Signpost Maths Year 4 Term 1

Click on the picture to make it bigger. The pink colour is taught to my own class, the black colour is taught to the streamed class.

Make your own map

Create a map of a "new" state in Australia.

- Draw an outline for it then decide on a name for the new state.
- Draw in the landforms (mountains, deserts etc.) and bodies of water (lakes, rivers, oceans).
- Creatively name them, e.g. Shark Bay.
- Design 10 different symbols to use in a key.
- Include the capital city.
- Remember to put in a compass!

Examples of landforms:

caves, volcanos, monolith rocks, gold, minerals, tree,grass, jungles, coal, canyons, mountians, fruit.

Examples of bodies of water:

gulf, swamp, dam, bay, reef, river, ocean, sea, cape, billabong, beach, strait, sound, lake, waterfall, bight, channel, marsh.

Extension activity:

- Draw your own treasure map.

Valuable writing tips

Can be found in the professional readings How To Write Yourself Sane.

Tips include the following models:

- Write to release pain or express joy.
- Set aside time to write.
- Resist the urge to be afraid of your feelings.
- Find focus in your writing.
- Decide what you will do with your writing.

Your poems, recipes, anecdotes, journal entries or stories can be self published into a hard bound book with blurb.com. I have made 16 so far. My best is a trip report with photos and journaling.

Year 4 writing - adjectives

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more scrumptious and delectable...

Your task today is use descriptive and creative adjectives to describe chocolate!

2010 Year 4 Writing

Click on the images to make them larger.

2010 Year 4 Listening and Speaking

Click on an image to see it clearly.

Listening activities:

Listening is making sense of oral language. Teachers should engage students in listening with a purpose, and support and encourage them to do this. Many opportunities for teaching listening skills and strategies can be incorporated into daily classroom language experiences.

The following activities enhance students' listening skills and strategies (as well as supporting the other language strands): reading along, choral reading, tape recordings, and sing-alongs.

It is important to give students guidance and explicit instruction that develop active listening skills and strategies. Balance direct instruction, guided listening, and independent listening.


- Reading Aloud: Read aloud every day to students. It is an important means of teaching listening and a powerful means of developing and expanding students' language repertoire and vocabulary. It is also important for modeling reading strategies

- Establish a practice of reading to the class from a variety of fiction and nonfiction books at least once a day.

- Read interesting articles from newspapers, magazines, and resources relevant to studies in other subject areas. Students, as a follow-up, should summarize what they have heard, put events in order, dramatize the story, answer questions about who did what, or participate in other activities to support their learning.

- Read aloud a poem each day (i.e., poetry pauses) to help students develop an awareness of the language, rhythms, and imagery of poetry.

- Provide many opportunities for students to hear a range of oral texts including: announcements, apologies, awards, concerts, conversations, dialogues, directions, discussions, dramas, explanations, speeches, songs, illustrated talks, improvisations, instructions, interviews, introductions, invitations, jokes, meetings, monologues, newscasts, oral interpretations, proverbs, problem-solving groups, puns, radio plays, reader's theatre, rebuttals, riddles, rules, slogans, songs, speeches, storytelling, sports casts, talking circles, testimonials, tributes, voice mail messages, weather forecasts, and others.

- In Talking and Sharing Circles during SRC meeting time: Give students, in small groups or as a class, an opportunity to share and discuss their ideas, stories, puppet plays, and written work. In turn, they give their peers an opportunity to practise listening behaviours and to provide helpful feedback.

- Use Listening and Media Centres (DVD sets, Hairy MacLary): The Smartboard can be used in addition to reading aloud to students. It gives students opportunities to experience a text a number of times. Using a Smartboard, students can use DVDs to listen for enjoyment, to listen as they "read along" with the text.

- Use Listening Games: Listening games can help students focus their listening, concentrate, and learn a number of listening skills and strategies

Our class listening includes:

Before Listening

What is the speaker's purpose?
What is my purpose for listening?
Will I need to make notes?
Which strategies could I use?
Which one would work best?

During Listening

Is my strategy still working?
Am I putting information into categories?
Is the speaker giving me clues about the organization of the message?
Is the speaker giving me non-verbal cues such as gesture and facial expressions?
Is the speaker's voice giving me other cues?

After Listening

Do I have questions for the speaker?
Was any part of the message unclear?
Are my notes complete?
Did I make a good choice of strategies? Why or why not?

Speaking Activities:

- speeches, can include: Demonstrate a science experiment, magic trick, hobby,
sport, or favorite recipe.
- book reports
- debates
-

In evaluation speaking/communication skills, consider the capacity to learn and understand new ideas and ways of working quickly by:

- expressing ideas succinctly

- ustifying, qualifying and explaining what they say

- using language in ways that reflect an appreciation of the knowledge and interests of specific audiences;

- ability to take on demanding tasks – researching, comparing and synthesising information from a range of different sources, including ICT;

- ability to argue and reason.

In Year 4:

2010 Year 4 Reading and Viewing

Click on the images to view them.

Grammar 2010 Year 4

Click on the images to see program details.

Maths extension work

Can be found on my Maths extension work site.

Challenge

Topics for 2010 include the following:

Spirit Bear
The Dead Sea
Dragons
Owls

Physical Fitness Skills

Groupings for student work

Maths groups are streamed across Year 4, between the three classes according to individual student needs.

Reading groups are formed to address the shift in emphasis from learning to read in the lower primary school, to reading to learn in the upper primary years, coupled with the need for an increased reading load across content areas.

Children work individually, in pairs or in cooperative groups.

Class Enrichment Activities and Special Needs

"There is nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequal people."

We will focus on cross-curricular enrichment activities that can work with an extended-day program. Children's creativity will be enhanced with a wide variety of crafts, puzzles, games, and outdoor activities that will help extend many classroom topics. We build skills in critical thinking, listening, memory, visualization, and concentration through singing, hands-on science experiments, physical education games, word puzzles, art projects, challenges, Science experiments and more.

Further activities:

- Class scrabble games
- Class chess games and class puzzles, for appropriate levels of interest
- Digital scrapbooking for those who work at an advanced level at Adobe Photoshop elements 6.
- Class research challenges on topics of relevance/interest to the students.

Special needs programs will be set in place in the following ways:

- Student assessment for special needs with Special Needs team with ILPs written where necessary.
- Streamed Mathematics.
- Working to appropriate level in classroom and homework tasks.

Timetables 2010

All purpose court:



Computer Lab:



Click on image to make it larger.

Professional Pathways 2010

Click on the image to make it larger.

Class Timetable 2010

Click on the image to make it larger.

To write a Science procedure

1. Heading
2. Equipment
3. Procedure
4. Prediction
5. Conclusion
6. Word bank
7. Diagram

We work on a double page spread with the diagram on the blank page of the botany book.
The Science experiment website is called My Science Program.

Class Meetings

Teach Children the Language of Encouragement

List the following ideas on a large piece of paper in language appropriate for the grade level being taught.

Encouragement is positive.
Encouragement is noticing improvement.
Encouragement is noticing when someone is trying hard.
Encouragement is noticing when someone is good at something.
Encouragements can begin with "I notice...", "I think...", "I like how..."

Class Meetings foster the following in students:

- they build leadership, problem-solving and decision-making skills in the classroom.

Our goal is to improve self-concept, encourage open discussion and to improve cooperation among students.

Important meeting notes:

- Everyone gets a chance to be the leader for at least one meeting during the year.
- Meetings are included in our weekly plans and are not "bumped" because of other commitments.
- Expectations as to respect and proper behavior are discussed and taught so that meetings run smoothly and duties of the participants are given.
- Brainstorming of possible solutions is a major part of the meeting, and suggestions are given as to how to do this.

Our class meeting time is Wednesday, after assembly.

ACT DET Fundamental Movement Skills

Double click on the picture to make it larger.

In our classroom timetable we have 150 minutes weekly of designated fitness time.
Other fitness and sporting activities include:

- class fitness games such as Bomb Scare, Crocker, Long ball, Softball.
- class dance sessions
- class jazzercise sessions to music
- Athletics Carnival, Cross Country, Walkathon, Swimming Carnival, Woden/Weston sporting activities, doing-it-together whole school activities, Camp activities.

Specific sporting skills will incorporate those included in the ACT DET Fundamental Movement Skills list in the diagram above.

Discovering Democracy Unit - an overview of Integrated Unit

An integrated unit
Year 4 Term 1 2010

Program written by SN, of TPS.

UNIT OF WORK – DEMOCRACY RULES

ELA’s and Essential Content
Markers of Progress
Teaching and Learning Activities
Skills Assessment and Moderation

- The student understands and values what it means to be a citizen within a democracy.
- Understand the rights and responsibilities associated with being a citizen in Australia.
- Identify the roles and principles of key institutions underpinning democracy in Australia and understand the role of each level of government.
- Understand that laws exist to protect rights and freedoms in a democracy.
- Understand the difference between a democratic government and non- democratic government.
- Describe the general process of elections and how governments are formed.
Know ways that individuals and groups can influence decisions at school.
Describe the qualities of effective leaders in democratic society.


CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP – AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS HANDBOOK ‘THE AUSTRALIAN’ PP. 15 – 18.
Establishing a mythical society on Planet Z
 List 10 things that ensure the citizens get along and get things done rank in order of importance and give reasons for the rankings
 In pairs share above lists. Decide on and record a list of RIGHTS the citizens of Planet Z will have and rank these 1 – 10 in order of importance and give reasons for the rankings.
 Arrange a Summit with the whole colony to discuss the rules/ laws and the rights. Decide on and record a list of 10 RIGHTS the citizens will enjoy as inhabitants of Planet Z.
 As an individual write an entry into a PIONEERS JOURNAL describing the summit and the decisions that were made.

Australian Symbols
Coat of arms and flag – Class discussion about these icons. What is on them and why these symbols have been included. Discuss Australian icons and colours.

 Students design a new Australian flag.


The Origins of Australian Government.
 What is government?
 What is the purpose of government?
 How did Australia’s government originate?
Read text ‘What is government? - 1’ Students highlight key words and facts relevant to the origins of Australian Government.
In table groups discuss what types of groups the students belong to and the rules they must follow in order to be in that group. Share discussion as a whole class.

Complete the activities
‘What is government? - 2’
‘What is government? - 3’

Timeline – Create a time-line using information provided from ‘Let’s Talk About Government’ p10 to show the development of the Australian government.

How Does The Australian Government Operate?
 What do you know about the government? What would you like to find out?
 What is a constitution
 Why do you think it is important to share the power between the federal government and the states?
 Why is it important to develop laws that reflect the interests and needs of the citizens?


Three Levels of Government
Read text ‘Three Levels f Government – 1’ View diagram at the bottom of the page. Discuss the components that come together to make up the federal government.

Students complete ‘Three Levels of Government-2’ individually or in pairs. Research materials or access to internet will be required for question 2. Individually create a graph to represent the outcome of the 1999 referendum.

In groups of 4 students discuss one of the components of federal government. Groups may discuss the House of Representatives, the Senate, the Constitution, Governor-General, Prime Minister, cabinet, opposition government, coalition and various departments.

Read text ‘Three Levels of Government-3’ State Government. Highlight key words. Complete the activities individually or in pairs. Research materials or access to internet may be required for questions 1 and 3.

Read text ‘Three Levels of Government-4’ – Local Government. Direct relationships with your own community and local government members can be readily drawn to demonstrate the reality of government to the students. Students then complete the questions. Research materials or access to internet will be required.


Separation of Powers.
Read the text and view diagram Separation of Powers – 1. Discuss difficult terms. Using key words and phrases students write about one body in their own words, explaining its role in the system.
Students complete Separation of Powers – 2. Access to the internet will be required for questions 3 – 6.

Read and discuss the information on page entitled
An act of parliament – 1. The students to work in small groups to show the movement of a bill through parliament. The students will need to develop a bill of their own to use as an example. Students then present flow charts to the class.

Students then complete page 43 An act of parliament – 2 individually. Before they attempt Q4, the class could make a list of community needs. Share individual answers to Q 4. This could be used for class debates, time permitting.

A visit to Parliament House
• Excursion to the Australian Electoral Office and Old Parliament House. Various related activities at these two venues.
• A visit to Parliament House #1, #2. Students to complete questions in pairs researching information from the internet using Parliament House web site and ACT Legislative Assembly website.


HISTORICAL FACTS
A summing up of some facts pertaining to Australian government and democracy.
Students divide into pairs and work together to research and collect information.
Once all groups have their information, join together as a class and share the facts. Students record information on Historical Facts #1 and #2 pp53 and 54.


CIVICS AND CITIZENSHIP – AUSTRALIAN TEACHERS HANDBOOK ‘THE AUSTRALIAN’ PP. 32
 Differentiating between RULES and LAWS. Identifying what groups have laws/rules why we have them and who makes them.
 Complete activity writing a definition for both a rule and a law. Identify what the possible consequences are for breaking a law and the consequences for breaking specific rules.
 Draw a cartoon showing a law that has been broken and the consequence and a rule that has been broken and the consequence.
 Pick the rule, pick the law , rule or law Handout 3 & 4 Discovering Democracy
 What is government 3 p33 Rules the reasons for them and an alternative.

THE CONSTITUTION – Planet Z
What is a constitution? Decide on a system of government and create a constitution.
 With a partner draw up a constitution for Planet Z. This must include the type of voting system and some basic laws.

‘Let’s Talk About Government’ p9

Democracy
Oligarchy
Monarchy
Dictatorship

Nelson Mandela – ‘The Long Walk to freedom’ Read article from Rigby Literacy Collections 7 pp. 12 &13 answer questions related to the article BLM 10.

Martin Luther King – ‘I Have A Dream’ Read article from Australian Readers – ‘Discovering Democracy Upper Primary Collection’ p 12. Answer questions from teachers guide p3 on prepared sheet.

View Movies – Over two weeks
• The Power of One
• Remember The Titans
Discuss The differences and similarities between the movies.
Some discussion Points:
• How has the film - maker identified the time in which each of these movies was set?
• How are the black African and black American people treated by the white people?
• Are all white people racist towards the black people in the movies?
• What are some of the lessons that we learn from both of these movies?
• Further questions will come up during the discussion.

ELECTIONS
Identify different types of voting systems. Discuss the pros and cons of each
Complete Elections 1 pp. 45 and 46
What happens in an election
Complete Elections 2 p 47
Class discussion about voting systems. identify in which situations different voting systems could beused. Complete activity BLM’s from Ready to Go Civics and Citizenship (Upper Primary)
• First Past the Post p32
• Approval voting p33
• Counting Senate Votes p34
• Preferential voting p35

The Australian Civics and Citizenship Teachers Handbook pp 4 - 11
Communities – Where do you belong?

 Students complete mind map identifying groups they belong to e.g. families, local communities, ethnic groups etc.
 Choose 1 group from above mind map and complete table identifying who is in the group, what are the benefits of being in the group, who makes the decisions in the group and how are they made, are there rules in the group and how are differences and disputes resolved.
 Decisions


AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL LEADERS
Prime Ministers word search
Complete # 1 pp. 50 and 51
What are the qualities of a good leader? Interprets information or data in charts & diagrams to show sequence or relationships.

Collects & interprets information from tables.

Compares data in tables.

Recognises different tables

Selects and extracts information from the media

Locates information sources


Summarises from various sources

Extracts main ideas from text

Selects and extracts information from the media

Prepares for excursions/ field trips (independently)

Locates information sources