. It’s light, funny, and a wonderful supplement or alternative for kids who thrive on storytelling.
IEW Structure and Style for Students: Elementary School
We continue with IEW’s gentle, structured approach to writing. This year introduces more independence and creativity while reinforcing foundational skills. The video lessons are engaging, and the pacing works well for third grade. It’s a little over $150 for the year.
Handwriting Without Tears – 4th Grade Kit
Third grade is a great time to introduce cursive. This program keeps it developmentally appropriate and stress-free, with clear strokes and plenty of practice. This runs about $29.
Story of the World, Volume 4: Story of the World Volume 4 Combo Pack
We continue our history journey with the modern age from Victoria’s Empire to the end of the USSR. The storytelling format keeps kids engaged as they explore global events from the 19th and 20th centuries. We pair the text with narration, mapwork, timelines, and optional enrichment journals to support comprehension and reflection It’s about $50 for the year.
Thinking Tree History Journals
I also let my kids pick one of the thinking tree journals of their choice to go along with history
Beast Academy Science
This newer program is a hit! It’s visually rich, inquiry-based, and full of experiments and real-world connections. It complements the math curriculum beautifully and encourages scientific thinking. By 4th grade we have made the switch from Sassafras to Beast Academy Science. It is so easy to use and the kids love all of the experiments. BAS runs about $95 for the year. We also make sure that we have a membership to our local Science Museum!
180 Days: Social-Emotional Learning for 4th Grade
This workbook gives a simple, consistent way to build social‑emotional skills into our year without adding prep. Each daily page is short, approachable, and focuses on real‑life skills like empathy, self‑management, problem‑solving, and communication… all written in a kid‑friendly tone. I like that it’s created by teachers, so the prompts feel developmentally appropriate and meaningful rather than fluffy. It works well for independent reflection or quick morning warm‑ups, and it fits easily into our routine at home. It’s about $17.
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MindUP Curriculum
MindUP introduces mindfulness, brain science, and emotional regulation in a kid-friendly way. It’s a gentle tool for building self-awareness, empathy, and resilience all essential for fourth grade and beyond. It’s about $20 and you can use it for more than one year and for as many students as you like.
Bible: My Brothers Keeper JUNIOR (ages 8-12)
Through ten biblical narratives centered on sibling relationships… some harmonious, others fraught siblings can examine the moral implications of selflessness and selfishness, gaining insight into the enduring significance of familial love and conflict. Pair it with The Sibling Game! The two cost about $44 combined.
Fourth Grade Reading Recommendations (ages 9-10)
– Small Flames: Zuri the Golden Dragon
– Sarah, Plain and Tall
– The Dragons of Blueland
– The Storm Book
– The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers
– Recruited by the FBI
– The Tuttle Twins Learn About the Law
– Awful Egyptians (Horrible Histories)
– Princess Academy
– Little House in the Big Woods
– City Spies
– The Entire List can be found here: Amazon