Courses

Ontario · Grade 4

Social Studies, Grade 4

Ontario’s Grade 4 social studies course, from Heritage and Identity: Early Societies to 1500 CE to People and Environment: Political and Physical Regions of Canada.

Learn thisPractice test
Units
2
Lessons
4
Skills
24
Provincial exam
None
Official curriculum
Ontario Ministry of Education

Unit by unit

Every skill in the course, numbered by unit.

Unit 1 · 14 skills

Heritage and Identity: Early Societies to 1500 CE

Comparing Early Societies

Daily Life, Environment, and Governance

The official wording · 14 outcomes
1.1
compare social organization in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society
1.2
compare aspects of the daily lives of different groups within a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society and explain how differences were related to the social organization of that society
1.3
describe some of the ways in which their daily life differs from the lives of young people from different backgrounds in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society
1.4
compare a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, in terms of their relationship with the environment and describe some key similarities and differences in environmental practices between these societies and present-day Canada
1.5
identify the location of some early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, on a globe or on print, digital, and/or interactive maps, and demonstrate the ability to extract information on early societies’ relationship with the environment from thematic maps
1.6
demonstrate the ability to extract information on daily life in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, from visual evidence
1.7
describe significant aspects of daily life in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society
1.8
describe significant physical features and natural processes and events in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society and how they affected these societies, with a focus on the societies’ sustainability and food production
1.9
describe the importance of the environment for a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, with a particular focus on how the local environment affected the ways in which people met their physical needs
1.10
identify and describe some of the major scientific and technological developments in the ancient and medieval world, including some from at least one First Nation and one Inuit society
1.11
describe how a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, were governed
1.12
describe the social organization of a few different types of early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society and the role and status of some significant social and work-related groups in these societies
1.13
describe some key reasons why different groups in a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, cooperated or came into conflict at different times
1.14
describe some attempts within a few early societies, including at least one First Nation and one Inuit society, to deal with conflict and to establish greater cooperation

Key ideas

  1. Social organization is how a society is structured — its classes, political structure, and roles.

  2. Early societies can be located on globes and maps.

  3. Early societies, including First Nations and Inuit societies, were organized in different ways.

  4. Thematic maps (climate, physical, vegetation) show a society's relationship with the environment.

  5. Different groups within a society lived differently — their work, family life, food, and housing.

Watch out for

  • Thinking all early societies were organized the same way.
  • Thinking you can't locate early societies on a map.
  • Only comparing one society.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

Unit 2 · 10 skills

People and Environment: Political and Physical Regions of Canada

Environment, Industry, and Sustainability

Canada's Physical and Political Regions

The official wording · 10 outcomes
2.1
analyse some of the general ways in which the natural environment of regions in Canada has affected the development of industry
2.2
assess aspects of the environmental impact of different industries in two or more physical and/or political regions of Canada
2.3
describe some key actions taken by both industries and citizens to address the need for more sustainable use of land and resources and assess their effectiveness
2.4
identify various physical regions in Canada and describe their location and some of the major ways in which they are distinct from and similar to each other
2.5
identify some of the main human activities, including industrial development and recreational activities, in various physical regions of Canada
2.6
describe the four main economic sectors and identify some industries that are commonly associated with each sector
2.7
identify various types of political regions in Canada and describe some of their basic similarities and differences
2.8
identify Canada’s provinces and territories and their capital cities, and describe them with reference to their location and some of the peoples who live in them
2.9
describe significant opportunities and challenges related to quality of life in some of Canada’s political regions
2.10
demonstrate an understanding of cardinal and intermediate directions and use these directions as well as number and letter grids to locate selected political and physical regions of Canada on a variety of print and digital/interactive maps

Key ideas

  1. The natural environment of a region shapes what industries develop there.

  2. Canada has physical regions defined by landform, vegetation, and climate.

  3. For example, the Canadian Shield's resources made mining and forestry possible; the Prairies suit farming.

  4. Each has a location and characteristics that make it distinct from and similar to others.

  5. Industries have environmental impacts.

Watch out for

  • Thinking industry develops without regard to the environment.
  • Thinking Canada's land is all the same.
  • Not connecting a region's features to its industries.

Every skill’s key ideas, worked examples and checks are in MapleMind.Practise this unit

The official curriculum

This page follows Ontario’s own curriculum for Social Studies, Grade 4.

The Ontario Curriculum, Social Studies Grades 1-6; History and Geography Grades 7-8Ontario Ministry of Education · dcp.edu.gov.on.ca · Read July 31, 2026

Textbooks

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Social Studies, Grade 4:

  • D2L Ontario Social Studies 4D2L Corporation · 2021

From the Trillium List, read October 27, 2026. ontario.ca

Study it in MapleMind

MapleMind teaches Social Studies, 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.

Geography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a tablet: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their starsGeography of Canada, Grade 9 in the MapleMind app on a phone: its units, Unit 2 open, and the skills done so far with their stars
Pictured: Geography of Canada, Grade 9, another Ontario course, partway through Unit 2.

Practise it

Course Companion

Your year in one workbook

A fun way to keep Social Studies, 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
22
Fillable fields
1,217
Price
$4.99
See the Course Companion

Questions about Social Studies, Grade 4

What is Social Studies, Grade 4?

Ontario’s Grade 4 social studies course: 2 units and 24 skills, from Heritage and Identity: Early Societies to 1500 CE to People and Environment: Political and Physical Regions of Canada.

What units are in Social Studies, Grade 4?

1. Heritage and Identity: Early Societies to 1500 CE and 2. People and Environment: Political and Physical Regions of Canada.

Is there a provincial exam for Social Studies, Grade 4?

No. Ontario gives no provincial exam for Social Studies, Grade 4.

What textbook does Social Studies, Grade 4 use?

The textbooks Ontario Ministry of Education lists for Social Studies, Grade 4: D2L Ontario Social Studies 4, D2L Corporation.

What comes after Social Studies, Grade 4?

Social Studies, Grade 5.

Can MapleMind help with Social Studies, Grade 4?

Yes. MapleMind teaches every skill of Social Studies, 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.

Before this course

After this course

Get ready for Social Studies, Grade 4

Practise every skill of Social Studies, Grade 4 in MapleMind, free with daily limits.