Mathematics

In this unit, children grow their number sense from 1000 (in Grade 3) all the way to 10 000, and take big steps with fractions and decimals.

They learn to read and write numbers to 10 000 in numerals and words and describe how numbers are used in everyday life; use place value with thousands, hundreds, tens and ones; compose and decompose numbers in many ways; compare and order numbers; and round to the nearest ten, hundred and thousand.

Then they explain what the numerator and denominator mean for fractions from halves to tenths, using strips, groups and number lines; compare and order fair shares from two different sharing situations; and count by fractions to 10, writing amounts over 1 as mixed numbers and improper fractions.

Finally, they meet decimal tenths: reading, writing and showing them, comparing and ordering them, rounding them to the nearest whole number, and showing how they relate to fractions (for example 1/2 = 5/10 = 0.5 and 2/5 = 0.4).

Along the way, children practise the social-emotional skills and mathematical processes of Strand A: explaining their thinking, trying more than one strategy, checking their work, sticking with hard problems and being a good sport in games. Each lesson includes worked examples, pictures, a hands-on activity with things from home, practice questions with answers, a short quiz and notes for the grown-up helping.

Curriculum expectations covered: A1, B1.1, B1.2, B1.3, B1.4, B1.5, B1.6, B1.7, B1.8, B1.9 (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).

In this unit you will grow into a powerful Grade 4 math thinker! First you will learn the rules (properties) of adding and multiplying and use them to solve and check problems. You will learn all your multiplication and division facts from 1 × 1 to 10 × 10. You will use mental math to multiply by 10, 100 and 1000, divide by 10, and add and subtract decimal tenths. Then you will add and subtract whole numbers up to 10 000 and decimal tenths with the column method, multiply and divide 2- and 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers with arrays, area models and partial quotients, and decide what to do with remainders. Finally you will solve multi-step problems, connect repeated addition of unit fractions to multiplication (like 3 × 1/4 = 3/4), and use rates like 8 legs per spider.

Remember from Grade 3: you added and subtracted to 1000, learned your 2, 5 and 10 facts, and added groups of halves, thirds and fourths. Grade 4 builds on all of it. Every lesson has hands-on activities you can do at home, lots of practice and a short quiz.

Curriculum expectations covered: B2.1, B2.2, B2.3, B2.4, B2.5, B2.6, B2.7, B2.8, with A1 (social-emotional learning skills and mathematical processes) woven in (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).

In this unit, Grade 4 students build on the patterns, variables, loops and modelling they learned in Grade 3, and meet three big new ideas: graphs of patterns, inequalities and nested loops.

• Patterns and relationships (C1): identify and describe repeating and growing patterns in real life; create and translate patterns using tables of values and graphs; use pattern rules to extend patterns, make and justify predictions, and find missing terms; and create patterns that show relationships among whole numbers and decimal tenths.
• Equations and inequalities (C2): use symbols as variables in expressions and equations; solve equations with whole numbers up to 50 and verify the solutions; and solve inequalities with adding and subtracting up to 20, then verify and graph the solutions on a number line.
• Coding (C3): write, run, read and change code with sequential, concurrent, repeating and nested events (loops inside loops), and describe how changes affect the outcome.
• Mathematical modelling (C4): use the steps understand, assume, model, check and share to make predictions about real-life situations, and revise the model when things change.

Throughout the unit, children practise explaining their thinking, checking their work, and keeping going when something is hard (Strand A).

Curriculum expectations covered: C1.1, C1.2, C1.3, C1.4, C2.1, C2.2, C2.3, C3.1, C3.2, C4, with A1 (social-emotional learning skills and the mathematical processes) woven in (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).

In this unit, Grade 4 data detectives explain the difference between qualitative and quantitative data and when to use each. They collect data from primary and secondary sources to answer questions that compare two or more groups, and organize it in frequency tables and stem-and-leaf plots (new this year). They read and make multiple-bar graphs, choose the best graph for a data set with a fair scale, and justify their choices. They find the mean, the median (new this year) and the mode(s), create an infographic that tells a story about data, and analyse data to make convincing arguments and informed decisions.

The unit ends with probability: placing events on a probability line from impossible to certain to make predictions and decisions, and predicting and testing whether a different population will have the same mean, median and mode. Explaining thinking, giving kind feedback, persevering and reflecting (Strand A) are woven through the lessons.

Curriculum expectations covered: D1.1, D1.2, D1.3, D1.4, D1.5, D1.6, D2.1, D2.2, with A1 (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).

In this unit you will become an angle detective, a grid navigator and a measuring expert!

In geometry, you will name angles as acute, right, obtuse or straight, find parallel and perpendicular lines, and describe rectangles by their right angles, sides and lines of symmetry. You will plot points on a coordinate grid, describe how points move, and translate (slide) and reflect (flip) shapes.

In measurement, you will learn how grams and kilograms and millilitres and litres are related, use benchmarks to estimate, use metric prefixes (kilo-, centi-, milli-) to choose units and tools, connect units of time from seconds to centuries, solve elapsed time problems, and find the area of rectangles by multiplying, including finding a missing side.

Remember from Grade 3: you measured with mm, cm, m and km, compared masses with a pan balance, measured capacity with cups, told time to the minute, and found area in cm² and m² by counting squares. Grade 4 builds on all of these. Every lesson has hands-on activities you can do at home, lots of practice and a short quiz.

Curriculum expectations covered: E1.1, E1.2, E1.3, E2.1, E2.2, E2.3, E2.4, E2.5, E2.6, with A1 (social-emotional learning skills and mathematical processes) woven in (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).

In this unit you will learn how money works in everyday life. First you will explore ways to pay: cash, debit cards, credit cards, gift cards, cheques, online payments and paying with a phone. Then you will use mental math to estimate and calculate the total cost of several items priced in whole dollars, and the change you get when you pay with cash (no sales tax in Grade 4). Next you will learn the five big money words, earning, spending, saving, investing and donating, and the questions to ask before each choice. You will sort needs and wants, see how spending and saving are connected, make a saving plan, and learn why different people make different money choices. Finally you will become a price detective and decide whether something is reasonably priced and a good buy.

Remember from Grade 3: you found the change for simple cash purchases by counting up. Grade 4 builds on that with more items, bigger amounts, and real money decisions. Every lesson has hands-on activities, lots of practice and a short quiz.

Curriculum expectations covered: F1.1, F1.2, F1.3, F1.4, F1.5, with A1 (social-emotional learning skills and mathematical processes) woven in (Ontario Mathematics, Grade 4, 2020).