Grade 4 Science

The study of rocks and minerals introduces students to geology. By examining different types of rocks and minerals found in the earth crust, students will learn about their characteristics and properties. This activity engages students in exploring and learning information about different types of rocks. The topic can be introduced by encouraging students to collect different types of rocks from their neighbourhood. Those rocks would be studied individually and in groups. Students will write about a specific rock from their collection. They would sit in a group and would classify different rocks to make a chart. Teacher will then teach them about different types of rocks, their properties, uses and examples. Students would be encouraged to research more on topic. They would create a poster and would explain the facts on the poster. Students will write a test after creating and presenting the poster.

Expectations from Ontario Curriculum

Describe the difference between minerals (composed of the same substance throughout) and rocks (compose of two or more minerals); Visit these links for more information: http://www.fi.edu/qa97/spotlight1/, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minerals#Minerals_and_rocks

Classify the rocks and minerals according to chosen criteria, relying on their observation (e.g., colour, texture, shape);
Find out more on this site: http://www.casdn.neu.edu/~geology/department/staff/colgan/iceland/rocks.htm

Recognize that there are three classes of rocks: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic; To read more information visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocks

View slide show on rocks at:
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/lessons/Slideshow/Slideindex.html

Photo Source: http://en.openphoto.net/search/index.html

MATHEMATICS GRADE 4

Grade 4: Number Sense and Numeration

Expectations:

Represent fractions using concrete materials, words, and standard fractional notation, and explain the meaning of the denominator as the number of the fractional parts of a whole or a set, and the numerator as the number of fractional parts being considered.

Visit this web site: http://nlvm.usu.edu/en/nav/frames_asid_103_g_2_t_1.html


Compare fractions to the benchmarks of 0, ½, and 1 (e.g., 1/8 is closer to 0 then to ½; 3/5 is more than ½).

Check this link for comparing and ordering fraction: http://www.321know.com/grade4.htm#topic97

Demonstrate and explain the relationship between equivalent fractions, using concrete materials (e.g., fraction circles, fraction strips, pattern blocks) and drawings (e.g., "I can that 3/6 of my cubes are white, or half of the cubes are white. This means that 3/6 and ½ are equal.”). Visit this link: http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/mmath/mmath_frac.html

Grade 4 Social Studies

Students discover the major features of daily life in medieval European societies. Students investigate the major events and influences of the era and determine how they shaped medieval society. Students apply their understandings to compare communities in medieval times with their own communities today.

Expectations from Ontario Curriculum:
- Describe the hierarchical structure of medieval society and the types of people in it(e.g. peasant, officials, nobles) and explain how different groups cooperated or came into conflict at different times.
- Describe the aspects of daily life for men, women and children in medieval societies (e.g. food, housing etc.)

The following links give us a better idea:

Hierarchy of medieval society
http://www.camelotintl.com/village/society.html

Who is who in the castle?
http://www.edu.pe.ca/vrcs/grassroots/2002/grade5/medieval/slides/amanda/index.htm

Life in middle ages
http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/ma/mahome.htm

Read More About Feudal Life: http://www.learner.org/exhibits/middleages/feudal.html

Dictionary of Feudal Terms: http://eserver.org/langs/feudal-dictionary.txt

Tired of studying, let us hear some music of medieval times
http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/instrumt.html