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Grade 4  
Unit 4: Just Curious
On the Bus with Joanna Cole
by Joanna Cole

Internet Connection Activity
Snakes    Cross Curricular
Why and How Does a Snake Shed its Skin?
Connect to this link:
http://www.kdu.com/snakeskin.html


  1. Read the page and try the knee sock experiment.

  2. Then click Find out about the Corn Snake!

Poster Snakes
Connect to this link:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/snakes/printouts.shtml


  1. Scroll down to read information on snakes. Choose a snake at the bottom of the page. Click on the link to open.

  2. Read information about the snake you have chosen. Answer the following questions on a piece of paper:

    • How big does the snake get?
    • What does the snake eat?
    • Where does the snake live?
    • Does the snake give live birth to its young, or do its babies hatch from eggs?
    • Is the snake poisonous?

  3. Make a poster. On a piece of poster board, draw a picture of your snake, label three parts of the snake, and color it. Add three facts about your snake to your poster board.

  4. Tell a friend about your snake using your poster.


Internet Connection Activity
Careers in Science    Find Out More
Extreme Scientists
Connect to this link:
http://www.extremescience.com/GalleryofScientists.htm


  1. Read about the college degrees scientists have.

  2. In the left frame, click Dr. Brett Ratcliffe. Why is he holding that huge bug?

  3. Click the Back arrow and then Carol Reiss. What does she study underwater?

  4. Go back and click Chris Malzone. Learn about his special training for diving in the coldest regions.

Jobs for kids who like Science
Connect to this link:
http://stats.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_sci.htm


  1. Click the name of a job. Read all about it.

  2. Click the Back arrow and explore another job.

  3. What other science jobs can you think of?


Internet Connection Activity
Making Books    Leveled Books
Book Making
Connect to this link:
http://www.makingbooks.com/kids/


  1. Click on the Books from Around the World link. Explore this link, reading the information, going through all pages.

  2. There are five types of books mentioned in this section. On a piece of paper, list each of the five types, and one country that uses each book.

  3. At the bottom of the page, click on the Bookmaking Projects link. Explore the different types of books available. Click on Hot Dog Book

  4. Make the book by following the steps provided. Inside the book you made, write the steps for how to make a hot dog book. This can be used as a reference when you want to make another hot dog book.

Making of a Keats Picture Book
Connect to this link:
http://www.lib.usm.edu/~degrum/keats/howto.html


  1. Read how Ezra Jack Keats creates a book and has it published.

  2. Click Biography to learn about the life of this prize-winning author.