Scope and sequence · Practical
Grade 4 Gardening & Animals
A year of real gardening, animal care and nature study for nine- and ten-year-olds: frost dates and food webs, soil tests and seed drills, pets, pigs, honeybees and plant doctoring, learned by watching closely and working faithfully.
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What to cover
32 of 32 lessons are MUST COVER. They are tested on the unit tests and exams, or are skills the SAT/ACT relies on. OPTIONAL lessons are enrichment. Do them if time allows. The course is complete when the MUST COVER lessons are done.
Unit 1: Harvest and the Seasons
- MUST COVER 1.1 Growing Zones and Frost Dates · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.2 The Fall Garden and Cover Crops · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.3 Root Cellars and Storing the Harvest · unit test
- MUST COVER 1.4 From Wheat to Flour · unit test
Unit 2: Wildlife in the Backyard Food Web
- MUST COVER 2.1 The Backyard Food Web · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.2 Predators: Coyotes, Foxes, Hawks and Owls · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.3 Night Visitors and Rabies Safety · unit test
- MUST COVER 2.4 Keeping Deer, Rabbits and Squirrels Out of the Garden · unit test
Unit 3: Soil: Layers, pH and Living Things
- MUST COVER 3.1 Soil Horizons: Reading the Layers · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.2 pH and a Home Soil Test · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.3 Bacteria and Fungi in Living Soil · unit test
- MUST COVER 3.4 Earthworms: Engineers of the Soil · unit test
Unit 4: Pets: Choosing Well and Caring Faithfully
- MUST COVER 4.1 Choosing and Budgeting for a Pet · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.2 Small Mammals Compared · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.3 Reptiles and Amphibians · unit test
- MUST COVER 4.4 Visiting the Vet and Keeping a Pet Healthy · unit test
Unit 5: Plant Science
- MUST COVER 5.1 Plant Cells and Photosynthesis · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.2 Flowers and Pollination · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.3 How Seeds Travel · unit test
- MUST COVER 5.4 How Plants Respond to Light and Gravity · unit test
Unit 6: Farm Animals and Bees
- MUST COVER 6.1 Cattle and the Four-Part Stomach · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.2 Pigs on the Farm · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.3 Ducks, Turkeys and Showing Small Animals · unit test
- MUST COVER 6.4 The Honeybee Colony Through the Year · unit test
Unit 7: Planting: From Seed Tray to Field
- MUST COVER 7.1 A Seed-Starting Setup: Light, Warmth and Air · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.2 Hardening Off and Transplanting · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.3 A Patio Container Garden and a Fair Exhibit · unit test
- MUST COVER 7.4 Planting a Field: Rows, Tillage and Seed Drills · unit test
Unit 8: Plant Health: Bacteria, Fungi, Pests and Problems
- MUST COVER 8.1 Bacteria: Garden Helpers and Plant Diseases · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.2 Fungi: Rust, Mildew and Damping Off · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.3 Pest Life Cycles: Squash Bugs and Japanese Beetles · unit test
- MUST COVER 8.4 Plant Doctor: Nutrient, Pest or Disease? · unit test
36-week pacing calendar
From the course’s own 32-week pacing guide, with catch-up and review weeks added to fill a 36-week (180-day) year.
| Week | Plan | Done | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | Session 1: Lesson 1.1 Growing Zones and Frost Dates: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 2 | Session 1: Lesson 1.2 The Fall Garden and Cover Crops: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 3 | Session 1: Lesson 1.3 Root Cellars and Storing the Harvest: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 4 | Session 1: Lesson 1.4 From Wheat to Flour: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 1.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 1 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 5 | Session 1: Lesson 2.1 The Backyard Food Web: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 6 | Session 1: Lesson 2.2 Predators: Coyotes, Foxes, Hawks and Owls: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 7 | Session 1: Lesson 2.3 Night Visitors and Rabies Safety: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 8 | Session 1: Lesson 2.4 Keeping Deer, Rabbits and Squirrels Out of the Garden: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 2.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 2 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 9 | Session 1: Lesson 3.1 Soil Horizons: Reading the Layers: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 10 | Session 1: Lesson 3.2 pH and a Home Soil Test: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 11 | Session 1: Lesson 3.3 Bacteria and Fungi in Living Soil: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 12 | Session 1: Lesson 3.4 Earthworms: Engineers of the Soil: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 3.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 3 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 13 | Session 1: Lesson 4.1 Choosing and Budgeting for a Pet: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 14 | Session 1: Lesson 4.2 Small Mammals Compared: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 15 | Session 1: Lesson 4.3 Reptiles and Amphibians: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 16 | Session 1: Lesson 4.4 Visiting the Vet and Keeping a Pet Healthy: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 4.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 4 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 17 | Catch-up and review week (no new lessons) | ||
| Wk 18 | Session 1: Lesson 5.1 Plant Cells and Photosynthesis: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 19 | Session 1: Lesson 5.2 Flowers and Pollination: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 20 | Session 1: Lesson 5.3 How Seeds Travel: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 21 | Session 1: Lesson 5.4 How Plants Respond to Light and Gravity: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 5.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 5 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 22 | Session 1: Lesson 6.1 Cattle and the Four-Part Stomach: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 23 | Session 1: Lesson 6.2 Pigs on the Farm: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 24 | Session 1: Lesson 6.3 Ducks, Turkeys and Showing Small Animals: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 25 | Session 1: Lesson 6.4 The Honeybee Colony Through the Year: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 6.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 6 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 26 | Session 1: Lesson 7.1 A Seed-Starting Setup: Light, Warmth and Air: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 27 | Session 1: Lesson 7.2 Hardening Off and Transplanting: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 28 | Session 1: Lesson 7.3 A Patio Container Garden and a Fair Exhibit: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 29 | Session 1: Lesson 7.4 Planting a Field: Rows, Tillage and Seed Drills: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 7.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 7 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 30 | Session 1: Lesson 8.1 Bacteria: Garden Helpers and Plant Diseases: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.1 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 31 | Session 1: Lesson 8.2 Fungi: Rust, Mildew and Damping Off: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.2 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 32 | Session 1: Lesson 8.3 Pest Life Cycles: Squash Bugs and Japanese Beetles: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.3 hands-on project and nature journal | ||
| Wk 33 | Session 1: Lesson 8.4 Plant Doctor: Nutrient, Pest or Disease?: warm-up, video, teaching and picture study Session 2: Lesson 8.4 hands-on project and nature journal Session 3: Unit 8 review and portfolio project | ||
| Wk 34 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 35 | Catch-up week: finish any MUST COVER lesson not yet done | ||
| Wk 36 | Year-end review, portfolio and records |
Grading: Hands-on projects 40%, Nature journal 20%, Unit reviews 15%, Portfolio projects 25%. Scale: A 90–100, B 80–89, C 70–79, D 60–69, below 60 needs review and another try.