Nova Scotia · Grade 4
Core French, Grade 4
Nova Scotia’s Grade 4 French course, from Oral Communication to Writing.
- Units
- 3
- Lessons
- 5
- Skills
- 13
- Provincial exam
- None
- Official curriculum
- Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
Unit by unit
Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.
Unit 1 · 6 skills
Oral Communication
Speaking and Listening in French
Speaking in complete simple sentences
I can say a complete simple sentence in French about myself, like 'Je m'appelle...' (My name is...), copying a pattern my teacher showed me.
Skill 1.1
Listening actively to French
I can listen to a short French message my teacher says slowly and clearly, and show I understood it by pointing, doing an action, or answering 'oui/non' (yes/no).
Skill 1.2
Getting Smoother and Describing My World
Building oral fluency (aisance)
I can say a familiar French phrase smoothly, without long pauses, because I have practised it out loud several times.
Skill 1.3
Speaking accurately (precision)
I can say a familiar French phrase correctly, and when my teacher points out a small mistake I can fix it.
Skill 1.4
Picking out useful information
I can listen during a short French exchange and pick out one useful piece of information, such as someone's name, age, or favourite thing.
Skill 1.5
Describing something from my own life
I can describe something from my own life in French - like my pet or my favourite colour - using two or three simple modeled sentences.
Skill 1.6
The official wording · 6 outcomes
- 1.1
- communicate orally in French
- 1.2
- communicate orally in French in a variety of authentic situations
- 1.3
- communicate orally in French
- 1.4
- communicate orally in French in a variety of authentic situations
- 1.5
- communicate orally in French in a variety of authentic situations
- 1.6
- communicate orally in French in a variety of authentic situations
Key ideas
A complete sentence has who + doing/being word, e.g. 'Je suis...' (I am...) not just 'content' (happy).
Fluency (aisance) = saying it smoothly, not perfectly - practice makes it automatic.
'Je m'appelle Sophie' = My name is Sophie; 'J'ai neuf ans' = I am nine years old (French says 'I have nine years').
French rhythm is even; the voice rises at the end of a question: 'Ca va?' (going up).
The subject 'je' = I is the start of most sentences you say about yourself.
Watch out for
- Answering 'Marc' alone instead of the full 'Je m'appelle Marc.' - at this stage we practise the whole sentence.
- Believing you must be perfect before speaking - fluency comes from repeating imperfect tries.
- Saying 'Je suis neuf ans' (I am nine years) - French uses 'J'ai neuf ans' (I HAVE nine years) for age.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 2 · 4 skills
Reading, Listening & Viewing
Understanding French Texts
Making meaning from a French text
I can understand the main idea of a short French text with pictures, and answer a simple question like 'Who is in the story?'.
Skill 2.1
Using reading strategies
I can use reading strategies - spotting word-friends (cognates), using pictures, and my own knowledge - to understand a new French word.
Skill 2.2
Reading Aloud and Meeting Acadian Nova Scotia
Reading familiar text aloud
I can read a short, familiar French text aloud, matching letters to their French sounds and reading smoothly with a little expression.
Skill 2.3
Meeting Acadian Nova Scotia
I can name that Nova Scotia has French-speaking people called Acadians, and recognize their flag and a French place-name near me.
Skill 2.4
The official wording · 4 outcomes
- 2.1
- read, listen to and view a range of French texts
- 2.2
- read, listen to and view a range of French texts in a variety of authentic situations
- 2.3
- read, listen to and view a range of French texts
- 2.4
- view a range of French texts in a variety of authentic situations
Key ideas
Degager le sens = pulling out the meaning - the big idea, not every word.
Son-graphie = the link between a sound and the letter(s) that spell it.
Look at the title and pictures BEFORE reading to predict the topic.
French letters can sound different from English: 'ch' = 'sh' (chat), 'ou' = 'oo' (nous).
Answer pre-reading, during-reading and post-reading questions the teacher asks aloud.
Watch out for
- Trying to translate every single word instead of getting the gist.
- Reading French letters with English sounds (saying 'ch' in 'chat' like English 'church').
- Skipping the pictures - illustrations are a main meaning clue at this level.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Unit 3 · 3 skills
Writing
Writing My First French Texts
Writing a short personal text
I can write a short personal text in French - two or three simple sentences about myself or my life - by following a model my teacher gives me.
Skill 3.1
Writing more smoothly (aisance)
I can write familiar French sentences more smoothly by using a personal word bank and structures I already know, instead of getting stuck.
Skill 3.2
Checking my writing (precision)
I can reread my French writing and fix simple mistakes, like a missing capital, a missing period, or a familiar word spelled wrong.
Skill 3.3
The official wording · 3 outcomes
- 3.1
- write texts in French in a variety of authentic situations
- 3.2
- write texts in French
- 3.3
- write texts in French in a variety of authentic situations
Key ideas
Follow the model: change the model's words to make it about YOU.
Simple sentence pattern: subject + verb + rest, e.g. 'J'aime le soccer.' (I like soccer.)
Start with a capital letter, end with a period.
Write about familiar topics: your name, age, likes, family.
A word bank (banque de mots) is a list of words you can reuse while writing.
Watch out for
- Translating an English sentence word-for-word instead of using the French model.
- Forgetting the accent in words like 'preferee' or the apostrophe in 'j'aime'.
- Stopping to look up every word instead of using the class word bank.
Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit
Plan the term
Pick your term and the days you study. Each unit gets its share of the weeks and comes back a week later for a review. The last two weeks go over the whole course.
The official curriculum
This page follows Nova Scotia’s own curriculum for Core French, Grade 4.
Study it in MapleMind
MapleMind teaches Core French, Grade 4 one skill at a time. Each skill gets a short lesson, practice as you go and a check worth up to three stars. It remembers where you stopped.
Course Companion
Your year in one workbook
A fun way to keep Core French, Grade 4 organized, get to know your child better and see early when they need a hand. Fill it in on a screen, or print it.
- Pages
- 23
- Fillable fields
- 1,101
- Price
- $4.99
Questions about Core French, Grade 4
What is Core French, Grade 4?
Nova Scotia’s Grade 4 French course: 3 units and 13 skills, from Oral Communication to Writing.
What units are in Core French, Grade 4?
1. Oral Communication, 2. Reading, Listening & Viewing and 3. Writing.
Is there a provincial exam for Core French, Grade 4?
No. Nova Scotia gives no provincial exam for Core French, Grade 4.
What comes after Core French, Grade 4?
Core French, Grade 5.
Can MapleMind help with Core French, Grade 4?
Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Core French, Grade 4, step by step, with practice and checks, and its tutor answers questions about any of them. It’s free with daily limits, on iPhone, Android and the web.
Get ready for Core French, Grade 4
Practise every skill of Core French, Grade 4 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.
