GRADE THREE/FOUR
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Science - Grade Four

FIRST TERM:

UNDERSTANDING LIFE SYSTEMS - HABITATS AND COMMUNITIES
This Science unit will encourage students to understand the Big Ideas:
Plants and animals are interdependent and are adapted to meet their needs from the resources available in their particular habitats. Changes to habitats (whether caused by natural or human means) can affect plants and animals and the relationships between them. Society relies on plants and animals.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:
1. analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and communities;
2. investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific habitats and communities;
3. demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the relationships among the plants and animals that live in them.

UNDERSTANDING EARTH AND SPACE SYSTEMS - ROCKS AND MINERALS
This Science unit will encourage students to understand the Big Ideas:
Rocks and minerals have unique characteristics and properties that are a result of how they were formed. The properties of rocks and minerals determine society’s possible uses for them. Our use of rocks and minerals affects the environment.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of Grade 4, students will:
1. assess the social and environmental impacts of human uses of rocks and minerals;
2. investigate, test, and compare the physical properties of rocks and minerals;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the physical properties of rocks and minerals.




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SECOND TERM

UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURES AND MECHANISMS - PULLEYS AND GEARS


This Science unit will encourage students to understand the Big Ideas:
Pulleys and gears change the speed, direction, and motion of, and force exerted on, moving objects. Pulleys and gears make it possible for a small input force to generate a large output force. (Note: Grade 4 students need to understand mechanical advantage only in its qualitative sense). Gears are specialized wheels and axles that are used daily in many machines.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of Grade 4, students will:
1. evaluate the impact of pulleys and gears on society and the environment;
2. investigate ways in which pulleys and gears modify the speed and direction of, and the force exerted on, moving objects;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and functions of pulley systems and gear systems.

UNDERSTANDING MATTER AND ENERGY - LIGHT AND SOUND

This Science unit will encourage students to understand the Big Ideas:
Light and sound are forms of energy with specific properties. Sound is created by vibrations. Light is required to see. Technological innovations involving light and sound have an impact on the environment.

OVERALL EXPECTATIONS
By the end of Grade 4, students will:
1. assess the impact on society and the environment of technological innovations related to light and sound;
2. investigate the characteristics and properties of light and sound;
3. demonstrate an understanding of light and sound as forms of energy that have specific characteristics and properties.



Science Links

Pulleys and Gears

Learn more about pulleys:
http://www.mrcollinson.ca/4%20science/pulleys%20and%20gears/pulleys_in_action/4_science_pulleys_gears_pulley_action.htm

Learn more about gears:
http://www.mrcollinson.ca/4%20science/pulleys%20and%20gears/gears_in_action/4_science_pulleys_gears_gears_action.htm

How Gears Work - from the How Stuff Works web site

Simple Machines - Pulleys

How elevators work

Light and Sound

Sound picture: http://www.mrcollinson.ca/4%20science/light%20and%20sound/4_science_light_sound_sound_pic.pdf

Light picture:  http://www.mrcollinson.ca/4%20science/light%20and%20sound/4_science_light_sound_light_pic.pdf

The Science of Light:  http://www.learner.org/teacherslab/science/light/

How We Hear:  http://www.wonderville.ca/asset/how-we-hear

Optics for Kids: http://www.opticalres.com/kidoptx_f.html

How We See Things: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/10_11/see_things.shtml

Changing Sounds:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/9_10/changing_sounds.shtml


Rocks and Minerals

Fossils:  http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/fossils/intro/proof.htm

National Fossil Day Song:  http://www.nps.gov/badl/photosmultimedia/badlands-in-brief-national-fossil-day2.htm

National Fossil Day Information 2013:  http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/

Information about fossils:  http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/faq.cfm

Minerals:  http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/minerals/

The Rock  Cycle Create a rock  collection as you learn about the three  main types of rock, find out how to
tell the different rock types apart, and see  how rocks change from one type  into another!

 
Rock Identification  Click on  a rock, take a look at a larger picture of it and find out the results of three
different tests on the rock. Then use the Rock Key to identify what type of rock  it is. When you have identified each of the rocks, you can check how well you have done by going to the Rock Identification Test.  

 
Rocks and Soils - from BBC Schools - test some properties of  rocks

 
The Learning Zone -  Rocks - from the Oxford
University Museum of Natural History

 
The  Learning Zone -  Minerals - from the Oxford University Museum of Natural  History

 
Geology For Kids

Rocks for Kids 

Dirtmeister Science Reporters:  Investigate and Report on Erosion   "How do the forces of erosion
change the world in which we live? Join us and find out!"  Information along with activities for students to carry out within the neighbourhood are provided.


Soil School - from Soil-Net.com




Habitats and Communities
Click on the links to find activities and information related to Habitats and Communities
Habitats - Home Sweet Home

What's It Like Where You Live?
 
http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kdzbionature.html
 
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/habitats/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/8_9/habitats.shtml

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/animals/creaturefeature/

Games

http://www.seasky.org/deep-sea/deep-sea-menu.html 
The Deep Seas


http://switchzoo.com/games/where.htm 
   

http://pbskids.org/fetch/games/habitats/index.html 
Draw a habitat


http://kids.yahoo.com/games/game/cameraquest
Underwater camera quest

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/content/animals/kidscorner/foodchain/foodchain.htm 
Finish the Food  Chain

From 
Link to Learning 
The Web of Life
a factual but entertaining story told by a common garden  spider

Chain  Reaction - The Food Web
learn about herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores and put together a food chain

Fun With  Food Webs
construct Meadow, Arctic and Pond food  webs

Owl Pellet Dissection
learn about food chains by "virtually" dissecting owl  pellets!

Explore  Ontario's Biodiversity
from the Royal Ontario Museum - create your own field guide to some  of the common animals of your local area - lists and species profiles of the plant and animal species at risk in  Ontario




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