4th Grade Assignments

1. abrupt

The story’s abrupt ending left me feeling dissatisfied.

2. amphibious

An amphibious vehicle can drive on land and float in water.

3. audience

The audience erupted into applause at the end of the performance.

4. audiobooks

My brother likes listening to audiobooks more than watching TV.

5. audiology

A nurse in the audiology department will check your hearing.

6. audiovisual

The audiovisual section of the library is downstairs.

7. audit

High school students may audit college classes for free if they wish.

8. auditorium

The school’s auditorium is being renovated to increase the number of seats.

9. auditory

The outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear are parts of the auditory system.

10. autobiography

In her autobiography, she wrote about her childhood in Vietnam.

11. bankrupt

The company went bankrupt because of slow sales and poor management.

12. biodiversity

The Amazon rainforest has an amazing amount of biodiversity.

13. biography

My uncle is writing a biography about the astronaut and senator John Glenn.

14. biology

Dr. Lewis has specialized in studying the biology of the Everglades.

15. disrupt

The protesters were trying to disrupt the school board meeting.

16. eruption

The volcanic eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 could be heard 3,000 miles away.

17. inaudible

The sound of an ant chewing is inaudible without a microphone.

18. interruption

Your interruption of my lecture was not very polite.

19. microbiologist

A microbiologist studies bacteria, viruses, and microscopic organisms.

20. rupture

If any of these pipes rupture, we will have a huge mess to clean up.

21. neurobiology

Neurobiology is the study of nervous system.

22. symbiotic

Some types of birds and cattle have a symbiotic relationship.

23. uninterrupted

I finally had an uninterrupted conversation with my teacher today.

1. antibiotic

The doctor prescribed an antibiotic for the infection in my ear.

2. antibodies

The antibodies in your blood help you fight disease.

3. antiseptic

These wipes are moistened with an antiseptic soap.

4. antisocial

The antisocial cat always stayed away from guests.

5. antivirus

Mom installed antivirus protection on her new laptop.

6. decay

Brushing your teeth every day will help fight tooth decay.

7. decline

The decline in Noel’s grades is probably the result of her absences.

8. deduct

The store will deduct the cost of shipping since we’re picking it up.

9. dejected

Beatrix felt dejected after losing her race at the swimming meet.

10. deport

The judge ruled to deport the men back to their home nation.

11. superficial

The cut was superficial, so she did not need to have stitches.

12. superhuman

Many comic book heroes have superhuman strength.

13. supersede

The new laws will supersede the old ones.

14. superstar

Oliver hopes to be a singing superstar when he grows up.

15. supervise

Ms. Ellie will supervise your work here in the cafeteria.

16. transaction

Will you complete the transaction using cash or a debit card?

17. transatlantic

In 1919, two British pilots made the first transatlantic flight.

18. transformation

The building’s transformation into a hospital will take two years.

19. translate

Nigel will translate these Japanese poems into English.

20. transport

How will the company transport 25 tons of cheese to Alaska?

21. deactivate

Engineers will deactivate the nuclear reactor in 2020.

22. superintendent

The school superintendent is speaking at the luncheon today.

23. translucent

The wings of some moths are translucent.

1. acronym

FBI is an acronym for Federal Bureau of Investigation.

2. ambitious

Mark is ambitious, so he studies an extra hour every night.

3. anonymous

The food pantry received an anonymous donation of $1,000.

4. continuous

The song was played over and over in a continuous loop.

5. courteous

Hattie’s courteous behavior was appreciated by her teachers.

6. eponym

Henry Ford is an eponym because Ford Motor Company is named after him.

7. glorious

Did you see the glorious sunrise this morning?

8. gorgeous

Everyone thinks Bea’s new dress is gorgeous.

9. hazardous

After the blizzard, the roads were too hazardous to drive on.

10. homonym

You need to be careful to choose the correct homonym when writing.

11. humorous

That author is well-known for her humorous stories.

12. miscellaneous

This box is for miscellaneous items people have left behind in the library.

13. mountainous

The northern part of India is very mountainous.

14. nutritious

Blueberries and avocados are examples of nutritious foods.

15. obvious

It is obvious by the look on his face that he is unhappy.

16. righteous

Fighting for equality is always a righteous act.

17. spontaneous

We couldn’t figure out what caused the squirrel’s spontaneous chattering.

18. studious

My brother is very studious when it comes to music history.

19. synonym

When you use a word too often, you should find a synonym to use instead.

20. tedious

Sarah saved her most tedious chore for last.

21. igneous

Igneous rocks were scattered across the volcano's base.

22. industrious

Ants are industrious in the way they build their nests.

23. pseudonym

Samuel Clemens is better known by his pseudonym, Mark Twain.

1. aggressive

Oscar’s aggressive behavior on the soccer field earned him a penalty.

2. barometer

The meteorologist uses a barometer to measure air pressure.

3. degrade

This type of plastic will degrade if it is left in direct sunlight.

4. diameter

The diameter of the swimming pool is sixteen feet.

5. evacuee

Each evacuee from the sinking ship received a blanket and hot beverage.

6. geometry

Angles, rays, and two-dimensional shapes are topics in geometry.

7. graduation

My cousin’s graduation from medical school will happen in April.

8. millimeter

The bugs infesting this plant are each just a millimeter long.

9. perimeter

The surveyors are measuring the perimeter of our school campus.

10. progression

The forest fire’s progression toward the city must be halted.

11. regress

Please practice your math skills over the summer so they do not regress.

12. retrograde

Saturn will have a retrograde orbit this week.

13. symmetry

Mom placed a vase of flowers on each side of the mantle for symmetry.

14. thermometer

The doctor put a thermometer in my ear to check my temperature.

15. upgrade

When we need a new phone, we should probably upgrade to better one.

16. vacancy

The vacancy on the student council will be filled by Bethany.

17. vacant

When my brother gets a vacant look in his eyes, I know he’s hungry.

18. vaccinate

Dr. Baylor will vaccinate the puppies when they are few weeks older.

19. vacuous

His vacuous comments make it clear that he does not think before he speaks.

20. vacuum

The space between planets is a near vacuum, containing very little matter.

21. biodegradable

These cups are biodegradable, so we put them in our compost bin.

22. odometer

The odometer in my car showed 90,000 miles this morning.

23. vacillate

I vacillate when trying to decide between paper or plastic bags.

1. bookish

My bookish cousin goes to the library more than anyone I know.

2. chronic

Aunt Lucy has a chronic skin condition that causes rashes.

3. chronicle

This book is amazing chronicle of the events leading up to WWII.

4. chronological

Please list the events in chronological order.

5. chronometer

A chronometer was used to measure time in the space capsule.

6. criticism

The mayor faced a lot of criticism for his plan to close the museum.

7. feverish

Paolo felt feverish, so he went to lie down.

8. foolish

Mrs. Holden felt foolish when she forgot her umbrella in the car.

9. interject

I tried to interject with my own comment, but Ted just kept talking.

10. intermediate

Mr. Ballard is the intermediate principal until Ms. Jones arrives.

11. interruption

Dean caused an interruption when he dropped the book.

12. intersperse

You need to intersperse some additional facts through the essay.

13. intertwine

If we intertwine our ideas, we will have a really great plan.

14. mannerism

Saying “like” too often is an annoying mannerism.

15. optimism

She has great optimism about the company’s future success.

16. organism

A microscopic organism is too small to see without a microscope.

17. stylish

Your new hat is fabulously stylish.

18. symbolism

Please explain the symbolism the author used in this story.

19. synchronize

Everyone in the crew will synchronize their watches before the launch.

20. ticklish

I am very ticklish on the back of my neck.

21. amateurish

A lot of people think his paintings are great, but I think they look amateurish.

22. anachronism

The calculator used by the pirate character was a very obvious anachronism.

23. metabolism

The cell’s metabolism is regulated by this structure.

SPELLING HOMEWORK

Monday

Write definitions for Spelling words 1-11

Tuesday

Write definitions for Spelling words 12-23

Wednesday

Write Sentences for Spelling words 1-23

Thursday

NO SCHOOL FRIDAY ALL HOMEWORK DUE THURSDAY

1. assimilate

We will assimilate this new information into the existing text.

2. consensus

The teachers reached a consensus about where to hold their meeting.

3. facsimile

A facsimile of the Declaration of Independence hangs in our classroom.

4. inspect

The jeweler will inspect the diamond for flaws.

5. inspector

Mr. Thomas is a quality inspector at the manufacturing plant.

6. nonsense

The lyrics to that song sound like nonsense to me.

7. perspective

Try to look at the problem from a different perspective.

8. respect

Please show respect by listening quietly and looking at the speaker.

9. sensational

That movie has a sensational ending, but what happens is unrealistic.

10. sensibility

Phinn has a strong sensibility about right and wrong.

11. sensitive

Her skin is still sensitive where she scraped it.

12. sensitivity

The machine’s sensitivity can be adjusted to take more precise readings.

13. sensory

The eyes, ears, and tongue are examples of sensory organs.

14. simile

A simile compares two unlike things using the words “like” or “as.”

15. simulate

Here in the lab, we can simulate Arctic conditions.

16. simulator

The pilot used the flight simulator to practice landing a plane.

17. spectacle

Ms. Cortez loves making a spectacle of herself because it makes others laugh.

18. spectator

One spectator at the game painted his face with red and yellow stripes.

19. spectrum

The chart shows the different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.

20. speculate

I would rather not speculate about who will have the highest grade.

21. desensitize

Astronauts must desensitize their sense of balance so they do get dizzy.

22. dissimilar

Our tastes in literature are dissimilar, even though we both love to read.

23. simultaneous

As the lights flashed, we heard a simultaneous roar outside the window.

1. abbreviation

AJ is an abbreviation for Andrew Joshua.

2. ambition

I admire your ambition to get good grades and go to college.

3. audition

Viv went to the audition hoping she would get the lead role.

4. composition

The orchestra played a composition written by the conductor.

5. constellation

The constellation of Orion is usually easy to spot on a clear night.

6. disability

My sister has a learning disability that makes reading difficult for her.

7. exception

Elijah made an exception to the rule that no girls were allowed in the club.

8. expedition

The expedition to the Arctic set sail from the coast of Alaska.

9. humanity

More than half of humanity lives in Asia.

10. ignition

The ignition switch for the rocket is located on the bottom.

11. inspection

Ms. Loveland took her car to the mechanic for an inspection.

12. intention

My intention was to surprise you, not scare you.

13. population

The entire population of the city seems to be out and about today.

14. possibility

Marshall considered the possibility that he earned an A on the test.

15. precipitation

The forecaster said there is a chance for heavy precipitation this weekend.

16. regulation

Her job is the regulation of fishing licenses in our county.

17. resolution

We need a resolution for the problem of littering on the school grounds.

18. similarity

There was very little similarity between Laura and her son.

19. sincerity

Madison apologized with sincerity, so Luke forgave her.

20. subscription

I used to have a subscription to that magazine.

21. crystallization

The crystallization of sugar is beautiful to look at with a microscope.

22. malnutrition

Malnutrition is a serious health issue in this village.

23. practicality

Everyone loved Zack’s idea, but the teacher worried about its practicality.

1. geode

There are several beautiful geodes on display at the museum.

2. geography

Lilly is writing a report on Venezuela for her geography class.

3. geological

Earthquakes are a powerful example of geological forces.

4. geologist

Dr. Klein is a geologist who specializes in volcanoes.

5. geometry

I need to find the area of these squares for my geometry homework.

6. geothermal

Geothermal energy is used to heat homes in some parts of the world.

7. Mediterranean

Much of Italy is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea.

8. photocopy

Miko made a photocopy of her drawing.

9. photogenic

My cousin is very photogenic and models for a catalog sometimes.

10. photographer

The photographer asked Luiz to look up and smile.

11. photographic

I try to buy photographic equipment used because it is less expensive.

12. photography

Mom is taking a photography class at the rec center.

13. photosynthesis

Plants create their own food through photosynthesis.

14. telephoto

Hank uses a telephoto lens to photograph wildlife in the mountains.

15. terrace

Let’s meet at five on the terrace outside the building.

16. terrain

The desert terrain is dry and rocky.

17. terrapin

Is there a difference between a terrapin and a turtle?

18. terrarium

Our principal has a small terrarium in her office.

19. terrier

The small terrier had dug little holes all over the backyard.

20. territorial

Some animals are very territorial and chase off any intruders.

21. extraterrestrial

Do you think we will ever discover extraterrestrial life?

22. photon

A photon is a particle of light.

23. subterranean

The treasure was discovered in a subterranean cave.

1. absent-minded

I seem to be absent-minded today; I keep misplacing my glasses.

2. athletic

The university’s athletic department offers a wide range of scholarships.

3. clinical

My mother is participating in a clinical study at the hospital.

4. energetic

Michael was feeling energetic, so he raked the yard.

5. frantic

Dad was frantic when he couldn’t find the car keys.

6. get-together

The Spanish club is having a get-together on Saturday.

7. high-tech

My cousin bought a really high-tech computer to play video games.

8. historical

We will be studying the historical period between Word Wars I and II.

9. left-handed

Quinn is the only left-handed pitcher in her softball league.

10. life-size

The museum had a life-size model of a dinosaur.

11. long-distance

The telegraph was a breakthrough in long-distance communication.

12. mythical

Dragons are important mythical creatures in Chinese culture.

13. numerical

Telephone numbers are examples of numerical information.

14. optimistic

David is optimistic about his chances of winning the chess tournament.

15. patriotic

Many people feel patriotic during the Fourth of July holiday.

16. practical

I think it is more practical to make posters than to pay for a billboard.

17. self-respect

Dressing neatly and keeping yourself clean are signs of self-respect.

18. well-being

You need to wear a helmet because I am worried about your well-being.

19. word-of-mouth

Word-of-mouth marketing made the movie a big success.

20. year-round

We can ride our bikes year-round because winter is mild here.

21. antiseptic

The surgeon scrubbed thoroughly with antiseptic soap.

22. commander-in-chief

The president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

23. symmetrical

Please put a circle on each side so the design is symmetrical.

1. absorbent

These new towels are more absorbent than the old ones.

2. aerial

The aerial photographs of the park show where the trail used to be.

3. artificial

I try to avoid buying foods with too many artificial ingredients.

4. attendant

My brother works as a parking lot attendant downtown.

5. dependent

The frogs in the pond are dependent on the mosquitoes for food.

6. essential

Your help is essential if we are to finish the project on time.

7. horizontal

Each horizontal beam in the building’s roof had to be lifted by a crane.

8. ignorant

I was ignorant about Thai culture, so I read a book to learn more.

9. international

A group of international students are visiting the school this week.

10. material

Oliver used striped material to make a flag for his fort.

11. obedient

Julian is training his puppy so it will be more obedient.

12. occupant

Each occupant of the building will need to read the safety rules.

13. partial

Your essay contains only a partial explanation about the topic.

14. patient

Dr. Turner gave her patient a prescription for allergy medicine.

15. persistent

Isabelle needs to be persistent if she wants get a part in the play.

16. professional

Not all professional athletes make a lot of money.

17. radiant

The sunlight was radiant as it streamed down through the leaves.

18. renewal

The renewal of your library card must occur this month.

19. tolerant

Chrissy has learned to be tolerant of her baby brother’s crying.

20. verbal

Please give me verbal response; don’t just nod or shake your head.

21. celestial

Ancient sailors used celestial navigation to find their way in the dark.

22. centennial

America’s centennial celebration was in 1876.

23. inhabitant

An inhabitant of the island will meet us at the dock and provide a tour.

1. concoct

We need to concoct a plan that will get your sister to her surprise party.

2. concur

Mr. Yost and Mrs. Vance concur; you have a good idea for your paper.

3. conduct

Ella’s cool conduct during the argument deserves praise.

4. conductor

The conductor raised her baton and gave a signal for the first note.

5. confer

I would like to confer with you about the best route to the park.

6. conjoin

This article explains how to conjoin math and English lessons.

7. conspire

The bandits conspire to steal jewels from the princess.

8. construct

Raj will construct a birdhouse out of used materials.

9. contract

The contract states that I must finish the work by Friday.

10. converge

Three highways converge about a mile before the bridge.

11. midair

The acrobat spun three times in midair before landing on the ground.

12. midday

We usually have sandwiches for our midday meal.

13. midnight

At midnight, the clock chimed twelve times.

14. midpoint

The city of Tecumseh will be the midpoint of our journey.

15. midsentence

       Hannah stopped midsentence when she realized her mistake.

16. midstream

The bear paused midstream and grabbed a salmon from the water.

17. midterm

Our midterm exam will cover Units One through Three.

18. midtown

The midtown bus stops at this location once an hour.

19. midwife

My aunt will have a midwife on hand when she is ready to give birth.

20. midwinter

The coldest day of the year usually occurs in midwinter.

21. contiguous

The United Kingdom is not one of the contiguous nations of Europe.

22. connote

The author’s books often connote a feeling of sadness or melancholy.

23. midfielder

Jake is a midfielder for his high school soccer team.

1. analogy

I have written an analogy comparing education to a growing tree.

2. apologize

Tess and Molly need to apologize for their prank.

3. autobiography

Han is reading parts of Helen Keller’s autobiography.

4. autograph

Kanisha asked the singer for his autograph.

5. biology

Dr. Olsen studied biology at Michigan State University.

6. calligraphy

The calligraphy kit came with ink, several pens, and nice paper.

7. catalog

The prices for the artist’s painting are listed in this catalog.

8. choreograph

Ms. Knight will choreograph this year’s holiday dance performance.

9. chronological

Please list the major events of the Great Depression in chronological order.

10. ecology

Ecology is the study of how different life forms on Earth interact.

11. geography

In my geography class, we need to memorize the countries of Asia.

12. graphic

Uncle Lonnie is a graphic designer for an advertising firm.

13. logical

There are many logical reasons for using fewer fossil fuels.

14. paragraph

Be sure to indent the first line of each paragraph.

15. photograph

Max’s photograph will appear on the home page of the website.

16. psychology

What is the difference between psychology and psychiatry?

17. seismograph

Scientists use a seismograph to measure the intensity of earthquakes.

18. slogan

We need to write a catchy slogan for the school’s new recycling program.

19. technology

I wonder what groundbreaking technology awaits us in the future.

20. telegraph

The invention of the telegraph caused the end of the Pony Express.

21. cartography

Professional mapmakers are experts in cartography.

22. epilogue

I thought I was done with the book, but I still need to read the epilogue.

23. prologue

In the prologue, the author explains why she wrote the book.

1. allocate                          

The school board will allocate equal amounts of money to each school.

2. cyclist

A cyclist zipped right past me as I walked along the path.

3. cyclops

The hero Odysseus encounters a cyclops in Homer’s epic poem.

4. deflect

Coach Williams told his player to deflect the ball with her knee.

5. dislocate

If you dislocate your shoulder, it will hurt.

6. encyclopedia

Please look in an encyclopedia for information about sharks.

7. genuflect

Knights will normally genuflect, or bend their knee, in the presence of a king.

8. inflection

The inflection of her voice made it clear how angry she was.

9. locale

This amphitheater is the perfect locale for an outdoor performance.

10. location

The auditorium will be the location for our annual fundraiser.

11. locomotive

The locomotive sped wildly down the tracks.

12. motorcycle

My uncle rides his motorcycle to work during nice weather.

13. phonetic

The phonetic spelling of a word shows how to pronounce it.

14. phonics

My brother sees a tutor to help him with his phonics lessons.

15. phonograph

Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in the late 1800s.

16. reflection

Molly studied her reflection in the store’s front window.

17. reflector

I put a reflector on the back of my bike to make it safer.

18. saxophone

Dr. Nelson plays the saxophone in a blues band.

19. unicycle

Did you see that clown riding a unicycle?

20. xylophone

The orchestra is looking for a new xylophone player.

21. antireflective

The lenses of my glasses have an antireflective coating.

22. cyclical

The weather in this area is cyclical.

23. echolocation

Bats use echolocation to locate food in the dark.