GRADE 4 SCIENCE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
In–School Preparation
page 2
Amusement Ride Activities
page 22
Answer Key
page 41
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
1
GRADE 4 SCIENCE
IN-SCHOOL PREPARATION
TEACHER’S NOTE
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
ASSESSMENT RUBRICS
BEFORE THE PARK
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
2
TEACHER’S NOTE
Welcome Grade 4 Teachers to
Canada’s Wonderland’s Science Program!
We have provided you with activities that will take you from your classroom to an action
filled day at the Park. The BEFORE THE PARK activities are set up for your students
to practice some new skills and review some old ones before they go to the Park. The
AT THE PARK activities are a continuation and extension of the classroom activities.
The tasks set up for your students at the Park are designed to let them enjoy all that
Canada’s Wonderland has to offer, while gathering some data to be used back at the
school. The students will use this information to complete a SUMMATIVE
ASSESSMENT that allows them to extend the experiences that they began in the
classroom before the trip. Every activity is completely linked to the new revised Science
Curriculum.
Every activity is designed as a real-world experience. As in the real world, there are
many possible solutions to a variety of questions. We encourage you to challenge your
students to think deeply and reflect on the tasks that are set out before them. We hope
that this experience will be a celebration and extension of your teaching and learning this
year. In addition, some of the key skills and processes, such as Brainstorming and
Predicting are highlighted to remind students the skills they can use to help complete the
task. The Design Options are highly recommended as this is where science becomes
“alive”. Please invest some time and resources and allow your students the opportunity
to design, test and experiment with these challenges.
Thank you for your on-going support for young people and our programs at Canada’s
Wonderland.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
3
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
CW Physics, Science & Math Day Activities
A correlation with the Ontario Science Curriculum, Grade 4
Activity
It’s Alive
Expectations
- analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and communities
- investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within specific
habitats and communities
- demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the
relationships among the plants and animals that live in them
- analyse the positive and negative impacts of human interactions with
natural habitats and communities (e.g. human dependence on natural
materials), taking different perspectives into account (e.g. the
perspectives of a housing developer, a family in need of housing, an
ecologist), and evaluate ways of minimizing the negative impacts
- identify reasons for the depletion or extinction of a plant or animal
species (e.g. hunting, disease, invasive species, changes in or
destruction of its habitat), evaluate the impacts on the rest of the
natural community, and propose possible actions for preventing such
depletions or extinctions from happening
- use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate ways in which
plants and animals in a community depend on features of their habitat
to meet important needs
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
habitat, population, community, adaptation, and food chain, in oral
and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
(e.g. use presentation software to show the steps one might follow to
set up and maintain a terrarium)
- demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas that provide plants
and animals with the necessities of life (e.g. food, water, air, space,
and light)
- identify factors (e.g. availability of water or food, amount of light,
type of weather) that affect the ability of plants and animals to survive
in a specific habitat
- demonstrate an understanding of a community as a group of
interacting species sharing a common habitat (e.g. the life in a
meadow or in a patch of forest)
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
4
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
It’s Alive (cont’d)
- describe structural adaptations that allow plants and animals to
survive in specific habitats (e.g. the thick stem of a cactus stores
water for the plant; a duck’s webbed feet allow it to move quickly
and efficiently in water)
- describe ways in which humans are dependent on natural habitats
and communities (e.g. for water, medicine, flood control in
wetlands, leisure activities)
Rocks & Roll
- assess the social and environmental impacts of human uses of
rocks and minerals
- investigate, test, and compare the physical properties of rocks and
minerals
- demonstrate an understanding of the physical properties of rocks
and minerals
- assess the social and environmental costs and benefits of using
objects in the built environment that are made from rocks and
minerals from it are persistent in the environment
- analyse the impact on society and the environment of extracting
and refining rocks and minerals for human use, taking different
perspectives into account
- use a variety of tests to identify the physical properties of minerals
(e.g. hardness [scratch test], colour [streak test], magnetism)
- use a variety of criteria (e.g. colour, texture, lustre) to classify
common rocks and minerals according to their characteristics
- use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate how rocks and
minerals are used and disposed of in everyday life
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
hardness, colour, lustre, and texture, in oral and written
communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
(e.g. use a graphic organizer to show how rocks and minerals are
used in daily life)
- describe the properties (e.g. colour, lustre, streak, transparency,
hardness) that are used to identify minerals
- describe how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are
formed (e.g. igneous rocks form when hot, liquid rock from deep
below the earth’s surface rises towards the surface, cools, and
solidifies; sedimentary rocks form when small pieces of the earth
that have been worn away by wind and water accumulate at the
bottom of rivers, lakes, and oceans and are eventually compressed
into rock; metamorphic rocks form when igneous or sedimentary
rocks are changed by heat and pressure)
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
5
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
Rocks & Roll
(cont’d)
Up & Down &
Around We Go
- describe the characteristics of the three classes of rocks (e.g.
sedimentary rocks often have flat or curved layers, are composed of
pieces that are roughly the same size with pores between the pieces,
and often contain fossils; igneous rocks have no layers, are usually
made up of two or more minerals whose crystals are different sizes,
and normally do not contain fossils; metamorphic rocks may have
alternating bands of light and dark minerals, may be composed of
only one mineral, such as marble or quartzite, and rarely contain
fossils), and explain how their characteristics are related to their
origin
- evaluate the impact of pulleys and gears on society and the
environment
- investigate ways in which pulleys and gears modify the speed and
direction of, and the force exerted on, moving objects
- demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and functions
of pulley systems and gear systems
- assess the impact of pulley systems and gear systems on daily life
- assess the environmental impact of using machines with pulleys
and gears, taking different perspectives into account (e.g. the
perspective of a car driver or cyclist, someone who is physically
challenged, the owner of a multi-floor building), and suggest ways
to minimize negative impacts and maximize positive impacts
- use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate changes
in force, distance, speed, and direction in pulley and gear systems
- use technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test
a pulley or gear system that performs a specific task
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
pulley, gear, force, and speed, in oral and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
- describe the purposes of pulley systems and gear systems (e.g. to
facilitate changes in direction, speed, or force)
- describe how rotary motion in one system or its components (e.g.
a system of pulleys of different sizes) is transferred to another
system or component (e.g. a system of various gears) in the same
structure
- distinguish between pulley systems and gear systems that increase
force and those that increase speed
- identify pulley systems (e.g. clotheslines, flagpoles, cranes,
elevators, farm machinery) and gear systems (e.g. bicycles, hand
drills, can openers) that are used in daily life, and explain the
purpose and basic operation of each
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
6
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
Can You Feel the
Energy?
- assess the impact on society and the environment of technological
innovations related to light and sound
- investigate the characteristics and properties of light and sound
- demonstrate an understanding of light and sound as forms of
energy that have specific characteristics and properties
- assess the impacts on personal safety of devices that apply the
properties of light and/or sound (e.g. UV-coated lenses in
sunglasses, safety eyes on garage door openers, reflective material
on clothing, ear plugs, backup signals on trucks and cars, MP3
players, cell phones), and propose ways of using these devices to
make our daily activities safer
- assess the impacts on society and the environment of light and/or
sound energy produced by different technologies, taking different
perspectives into account (e.g. the perspectives of someone who has
to walk on the street late at night, a cottage owner, a person who is
hearing impaired, manufacturers of and merchants who sell MP3
players)
- investigate the basic properties of light (e.g. conduct experiments
to show that light travels in a straight path, that light reflects off of
shiny surfaces, that light refracts [bends] when passing from one
medium to another, that white light is made up of many colours,
that light diffracts [bends and spreads out] when passing through an
opening)
- investigate the basic properties of sound (e.g. conduct experiments
to show that sound travels, that sound can be absorbed or reflected,
that sound can be modified [pitch, volume], that there is a
relationship between vibrations and sound)
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
natural, artificial, beam of light, pitch, loudness, and vibration, in
oral and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
- identify a variety of natural light sources (e.g. the sun, a firefly)
and artificial light sources (e.g. a candle, fireworks, a light bulb)
- describe properties of light, including the following: light travels
in a straight path; light can be absorbed, reflected, and refracted
- describe properties of sound, including the following: sound
travels; sound can be absorbed or reflected and can be modified
(e.g. pitch, loudness)
- explain how vibrations cause sound
- distinguish between sources of light that give off both light and
heat (e.g. the sun, a candle, an incandescent light bulb) and those
that give off light but little or no heat (e.g. an LED, a firefly, a
compact fluorescent bulb, a glow stick)
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
7
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
A Medieval
Renovation –
Keep On Digging
- assess the social and environmental impacts of human uses of
rocks and minerals
- investigate, test, and compare the physical properties of rocks and
minerals
- demonstrate an understanding of the physical properties of rocks
and minerals
- assess the social and environmental costs and benefits of using
objects in the built environment that are made from rocks and
minerals from it are persistent in the environment
- analyse the impact on society and the environment of extracting
and refining rocks and minerals for human use, taking different
perspectives into account
- use a variety of tests to identify the physical properties of minerals
(e.g. hardness [scratch test], colour [streak test], magnetism)
- use a variety of criteria (e.g. colour, texture, lustre) to classify
common rocks and minerals according to their characteristics
- use scientific inquiry/research skills to investigate how rocks and
minerals are used and disposed of in everyday life
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
hardness, colour, lustre, and texture, in oral and written
communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
(e.g. use a graphic organizer to show how rocks and minerals are
used in daily life)
- describe the properties (e.g. colour, lustre, streak, transparency,
hardness) that are used to identify minerals
- describe how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks are
formed
- describe the characteristics of the three classes of rocks and
explain how their characteristics are related to their origin
A Medieval
Renovation – If
You Build It,
They Will Come
- analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and
communities
- investigate the interdependence of plants and animals within
specific habitats and communities
- demonstrate an understanding of habitats and communities and the
relationships among the plants and animals that live in them
- analyse the positive and negative impacts of human interactions
with natural habitats and communities (e.g. human dependence on
natural materials), taking different perspectives into account (e.g.
the perspectives of a housing developer, a family in need of
housing, an ecologist), and evaluate ways of minimizing the
negative impacts
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
8
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
A Medieval
Renovation – If
You Build It,
They Will Come
A Medieval
Renovation –
Light, Camera,
Action
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
habitat, population, community, adaptation, and food chain, in oral
and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
(e.g. use presentation software to show the steps one might follow
to set up and maintain a terrarium)
- demonstrate an understanding of habitats as areas that provide
plants and animals with the necessities of life (e.g. food, water, air,
space, and light)
- identify factors (e.g. availability of water or food, amount of light,
type of weather) that affect the ability of plants and animals to
survive in a specific habitat
- describe structural adaptations that allow plants and animals to
survive in specific habitats
- describe ways in which humans are dependent on natural habitats
and communities
- investigate ways in which pulleys and gears modify the speed and
direction of, and the force exerted on, moving objects
- demonstrate an understanding of the basic principles and functions
of pulley systems and gear systems
- use scientific inquiry/experimentation skills to investigate changes
in force, distance, speed, and direction in pulley and gear systems
- use technological problem-solving skills to design, build, and test
a pulley or gear system that performs a specific task
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
pulley, gear, force, and speed, in oral and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
- describe the purposes of pulley systems and gear systems (e.g. to
facilitate changes in direction, speed, or force)
- distinguish between pulley systems and gear systems that increase
force and those that increase speed
- assess the impact on society and the environment of technological
innovations related to light and sound
- investigate the characteristics and properties of light and sound
- demonstrate an understanding of light and sound as forms of
energy that have specific characteristics and properties
- assess the impacts on personal safety of devices that apply the
properties of light and/or sound (e.g. UV-coated lenses in
sunglasses, safety eyes on garage door openers, reflective material
on clothing, ear plugs, backup signals on trucks and cars, MP3
players, cell phones), and propose ways of using these devices to
make our daily activities safer
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
9
MEETING THE EXPECTATIONS
A Medieval
Renovation –
Light, Camera,
Action
- assess the impacts on society and the environment of light and/or
sound energy produced by different technologies, taking different
perspectives into account
- investigate the basic properties of light
- investigate the basic properties of sound
- use appropriate science and technology vocabulary, including
natural, artificial, beam of light, pitch, loudness, and vibration, in
oral and written communication
- use a variety of forms (e.g. oral, written, graphic, multimedia) to
communicate with different audiences and for a variety of purposes
- identify a variety of natural light sources (e.g. the sun, a firefly)
and artificial light sources (e.g. a candle, fireworks, a light bulb)
- describe properties of light, including the following: light travels
in a straight path; light can be absorbed, reflected, and refracted
- describe properties of sound, including the following: sound
travels; sound can be absorbed or reflected and can be modified
(e.g. pitch, loudness)
- explain how vibrations cause sound
- distinguish between sources of light that give off both light and
heat (e.g. the sun, a candle, an incandescent light bulb) and those
that give off light but little or no heat
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
10
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
It’s Alive; Rocks & Roll; Up & Down & Around We Go; Can You Feel the Energy?
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Demonstrates
Demonstrates
Demonstrates a
Knowledge and Demonstrates
limited
some
considerable
thorough
Content
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys, and
light & sound
Uses processing
Thinking
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
limited
effectiveness
Communication Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
limited
effectiveness
Applies
Application
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
little
effectiveness
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys, and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
some
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
some
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
some
effectiveness
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys, and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
considerable
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
considerable
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
considerable
effectiveness
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys, and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
a high degree of
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
a high degree of
effectiveness
11
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
A Medieval Renovation
Level 1
Knowledge and Demonstrates
limited
Content
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys and
light & sound
Uses processing
Thinking
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
limited
effectiveness
Communication Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
limited
effectiveness
Applies
Application
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
little
effectiveness
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Demonstrates
some
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
some
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
some
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
some
effectiveness
Demonstrates
considerable
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with
considerable
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
considerable
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
considerable
effectiveness
Demonstrates a
thorough
understanding of
the content
areas, including
habitats &
communities,
rocks &
minerals, gears
& pulleys and
light & sound
Uses processing
skills such as
gathering
evidence and
manipulating
materials,
forming
conclusions and
convincing
arguments with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Expresses and
organizes ideas
and answers,
using
appropriate
vocabulary and
scientific
terminology with
a high degree of
effectiveness
Applies
knowledge and
skills in both
familiar and
unfamiliar
contexts, and is
able to connect
learning with
real-world
experiences with
a high degree of
effectiveness
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
12
IT’S ALIVE
BEFORE THE PARK
IT’S ALIVE
1. Describe a habitat around your school.
2. a) Brainstorm: Imagine your school playground 20 years
ago. What do you think it looked like then? Use words or
draw a picture.
b) What plants and animals do you think you could find then?
c) What happened to those animals when the houses and school were built?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
13
BEFORE THE PARK
IT’S ALIVE
3. Observe the following food web that could be found near your school.
Suppose one part of the web was damaged or missing, could all the other living things
keep surviving?
4. Predict: In what ways do the plants and animals around us help our lives?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
14
BEFORE THE PARK
ROCKS & ROLL
ROCKS & ROLL
Observe the following picture of strip mining and shaft mining.
1. In Groups: Create a Venn diagram on the similarities and differences of these 2 types
of mining.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
15
BEFORE THE PARK
ROCKS & ROLL
2. What do you think happens to all the rocks that aren’t used from the strip mining?
3. What impact does mining have on the environment?
4. Collect and examine 2 rock samples from your teacher. How many similarities and
differences can you find between them?
5. How do you think these rocks were formed? Igneous, Sedimentary or Metamorphic?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
16
BEFORE THE PARK
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
1. a) Design and Test: Create a single pulley to lift a weight.
b) Design and Test: Repeat the same task using a single to single pulley and a double
to double pulley.
c) Vocabulary: Simple machines always have a trade-off, meaning they do something
good, but unfortunately, there is a bad part. For each pulley combination, list what
was good about it and what was bad about it.
Good
Bad
Single pulley
Single to single
Double to
double
2. Where are pulleys useful in your life?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
17
BEFORE THE PARK
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
3. a) Design and Test: Create a gear train where a:
i) medium gear turns a small gear
ii) medium gear turns a medium gear
iii)medium gear turns a large gear.
b) Fill out the table to describe the trade-off.
Good
Bad
Medium gear
turning a
small gear
Medium gear
turning a
medium gear
Medium gear
turning a large
gear
4. Where do we find gears in your life?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
18
BEFORE THE PARK
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
5. In Groups: Simple machines make work easier for us, for example, cars and bicycles
both use gears. Do all simple machines help the environment? Use the following T-chart
to help organize.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
19
BEFORE THE PARK
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
1. Brainstorm: Look around your classroom. List all the sources of light.
2. Design and Test in Groups: Design an experiment to prove that light travels in a
straight line until it hits something where it can be reflected or absorbed.
3. Describe some positive and negative benefits of light in everyday life.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
20
BEFORE THE PARK
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
4. Use a Venn diagram to compare sound and light.
5. Technology has made great advancements in sound. For example,
your parents did not have tiny MP3 players. Use the T chart to explain
how this has helped our world, but also had some negative impact as well.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
21
GRADE 4 SCIENCE
AMUSEMENT RIDE ACTIVITIES
AT THE PARK
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
22
IT’S ALIVE
AT THE PARK
IT’S ALIVE
1. Before Canada’s Wonderland was built in 1981, it was a
field with tall grass, shrubs and some trees. What types of
plants and animals do you think you could find there?
2. Find some examples where Canada’s Wonderland has
integrated natural habitats within the Park and rides.
3. How does the natural habitat benefit the people who attend the Park?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
23
AT THE PARK
IT’S ALIVE
4. Based on what you saw at Canada’s Wonderland, is it possible for humans, plants and
animals to live together? Provide reasons.
5. In what ways do plants, animals and humans have to adapt in order to live in the same
environment?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
24
AT THE PARK
ROCKS & ROLL
ROCKS & ROLL
1. When Canada’s Wonderland was first built, it was dug up and
there was a lot of left over rocks. Some of those rocks are still there
today. How are rocks being used there today?
2. Some of the left over rocks were transformed into different products. Find some
examples of how these rocks have been reused. Hint: look down at your feet.
3. How do rocks help create a natural habitat at Canada’s Wonderland?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
25
AT THE PARK
ROCKS & ROLL
4. Find a rock at Canada’s Wonderland and write down all of its characteristics. When
you get back to school, see if you can use your skills to classify it using colour, texture,
hardness and lustre.
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
26
AT THE PARK
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
1. Find some examples of machines that could use gears or pulleys
at Canada’s Wonderland.
2. What is their trade-off?
3. Predict: What would happen if the gears were installed backwards on your example?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
27
AT THE PARK
UP & DOWN & AROUND WE GO
4. Some simple machines require electricity to make the gears and pulleys move which
can damage the environment. Find some examples where Canada’s Wonderland uses
natural energy to propel its rides.
5. Some rides need electricity. How can we reduce the impact those rides have on the
environment?
CANADA’S WONDERLAND – Science Grade 4
28
AT THE PARK
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
1. List all the sources of light at Canada’s Wonderland.
2. Where does Canada’s Wonderland get most of its light from?
How does this help the environment?
3. How could this light source have a negative impact on humans if we don’t protect
ourselves?
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AT THE PARK
CAN YOU FEEL THE ENERGY?
4. When you are riding on a roller coaster, describe all the sounds you hear. Why is it
that you cannot hear your friends if they are sitting behind you on the ride, but you can
hear them just fine once you are off the ride?
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
A MEDIEVAL
RENOVATION
Prior Classroom Learning Required
 Problem Solving and Reasoning Skills
 Basic Concepts of the Grade 4 Science Strands:
Habitats and Communities
Pulleys and Gears
Light and Sound
Rocks and Minerals
 Group Work
 Design Process
 Canada’s Wonderland has decided to relocate their Medieval Attraction to a new
area. The highlight of this new centre will be a new and improved large castle
with a performance stage in the middle of the courtyard. Being mindful of the
environment, Canada’s Wonderland has vowed to make this their “Greenest”
attraction ever.
 Using a variety of skills and information, which you mastered over your Grade 4
year, you will be responsible for making decisions and designing this new
attraction from the ground up.
NOTE These Summative Assessment activities are for the purpose of this program and do not accurately
reflect operational procedures or plans for Canada’s Wonderland.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
KEEP ON DIGGING!
A MEDIEVAL RENOVATION
Keep on Digging!
Canada’s Wonderland has decided to move their new Medieval Attraction to the edge of
their park boundaries. The current area is very rocky, so they have hired you to oversee
the strip mining of the area.
1. Research: You suspect that you are digging into shale. Find 3 facts about shale.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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2. Design Option: Use colour, texture and hardness tests to determine if you have shale.
3. Congratulations! You have determined that this area is suitable to build your new
castle. Unfortunately, you have large mounds of rock left over. Your boss called a
company to come and remove all of the rocks. You told your boss to wait because you
have a better idea. How could you reuse some of the rocks in building your new
attraction and the surrounding area?
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
KEEP ON DIGGING!
4. Draw a picture of your new castle and label where you recycled some of the leftover
stones.
5. When using large machinery to strip mine and remove a lot of earth, what
environmental issues are there?
6. Is it possible to fix any of the environmental problems?
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!
MEDIEVAL RENOVATION
If You Build It,
They Will Come!
Refer back to the IT’S ALIVE section about the types of animals and plants that were at
Canada’s Wonderland. When you dug up this area, all those animals and plants had to
leave. This is supposed to be the “Greenest” Attraction ever.
1. a) How are you planning to restore the animal’s habitat once you have finished
building?
b) Go back to your drawing in the KEEP ON DIGGING! section and add the
surrounding area and any improvements you have made to restore plant and animal life to
the castle.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!
2. What will the people who attend the attraction have to do to make sure that they can
co-exist with the animals and plants? Make a sign below that you will hang up around
the attraction to remind them what to do and not to do.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME!
3. The Chief Builder has come to you to help solve some problems.
a) We have a 2000 kg piece of metal that we need to get from the ground to the top of the
castle roof. It is too heavy and tall to lift by hand. How should we get it up there?
Explain how you would solve this problem.
b) The stage is in the centre of the courtyard and the stands surround it. That means
when the performers are on stage, their backs will be facing some of the people. We
want to make the stage rotate, but we cannot figure out how to do it. Explain how you
would solve this problem.
c) Design Option: Build a model of either situation a) or b) to demonstrate how you
solved the problem.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
A MEDIEVAL RENOVATION
Lights, Camera, Action!
You have finished building the castle. Now it is time to install the lights and sound
system for the performances. Below is a front view of the stage and the supports where
the lights will be mounted.
Bar to Mount Lights
Stage
1. Below is a light sample and the angle which the light leaves the bulb. How many
lights will you need to light the entire stage? Explain how you determined your answer.
Light
Light Beam
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
2. Some of the performers have complained that the lights produce a lot of heat which
makes it uncomfortable to perform. How could you use additional lighting sources to
solve this problem?
3. Recall that this is an environmentally friendly attraction. Which light source will you
choose to light up your stage? Explain why.
4. a) You have learned about trade-offs in various tasks. By choosing a better light
source, you have made an environmentally friendly choice. What are some negative
outcomes of choosing that light source? Hint: Does it bother the people, environment,
animals, plants?
b) Fix or minimize 1 of those problems.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!
5. The sound technician is concerned that they only have 4 speakers in the entire
courtyard. The technician claims that only the people in the direct pathways of the
speakers will hear the sound. You have assured your friend that everyone will hear
regardless of where they are sitting. Use your knowledge of how sound travels to
explain why everyone will hear the performance.
speaker
Direction of sound
6. Design Option: Any good castle has to have a Draw Bridge. Build a model of a
working draw bridge using your knowledge of gears and/or pulleys.
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SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
DEAR GENERAL MANAGER…
A MEDIEVAL RENOVATION
Dear General Manager…
Congratulations! You have finished building a fantastic new attraction that is very
environmentally friendly. Write a letter to the General Manager of Canada’s Wonderland
explaining everything you did to ensure that this new castle will be the “Greenest”
attraction at the Park!
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GRADE 4 SCIENCE
ANSWER KEY
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ANSWER KEY
It’s Alive
Before the Park
1. Answers will vary but should include a variety of plant life and natural and man-made
structures.
2. a) Answers will vary.
b) Answers will vary but likely a variety of small animals such as mice, snakes,
squirrels, foxes, various birds and small shrubs and trees.
c) When new structures went in, the living things had to adapt to their new
surroundings, or they were likely to die. Adaptations could be finding a new habitat and
food supply in the Park or move to another area to find a different habitat.
3. Anytime a piece of a food web/chain is removed it can affect the rest of the change in
some way. Sometimes the differences are noticeable to us; sometimes they take a lot of
time to become visible. Each part depends on the others.
4. Answers will vary, however they could include controlling population size of other
animals, cleaning our air, enrich our soil etc…
At the Park
1. Answers will vary, but likely a variety of small animals such as mice, snakes,
squirrels, foxes, various birds and small shrubs and trees.
2. Canada’s Wonderland has a variety of natural habitats that surround most of its
attractions, including trees, rocks and small bodies of water.
3. These habitats provide a welcoming atmosphere and sense of a real community (i.e.
see fish swimming and birds flying). In addition, these habitats provide shade and rest
areas for us.
4. It is possible because these animals live in very busy human environments. As long as
the humans respect these habitats by not being overly intrusive, all living things can coexist.
5. Answers will vary, however they could include animals having to deal with excessive
noise and becoming comfortable with the presence of humans. Animals may adapt to
view humans as a potential source of food (i.e. feeding seagulls)
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ANSWER KEY
Rocks & Roll
Before the Park
1. Strip mining removes all of the soil and rocks that lie on top. It is above ground and
uses large machinery to remove the immense quantities of materials. Shaft mining also
removes rocks and minerals but it does so below ground. Using a series of pathways and
large winches, it allows machines and people to go below the surface.
2. Answers will vary, but could include dumping them somewhere else or reusing them
for other materials and structures such as concrete, aluminium, salt…
3. The large machines could cause a lot of pollution and there is an obvious destruction
of the habitat. There is also a significant human risk including mine collapses and
various respiratory problems.
4. Answers will vary, but could include colour, lustre, hardness, texture, mass, size.
5. Igneous rocks form when hot, liquid rock from deep below the earth’s surface rises
towards the surface, cools, and solidifies; sedimentary rocks form when small pieces of
the earth that have been worn away by wind and water accumulate at the bottom of
rivers, lakes, and oceans and are eventually compressed into rock; metamorphic rocks
form when igneous or sedimentary rocks are changed by heat and pressure.
At the Park
1. Some rocks are used for habitats, sitting areas, decoration…
2. Rocks and minerals can be used for concrete, paving stones etc…
3. Rocks provide protection and shelter for animals from their prey. They can also serve
as a barrier to humans to prevent them from stepping on plants.
4. Answers will vary, but students should use their colour, texture/hardness, lustre test.
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ANSWER KEY
Up & Down & Around We Go
Before the Park
1. c) Single pulleys require more force to lift an object, but we don’t have to pull it as
far. Double to double pulleys require less force, but we have to pull the string very far (4
times longer). Single to single pulleys are in between these 2 extremes.
2. We see them on clotheslines, flagpoles, cranes, elevators.
3. b) A medium gear turning a small gear makes the small gear turn fast, but it is harder
to turn when a mass is applied to it. A medium gear turning a large gear makes the large
gear turn very slow, but it is easy to turn. A medium gear turning a medium gear is in
between these 2 extremes.
4. We can find gears in bicycles, cars, can openers, clocks…
5. Answers will vary, however gears reduce the effort needed to pedal a bicycle, but
riding a bicycle still requires more effort and takes longer than driving a car to the same
destination. However, the bicycle is more environmentally friendly because it does not
use fossil fuel.
At the Park
1. Some of the roller coasters could use gears. Drop Tower could operate using pulleys.
2. Trade-off for gears is that they allow for faster movement, but require a lot of force.
The trade-off for pulleys is that they make it easier to lift, but need the force to be applied
for a long distance.
3. If the gears were installed backwards, the trade-off would reverse. It would move
slowly, but require very little force.
4. Some of the water rides use the motion of the water and most rides use momentum
after going up the first big hill.
5. As with most electrical devices, only running them when necessary will help reduce
their environmental impact. Using natural light instead of electrical lights will cut down
the impact as well.
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ANSWER KEY
Can You Feel the Energy?
Before the Park
1. Light bulbs (various types), sun, computer screens, electrical devices etc...
2. Answers will vary but could include ray boxes, mirrors and different mediums
(transparent, translucent, opaque)
3. Light often gives a sense of security and decoration (street lights) but use a
tremendous amount of electricity. Sun light gives energy to our earth and starts the
energy flow, but over-exposure can cause eye and skin damage.
4. Light travels in a straight path, that light reflects off of shiny surfaces, that light
refracts [bends] when passing from one medium to another, that white light is made up of
many colours, light diffracts [bends and spreads out] when passing through an opening.
Sound travels in many directions, that sound can be absorbed or reflected, that sound can
be modified [pitch, volume], and there is a relationship between vibrations and sound.
5. Technology has helped by allowing people who have difficulty hearing to use small
amplifiers to increase sound and hear it at a comfortable level. That same technology has
allowed tiny earphones to produce very large volumes in MP3 players which could
ultimately damage our hearing.
At the Park
1. Sun, light bulbs on rides, games, arcade screens, etc…
2. Sunlight is the primary source so it does not drain our resources as it is a natural
source of light.
3. We need to use sun block and sunglasses to protect our skin and eyes.
4. The sound of the roller coaster and environment (i.e. people screaming beside you)
cause your friends voice to be masked by the other sound waves.
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ANSWER KEY
Summative Answers
Keep on Digging!
1. Shale rock is a type of sedimentary rock formed from clay that is compacted together
by pressure. They are used to make bricks and other material that is fired in a kiln.
2. Shale is usually black or grey, with a smooth texture and a hardness rating of around
3.
3. They could use some of the rocks to build the walls of the castle, stones to walk on,
decoration or habitats etc…
4. Answers will vary.
5. Machines run on fossil fuels which can lead to global warming and pollution. They
also destroy natural habitats.
6. Ensure that we restore the habitats that we destroy and only do what is necessary.
Shutting the machines off, instead of idling will reduce the amount of pollution.
If You Build It, They Will Come!
1. a) Answers will vary, but should include some restoration of the original environment.
2. Answers will vary, but could include staying within the designated areas, using
garbage cans for trash etc…
3. Answers will vary however it should include the use of gears and pulleys. Encourage
different approaches to solve the problems.
Lights, Camera, Action!
1. Based on the principle that light travels in a straight line, it should take around 5 lights
for the entire stage.
2. As an alternative, we could use natural sunlight or fluorescent/LED lights that do not
produce heat like traditional light bulbs.
3. Natural light would be the best option in terms of protecting the environment.
4. a) Using natural sunlight, we have to ensure to protect ourselves (sunglasses, sun
screen), it is unpredictable (e.g. rain, clouds), it could be very hot etc…
4. b) You could create a canopy for the audience to give them some shade, or have a set
of low energy LED lights as a back-up.
5. Sound waves move by particles colliding with one another. One hits another, and that
one hits another and so forth. Sound waves consist of molecules moving back and forth
together. These collisions cause the wave to travel in different directions after it collides
with materials, other particles etc… Therefore the sound from the speakers will send
waves over the entire area.
6. Answers will vary
Dear General Manager…
Answers will vary depending on their personal decisions, opinions, etc...
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