Grade 4 Language
In Grade 4 Language, our students will embark on their path to junior Language expertise. By exploring more diverse forms of literature and media, such as podcasts and graphic novels, they will build upon their foundational knowledge and become confident and comfortable creating their own written and spoken texts. This course is designed to be 200-300 instructional hours.
Curriculum Information: Language (2006)
Developed by: D2L
Development Date: 2021
Please note that elementary courses do not have prerequisites, and Ontario schools do not issue transcript credits at the elementary level. All courses are available in the facilitated and independent pathways.
Non-Fiction
In the Non-Fiction Unit, students will read a variety of texts including blogs, biographies, newspaper articles, instructions, and more. They will recognize features of different non-fiction texts and explain the significance each one. They will also write, revise, and publish their own non-fiction text, taking into consideration the topic, audience, and purpose for their writing. Furthermore, they will explore listening strategies in social settings and develop their understanding of point of view in a variety of media texts.
Podcasts
In the Podcasts Unit, students will discover the numerous purposes for speaking. They will learn about the important elements of podcasts, including perspectives related to production and credibility. They will develop their vocal skills when speaking and will learn strategies to add style to their speaking. They will also have the opportunity to produce a podcast of their own which will include design elements and advertisements.
Presentations
In the Presentations Unit, students will learn about important considerations for presentations, such as the purpose and the audience. They will differentiate between active and passive listening, and identify point of view and alternative perspectives in presentations. They will also explore the different techniques and conventions used in presentations, and apply these concepts to create a presentation of their own.
Graphic Novels
In the Graphic Novels Unit, students will analyze graphic novels to discover their purpose and target audience, and use stylistic elements to determine the meaning of texts. They will begin to understand the different opinions and responses that audiences may have to a text depending on age and interests. Further, they will explore a variety of textual and graphic elements and practice drawing word balloons and facial expressions to convey a certain meaning.
Legends, Myths, and Fables
In the Legends, Myths, and Fables Unit, students will learn how to differentiate these types of media texts and will identify the main idea and details related to each one. They will explore a variety of ways to organize ideas and order information, and focus on using graphic organizers and story maps. They will also make inferences about texts and explore strategies to communicate clearly and coherently.
Poetry
In the Poetry Unit, students will read and listen to a variety of poems. They will use strategies such as brainstorming and grammatical structures like adjectives and adverbs to write their own poetry. They will also explore the stylistic elements of poetry, watch presented poetry, and use emotion when presenting their own poems.
Novel Study
In the Novel Study Unit, students will explore different elements of novels including titles, table of contents, summaries, and plot. They will select a novel to read and will make inferences about their novel, research questions and keywords, and build an opinion about the problems presented. They will discuss the impact of voice, tone, and mood and relate it to their chosen novel’s point of view and perspective.
Media Texts
In the Media Texts Unit, students will learn about the various media texts used regularly in our society. From emails and blogs, to billboards and websites, they will develop an understanding of the key elements for each type of media text and how to listen, read, and respond to each.
This course is entirely online and does not require nor rely on any textbook. Students will require the following resources:
- A scanner, smartphone camera, or similar device to digitize handwritten or hand-drawn work
- A device to record audio
- A printer
- A physical binder, folder, or notebook for offline activities
- A dictionary
- Various household items to complete offline activities
- Headphones, media texts, commercials, paper, pencil, non-fiction texts, fables, myths, legends, novel, colouring tools, newspaper, storybook, or magazine
By weaving together the four strands of language (oral communication, reading, writing, and media literacy) throughout each unit and course, students develop a strong understanding of the English language. Through the interconnected skills of reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and representing, they will analyse a mixture of literary texts and informational texts, and learn to create and analyse their own versions of these as their knowledge of the writing process increases. A strong emphasis is placed on building mastery of the basics through phonics, word recognition, building vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Students are also constantly encouraged to think critically about what they are reading, leading to improved research skills and better understanding of internet safety. Students are engaged in the content using bespoke storylines, videos, graphics, audio clips, and interactives which are assessed in a variety of online, offline, and blended ways. Every page in the Language courses builds a foundation of literary skills and strategies that students will use throughout the elementary grades.
The course relies on the assistance of a learning coach who supports young students as they move through the content. The learning coach will be involved in facilitating technical aspects of the course and in participating in discussion-based activities to assist students in developing communication skills.
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