The Radio-Canada science program Découverte produced a documentary explaining the causes of the accident at Lac Mégantic, Que.  It is a tragedy that killed many people, destroyed the economy of the region and polluted the environment of the region.  The accident reminded us of the importance of having scientific literacy in order to understand the science behind decision making.

http://ici.radio-canada.ca/tele/decouverte/2014-2015/

Here’s an excellent example of differentiated instruction.  In social studies, students have been placed in groups, studying different regions and aspects of a region, presenting their information in a format that suits their needs, strengths and interests.   One student who was following my Youtube channel decided by herself to code the tragedy at Lac Megantic.  She showed it to me and we discussed further what happened there.  We had seen part of the video among others about the tragedy in class, on a snow day.  I am glad she chose to write the Hopscotch code as well.  This part of the research can be included in the video this group had decided to make about their region.

Hopscotch code:
https://c.gethopscotch.com/p/cydm-rr

Video explaining how to code the program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXhJJBpj5Qs

Grade 4 Ontario curriculum Expectations:

Math

• develop, select, and apply problem-solving strategies as they pose and solve problems and
conduct investigations, to help deepen their mathematical understanding;
• develop and apply reasoning skills (e.g., classification, recognition of relationships, use
of counter-examples) to make and investigate conjectures and construct and defend
arguments;
• demonstrate that they are reflecting on and monitoring their thinking to help clarify their
understanding as they complete an investigation or solve a problem (e.g., by comparing
and adjusting strategies used, by explaining why they think their results are reasonable, by
recording their thinking in a math journal);
• select and use a variety of concrete, visual, and electronic learning tools and appropriate
computational strategies to investigate mathematical ideas and to solve problems;
• make connections among mathematical concepts and procedures, and relate mathematical
ideas to situations or phenomena drawn from other contexts (e.g., other curriculum areas,
daily life, sports);
• create a variety of representations of mathematical ideas (e.g., by using physical models,
pictures, numbers, variables, diagrams, graphs, onscreen dynamic representations), make
connections among them, and apply them to solve problems;
• communicate mathematical thinking orally, visually, and in writing, using everyday language,
a basic mathematical vocabulary, and a variety of representations, and observing
basic mathematical conventions.

• read, represent, compare, and order whole numbers to 10 000, decimal numbers to tenths,
and simple fractions, and represent money amounts to $100;
• demonstrate an understanding of magnitude by counting forward and backwards by 0.1 and
by fractional amounts;
• solve problems involving the addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of single- and
multi-digit whole numbers, and involving the addition and subtraction of decimal numbers
to tenths and money amounts, using a variety of strategies;
• demonstrate an understanding of proportional reasoning by investigating whole-number
unit rates

Science

analyse the effects of human activities on habitats and communities;

Social Studies

Application: assess some key ways in which industrial development and the natural environment
affect each other in two or more political and/or physical regions of Canada (FOCUS ON: Cause and
Consequence; Interrelationships)
B2. Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate some issues and challenges associated
with balancing human needs/wants and activities with environmental stewardship in one or more
of the political and/or physical regions of Canada (FOCUS ON: Perspective)
B3. Understanding Context: identify Canada’s political and physical regions, and describe their main
characteristics and some significant activities that take place in them (FOCUS ON: Significance;
Patterns and Trends)

French

determine meaning in a variety of oral French texts, using a range of
listening strategies;
A2. Listening to Interact: interpret messages accurately while interacting in French for a variety of
purposes and with diverse audiences;
A3. Intercultural Understanding: demonstrate an understanding of information in oral French texts
about aspects of culture in diverse French-speaking communities and other communities around the
world, and of French sociolinguistic conventions used in a variety of situations and communities.

communicate information and ideas orally in French, using a variety
of speaking strategies and age- and grade-appropriate language suited to the purpose and audience;
B2. Speaking to Interact: participate in spoken interactions in French for a variety of purposes and with
diverse audiences;
B3. Intercultural Understanding: in their spoken communications, demonstrate an awareness of
aspects of culture in diverse French-speaking communities and other communities around the
world, and of the appropriate use of French sociolinguistic conventions in a variety of situations.

determine meaning in a variety of French texts, using a range of reading
comprehension strategies;
C2. Purpose, Form, and Style: identify the purpose(s) and characteristics of a variety of adapted and
authentic text forms, including fictional, informational, graphic, and media forms;
C3. Intercultural Understanding: demonstrate an understanding of information in French texts about
aspects of culture in diverse French-speaking communities and other communities around the
world, and of French sociolinguistic conventions used in a variety of situations and communities.

write French texts for different purposes and audiences, using
a variety of forms;
D2. The Writing Process: use the stages of the writing process – including pre-writing, producing
drafts, revising, editing, and publishing – to develop and organize content, clarify ideas and
expression, correct errors, and present their written work effectively;
D3. Intercultural Understanding: in their written work, demonstrate an awareness of aspects of
culture in diverse French-speaking communities and other communities around the world,
and of the appropriate use of French sociolinguistic conventions in a variety of situations