Grade 4: Science Topic A – Waste and Our World

4–5 Recognize that human activity can lead to the production of wastes, and identify alternatives for the responsible use and disposal of materials.

1. Identify plant and animal wastes, and describe how they are recycled in nature.

2. Identify and classify wastes that result from human activity.

3. Describe alternative methods of disposal, and identify possible advantages and disadvantages of each.

4. Distinguish between wastes that are readily biodegradable and those that are not.

6. Identify methods of waste disposal currently used within the local community.

7. Identify kinds of wastes that may be toxic to people and to the environment.

8. Identify alternative materials and processes that may decrease the amount of waste produced.

9. Identify ways in which materials can be reused or recycled, including examples of things that the student has done.

11. Identify actions that individuals and groups can take to minimize the production of wastes, to recycle or reuse wastes and to ensure the safe handling and disposal of wastes.

Grade 4: Social Studies Topic 4.1 – Alberta: A Sense of the Land

Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how elements of physical geography, climate, geology and paleontology are integral to the landscapes and environment of Alberta.

4.1.1 value Alberta’s physical geography and natural environment

4.1.2 examine, critically, the physical geography of Alberta

4.1.4 analyze how Albertans interact with their environment

Grade 5: Science Topic E – Wetland Ecosystems

5–10 Describe the living and nonliving components of a wetland ecosystem and the interactions within and among them.

1. Recognize and describe one or more examples of wetland ecosystems found in the local area; e.g., pond, slough, marsh, bog, fen.

2. Understand that a wetland ecosystem involves interactions between living and nonliving things, both in and around the water.

3. Identify some plants and animals found at a wetland site, both in and around the water; and describe the life cycles of these plants and animals.

4. Identify and describe adaptations that make certain plants and animals suited for life in a wetland.

5. Understand and appreciate that all animals and plants, not just the large ones, have an important role in a wetland community.

6. Identify the roles of different organisms in the food web of a pond: • producers—green plants that make their own food, using sunlight • consumers—animals that eat living plants and/or animals • decomposers—organisms, such as molds, fungi, insects and worms, that reuse and recycle materials that were formerly living.

8. Recognize that some aquatic animals use oxygen from air and others from water, and identify examples and adaptations of each.

9. Identify human actions that can threaten the abundance or survival of living things in wetland ecosystems; e.g., adding pollutants, changing the flow of water, trapping or hunting pond wildlife.

10. Identify individual and group actions that can be taken to preserve and enhance wetland habitats.

11. Recognize that changes in part of an environment have effects on the whole environment

Grade 5: Social Studies Topic 5.1 – Physical Geography of Canada

Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how the physical geography and natural resources of Canada affect the quality of life of all Canadians.

5.1.1 value Canada’s physical geography and natural environment

5.1.2 examine, critically, the physical geography of Canada

5.1.3 analyze how people in Canada interact with the environment