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FORTH GRADE CURRICULUM
Smiling SERVICE Scuola Internazionale Srl - Impresa Sociale Corso Porta Mare n. 117 Tel: +39 0532-757197 Mail:
[email protected] Via Roversella n. 2-4 Tel: +39 0532-209416 Mail:
[email protected] www.smilingservice.it
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 2
ITALIANO:
ASCOLTO E ORALITA’ OBIETTIVI GENERALI ATTESI
AL TERMINE DELLA CLASSE QUARTA:
Consolidare i corretti comportamenti linguistici negli
scambi comunicativi (dialoghi, conversazioni, discussioni), prendendo la parola in modo appropriato, formulando domande, chiedendo chiarimenti, esprimendo opinioni e dando istruzioni;
Saper riferire le proprie esperienze personali, rispettando la struttura logica della narrazione – nessi logici, successione temporale, descrittori funzionali;
Cogliere le opinioni degli altri ed esprimere la propria in merito;
Organizzare un discorso orale su un tema affrontato in classe o una breve esposizione su un argomento di studio utilizzando una scaletta;
Sviluppare la capacità di sintesi ed esposizione di quanto studiato.
CONTENUTI:
La conversazione: ricordiamo le regole del conversare assieme;
Il racconto: raccontare le nostre esperienze (opinioni personali, emozioni e stati d’animo) (La corda delle storie);
Ascoltare per capire: attività scritte e orali, basate sull’ascolto attivo di varie tipologie testuali;
Ascoltare per capire: comprendere, descriversi e “valutarsi” sia riguardo all’aspetto fisico che al carattere;
La comprensione: ascoltare la lettura di testi narrativi e coglierne oralmente il contenuto e gli elementi essenziali;
Narrare e rinarrare oralmente una storia;
La comprensione: comprendere un testo descrittivo e descrittivo‐narrativo letto a voce alta da altri;
Comprendere le descrizioni di ambienti fatte oralmente dai compagni;
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 3
Descrivere oralmente, in modo organico e analitico, un ambiente noto;
Ascoltare e comprendere un testo poetico letto ad alta voce;
Comprendere un testo informativo letto ad alta voce da altri;
Riassumere oralmente un testo informativo;
Formulare oralmente un testo informativo coerente e organico a partire da una scaletta o da uno schema;
Ascolto attivo di testi regolativi;
Estrapolare le informazioni importanti e ripeterle ad alta voce o per iscritto;
Formulare oralmente una serie di “regole” organicamente connesse.
LETTURA E COMPRENSIONE
OBIETTIVI GENERALI ATTESI
AL TERMINE DELLA CLASSE QUARTA:
Leggere testi narrativi e descrittivi, distinguendo i testi
della fantasia da quelli della realtà; Leggere e confrontare informazioni provenienti da testi
diversi da utilizzare nell’approfondimento degli argomenti o come spunto per parlare o scrivere;
Imparare formalmente a raccogliere informazioni dai testi: prendere appunti, sottolineare, annotare, costruire mappe e schemi…);
Seguire istruzioni e regole; Leggere in modo scorrevole, con espressività e
intonazione, testi letterari sia poetici sia narrativi; Leggere testi letterari sia poetici sia narrativi e
riconoscerne le caratteristiche (versi, strofe, rime, ripetizioni di suoni, uso delle parole e dei significati);
Esprimere opinioni personali in merito ai testi letti. CONTENUTI:
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 4
Leggere insieme un libro: o l'insegnante legge un testo di narrativa; o la lettura ad alta voce dei bambini; o la lettura silenziosa.
Mettere a fuoco le cararatteristiche testuali, linguistiche e contenutistiche tipiche dei DIARI;
Scoprire la funzione del Diario come memoria del passato (individuale e collettivo);
Leggere per capire: il testo narrativo ‐ la sua struttura (inizio, svolgimento e conclusione) e gli elementi fondamentali (personaggi, tempi e luoghi) (La corda delle storie);
Individuare le sequenze di un testo narrativo;
Sintetizzare la trama di un testo narrativo e individuarne le informazioni fondamentali;
Individuare le diverse componenti che rendono fantastico un racconto;
Leggere per capire: il testo descrittivo in 1° e 3° persona (differenze);
Individuare i diversi tipi di sequenze (narrative o descrittive) in cui può articolarsi un testo;
Individuare le diverse sfere sensoriali attivate nel corso di una descrizione;
Descrizioni soggettive e oggettive e uso delle similitudini per descrivere gli ambienti;
Cogliere l’alternarsi di descrizioni riferite al fisico e al carattere in un medesimo testo;
Individuare e cogliere il significato delle similitudini in una descrizione;
Individuare gli elementi costitutivi di un racconto autobiografico;
Individuare gli elementi costitutivi di un racconto umoristico, a livello di contenuto e lingua;
Leggere un testo poetico a voce alta rispettando gli stacchi suggeriti dagli “a capo” e in modo espressivo;
Cogliere il contenuto di un testo poetico;
Analizzare in modo analitico la componente sonora delle parole;
Riconoscere i diversi giochi di rima presenti in un testo poetico;
Individuare consonanze, assonanze e allitterazioni;
Individuare il “gioco di significato” su cui si reggono le similitudini e le metafore e discriminare le une dalle altre;
Riconoscere le personificazioni;
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 5
Effettuare una lettura attenta e veloce di un testo informativo;
Discriminare le informazioni primarie e secondarie;
Individuare le sequenze in cui si articola un testo informativo;
Individuare il filo logico sotteso a un testo informativo;
Utilizzare le immagini e le didascalie come elemento d’appoggio al testo di riferimento;
Comprendere un testo regolativo formulato verbalmente;
Comprendere un testo regolativo integrato da immagini;
Individuare la finalità di un testo regolativo;
Individuare le diverse “sezioni” in cui può articolarsi un testo regolativo;
Capire il rapporto reciproco che lega le immagini alle regole all’interno di un testo regolativo;
SCRITTURA
OBIETTIVI GENERALI ATTESI
AL TERMINE DELLA CLASSE QUARTA:
Imparare a costruire una traccia di un racconto o di
un’esperienza: raccogliere le idee e organizzarle per punti;
Produrre testi coerenti e coesi, legati a scopi diversi (narrare, descrivere, informare);
Completare, manipolare, trasformare e rielaborare testi (parafrasare, riscrivere originalmente, riscrivere cambiando lo scopo…);
Rielaborare i testi (parafrasare, riscrivere originalmente, riscrivere cambiando lo scopo…);
Produrre testi corretti morfosintatticamente, ortograficamente, lessicalmente.
CONTENUTI:
Raccontare per iscritto le proprie esperienze, usando la pagina di
diario;
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 6
Comporre un testo narrativo seguendo una traccia prefissata (La corda delle storie);
Riassumere un testo;
Descrivere se stessi o altri in modo sintetico e vivace, sia in riferimento all’aspetto fisico che al carattere;
Riscrivere in modo oggettivo un testo descrittivo di tipo soggettivo;
Riscrivere in modo soggettivo un testo descrittivo di tipo oggettivo;
Descrivere in modo attento un ambiente quotidiano e familiare;
Comporre un testo descrittivo‐narrativo scegliendo tra la modalità soggettiva o oggettiva;
Comporre un racconto autobiografico seguendo una traccia prefissata;
Riscrivere un racconto umoristico in chiave neutra;
Intervenire sui testi poetici variandone le rime o i giochi di rima;
Comporre testi poetici costruiti su metafore, similitudini e personificazioni;
Stendere scalette e schemi a partire da un testo informativo o da un argomento predeterminato;
Riassumere un testo informativo;
Comporre un testo informativo partendo da una scaletta o da uno schema;
Formulare un testo regolativo organico e coerente a partire da giochi o attività realizzati in concreto, o da immagini;
Modificare le “formule imperative” di un testo regolativo, variandone i modi e le persone.
RIFLESSIONE LINGUISTICA
OBIETTIVI GENERALI ATTESI
AL TERMINE DELLA CLASSE QUARTA:
Riconoscere le parti principali del discorso; Riconoscere gli elementi di una frase e analizzarne le
funzioni (soggetto, predicato, complementi diretti e indiretti);
Usare i modi e tempi verbali in maniera consapevole; Riconoscere in un testo i connettivi logici e temporali e
usarli correttamente; Conoscere i meccanismi di formazione delle parole
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 7
(parole semplici, derivate, composte, prefissi e suffissi); Comprendere le relazioni di significato tra le parole
(sinonimi e contrari); Usare il dizionario; Usare correttamente la punteggiatura; Comprendere e usare termini disciplinari specifici.
CONTENUTI:
Revisione ortografica dei suoni complessi e ripasso della punteggiatura (discorso diretto e indiretto);
Ripercorrere l’importanza dell’uso del dizionario;
Arricchimento lessicale: derivazione e produttività di parole nuove (etimologia);
Revisione e approfondimento grammaticale: le 9 parti del discorso e le persone dei verbi (i pronomi personali) (l’albero della grammatica);
Ripassiamo il nome;
Individuare le diverse categorie grammaticali in cui rientra una parola (analisi grammaticale);
L’articolo (studio del partitivo);
L’aggettivo qualificativo e i suoi gradi;
Riscrivere in modo corretto un testo contenente errori ortografici;
Arricchimento lessicale: scoprire il significato di termini non noti, sinonimi e contrari, polisemia di alcuni termini;
Il verbo (studio particolareggiato del modo indicativo e introduzione ai modi finiti del verbo);
Ripresa del concetto di frase, frase semplice e frase complessa.
Introduzione ai PRONOMI;
Pronomi e aggettivi;
Mettere a fuoco il significato e la funzione di alcuni termini specialistici;
Le preposizioni semplici e articolate, le congiunzioni, l’avverbio.
Analisi logica: dividiamo la frase in sintagmi funzionali, il soggetto e il soggetto sottinteso, il predicato, PV e PN;
I PRONOMI PERSONALI soggetto e complemento;
La frase si espande, le espansioni dell’enunciato minimo. L’espansione diretta o complemento oggetto, le espansioni indirette;
Analisi logica e grammaticale.
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 8
MATHEMATICS:
NUMBERS TO 100.000
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
understand and recognise the place value of numbers up to 100.000
read, write, order, and compare whole numbers up to 100.000
work with whole numbers and carry out operations with confidence, selecting the appropriate mental or written understand a written problem and resolve it selecting the appropriate operation and utilizing problem-solving skills
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
read, write, compare and order whole numbers up to 100.000
understand and recognise the place value of numbers up to 100.000
carry out addition operations up to 100.000 using a variety of methods
carry out subtraction operations up to 100.000 using a variety of methods
become familiar with the commutative and associative properties of addition
become familiar with the invariant property of subtraction carry out mental methods of addition and subtraction making use of
the properties and laws of operations and a variety of methods be able to confidently and independently carry out addition and
subtraction with whole numbers use numerical reasoning to resolve ‘real life’ word problems
MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 9
consolidate knowledge of multiplication and division work with increasing confidence when solving problems understand the concept of factors and multiples
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
carry out multiplication operations up to 100.000 using a variety of methods
carry out division operations up to 100.000 using a variety of methods
master the ‘long division’ method
investigate the commutative, and associative properties of multiplication
investigate the invariant property of division carry out mental methods of multiplication and division making use
of the properties and laws of operations and a variety of methods
explore the relationship between factors and multiples
become familiar with the concept of prime numbers Use numerical reasoning to resolve ‘real life’ word problems
FRACTIONS AND DECIMALS
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
represent, compare, and order fractional amounts with like
denominators, including proper and improper fractions and mixed numbers
understand how fractions and decimals are related explain
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
understand and be able to work with fractions, fractions of shapes, fractions of amounts
distinguish between proper, improper, and mixed number fractions
work with complimentary and equivalent fractions
compare and order fractions and decimals
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 10
understand decimal place value to thousandths understand the concept of equivalent fractions and decimal
equivalents recognise different ways of representing the same number or
quantity (fraction, decimal fraction, decimal number) paying particular attention to the role and position of the decimal point (comma)
work with fractions of a number
convert common fractions to decimals and vice versa (e.g. one‐half, one‐third, one‐quarter, etc.)
carry out the four operations with decimal numbers multiply and divide decimal and whole numbers by 10, 100, and
1000
MEASUERMENT AND MONEY
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
recognise, utilise, transform and resolve problems with conventional units of measurement of length, capacity, mass, value, time, and area
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
carry out measurements of length, weight/mass, capacity and time using conventional standard units
express measurements and equivalent measurements of length, mass,
capacity and time using multiples and submultiples perform estimations and practical investigations to record and
compare measurements of length, mass, and capacity solve problems related to net, gross and tare
solve problems relation to cost, profit, and earnings explore the idea of unit cost and total cost
use measurement data to calculate length, capacity, mass, time,
solve real‐life money problems using common monetary units of measurement and equivalents Solve calculation problems of time
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 11
GEOMETRY
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• understand the concept of lines and angles recognise simple and complex shapes and become
familiar with their properties • calculate the area and perimeter simple 2D shapes • carry out the translation and rotation of a range of
geometric shapes
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• understand, read and use the conventional terminology associated with geometry
• distinguish between polygons and non‐polygons • analyse, describe and classify 2D and 3D geometric shapes according
to their properties • understand the structure of 3D geometric shapes using 2D nets • reproduce a 2D or 3D geometric shape from the description of its
properties using the appropriate instruments and techniques • identify, and master the concepts of, curved, straight, intersecting,
perpendicular and parallel lines • recognise, classify and describe angles (acute, right, obtuse, straight,
reflex, and full rotation) • learn how to use a protractor to measure angles • understand, use and apply the concept of angles to describe and • represent a range of geometric shapes • identify the lines of symmetry on a given shape
• recognise, represent and realise reflective symmetry
• carry out the rotation and translation of a range of geometric shapes • know and be able to identify the properties of triangles (sides,
vertices, angles, height) • know and be able to identify the properties of quadrilaterals (sides,
vertices, angles, height) • calculate the perimeter of a range of geometric shapes • use partition and composition of simple and complex shapes to
recognise
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 12
• that different 2D shapes may have the same surface area
• know the formulae for, and be able to calculate, the area of a square, • rectangle, triangle, parallelogram, rhombus, trapezium
DATA HANDLING
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• analyse and compare raw data through the statistical and numerical averages of mean, median, mode and range
• tackle and resolve word problems in a range of contexts
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• classify a set of raw data according to common fixed characteristics • recognise and describe regularity and disparity in numerical and
graphical sequences • collect data through questionnaire and survey methods • collect, sort, organize, interpret and represent information in a
variety charts and graphs and tables • compare and contrast different ways, and consequent advantages or
disadvantages, of representing the same data
• sort, interpret and qualify raw and worked data using numerical and statistical averages (mean, median, mode and range) in concrete and numerical situations, perceive and calculate the probability of an event
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 13
ENGLISH:
SPEAKING and LISTENING OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• be able to adapt the pace and loudness of speaking when performing or reading aloud
• evaluate what is heard giving reasons for agreement or disagreement and learn to deal politely with opposing points of view
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• vary the use of vocabulary and level of detail according to purpose • listen carefully in discussion, contributing relevant comments and
questions • begin to develop ideas thoughtfully, and convey opinions • offer reasons and evidence for their views, considering alternative
opinions • evaluate what is heard and give reasons for agreement or
disagreement • deal politely with opposing points of view and respond appropriately
to the contributions of others in the light of differing viewpoints • tell stories effectively and convey detailed information coherently for
listeners • adapt the pace and loudness of speaking when performing or
reading aloud • identify how talk varies with age, familiarity, gender and purpose
GRAMMAR, PUNCTUATION and WRITING
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 14
• understand how to form and use verb phrases made up of a main verb and one or two auxiliary verbs
• understand conventions of standard English including verb agreement, pronouns, possessive pronouns and an increasingly accurate use of prepositions
• know the conventions and proper usage of the Past Simple and the Present Perfect
• understand and analyse the grammar of active and passive sentences; statements, questions and orders
• understand how expressive and descriptive language creates mood and explore the impact of imagery and figurative language in poetry and prose
• understand how paragraphs and chapters are used to organise ideas and note key words and phrases to identify the main points in a passage
• make short notes from a text and summarise a paragraph in a limited number of words
• plan and write longer stories using detail to capture the reader's imagination
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• re‐read own writing to check punctuation and grammatical sense • investigate past, present and future tenses of verbs • identify adverbs and their impact on meaning • use commas to mark clauses in complex sentences • clarify meaning and point of view by using varied sentence structure
(phrases, clauses and adverbials) • use connectives to structure an argument (e.g. if, although) • show relationships of time, reason and cause through subordination,
conjunctions and causal and contrastive connectives • understand and analyse the grammar of active and passive
sentences • use the apostrophe to mark omission in contractions (e.g. can't,
don't) • use the apostrophe to mark singular and plural possession (e.g. girl's,
girls') • write consistently with neat, legible and joined handwriting • use word processing packages to present written work and continue
to increase speed and accuracy in typing • explore different ways of planning stories, and write longer stories
from plans
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 15
• develop and refine ideas in writing using planning and problem‐solving strategies
• explore alternative openings and endings for stories • show imagination through the language used to create emphasis,
humour, atmosphere or suspense • use settings and characterisation to engage readers' interest • write and perform poems, attending to the sound of words • write newspaper‐style reports, instructions and non‐chronological
reports • summarise and shape material and ideas from different sources to
write convincing and informative non‐narrative texts • choose and combine words, images and other features for particular
effects • present an explanation or a point of view in ordered points (e.g. in a
letter) • organise text into paragraphs to distinguish between different
information, events or processes • use paragraphs in writing to organise and sequence ideas • use adverbs and conjunctions to establish cohesion within
paragraphs • explore the layout and presentation of writing, to fit its purpose • make short notes from a text and use these to aid writing • summarise a sentence or a paragraph in a limited number of words
PHONICS, SPELLING and VOCABULARY
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• apply phonic/spelling, graphic, grammatical and contextual knowledge when reading unfamiliar words
• make use of known spellings and spelling patterns in all writing
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• apply phonic/spelling, graphic, grammatical and contextual knowledge in reading and writing
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 16
• use knowledge of morphology and etymology to spell new and unfamiliar words
• check and correct spellings and identify words that need to be learned
• make use of known spellings and spelling patterns in all writing • identify syllabic patterns in multisyllabic words • match spelling to meaning when words sound the same (e.g.
to/two/too, right/write [homophones]) • spell words with common letter strings but different pronunciations
(e.g. tough, through, trough, plough) • collect and classify words with common roots (e.g. invent, prevent) • build words from other words with similar meanings (e.g. medical,
medicine) • extend earlier work on prefixes and suffixes • use more powerful verbs (e.g. 'rushed' instead of 'went') • explore degrees of intensity in adjectives (e.g. cold, tepid, warm, hot) • recognise meaning in figurative language • explore proverbs, sayings and figurative expressions • investigate the origin and appropriate use of idiomatic phrases • discuss metaphorical expressions and figures of speech
READING and COMPREHENSION OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• be able to adapt the pace and loudness of speaking when performing or reading aloud
• evaluate what is heard giving reasons for agreement or • disagreement and learn to deal politely with opposing
points of view • read and analyse fiction and non-fiction texts as a class,
in a group and individually • answer questions related to texts verbally and in a variety
of written forms (multiple choice and sentences)
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• extend the range of reading • investigate how settings and characters are built up from details
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 17
• deduce characters' reasons for behaviour from their actions • understand the main stages in a story from introduction to
resolution • explore narrative order and the focus on significant events • understand how expressive and descriptive language creates mood • explore the impact of imagery and figurative language in poetry and
prose • explain how writers use figurative and expressive language to create
images and atmosphere • read and perform play scripts, exploring how scenes are built up • compare and contrast poems and investigate poetic features such as
rhyme, alliteration and assonance • identify different types of non‐fiction text and their features • read newspaper reports, instructional texts and non‐chronological
reports and consider how they engage and inform the reader • distinguish between 'fact' and 'opinion' in reading and other media • understand how points are ordered to make a coherent argument • understand how paragraphs and chapters are used to organise ideas • use knowledge of different organisational features of texts to find
information effectively • note key words and phrases to identify the main points in a passage
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 18
SCIENCE:
SCIENTISTS’ SKILLS
Not a standalone unit, objectives to be incorporated into other units. OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• analyse and describe a range of scientific phenomena. • understand how to make a fair test, plan a scientific
experiment, and make predictions. • use a wide range of methods, including diagrams,
drawings, tables, bar charts, line graphs and ICT, to communicate data in an appropriate and systematic manner.
• use appropriate scientific language and terms to communicate ideas and explain the behaviour of living things, materials, phenomena and processes.
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• begin to ask questions that can be investigated scientifically and decide how to find answers.
• recognise that it is important to test ideas using evidence from observation and measurement.
• understand how to make a fair test or comparison by changing one factor while keeping other factors the same.
• understand the importance of not trying to obtain a particular result to prove what you think make predictions.
• analyse outcomes of experiments and plan a scientific experiment and decide what to do, what kind of evidence to collect, and what equipment and materials to use.
• use a wide range of methods, including diagrams, drawings, tables, bar charts, line graphs and ICT, to communicate data in an appropriate and systematic manner.
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 19
SPACE AND MATTER
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• investigate characteristics of the systems of which the earth is a part and the relationship between the earth, the sun, and the moon
• demonstrate an understanding of components of the systems of which the earth is a part, and explain the phenomena that result from the movement of different bodies in space
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• identify components of the solar system, including the sun, the earth, and other planets, natural satellites, comets, asteroids, and meteoroids, and describe their physical characteristics in qualitative terms
• identify the bodies in space that emit light (e.g., stars) and those that reflect light (e.g., moons and planets)
• describe the effects of the relative positions and motions of the earth, moon, and sun (e.g., use models or simulations to show solar and lunar eclipses, phases of the moon, tides)
• use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including axis, tilt, rotation, revolution, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids
• understand that the Earth orbits the Sun once each year, and that the Moon takes approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth
• investigate the different phases of the moon and why they occur • understand that our solar system includes the Sun and its planets
and that the planets orbit the Sun
• learn that the Sun, Moon, Earth and solar system are made from matter
• learn that all matter is made from elements and particles • learn that the particles that form known elements are called atoms • understand that atoms can combine to form molecules • understand that the differences between solids, liquids and gases
can be explained in terms of the proximity and motion of their particles
• understand changes of state in terms of movements of particles
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 20
• learn that the particles that form known elements are called atoms • understand that atoms can combine to form molecules, be able to
name simple molecules (e.g. H2O, O2, CO2)
ROCKS AND MINERALS
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• assess the social and environmental impacts of human uses of rocks and minerals
• investigate, test, and compare the physical properties of rocks and minerals
• demonstrate an understanding of the physical properties of rocks and minerals
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• describe the difference between rocks (composed of two or more minerals) and minerals (composed of the same substance throughout), and explain how these differences determine how they are used
• describe the properties (e.g., colour, lustre, streak, transparency, hardness) that are used to identify minerals
• describe how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are formed
• describe the characteristics of the three classes of rocks and explain how their characteristics are related to their origin
• use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including hardness, colour, lustre, and texture, in oral and written communication
• use a variety of tests to identify the physical properties of minerals (e.g., hardness [scratch test], colour [streak test], magnetism)
• use a variety of criteria (e.g., colour, texture, lustre) to classify common rocks and minerals according to their characteristics
• use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate how rocks and minerals are used in everyday life
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 21
PLANTS, ANIMALS, AND FUNGHI OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• use appropriate scientific language and terms to communicate ideas and explain the behaviour of living things, phenomena and processes
• understand that cells are the basic units of life • understand that the life processes common to humans,
other animals and plants include nutrition, movement, growth and reproduction
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• learn that cells are the basic units of life
• explore cell structure and differences between plant and animal cells • understand the 7 life processes: movement, respiration, sensitivity,
nutrition, excretion, reproduction, growth
• explore the role of the leaf in photosynthesis • understand that the carbon dioxide for photosynthesis comes from
the air • explore the importance of photosynthesis to humans and other
animals • learn about the reproductive parts of the flower [for example,
stigma, stamen, petal, sepal] and their role in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed formation, seed dispersal and germination
• understand the importance of decomposers, such as fungi, in the food chain and discuss medical importance of fungi
• sort organisms into groups according to common features • understand that there are different ways of classifying living things • understand that three groups of living things are green plants,
animals, and fungi • learn that animals can be subdivided into vertebrates and
invertebrates • learn that invertebrates can be further subdivided
Smiling International School Fourth Grade Curriculum 22
HISTORY:
FINDING OUT ABOUT HISTORY*
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• be familiar with different kinds of historical source and evaluate their usefulness
• be able to interrogate sources and draw conclusions about the past based on them
• read, use and produce historical maps • understand and use the conventional system of
periodisation • used in the West, and have knowledge of other, non-
western systems SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• understand the relationship between cause and effect and develop relevant terminology
• recognise physical changes produced by the passage of time
• extract significant information from a range of sources • recognise objects and materials as useful sources • compare a number of different types of sources • collect information from photographs and documents. • recognise that events in the past can be reconstructed through the
interpretation of historical sources. • recognise the spoken word as an historical source. • evaluate value and reliability of different sources. • ask questions of, and explain limitations of different sources. • suggest reasons why different sources may be contradictory. • organize historical information. • use the internet and other means to find their own sources of • information. • read and interpret geo‐historical maps. • create and use timelines for different civilisations.
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* Not a standalone unit, objectives to be incorporated into other units
MESOPOTAMIA
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• explore the reasons for, and consequences of the development of agriculture and the first cities.
• know the significant economic, political, cultural and religious contexts, events and features of Mesopotamia and produce concise accounts of these civilisations.
• understand the importance of geography in shaping a civilisation and historical events, in particular the role of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
• understand and explore differences and similarities between the Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian and Hittite civilisations.
• explore the contributions made by the Mesopotamian civilisations to later history and the world we live in today
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• review features of life in the Palaeolithic and Neolithic periods. • explore advantages and disadvantages of settlement over nomadic
life. • investigate the climate and geography of the ‘fertile crescent’ and
explore why it was here that both agriculture and ‘civilisation’ first developed.
• look at the organisation and structure of Sumerian society. • explore the religion of Ancient Sumer. • investigate the role played by the 2 rivers in the development of the
Sumerian Civilisation
• locate major Sumerian cities and place the civilisation on a timeline
• investigate the development of writing and literature in Sumer • evaluate the relative importance of different Sumerian inventions
(e.g. the wheel, cities, writing) • locate the Babylonian civilisation on a map and timeline, compare
with the Sumerians.
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• investigate the cities and monuments of the Babylonian civilisation. • evaluate the importance of Hammurabi’s code of laws. • locate the Assyrian civilisation geographically and on a timeline. • investigate the importance of war and slavery to the Assyrian
civilisation. • look at the contributions made by the civilisation (e.g. the first
library). • compare and contrast Anatolia, where the Hittites came from, with
Mesopotamia. • investigate Hittite cities, society and inventions (iron, fast chariots)
ANCIENT EGYPT
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• recognize the relationship between the cultural characteristics Egypt and its intellectual and artistic heritage.
• know the significant economic, political, cultural and religious
• contexts, events and features of Egypt and produce concise accounts of these.
• understand the ways in which civilisations can influence and interact with one another.
• explore, compare and contrast the civilisations studied SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• produce maps and timelines to show location of Egypt and its major events.
• investigate well known figures from Egyptian history, e.g. Rameses the Great.
• investigate the importance of the river Nile to the Egyptian civilisation.
• investigate Egyptian social structure. • compare daily life for Egyptians in different places in society. • explore ancient Egyptian religion and its impact on society. • investigate Egyptian art and design and see what it can teach us
about the civilisation.
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• look at ancient Egyptian writing. • evaluate different Egyptian contributions to history, e.g. architecture,
inventions, art.
CIVILIZATIONS IN CHINA AND INDIA
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• explore, compare and contrast civilisations studied • know the significant economic, political and religious
contexts, events and features of civilisations studied and • produce concise accounts of these. • understand the ways in which civilisations can influence
and interact with one another. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• develop understanding of unique features of Chinese civilisation (e.g. its longevity, writing system, religious / philosophical traditions)
• explore different Chinese inventions and contributions to history • contrast China with other civilisations, and look at the way they
interacted (e.g. the Silk Road) • investigate the geography of China, particularly the Yellow river, and
see how it influenced the civilisation • investigate the Indus Valley civilisation, learning about the unique
design and features of its cities • explore the physical artefacts left by the civilisation, investigate what
these can teach us • look at, and evaluate, different theories for the civilisation’s decline
THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• know the significant economic, political, cultural and religious contexts, events and features of Eastern Mediterranean and produce concise accounts of these
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civilisations. • develop a growing awareness of collective civil conduct
and responsibility. SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• investigate the reasons for the success of the Phoenician civilisation, including their important inventions (phonetic writing, glass blowing)
• contrast earlier empires studied with the Phoenician civilisation which was based on trade and small settlements.
• create maps to show movements of people and trade in the Mediterranean region.
• explore the early Hebrew civilisation, investigating how it differs from other civilisations studied (e.g. Nomadic for a long time).
• look at the use of the Bible as a source of historical information. Compare biblical stories with what historians and scientists think.
• compare population movements and settlement by Hebrews, Phoenicians etc. to movements of people today, e.g. Refugees.
• investigate ancient Minoan civilisation and its importance. Compare archaeological evidence and mythological evidence (Atlantis, king Minos).
• analyse geographical location and its influence on the Minoan civilisation.
• look at cultural influences on the Minoans and their interactions with other civilisations (e.g. through trade).
• analyse and interpret possible reasons for the civilisation’s decline. • investigate what different sources of evidence can teach us about
the Mycenaean civilisation. • compare and contrast the Mycenaeans with the earlier Minoans. • investigate the construction of Mycenaean cities, see what their
remains can tell us about the civilisation. • look at what we can learn about the Mycenaeans from the writings
of Homer.
GEOGRAPHY:
GEOGRAPHERS’ SKILLS
Some objectives in this unit can be completed as part of later units.
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OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• orientate him/herself within a given space, setting or represented space (map) using a compass.
• represent a known object and/or space using scale, plans, symbols and diverse points of view.
• produce information through maps and graphic representations of various kinds.
• use a number of sources to collect geographical information
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• understand what constitutes the study of geography
• understand the features of, use and make physical maps, political maps and thematic maps
• navigate using a compass and be able to orient oneself using one both in real space and on maps
• be able to analyse and draw information from a variety of maps, learning to use and create increasingly detailed keys and symbols
• use both historical and modern maps to derive information about the past
• understand the range of uses of maps, including looking at digital maps and mapping in ICT
• understand longitude and latitude and locate things on a map using these
• create and use scale maps, understanding what real life distance is represented on a map
• understand and use contour lines • interpret and create graphs showing geographical data
THE PHYSICAL EARTH
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
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• recognise what elements of the earth are a result of natural processes, and what are the result of human processes.
• understand what natural processes have shaped the earth’s surface
• understand what human processes shape the earth’s surface
• build up an internalised map of the world and the location of its major climate areas, and understand the features of those areas
• know and use geographical terminology
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• analyse the physical structure of the earth and related physical phenomena, such as earthquakes and volcanoes
• understand ways in which the earth’s position in the solar system affects natural processes, for example the moon and tides, the earth’s axial tilt and seasons
• understand other physical processes which shape the earth, such as the influence of the climate, seas, rocks, etc.
• identify different climatic zones and particular features of them. • investigate impact of different climate zones on the natural world
(e.g. through animal adaptation) and human activity • analyse the ways in which human activity shapes the landscape, e.g.
through farming, mineral extraction, urbanisation
• look at the impact of humans on the world’s climate
DISCOVERING ITALY: PHYSICAL AND HUMAN
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• observe and analyse the territory, landscape, climate and environment of Italy
• build up an internalized and memorized map of the Italian territory and its physical and political regions
• know the spatial location and the physical and human/man-
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• made characteristics of the various physical regions of Italy
• explore the local territory through direct and indirect observation
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• analyse a physical map of Italy, understanding and internalising the names of the main physical features (E.g. sea names, mountain range names)
• understand the main climate regions of Italy and the features of those regions
• understand the factors which influence climate in Italy
• analyse the location, climate, physical and human features of the • mountain, hill, plain, and coastal landscapes • locate and analyse the main hydrological features of the Italian
landscape (lakes and rivers) and assess their significance
• know the location of major cities in Italy
• understand some of the differences between rural and urban life
• understand the history of emigration and immigration from and to Italy
• investigate the different languages and dialects spoken in Italy
• analyse different economic sectors in Italy (primary, secondary, tertiary)
• analyse the role of tourism in Italy
CITIZENSHIP AND THE EU
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• understand the origin and transformation of the concept of citizenship
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• understand the history of how the Italian nation and republic was formed.
• know and analyse some of the main points of the Italian constitution (particularly the first 12 articles)
• understand the rights and responsibilities of Italian citizens
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• understand their rights as children and how they are protected by concepts of global human rights
• recognise the main features of the Italian state (President, parliament, Prime Minister, judiciary)
• recognise and understand Italy’s position as a member of the European Union
COMPARISON WITH ANOTHER
COUNTRY
OVERALL EXPECTATIONS By the end of fourth grade, students should:
• • develop a more sensitive attitude to social realities different from one’s own
SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
• compare life as a child in Italy with that of a child in another, less developed country
• investigate how education, housing, work, public services, lifestyle, jobs, opportunities and material wealth differ in another country or countries