Skip to main content

Resources



Alberta Program of Studies
Quick "At a Glance grade 4 curriculum - click here

If you want a large amount of detail, click on the links below to find out what topics we will be covering this year:
READING
Online reading is beneficial as a way to reach a child who is reluctant, or just needs something fresh. Of course, books are great on an E-reader. These websites are value-added though.

TUMBLEBOOKS

No logging in needed! The CBE has a license. This site shows an attractive and interesting book that the child can read solo, or use the expressive narration and listen along. TIP: a great way to build reading skills is to have the child read it themselves FIRST, then turn on the narration and listen to check how they did / check the difficult words. THEN move on to the next page. Lots of choice here, including picture books, chapter books, graphic novels, and much more.

Tumblebooks reading online

If this doesn't work, copy and paste this URL:
tumblebooklibrary.com/auto_login.aspx?u=calgarypl&p=sd19

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

SPELLING 
125 Most Commonly Used Words - represent nearly 50% of all reading and writing in the English language, so these are best to be known as sight words, as well as spelling words.  They're mostly very easy and grade fours should know around 115 already.  Some are challenging such as there/there/they're and which.
Ask your teacher for a copy. 

"No Excuse" Wordlist also known as "Dolch" words to be able to read first, and then to spell.  These are organized for grades K - 3
Ask your teacher for a copy. 

MATH 

MULTIPLICATION PRACTICE - ONLINE GAMES & WORKSHEETS

Math Baseball – answer questions to hit the ball and see if you can get a run in. Choose “singles” for regular times tables, and "doubles” for 2 x 1 digit multiplication good for mental math practice. www.prongo.com/math/multiplication.html

Multiplication.com – full of tons of different games. Some of the best for times tables are the Granny Prix (race your granny by answering questions right), Car Wash, Patty’s Paints and Pizza Pizzazz. Most of these allow you to choose a level of difficulty or they ask you to choose one times table group to practice.
www.multiplication.com/games/play/granny-prix-multiTug Team Multiplication - Lewis recommends this one for times table practice, although I noticed it goes a little too hard for grade four (into the 11 and 12 times tables occasionally, but that's OK).  It's fun!  It's a tug of war and you answer questions right to win, knowing you can rely on your partner to help you too.   It's one of those games you students love, because you can set up a team and play another team, all from your own computers.  There are many other good games in Math Playground.
https://www.mathplayground.com/ASB_TugTeamMultiplication.html

More of a worksheet style - - This one lets you focus on just those classic tricky times tables, whichever ones you want. For most, it’s the sevens, eights and nines. You select one times table at a time on this one and it scores it after. It’s also printable.
www.multiplication.com/quickquizzes.htm

Primary Games offers a range of games such as “Math Apocalypse, where you can choose to work on adding and subtracting, or multiplication and division. www.primarygames.com/math/mathapocalypse/
King of Math is a fun game where you can build an empire, earning weapons and soldiers when you answer enough questions correctly.  They all help you keep the zombies away.  It's good!  At first you should just be playing the grade 3 / level 3 which practices basic times tables and mental math adding and subtracting.  It's enough!  Grade 4 is quite difficult and you might find yourself throwing in random guesses (it's multiple choice), which will not help your math skills.
https://www.mathgames.com/play/King of Math 

MathMan has been recommended by students, this is a game where you can choose to practice multiplication or addition/subtraction.  It's not as good as some; here you spend more time playing a Pac-Man type game and less time actually doing math.
https://www.mathplayground.com/mathman_multiplication.html

Hoodmath offers a range of games at various levels. There are also geometry games, fraction games and more. You will see that this site sometimes updates itself seasonally. One good game is “Penguin Jump Multiplication”.
www.hoodamath.com/games/penguinjumpmultiplication.html

Math Games offers very targeted skills for all kinds of grade four topics.  It's less game-y and more question-and-answer.  It's very visual and very good.  It gives you feedback on whether you got the question right or wrong instantly.  There is a good menu of choices, and you can choose to make anything a worksheet instead of online.
https://www.mathgames.com/grade4

FLASHCARD GAME STYLE: “Are You a Math Magician?” This one has a timer (2 ½ minutes), but it isn’t too obvious, it’s more of an hourglass on the side and it makes no noise. It practices mixed times tables, but lets you pick from level 1 and then level 2 of difficulty. It gives you a percentage afterward but it doesn’t tell you which ones were wrong and which were right. Nice big clean numbers, no distractions on the side.
www.math10.com/en/math-games/games/more-games/games-are-you-a-math-magician.html

WORKSHEET STYLE ONLINE – SELF MARKING
Like a worksheet, but you complete it online and then it marks it. You can focus on just the ones that are tricky for you. For most, it’s the sevens & eights. You select a times table, and it scores it after. You can have picture help turned “on” or “off”.
www.multiplication.com/quiz/multiplication-self-correcting-quizzes

MATH SONGS
  • Music can be very good for getting the necessary repetitions. Good rhymes and tunes make practicing the facts more ‘catchy’. Great for listening in the car! The Public Library has this first title on CD, and the rest are on YouTube.
  • Multiplication Mountain has song tracks and then another track with ‘blanks’ for the answers, so that the child can say them.
  • Mr. DeMaio – an American teacher who does songs set to current pop tunes. Maybe the goofiness of his teacher colleagues is why this is soooo compelling! One song for each times table. https://www.youtube.com/user/MrDeMaio7/videos
  • McCarthy Math Academy – all the way from 0 to 12 times tables in 7 ½ minutes. You can skip through the ones that are too easy for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgjCLhoI9Mk
  • Silly School Songs – One song for each times table, specifically practicing skip counting. Also counts them backwards a little, in a loop that goes over the song again and again. https://www.youtube.com/user/SillySchoolSongs/videos
  • This old chestnut? Yes! Wonderful! Schoolhouse Rock, from the early 1970s . Videos that are, well, groovy! One song for each times table. www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvqrAwrAs1A&list=PLnx6r9S_SJ7I_Msib-Nj-zgROaicmyqA8&index=9






MATH - EXTRA TEACHING

You can listen to and watch a “lesson” in nice, plain language on math topics at all grades at Khan Academy. They call them tutorials and they are remarkably good, especially for free.
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-fourth-grade-math

MATH - OTHER TOPICS

IXL, also known as Go Math, has practice questions for all kinds of math topics, from algebra to division to problem solving with fractions. It’s organized by grade level.
IXL Math Grade 4

SCIENCE


Esmerelda and Goober from Planet Protectors

PLANET PROTECTORS (Science Team Challenge) 

Students are working on a series of team challenges in November - January for "Waste and Our World".  They can extend their learning and maybe earn points for their teams by watching videos, reading etc. on this extension website.
AndGoober.com for more Planet Protector fun! 

TYPING GAMES

When students are practicing their keyboarding skills (typing skills), it is VERY important that they not do the "hunt and peck" style of typing where they are using just their index fingers to press each letter. There is a proper method, taught in the first of these game sites. The student at a keyboard, and puts the four fingers of each hand on a special "home row" and uses all these fingers. This will allow the student to make gains in speed and accuracy over time.

PUBLIC LIBRARY PROGRAMS & SUPPORTS


FREE PROGRAMS (you just need a library card) - Programs at your local library for kids for fun and education. Examples: coding, robotics, nature study, art, making greeting cards, reading buddies, ELL, homework club, PD Day activities and more. For most things registration is needed -and they fill up quite quickly! ! A lineup of new programs comes out about every two months. You can browse the programs here: 
https://events.calgarylibrary.ca/programs/online-registration/?_ga=2.17986681.1775535857.1573106855-716187604.1570598257

 BRAINFUZE HELP NOW - FREE ONLINE TUTORING - expert help online from 2 pm to 11 pm. daily! Chat live with a tutor and get customized assistance. Aligned with Alberta curriculum for students grade 2-12. 
Go to Brainfuze

SOLARO - Course lessons, reviews and practice tests for grades 3 through 12. This is the same excellent review information found in a physical paper library resource called "The Key". Alberta Curriculum only!  
Go to Solaro