The IB Primary Years Program at Pine Street School 2023-24 Grade 4 Curriculum Guide

4th Grade

Curriculum Guide

PineStreetSchoolisaninternationally-mindedcommunitydedicatedto providinganinnovative,engaging,multilingual,andmulticulturaleducationthat inspiresandempowersourstudentstotakemindfulactionforequityandthe environment,makingapositiveimpactintheworld.

Primary Years Program at Pine Street School

What Is the Primary Years Program?

The Primary Years Program (PYP) is a curriculum framework that is designed for students 3-12 years of age. The PYP focuses on the whole child and through the teaching and learning experiences, helps each child develop into a globally minded citizen of the world. Pine Street School provides the PYP curriculum for students in Preschool through 5th Grade. The Twos curriculum has been designed with the same philosophy and aims to prepare our youngest students to begin their PYP journey at age 3 in our Preschool.

What Is the PYP Curriculum Like?

The PYP curriculum is engaging, relevant, challenging, and significant. It aims to help students develop conceptual understanding, knowledge, and skills through a hands-on, minds-on inquiry approach. The inquiry approach allows students to have an active role in learning and to take responsibility for that learning. The units of inquiry are organized into 6 transdisciplinary themes designed to facilitate the growth of conceptual understanding, knowledge, and skills through carefully planned and designed learning engagements. Transdisciplinary themes cut across disciplines and encourage students to explore the connections between traditional subjects as related to the concepts being studied Students, consequently, develop deeper conceptual understandings, improve skills, and gain useful knowledge.

Who Do We Strive to Become?

The aim of all the PYP program is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and sharedguardianshipoftheplanet,helptocreateabetterandmore peacefulworld.

The attributes of the Learner Profile represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that encompass intellectual, personal, emotional, and social growth. The development and demonstration of these attributes are foundational to students becoming internationally minded, active, and caring community members who respect themselves, others, and the world around them.

Attributes of the Learner Profile

INQUIRERS KNOWLEDGEABLE ? THINKERS COMMUNICATORS PRINCIPLED

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global significance.

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyze and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

We express ourselves confidently and creatively in more than one language and in many ways We collaborate effectively, listen carefully to the perspectives of other individuals and groups

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

OPEN-MINDED CARING RISK-TAKERS BALANCED REFLECTIVE

We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.

We show empathy, compassion, and respect. We have a commitment to service, and we act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.

We approach uncertainty with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and innovative strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change.

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional - to achieve wellbring for oursevles and others. We recognize our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.

We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experience. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.

What Is Essential in the PYP?

Knowledge:

Significant, relevant content that we wish the students to explore and know about, taking into consideration their prior experience and understanding

Concepts:

Powerful ideas that have relevance within the subject areas but also transcend them and the students must explore and re-explore in order to develop a coherent in-depth understanding.

Approaches to Learning (skills):

Those capabilities that the students need to demonstrate to succeed in a changing, challenging world, which may be disciplinary or transdisciplinary in nature.

Attitudes:

Dispositions that are expressions of fundamental values, beliefs and feelings about learning, the environment and people.

Action:

Demonstrations of deeper learning in responsible behavior through responsible action; a manifestation in practice of the other essential elements.

What Do We Want Our Students to Know?

Knowledge

In the PYP, knowledge is gained through Units of Inquiry. The Units of Inquiry are organized through a set of six transdisciplinary themes that provide the framework for transdisciplinary learning. Transdisciplinary learning in the PYP refers to learning that is not confinedwithintheboundariesoftraditionalsubjects,butissupportedandenrichedbythem.

These themes are globally significant and support the acquisition of knowledge, concepts and skills of traditional subjects. These themesarerevisitedandreinforcedyearlyintheUnitsofInquiry

Who We Are Where We Are in Place & Time

An inquiry into the nature of the self.

Beliefsandvalues

Personal,physical, mental,social,and spiritualhealth

Humanrelationships, includingfamilies, friends,communities, andcultures

Rightsand responsibilities

Whatitmeanstobe human

How We Express Ourselves

An inquiry into orientation in place and time.

Personalhistories

Homesandjourneys

Thediscoveries, explorations,and migrationsof humankind

Relationshipand interconnectedness ofindividualsand civilizations,from localandglobal perspectives

How the World Works

An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs, and values.

Thewaysinwhich wereflecton,extend, andenjoyour creativity

Ourappreciationof theaesthetic

An inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies.

Howhumansusetheir understandingof scientificprinciples

Theimpactofscientific andtechnological advancesonsociety andonthe environment

How we Organize Ourselves

An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities.

Thestructureand functionof organizations

Societaldecisionmaking Economicactivities andtheirimpacton humankindandthe environment

Sharing the Planet

An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things.

Peaceandconflict resolution

Accesstoequal opportunities

Communitiesand therelationships withinandbetween them

What Do We Want Our Students to Understand? Concepts

Concepts are "big ideas" that add depth and rigor in student thinking to the traditional "two-dimensional" curriculum consisting of factsandskillsTheyarepowerful,broad,andabstractorganizingideasthatmaybetransdisciplinaryorsubject-based.Theyrepresent the vehicle for students' inquiry into the opportunities and challenges of local and global significance. Concepts are concise; they are usuallyrepresentedbyoneortwowords.

The PYP identifies seven keyconcepts. Together, these key concepts form the component that drives the teacher- and/or studentconstructed inquiries that lie at the heart of the PYP curriculum. Key concepts drive learning experiences and help to fram a Unit of Inquiry By identifying and investigating key concepts, students learn to think critically about big ideas This may be done through broad, open-ended questions in an inquiry. When concepts are viewed as a set of questions, the inquiry is directed, purposeful, and manageable

Form

What is it like?

The understanding that everything has a form with recognizable features that can be observed, identified, described, and categorized.

Function Causation

How does it work?

The understanding that everything has a purpose, a role, or a way of behaving that can be investigated.

Why is it as it is?

The understanding that things do not just happen; there are causal relationships at work, and that actions have consequences.

Change

How is it transforming?

The understanding that change is the process of movement from one state to another. It is universal and inevitable

Connection Perspective Responsibility

What are our obligations?

The understanding that people make choices based on their understandings, beliefs, and values, and the actions they take as a result do make a difference.

What are the points of view?

The understanding that knowledge is moderated by different points of view leading to different interpretations, understandings, and findings; Perspectives may be individual, groups, cultural, or subject-specific.

How is it linked to other things?

The understanding that we live in a world of interacting systems in which the actions of any individual element affect others.

In addition to learning these key concepts, children learn relatedconcepts in all curriculum areas. Instead of simply gaining knowledge and skills, they deepend their understanding of more complex ideas. Related concepts explore key concepts in greater detail and also add depth to the program. In contrast to the broad key concepts, related concepts are more narrowly focused. All subjects have associatedconceptsthatreflectthenatureofitsspecificcontent

For example, in Science, "adaptation" could be a related concept connected to the key concept of "change"; in Social Studies, "sustainability"couldbearelatedconceptassociatedwiththekeyconceptsof"change"and"responsibility"

What Do We Want Our Students to Understand?

Approaches to Learning (skills)

Approaches to Learning (ATL) are an integral part of an IB education and complement the learner profile, knowledge, conceptual understanding, and inquiry. Approaches to Learning are grounded in the belief that learning how to learn is fundamental to a student's education. Five categories of interrelated skills and associated sub-skills support students of all ages to become self-regulated learners. Through a variety of strategies, teachers collaboratively plan for implicit and explicit opportunities to develope ATL skills both insideandoutsidetheProgramofInquiryinage-appropriateways.

Collaborative inquiry requires learners to demonstrate many of the Approaches to Learning skills that have been indentified for the Primary Years Program Examine the skills outlined here to identify skills that learners would need to apply to fully participate in an inquiryapproach:

Thinking Skills

5 Categories of Interrelated Skills

Critical-thinking skills (analyzing and evaluating issues and ideas)

Creative-thinking skills (generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives)

Transfer skills (using skills and knowledge in multiple contexts)

Reflection/Metacognitive skills ((re)considering the process of learning)

rmation-literacy skills (formulating and planning, data gathering and recording, synthesizing and interpreting, evaluating and communicating)

Media-literacy skills (interacting with media to use and create ideas and information

Ethical use of media/information (understanding and applying social and ethical technology)

Research Skills

Communication Skills

Exchanging-information skills (listening, interpreting, speaking)

Literacy skills (reading, writing, and using language to gather and communicate information)

ICT skills (using technology to gather, investigate, and communicate information)

Developing positive interpersonal relationships and collaboration skills (using self-control, managing setbacks, supporting peers)

Developing social-emotional intelligence

SSocial kills

SelfManagement Skills

Organization skills (managing time and tasks effectively)

States of mind (mindfulness, perseverance, emotional management, self-motivation, resilience)

What Do We Want Our Students to Value, Demonstrate, and Feel? Attitudes

The PYP includes a set of 12 attitudes embedded in the definitions of the Learner Profile. At Pine Street School, we see these as integral to the growth and development of students and choose to highlight them within the Learner Profile and independently. Pine Street School focuses on the development of personal attitudes: toward people, toward the environment, and toward learning. These attitudes contribute to the well-being of the individual and the group, as well as fostering the development of international-mindedness

Appreciation

Appreciatingthewonderand beautyoftheworldanditspeople.

Commitment

Beingcommittedtoownlearning, perservering,andshowingselfdisciplineandresponsibility.

Enthusiasm

Enjoyinglearningandwillingly puttingeffortintotheprocess.

Integrity

Beinghonestanddemonstrating aconsideredsenseoffairness

Creativity

Beingcreativeandimaginativein ownthinkingandapproach.

Respect

Respectingthemselves,others,and theworldaroundthem.

Empathy

Imagininginanother'ssituationin ordertounderstandhisorher reasoningandemotions,soastobe open-mindedandreflectiveabout theperspectivesofothers.

Confidence

Feelingconfidentinownabilityaslearners, havingthecouragetotakerisks,applying whathasbeenlearnedandmaking appropriatedecisionsandchoices.

Independence

Thinkingandactingindependently, makingownjudgmentsbasedon reasonedargument,andbeingableto defendownjudgments.

Cooperation

Cooperating,collaborating,andleading andfollowingasthesituationdemands.

Curiosity

Beingcuriousaboutthenatureoflearning, abouttheworld,itspeopleandcultures.

Tolerance

Acceptingandbeingsensitiveabout differencesanddiversityintheworldand beingresponsivetotheneedsofothers

Pine Street School | © Green Ivy Schools

How Do We Want Students to Act? Action

Responsibility and appropriate action is planned for an is an expected outcome of student exploration and learning through the Units of Inquiry. As an integral part of the learning process, action can be embarked upon at any point and can take many forms, depending on individual development, learning,andexperiences.

Action can be short- or long-term, revisited or ongoing. It may be individual or collective, small- or large-scale, and may take place at home, at school, or in local or wider communities. Some actions may not always be visible or immediately impactful; they might appear in the form of impressions left on students, or small things that go unnoticed because they are part of daily life of the learningcommunity.

For early years students, the foundation of action comes from an understanding of self and a responsibility toward relationships with peers and the wider community Members of the learning community support this understanding by modeling the appropriate useoflanguageandsocialbehaviors.

Action Participation

contributing as an individual or group

Advocacy

action to support social, environmental, political change

Social Justice

Turn off the lights when leaving a room. Don't waste food.

relation to rights, equality and equity, social well-being, and justice

Social Entrepreneurship

innovative, resourceful, and sustainable social change

Lifestyle Choices

consumption, impact of choices

The PYP Exhibition

In their final year of the PYP (5th Grade), students embark on a culminating project: The PYP Exhibition The PYP Exhibition serves as a celebration of the learning gained throughout the student's time in the PYP. It also serves as a final assessment, in which students are expected to demonstrate ownership of learning, conceptual understanding, knowledge of subject matter, approaches to learning (skills), and action.

The PYP experience has provided the students with the tools they need to be life-long learners. The Exhibition allows students to make choices, share their voice, choise, and take ownership of their learning To accomplish this, the Exhibition requires students to present an in-depth, collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry in which they identify local or global issues, research and investigate, offer solutions, and take significant action. The Exhibition is a culminating learning experience and celebration that involves the entire school community and serves as the culmination of the students' PYP experience.

Assessment at Pine Street School

Assessment is central to the PYP goal of thoughtfully and effectively supporting students through the acquisition of subject-specific knowledgeandskills,theunderstandingofconceptsandthedevelopmentofapproachestolearning

At Pine Street School, we believe that the purpose of assessment is to inform and improve teaching and learning. Assessment involves collecting and analyzing assessment information, which is used to drive teaching and learning and to communicate effectively with stakeholders within, as well as outside of, the community. Assessment will be reflected upon and should effectively guide students throughthefiveessentialelementsoflearning:

Acquisitionofknowledge•Understandingofconcepts•Masteringofskills•Developmentofattitudes•Decisiontotakeaction

Assessment Types

AtPineStreetSchool,weusethreetypesofassessmentstoinformandimproveteachingandlearning

1.DiagnosticAssessments:

Allows teachers to determine prior knowledge, understanding, and skills prior to instruction. This information is used to plan learning engagementsandtoshowgrowthovertime.

2.FormativeAssessments:

Frequentassessmentusedtoevaluatestudentlearninginordertoprovideongoingfeedbackthatcanbeusedbyteacherstoimprovetheir teaching and by students to improve their learning. Formative assessment aims to promote learning by giving regular and frequent feedback. This helps learners to improve knowledge and understanding, to foster enthusiasm for learning, to engage in thoughtful reflection,todevelopthecapacityforself-assessment,andtorecognizethecriteriaforsuccess.

3.SummativeAssessments:

Aimtogiveteachersandstudentsaclearinsightintostudents'understanding.Asummativeassessmentistheculminationoftheteaching and learning process, and gives the students opportunities to demonstrate what has been learned. It can assess several elements simultaneously: it informs and improves student learning and the teaching process; it measures understanding of the central idea, and promptsstudentstowardaction.Itoccursattheendoftransdisciplinaryanddisciplinarystudies.

Reporting

Reporting happens on a semester schedule and include mid-semester checklist progress reports, full reports, and conferences. Please refer to the Pine Street School Assessment Policy for more information.

Target Language Curriculum

At Pine Street School, all teachers are language teacher as language transcends curriculum areas. Through the IB language programs, we aim to development confident, curious, highly proficient and enthusiastic readers, writers, viewers, presenters, spreakers, and listeners. Language is always taught meaningfully and in context. These contexts vary, but often involve the use of real-life scenarios, native speakers, the local area, and a wide variety of text types. We advocate the learning through inquiry, allowing students to make connections with context, to explore and investigate. The learning of any language is developmental by nature, building constructively onwhateachindividualstudentknowstohelpmovethemforward

The Preschool offers a dual language immersion program, using Spanish or Mandarin as the target language and English, embracing the principles of the PYP. Teachers plan and organize the classroom, such that working in English and the target llanguage becomes a part of our school day - from songs, to children's literature, small group work, larger inquiries, transitions, and routines. Learners spend approximately50%oftheirclasstimeinEnglishand50%inSpanishorMandarin.

In the Elementary School program, daily language immersion instruction continues in small, proficiency-based groups. These language ability groups allow us to meet each student at their language level in a supportive environment, address each student’s individuallanguageneeds,andtomaximizetheirlinguisticdevelopmentinwriting,reading,andspeaking.

The inquiry-based instructional approach continues in our immersion groups as language teachers create and present customized curriculum that is integrated with their transdisciplinary academic work This method ensures that students not only remain engaged, but that their rate of language acquisition is increased as they have ample opportunity to use the target language within the meaningfulcontextoftheirdailyschoolexperience

Language Learning Beliefs & Values

Weunderstandthatourlearnerscomewith manydifferentlanguagebackgrounds andwillallprogressatdifferentpaces.

Wegive ongoingfeedback onlearners'progress inalllanguages ofinstruction.

Weviewtheongoing languagedevelopmentfor ourlearnersasthe responsibilityofall teachers,parents,and learners.

We use language as a medium of inquiry, providing opportunities to challenge first language learners and to develop second language learners.

Weteachlanguagethroughcontext

iandrelatenew nformationto existingknowledge.

Weprovide meta-linguistic learningstrategies forthelearners.

Weaccommodate differentlearningstyles withdifferentiated instructionaccordingto individualneeds.

Performance Indicators for Language Learners

INTERPERATIVE

I can identify the general topic and some basic information in both very familiar and everyday contexts by recognizing practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences in texts that are spoken, written, or signed

INTERPERSONAL

I can communicate in spontaneous spoken, written, or signed conversations on both very familiar and everyday topics, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions.

PRESENTATIONAL

I can present information on both very familiar and everyday topics using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences through spoken, written, or signed language.

I can understand the main idea and some pieces of information on familiar topics from sentences and series of connected sentences within texts that are spoken, written, or signed.

I can understand the main message and supporting details on a wide variety of familiar and general interest topics across various time frames from complex, organized texts that are spoken, written, or signed

I can participate in spontaneous spoken, written, or signed conversations on familiar topics, creating sentences and series of sentences to ask and answer a variety of questions.

I can communicate information, make presentations, and express my thoughts about familiar topics, using sentences and series of connected sentences through spoken, written, or signed language.

I can maintain spontaneous spoken, written, or signed conversations and discussions across various time frames on familiar, as well as unfamiliar, concrete topics, using series of connected sentences and probing questions. I can deliver detailed and organized presentations on familiar as well as unfamiliar concrete topics, in paragraphs and using various time frames through spoken, written, or signed language.

English Language Curriculum

Language is a social construct and is learned through social interactions, experiences, and relationships Language learning involves both receptive (receiving and constructing meaning) and expressive (creating and sharing meaning) language. The Pine Street School curriculum allows students to construct both receptive and expressive language in relevant, engaging, challenging, and significant context.Understandingthesocialconstructsoflanguageisfundamentaltotheneedandabilitytocommunicate.

Thecurriculumisdividedinto4strandsforPreschooland5strandsforElementary:

Listening & Speaking

Oral language exposes the thinking of the learner. It is a means by which their thoughts and ideas can be communicated and share to negotiate and construct meaning and develop deeper levels of understanding.

Viewing & Presenting

Viewing and presenting are fundamental processes that are historically and universally powerful and significant The receptive processes (viewing) and the expressive processes (presenting) are connected and allow for reciprocal growth in understanding; neither process has meaning except in relation to the other It is important to provide a balanced program with opportunities for students to experience both viewing and presenting.

Reading

Reading is a developmental process that involves constructing meaning from text. The process is interactive and involves the reader's purpose for reading, the reader's prior knowledge and experience, and the text itself. Reading helps us to clarify our ideas, feelings, thoughts, and opinions. Literature offers us a means of understanding ourselves and others and has the power to influence and structure thinking. Children learn to read by reading. In order to develop life-long reading habits, learners need to have extended periods of time to read for pleasure, interest, and information experiencing an extensive range of quality fiction and non-fiction texts.

Writing

Writing is a way of expressing ourselves. It is a personal act that grows and develops with the individual. From the earliest lines and marks of young learners to the expression of mature writers, it allows us to organize and communicate thoughts. ideas, and information in a visible and tangible way. Writing is primarily concerned with communicating meaning and intention. When children are encouraged to express themselves and reveal their own "voice," writing is a genuine expression of the individual. Over time. writing involves developing a variety of structures, strategies, and literary techniques (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice) and applying them with increasing skill and effectiveness.

Conventions

Conventions are generally accepted and practiced rules of a language. Conventions include phonics and grammar. Elementary only

Math Curriculum

Students at Pine Street School are challenged in the area of mathematical understanding and knowledge at the appropriate levels of cognitive development. Students explore mathematical concepts and construct meaning starting with concrete and moving to more abstractunderstanding Itisthroughrelevant,realistic,real-lifecontextthattheseskillsandunderstandingsaretaughtandlearned As students construct their understandings through concrete, real-life experiences, they will advance their abstract understanding of mathematicalconceptsbytransferringmeaningintosymbolicnotation.Studentswillbeinvolvedindiscussionstoexplaintheirunderstanding andexperienceswithsymbolicrepresentationastheylearnandtransfertheirunderstandingintoconventionalmathematicalnotation.

Once students have developed their own constructs and progressed to the abstract reasoning of using conventional symbolic notations, they will be asked to apply their understanding through authentic, real-life learning engagements. These engagements allow for hands-on problem-solving,realisticsituations,andstudentagencyastheydemonstratetheirunderstandinginavarietyofways.Thisprocessallowsfor deepunderstandingandvalidationsofthestudents'learningastheypresenttheirideas,receivefeedback,andreflectontheirlearning.

The mathematics curriculum is divided into 5 strands. The Twos curriculum only has 3 strands: Number (Number Sense & Operations), Pattern&Function(Pattern&AlgebraicThinking).

Number Sense & Operation Pattern & Algebraic Thinking

Our number system is a language for describing quantities and the relationships between quantities. For example, the value attributed to a digit depends on its place within a base system.

To identify pattern is to begin to understand how mathematics applies to the world in which we live The repetitive features of patterns can be identified and described as generalized rules called "functions." This builds a foundation for the later study of algebra.

Organizing & Interpreting Information

Data handling allows us to make a summary of what we know about the world and to make inferences about what we do not know.

A. Data can be collected, organized, represented, and summarized in a variety of ways to highlight similarities, differences, and trends; the chosen format should illustrate the information without bias or distortion.

B. Probability can be expressed qualitatively by using terms such as "unlikely," "certain," or "impossible." It can be measured quantitatively on a numerical scale.

Measurement

To measure is to attach a number to a quantity using a chosen unit. Since the attributes being measured are continuous, ways must be found to deal with quantities that fall between numbers. It is important to know how accurate a measurement needs to be or can ever be.

Geometry

To identify pattern is to begin to understand how mathematics applies to the world in which we live. The repetitive features of patterns can be identified and described as generalized rules called "functions." This builds a foundation for the later study of algebra.

Science Curriculum

Science in the PYP emcompasses science and its applications In the PYP the science component of the curriculum should be driven by concepts and skills rather than by content. The key concepts are inevitably influential in driving the curriculum, but there are many other related science concepts that provide further understanding of the subject.

At Pine Street School, we begin with the PYP philosophy and infuse the Next Generation Science Standards into the PYP framework. Through the transdisciplinary units of study, our approach allows students to develop conceptual understandings and the big ideas in science, develop an understanding of the scientific method, innovate with technology, gain critical thinking and problem-solving skills, conduct and present research, and much more. Students will also learn to apply many scientific skills such as:

The science curriculum is divided into 4 strands:

Living Things

The study of characteristics, systems, and behaviors of humans and other animals, and of plants; the interactions and relationships between and among them, and with the environment.

Earth & Space

The study of planet Earth and its position in the universe, particularly its relationship with the sun; the natural phenomena and systems that shape the planet and the distinctive features that identify it.

Material & Matter

The study of properties, behaviors, and uses of materials, both natural and human-made; the origins of humanmade materials and how they are manipulated to suit a purpose.

Forces & Energy

The study of energy, its origin, storage and transfer, and the work it can do; the study of forces; the application of scientific understanding through inventions and machines.

Observecarefullyinordertogatherdata

Useavarietyofinstrumentsandtoolsto measuredataaccurately

Usescientificvocabularytoexplaintheir observationsandexperiences

Identifyorgenerateaquestionorproblemto beexplored

Planandcarryoutsystematicinvestigations, manipulatingvariablesasnecessary

Makeandtestpredictions

Interpretandevaluatedatagatheredinorder todrawconclusions

Considerscientificmodelsandapplications ofthesemodels(includingtheirlimitations)

Science Curriculum

Social studies in the PYP is essentially about people: how they think, feel, and act; how they interact with others; their beliefs, aspirations, and pleasures; the problems they have to face; how and where they live (or lived);howtheyinteractwiththeirenvironment;theworktheydo;andhowtheyorganizethemselves.

At Pine Street School, we begin with the PYP philosophy and infuse our social studies and history learner outcomes or big ideas in social studies and history into the PYP framework. Through the transdisciplinary units of inquiry, our approach allows students to develop conceptual understandings and grasp big ideas in bothsocialstudiesandhistory. Theydevelopmanyimportantlifeskillssuchas:

The social studies curriculum is divided into 5 strands:

Human Systems & Economic Activities

The study of how and why people construct organizations and systems; the way in which people connect locally and globally; the distribution of power and authority.

Social Organization & Culture

The study of people, communities, cultures, and societies; the ways in which individuals, groups, and societies interact with each other.

Formulateandask questionsaboutthepast, thefuture,placesandsociety

Useandanalyzeevidence fromavarietyofhistorical, geographical,andsocietal sources

Orientateinrelationtoplace andtime

Humans & Natural Environments

The study of the relationships between people and events through time; the past, its influences on the present and its implications for the future; people who have shaped the future through their actions.

Resources & the Environment

Identifyroles,rights,and responsibilitiesinsociety

Assesstheaccuracy,validity, andpossiblebiasofsources

The study of the distinctive features that give a place its identity; how people adapt to and alter their environment; how people experience and represent place; the impact of natural disasters on people and the built environment.

The interaction between people and the environment; the study of how humans allocate and manage resources; the positive and negative effects of this management; the impact of scientific and technological developments on the environment

Personal, Social, and Physical Education (PSPE)

PSPE provides the models, processes, vocabulary for handling social and personal issues, and ensuring health and well-being. Students are prepared to address moral issues in their lives and act upon a set of positive values such as appreciation, empathy, and respect. They should be given guidance to help develop positive attitudes and behaviors in order to meet challenges, make healthy lifestylechoices,andserveasresponsible,respectfulmembersofsociety.

PSPEconsistsof3strands:

Identity

An understanding of our own beliefs, values, attitudes, experiences, and feelings and how they shape us; the impact of cultural influences; the recognition of strengths, limitations, and challenges as well as the ability to cope successfully with situations of change and adversity; how the learner's concept of self and feelings of selfworth affect their approach to learning and how they interact with others.

Active Living

An understanding of the factors that contribute to developing and maintaining a balanced, healthy lifestyle; the importance of regular physical activity; the body's response to exercise; the importance of developing basic motor skills; understanding and developing the body's potential for movement and expression; the importance of nutrition; understanding the causes and possible prevention of ill health; the promotion of safety; rights and responsibilities we have to ourselves and others to promote well-being; making informed choices and evaluating consequences, and taking action for healthy living now and in the future.

Interactions

An understanding of how an individual interacts with other people, other living things and the wider world; behaviors, rights and responsibilities of individuals and their relationships with others, communities, society, and the world around them; the awareness and understanding of similarities and differences; an appreciation of the environment and an understanding of, and commitment to, humankind's responsibility as custodians of the Earth for future generations.

While the PSPE curriculum is woven through all disciplines and aspects of the school day, Physical Education classes are a prime catalyst to learn and master many of the PSPE skills.

The Arts

The PYP states that arts are integral to the program. They are a powerful mode of communication through which students explore and constructasenseofselfanddevelopanunderstandingoftheworldaroundthem.Artsprovidestudentswithawiderangeofopportunities andmeanstorespondtotheirexperiencesandengagewithhistorical,socialandculturalperspectives.Thestudentsarestimulatedtothink andtoarticulatetheirthoughtsinnewways,andthroughavarietyofmediaandtechnologies ThePYPrecognizesthatnotalllearningcan be supported solely through language, and that arts as a medium of inquiry also provide opportunities for learning, communication and expression. Learning about and through arts is fundamental to the development of the whole child, promoting creativity, critical thinking, problem-solvingskillsandsocialinteractions.

Theartsconsistsof2strands:

Responding Creating

The process of responding provides students with opportunities to respond to their own and other artists' works and processes, and in so doing, develop the skills of critical analysis, interpretation, evaluation, reflection, and communication.

The process of creating provides students with opportunities to communicate distinctive forms of meaning, develop their technical skills, take creative risks, solve problems and visualize consequences. Students are encourages to draw on their imagination, experiences, and knowledge of matierals and processes as starting points for creative exploration.

While the arts curriculum is woven through all disciplines and aspects of the school day, music, visual art, and design technology classes and experiences are prime catalysts to enhance the arts curriculum.

I-DEA Curriculum Framework

Inclusion via Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism

The IB Curriculum is rooted in fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, awareness, and advocacy The Pine Street School I-DEA Curriculum FrameworkfitsfirmlyintoandgainsimmediaterelevancefromthePYP.OurFrameworkscaffoldsstudents’inquiryintoconceptsofequality, equity, inclusion, social justice, fairness, belonging, prejudice, and privilege, helping them to better understand the social construct of race andethnicityintheUnitedStates.

Units of Inquiry provide students with multiple opportunities throughout the year to explore and share in their own cultures, languages, and traditions, and those of their classmates and the wider community. Throughout these units, students gain crucial knowledge about the history of race in the United States, awakening their awareness and building understanding, all while engaging in authentic, meaningful classroom and community experiences and through literature from diverse sources and cultures, which provoke and scaffold discussions of raceandracisminourcountry.

Pine Street School | Program of Inquiry 2023-2024

WHO WEARE WHEREWEAREIN PLACEANDTIME

An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives

Central Idea:

Our bodies are made up of interconnected systems and we have inherited and acquired traits that are part of our growth and change

Key Concepts:

Form, Function, Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Role of different body systems

2 Connection between different body systems

3 Change in systems over time

Central Idea: People have personal beliefs and belief systems that inform how they act and interpret others.

Key Concepts:

Connection, Perspective, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Personal beliefs and belief systems

2 How beliefs affect the individual and society

3. Perspectives within cultural and individual beliefs

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health; human relationships, including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human

Central Idea: Exploration of our universe leads to discoveries, opportunities, and new understandings

Key Concepts: Change, Connection, Responsibility

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Our universe

2 How theories of the universe have changes over time

3. Impact of exploration

Central Idea: Technological innovation can disrupt societal thinking, behavior, and human relationships.

Key Concepts:

Connection, Change, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Connections between technology and human needs and wants

2 Innovation design process

3 Coding as a language

HOWWEEXPRESS OURSELVES

An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs, and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic

Central Idea: Cooperative and purposeful teamwork enables and empowers people to improve their lives and communities

Key Concepts: Change, Connection, Causation Lines of Inquiry:

1 Global needs

2. Local needs

3 Sustainable solutions

4 Effective teamwork

YEAR-LONGPYPEXHIBITION

Central Idea: Language can be used to influence our thinking, emotions, and behavior in many ways.

Key Concepts: Function, Responsibility, Perspective

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Features, forms, techniques used in persuasive communications

2 How persuasive communication works

3 Impact of persuasive communication

HOWTHEWORLD WORKS SHARING THEPLANET

An inquiry into the natural world and its laws, the interaction between the natural world and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; impact of scientific and technological advances on society and the environment

Central Idea: People produce and use different types of energy which leaves and environmental footprint

Key Concepts: Function, Causation, Change Lines of Inquiry:

1 Types of energy

2. Non-renewable vs. renewable energy

3 Responsible energy use

HOWWEORGANIZE OURSELVES

An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment

Central Idea: Governmental systems and decisions can promote or deny equal opportunities and social justice

Key Concepts:

Responsibility, Function

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Purpose of government

2. Organizations of government

3 Impacts of decisions and actions on members of society

4. How beliefs about power and authority impact a society

An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationship within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution

Central Idea: Distribution of wealth affects communities' and individuals' access to equal opportunities

Key Concepts:

Connection, Perspective, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Relationship between wealth and power

2 Impactofwealthdistribution

3. Equitable access to resources and opportunities

Central Idea: Analysis of data and patterns can shape actions people take

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Connection, Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Earth's physical changes over time

2 Interconnectedness of hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere, atmosphere

3 How data drives direction

Central Idea: Signs and symbols are part of human-made systems that facilitate local and global communication.

Key Concepts:

Connection, Form, Function

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Specialized systems of communication

2. How visual language facilitates communication

3 Cultural and historical context of how signs and symbols develop

Central Idea: Raising awareness of institutions, individuals, and organizations about climate change issues can encourage people to take initiative

Key Concepts:

Responsibility, Causation, Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Sustainable Development Goals

2 How human actions have impacted climate change

3 Actions that can reverse climate change

WHO WEARE WHEREWEAREIN PLACEANDTIME

Central Idea: The mosaic of our everdeveloping identities ultimately informs and influences our attitudes about ourselves and others

Key Concepts: Perspective, Connection, Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1 What makes me, me

2 How others view me; How I view others

3 Evolution of our identities

Central Idea:

Making balanced choices should enable people to have a healthy lifestyle

Key Concepts:

Responsibility, Connection, Form

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Daily habits and routines

2 The impacts of balanced choices

3. Healthy lifestyles

Central Idea: The legacy of ancient civilizations influences people and society today.

Key Concepts: Connection, Form, Function

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Types of civilizations

2 Elements of civilizations

3. Legacies of civilizations

HOWWEEXPRESS OURSELVES

Central Idea: Architecture is the built realization of human ingenuity

Key Concepts: Perspective, Causation, Form Lines of Inquiry:

1. What is architecture

2 Elements of architecture

3 Human ingenuity and creativity in design

Central Idea: Relationships are enhanced by effort and compromise

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Perspective, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Relationships with ourselves

2 Relationships with communities

3 Relationships with other groups of people

Central Idea: The geography, history, and people make our city unique in its past, present, and future

Key Concepts: Change, Causation, Form Lines of Inquiry:

1 Location and geography of the city

2 People who inhabited the region over time

3. How and why the city has developed

YEAR-LONGUNIT

Central Idea: The Earth’s cycles and patterns have impacted how people live their lives.

Key Concepts: Connection, Form, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Earth’s cycles and patterns

2 How cycles and patterns impact our lives

3 How cycles and patterns impact other people’s lives

Central Idea: Folklore reflects and shapes culture.

Key Concepts: Connection, Perspective, Form Lines of Inquiry:

1 Elements of folklore

2 Similarities and differences among versions of folklore

3 The role of folklore in culture

Central Idea: Stories allow our imagination to discover new worlds

Key Concepts: Connection, Perspective, Function

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Story elements

2 Human connections in stories

3 Exploring perspectives through stories

HOWTHEWORLD WORKS SHARING THEPLANET

Central Idea: Understanding forces can help humans design effectively

Key Concepts: Form, Causation, Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Natural laws of motion

2 Different forces

3 Using principles of physics to solve problems

HOWWEORGANIZE OURSELVES

Central Idea: Human migration can be a response to challenges, risks, and opportunities impacting individuals and communities

Key Concepts: Perspective, Change, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Reasons why people migrate

2 Migration throughout history

3 Effects of migration on communities, cultures, and individuals

Central Idea: Biodiversity ensures natural sustainability for all life on the planet.

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Form, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Diversity of living things

2. Role of biodiversity in the natural world

3 Impact of interruption in biodiversity

Central Idea: The Earth continuously changes due to natural forces.

Key Concepts: Change, Causation, Form Lines of Inquiry:

1 Internal changes

2 External changes

3. Human attempts to manage consequences of changes

Central Idea:

The organization of marketplaces reflects the needs and wants of communities

Key Concepts:

Responsibility, Connection, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1. How a market economy works

2 How goods and services are produced and consumed

3 Responsible production and consumption

Central Idea: The Earth has extensive ecosystems which are a vital part of its functioning

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Causation, Form

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Ecosystems around the world

2 Balance in ecosystems

3. Things that disrupt the balance in ecosystems

Central Idea: Understanding the way materials behave and interact determine how people use them

Key Concepts: Change, Form, Function Lines of Inquiry:

1 Behavior and uses of materials

2 Changing properties of materials

3. Manipulations of materials for specific purposes

Central Idea: Food is a central element of global interconnectedness

Key Concepts:

Causation, Connection, Form Lines of Inquiry:

1. Food and its origins

2 Connection between food and geography

3. Cultural and historical significance of food

Central Idea: Living things have specific shapes and structures related to their function which help them survive, grow, and reproduce

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Connection Lines of Inquiry:

1. Characteristics of living things

2 Structure and function of living things

WHO WEARE WHEREWEAREIN PLACEANDTIME

Central Idea: People's skills, attitudes, and interests should enable them to benefit from and contribute to their community

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Connection, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Skills,attitudes,interests, talents

2. How people benefit from commuity

3. How people contribute to community

Central Idea: Exploring our personal histories and the groups we belong to informs our understanding of who we are

Key Concepts: Connection,Perspective,Change

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Family origins and stories

2 Influence of groups we belong to

3. Understanding the connection between histories in our communities

Central Idea: Homes reflect personal identity and local culture

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Connection

Lines of Inquiry:

1 What is a home

2. Different kinds of homes

3 Circumstances that determine where and how people live

HOWWEEXPRESS OURSELVES

Central Idea: Through poetry, people express, explore, and interpret ideas and feelings

Key Concepts: Perspective, Form, Connection

Lines of Inquiry:

1 What is poetry

2. Word use in poetry

3 Exploring ideas through poetry

Central Idea: Stories can take on different forms, have cultural elements, and can be told in many ways

Key Concepts: Perspective, Form, Function Lines of Inquiry:

1. What is a story

2 Ways to tell stories

3 Stories from different cultures

Central Idea: We learn about the world though our senses

Key Concepts:

Connection, Perspective, Form, Function

Lines of Inquiry:

1. Our senses

2 How we learn through our senses

3 How our senses enrich our lives

Key Concepts: Form, Perspective, Reflection Lines of Inquiry:

1 Artists from around the world

2 Artistic styles

3. Exploring forms of art

HOWTHEWORLD WORKS SHARING THEPLANET

Central Idea: Understanding how light and sound work influences how people interact with the world

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Sources

2. Properties

3 Function

Central Idea: People apply their understanding of forces and energy to invent and create

Key Concepts: Connection, Form, Function Lines of Inquiry:

1 Forces and energy

2. Simple machines and tools

3 Innovating to solve problems

Central Idea: Artists have unique styles through which they communicate their ideas and feelings.

HOWWEORGANIZE OURSELVES

Central Idea: Transportation systems are developed to respond to the needs of communities

Key Concepts:

Form, Function, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Transportation systems

2. How transport systems respond to the needs of the community

3. How transport systems have changed over time

Central Idea:

By purposefully organizing spaces, people learn how to respect and use their environment effectively.

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Form, Function Lines of Inquiry:

1 How spaces are organized

2 Effective organization

3. Responsibilities involved in maintaining organization

Central Idea: Sound impacts and enriches our lives

Key Concepts: Function, Causation

Lines of Inquiry:

1 How sound works

2. Producing and receiving sounds

3 How sound impacts our personal lives

Central Idea: In urban spaces, a balance between the needs of humans and other living things can be a challenge

Key Concepts: Responsibility, Connection, Form

Lines of Inquiry:

1 Purposeful design of an urban space

2. Connection between human needs and the natural world

3. Human responsibility

Central Idea: Plants are essential to our lives in many ways and need specific conditions to grow

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Responsibility Lines of Inquiry:

1 Structure and needs of a plant

2 Life cycle of plants

3 How plants help living things

Central Idea: All living things have life cycles

Key Concepts: Form, Function, Change Lines of Inquiry:

1 Living things

2. Life cycles of different types of animals

3 How animals are suited to where they live

4TH GRADE LEARNING OUTCOMES

Target Language: Spanish or Mandarin

NOVICE INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED

READING

I can identify familiar words when they are supported by gestures or visuals in texts.

I can identify basic facts from familiar words and phrases when they are supported by visuals in texts or gestures.

I can identify the topic and some isolated facts from simple sentences in texts.

LISTENING I can understand familiar words with they are supported by visuals or gestures in conversations

SPEAKING I can provide information by answering a few simple questions on a very familiar topics, using practiced or memorized words and phrases, with the help of gestures or visuals.

READING I can use a combination of drawing, dictation and writing with environmental clues to record observation and express ideas.

I can identify some basic facts from familiar words and phrases when they are supported by gestures or visuals in conversations.

I can request and provide information by answering a few simple questions on a very familiar and everyday topics, using a mixture of practiced or memorized words, phrases, and simple sentences.

I can participate in shared research and writing projects. I can polish and publish writing pieces with checklists and teacher guidance.

I can understand familiar questions and statements from simple sentences and conversations

I can request and provide information by asking and answering practiced and some original questions on familiar and everyday topics, using sentences.

I can write about events and experiences through words, phrases, and sentences. I can polish and publish writing pieces.

English Language

Language is social construct and is learned through social interactions, experiences, and relationships Language learning involves both receptive(receivingandconstructingmeaning)andexpressive(creatingandsharingmeaning)language.ThePineStreetSchoolcurriculum allowsstudentstoconstructbothreceptiveandexpressivelanguageinrelevant,engaging,challenging,andsignificantcontext.Understanding thesocialconstructsoflanguageisfundamentaltotheneedandabilitytocommunicate.

Oral Language: Oral language exposes the thinking of the learner. It is a means by which their thoughts and ideas can be communicated and shared to negotiate and construct meaning and develop deeper levels of understanding.

Listening & Speaking

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on age appropriate topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly

Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion

Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles

Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information and make comments that contribute to the discussion and link to the remarks of others

Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points

Identify and expand on main ideas in familiar oral texts

Understand that ideas and opinions can be generated, developed and presented through talk; they work in pairs and groups to develop oral presentations

Argue persuasively and defend a point of view

Explain and discuss their own writing with peers and adults

Begin to paraphrase and summarize

Organize thoughts and feelings before speaking

Use a range of specific vocabulary in different situations, indicating an awareness that language is influenced by purpose, audience and context

Realize that grammaticalstructures can be irregular and begin to use them appropriately and consistently

Use oral language appropriately, confidently and with increasing accuracy

Verbalize their thinking and explain their reasoning

Recognize that different forms of grammar areused in different contexts

Appreciate that language is not always used literally; understand and use the figurative language of their own culture

Participate appropriately as listener and speaker, in discussions, conversations, debates and group presentations with people from similar and different perspectives and cultural backgrounds

Generate, develop and modify ideas and opinions through discussion

Infer meanings, draw conclusions and make judgments about oral presentations

Visual Language: Viewing and presenting are fundamental processes that are historically and universally powerful and significant. The receptive processes (viewing) and expressive processes (presenting) are connected and allow for reciprocal growth in understanding; neither process has meaning except in relation to the other. It is important to provide a balanced program with opportunities for students to experience both viewing and presenting.

Viewing & Presenting

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes

Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English and situations where informal discourse is appropriate

View, respond to and describe visual information, communicating understanding in oral, written, and visual form

Describe personal reactions to visual messages; reflect on why others may perceive the images differently

Understand and explain how visual effects can be used to reflect a particular context

Interpret visual cues in order to analyze and make inferences about the intention of the message

Explain how relevant personal experiences can add to the meaning of a selected film/movie; write and illustrate a personal response

Design posters and charts, using shapes, colors, symbols, layout, and fonts, to achieve particular effects; explain how the desired effect is achieved

Discuss a newspaper report and tell how the words and pictures work together to convey a particular message

Prepare, individually or in collaboration, visual presentations using a range of media, including computer and web-based applications

Discuss and explain visual images and effects using appropriate terminology, for example, image, symbol, graphics, balance, techniques, composition

Experience a range of different visual language formats; appreciate and describe why particular formats are selected to achieve particular effects

Observe and discuss the choice and composition of visual presentations and explain how they contribute to meaning and impact, for example, body language, facial expressions, speech bubbles, word images to convey sound effects

Realize that visual presentations have been created to reach out to a particular audience and influence the audience in some way; discuss the effects used and how they might influence the audience

Written Language: Reading is a developmental process that involves constructing meaning from text. The process is interactive and involves the reader’s purpose for reading, the reader’s prior knowledge and experience, and the text itself. Reading helps us to clarify our ideas, feelings, thoughts, and opinions. Literature offers us a means of understanding ourselves and others and has the power to influence and structure thinking. Children learn to read by reading. In order to develop lifelong reading habits, learners need to have extended periods of time to read for pleasure, interest, and information, experiencing an extensive range of quality fiction and nonfiction texts.

Reading

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including those that allude to significant characters found in mythology

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems and drama when writing or speaking about a text

Compare and contrast a firsthand and secondhand account of the same event or topic; describe the differences in focus and the information provided

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text

Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Read grade-level text with purpose and understanding

Read grade-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings

Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary

Distinguish betweenfiction and non-fiction and select books appropriate to specific purposes

Understand and respond to the ideas, feelings, and attitudes expressed in various texts, showing empathy for characters

Recognize the author’s purpose, for example, to inform, entertain, persuade, instruct

Understand that stories have a plot; identify the main idea; discuss and outline the sequence of events leading to the final outcome

Appreciate that writers plan and structure their stories to achieve particular effects; identify features that can be replicated when planning their own stories

Use reference books, dictionaries, and computer and web-based applications with increasing independence and responsibility

Know how to skim and scan texts to decide whether they will be useful, before attempting to read in detail

As part of the inquiry process, work cooperatively with others to access, read, interpret, and evaluate a range of source materials

Identify relevant, reliable, and useful information and decide on appropriate ways to use it

Access information from a variety of texts both in print and online, for example, newspapers, magazines, journals, comics, graphic books, ebooks, blogs, wikis

Know when and how to use the internet and multimedia resources for research

Understand that the internet must be used with the approval and supervision of a parent or teacher; read, understand, and sign the school’s cyber-safety policy

Read a wide range of texts confidently, independently, and with understanding

Distinguish between fact and opinion, and reach their own conclusions about what represents valid information

Use a range of strategies to solve comprehension problems and deepen their understanding of a text

Written Language: Writing is a way of expressing ourselves. It is a personal act that grows and develops with the individual.

From the earliest lines and marks of young learners to the expression of mature writers, it allows us to organize and communicate thoughts, ideas, and information in a visible and tangible way. Writing is primarily concerned with communicating meaning and intention. When children are encouraged to express themselves and reveal their own “voice”, writing is a genuine expression of the individual. Over time, writing involves developing a variety of structures, strategies and literary techniques (spelling, grammar, plot, character, punctuation, voice) and applying them with increasing skill and effectiveness.

Writing

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information

Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose

Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly

Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting, illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension

Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic

Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases

Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic

Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences

Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally

Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations

Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events

Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely

Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience

With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing

With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting

Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic

Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research

Apply grade/age-appropriate Reading standards to literature

Apply grade/age-appropriate Reading standards to informational texts

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of disciplines

Create and present a poem, narrative, play, art work, or literary review in response to a particular author or theme studied in class

Participate in teacher conferences with teachers recording progress and noting new learning goals; self-monitor and take responsibility for improvement

With teacher guidance, publish written work, in handwritten form or in digital format

Write independently and with confidence, demonstrating a personal voice as a writer

Write for a range of purposes, both creative and informative, using different types of structures and styles according to the purpose of the w

Show awareness of different audiences and adapt writing appropriately

Select vocabulary and supporting details to achieve desired effects

Use appropriate punctuation to support meaning

Use knowledge of written code patterns to accurately spell high-frequency and familiar words

Use a range of strategies to record words/ideas of increasing complexity

Realize that writers ask questions of themselves and identify ways to improve their writing, for example, "Is this what I meant to say?", "Is it interesting/relevant?"

Check punctuation, variety of sentence starters, spelling, presentation

Use a dictionary and thesaurus to check accuracy, broaden vocabulary and enrich their writing

Work cooperatively with a partner to discuss and improve each other’s work, taking the roles of authors and editors

Work independently, to produce written work that is legible and well-presented, written either by hand or in digital format

Use appropriate paragraphing to organize ideas

Critique the writing of peers sensitively; offer constructive suggestions

Identify and describe elements of a story setting, plot, character, theme

Locate, organize, synthesize and present written information obtained from a variety of valid sources

Conventions: Generally accepted rules and practices of language

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English

grammar and usage when writing or speaking

Use relative pronouns and relative adverbs

Form and use the progressive verb tenses

Use modal auxiliaries to convey various conditions

Order adjectives within sentences according to conventional patterns

Form and use prepositional phrases

Produce complete sentences, recognizing and correcting inappropriate fragments and run-ons

Correctly use frequently confused words

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing

Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely

Choose punctuation for effect

Differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e g , small-group discussion)

Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiplemeaning words and phrases based on 4th Grade reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies

Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase

Use common, grade-appropriate Greek and Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word

Consult reference materials, both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings

Explain the meaning of simple similes and metaphors in context

Recognize and explain the meaning of common idioms, adages, and proverbs

Demonstrate understanding of words by relating them to their opposites (antonyms) and to words with similar but not identical meanings (synonyms)

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of beingand that are basic to a particular topic

StudentsatPineStreetSchoolarechallengedintheareaofmathematicalunderstandingandknowledgeattheappropria cognitivedevelopment.Studentsexploremathematicalconceptsandconstructmeaningstartingwithconcreteandmovingtomore abstractunderstanding.Itisthroughrelevant,realistic,real-lifecontextthattheseskillsandunderstandingsaretaughtandlearned.

As students construct their understandings through concrete, real-life experiences, they advance their abstract understanding of mathematical concepts by transferring meaning into symbolic notation. Students are involved in discussions to explain their understanding and experiences with symbolic representation as they learn and transfser their understanding into conventional mathematicalnotation.

Oncestudentsdeveloptheirownconstructsandprogresstotheabstractreasoningofusingconventionalsymbolicnotations,theywillbe askedtoapplytheirunderstandingthroughauthentic,real-lifelearningengagements.Theseengagementsallowforhands-onproblemsolving,realisticsituations,andstudentagencyastheydemonstratetheirunderstandinginavarietyofways.Thisprocessallowsfordeep understandingandvalidationofthestudents'learningastheypresenttheirideas,receivefeedback,andreflectontheirlearning.

In4thGrade,studentsconstructandtransfermeaningwhilepracticingandapplyingthefollowinglearneroutcomes/understandings:

Number:Ournumbersystemisalanguagefordescribingquantitiesandtherelationshipsbetweenquantities.

Forexample,thevalueattributedtoadigitdependsonitsplacewithinabasesystem.

Numbers are used to interpret information, make decisions and solve problems. For example, the operations of addition, subtraction,multiplication,anddivisionarerelatedtooneanotherandareusedtoprocessinformationinordertosolveproblems. Thedegreeofprecisionneededincalculatingdependsonhowtheresultwillbeused.

Number Sense: An intuitive understanding of number

Find all factor pairs for a whole number in the range 1–100. Recognize that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors. Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is a multiple of a given one-digit number

Determine whether a given whole number in the range 1–100 is prime or composite

Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right

Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form

Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using > , = , and < symbols to record the results of comparisons

Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place

Compare two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, e.g., by creating common denominators or numerators, or by comparing to a benchmark fraction such as ½

Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two fractions refer to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with symbols > , = , or < , and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual fraction model Understand addition and subtraction of fractions as joining and separating parts referring to the same whole

Express a fraction with denominator 10 as an equivalent fraction with denominator 100and use this technique to add two fractions wi respective denominators 10 and 100

Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or 100

Compare two decimals to hundredths by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two decimals r to the same whole. Record the results of comparisons with the symbols > , = , or < , and justify the conclusions, e.g., by using a visual model

Use decimal fractions in real life

Estimate sum, difference, product, and quotient in real-life situations, including fractions and decimals

Select an efficient method for solving problems: mental estimation, mental computation, written algorithms, by using a calculator

Use strategies to evaluate the reasonableness of answers

Number Operations: Mathematical processes

Fluently add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm

Interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison, e.g., interpret 35 = 5×7 as a statement that 35 is 5 times as many as 7 and 7 times as many as 5

Represent verbal statements of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations

Multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison

Solve multistep word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole-number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted

Read, write, compare, order, and model fractions to hundredths or beyond

Model improper fractions and mixed numbers

Simplify fractions using multiplication

Decompose a fraction into a sum of fractions with the same denominator in more than one way, recording each decomposition by an equation

Add and subtract mixed numbers with like denominators, e.g., by replacing each mixed number with an equivalent fraction, and/or by using properties of operations and the relationship between addition and subtraction

Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions referring to the same whole and having like denominators, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem

Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a whole number and use this understanding to multiply a fraction by a whole number

Solve word problems involving multiplication of a fraction by a whole number, e.g., by using visual fraction models and equations to represent the problem

Multiply a whole number of up to four digits by a one-digit whole number, and multiply two two-digit numbers, using strategies based on place value and the properties of operations. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models

Find whole-number quotients and remainders with up to four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models

Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding

Make a line plot to display a data set of measurements in fractions of a unit

Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions by using information presented in line plots

Read, write, compare, order whole numbers up to millions and beyond

Pattern & Function: To identify pattern is to begin to understand how mathematics applies to the world in which we live. The repetitive features of patterns can be identified and described as generalized rules called "functions." This builds a foundation for the later study of algebra.

Pattern & Algebraic Thinking

Understand that patterns can be generalized by a rule

Generate a number or shape pattern that follows a given rule. Identify apparent features of the pattern that were not explicit in the rule itself

Understand that patterns can be represented, analysed and generalized using tables, graphs, words, and, when possible, symbolic rules

Explain why a fraction a/b is equivalent to a fraction (n ×a)/(n ×b) by using visual fraction models, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size Use this principle to recognize and generate equivalent fractions

Represent the rule of a pattern by using a function

Data Handling: Data handling allows us to make a summary of what we know about the world and to make inferences about what we do not know.

Organizing & Interpreting Information

Data can be collected, organized, represented, and summarized in a variety of ways to highligh similarities, differences, and trends; the chosen format should illustrate the information without bias or distortion

Probability can be expressed qualitatively by using terms such as "unlikely," "certain," or "impossible " It can be expressed quantitatively on a numerical scale.

Identify, read and interpret range and scale on graphs

Interpret range and scale on graphs

Understand that different types of graphs have special purposes

Use probability to determine mathematically fair and unfair games and to explain possible outcomes

Express probability using simple fractions

Use tree diagrams to express probability using simple fractions

Understand that probability is based on experimental events

Measurement: To measure is to attach a number to a quantity using a chosen unit. Since the attributes being measured are continuous, ways must be found to deal with quantities that fall between numbers. It is important to know how accurate a measurement needs to be or can ever be.

Measurement

Know relative sizes of measurement units within one system of units including km, m, cm; kg, g; lb, oz.; l, ml; hr, min, sec. Within a single system of measurement, express measurements in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit

Record measurement equivalents in a two-column table

Generate a conversion table for feet and inches listing the number pairs

Use the four operations to solve word problems involving distances, intervals of time, liquid volumes, masses of objects, and money, including problems involving simple fractions or decimals, and problems that require expressing measurements given in a larger unit in terms of a smaller unit

Represent measurement quantities using diagrams such as number line diagrams that feature a measurement scale

Apply the area and perimeter formulas for rectangles in real world and mathematical problems

Understand an angle as a measurement of rotation

Measure and construct angles in degrees using a protractor

Understand the relationships between area and perimeter, between area and volume, and between volume and capacity

Understand, develop, and describe procedures for finding area, perimeter, and volume

Understand, estimate and measure using standard units of measurement - perimeter, area, mass, and volume

Use standard units of measurement to solve problems in real life situations involving perimeter, area, and volume

Select and use appropriate units of measurement and tools to solve problems in real-life situations

Determine and justify the level of accuracy required to solve real-life problems involving measurement

Use timetables and schedules (12-hour and 24-hour clocks) in real-life situations

Shape&Space: The regions, paths, and boundaries of natural space can be described by shape. An understanding of the inter-relationships of shape allows us to interpret, understand, and appreciate our two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) world.

Geometry

Recognize angles as geometric shapes that are formed wherever two rays share a common endpoint, and understand concepts of angle measurement: An angle that turns through n one-degree angles is said to have an angle measure of n degrees

Measure angles in whole-number degrees using a protractor. Sketch angles of specified measure

Recognize angle measure as additive. When an angle is decomposed into non-overlapping parts, the angle measure of the whole is the sum of the angle measures of the parts. Solve addition and subtraction problems to find unknown angles on a diagram in real world and mathematical problems

Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel lines Identify these in two-dimensional figures

Classify two-dimensional figures based on the presence or absence of parallel or perpendicular lines, or the presence or absence of angles of a specified size. Recognize right triangles as a category, and identify right triangles

Recognize a line of symmetry for a two-dimensional figure as a line across the figure such that the figure can be folded along the line into matching parts. Identify line-symmetric figures and draw lines of symmetry

Understand the properties of regular and irregular polyhedral

Understand that geometric ideas and relationships can be used to solve problems in other areas of mathematics and in real life

Understand that 2D representations of 3D objects can be used to visualize and solve problems

Analyze, describe, classify and visualize 2D (including circles, triangles, and quadrilaterals) and 3D shapes, using geometric vocabulary

Describe lines and angles using geometric vocabulary

Understand the properties of regular and irregular polygons

Understand that lines and axes of reflective and rotational symmetry assist with the construction of shapes

Understand an angle as a measure of rotation

Understand that directions for location can be representedby coordinates on a grid

Understand that visualization of shape and space is a strategy for solving problems

Analyze angles by comparing and describing rotations: whole turn; half turn; quarter turn; north, south, east, and west on a compass

Locate features on a grid using coordinates