Grade 4 Social Studies: how to help at home
What your child learns in Grade 4 social studies in the Prince Edward Island Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Citizenship, Power, and Governance. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizenship and the origins, functions, and sources of power, authority, and governance.
- Culture and Diversity. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of culture, diversity, and world view, recognizing the similarities and differences reflected in various personal, cultural, racial, and ethnic perspectives.
- Individuals, Societies, and Economic Decisions. Students will be expected to demonstrate the ability to make responsible economic decisions as individuals and as members of society.
- Interdependence. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the interdependent relationship among individuals, societies, and the environment — locally, nationally, and globally — and the implications for a sustainable future.
- People, Place, and Environment. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the interactions among people, places, and the environment.
- Time, Continuity, and Change. Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the past and how it affects the present and the future.
Easy ways to practise social studies at home
- Look at a map of your community and find places you visit.
- Ask an older relative or neighbour what the area was like when they were young.
- Read stories from many communities, including Indigenous authors, and talk about what is the same and different.
- Talk about how rules and jobs help a community work.
What each unit covers
What Is Exploration?
Children explore what exploration means, and what it means to explore land, ocean, space and ideas.
Explorers’ Stories
Children learn the stories of explorers of land, ocean, space and ideas.
Why Explore?
Children look at what motivates exploration, and the effects of exploration over time.
Earth’s Big Features
Children examine major physical features of the world and describe rivers, islands, mountains and oceans.
People and Their Land
Children examine the relationship between humans and the physical environment.
Canada’s Landforms
Children describe the physical landscape of Canada: its landform regions, mountains, lakes, rivers and oceans.
Canada’s Climate and Wild Places
Children describe more of Canada’s physical landscape: its climates, forests, grasslands, wetlands, wildlife and national parks.
People of Canada’s Landscape
Children examine the human landscape of Canada, including where people live and what they do.
Canada’s Map and Governments
Children come to understand the political landscape of Canada, including provinces, territories and capitals.
Symbols of Canada
Children examine the symbols associated with Canada’s landscapes.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the PEI report card guide.
Common questions
Look at a map of your community and find places you visit. Ask an older relative or neighbour what the area was like when they were young. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Prince Edward Island Curriculum Grade 4 social studies units include what is exploration?, explorers’ stories, why explore?, earth’s big features, people and their land, canada’s landforms.
Free printable Grade 4 social studies practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.