ICONIC GAMESYEAR 4
TERM 1 · WEEK 2Native Garden

TERM 1 · WEEK 2

Native Garden

Build Strong Systems

0 / 7 missions complete
Illustrated Year 4 Word Workshop for exploring words and language.

ENGLISH

Suffix Switch

01 · Workshop

Let’s investigate the words for Native Garden. Look for what changes, then explain what you notice.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Recognise common suffixes and explain how they change meaning.

YOUR MISSION

Sort and build: careful, useful, fearless, hopeful, brightest, tallest.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

A suffix is an ending added to a word. -ful can mean “full of” or “having”, -less can mean “without”, and -est can show the most.

  1. STEP 1Read or tap each word.
  2. STEP 2Look closely at the word part the mission is teaching.
  3. STEP 3Sort, build or compare the words.
  4. STEP 4Explain the pattern in your own words.

PRACTISE · Try the words

Tap words to collect and compare them.
Illustrated Year 4 Library for reading and investigating sources.

ENGLISH

Finding Main Ideas & Cause and Effect

02 · Library

Read the Native Garden information first. Talk the idea through, then answer one small question at a time.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Identify a main idea, supporting details and cause/effect in an information text.

YOUR MISSION

What is the main idea? Name two plants. Why did the team add mulch?

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

The main idea is the most important thing the writer wants you to understand. A cause is why something happens. An effect is what happens because of it.

  1. STEP 1Read once to understand what it is mostly about.
  2. STEP 2Read the question again and find the part that helps.
  3. STEP 3Say your answer aloud using because, then check it against the text.
  4. STEP 4Record a useful clue from the source.
  5. STEP 5Explain what that clue tells you.

TEACH · Read this first

A Garden for Native Wildlife — The garden team chose kōwhai, harakeke and mānuka because these native plants can provide food and shelter for insects and birds. They grouped plants with similar needs and left open spaces for safe access. A layer of mulch was spread around the plants. Mulch helps the soil hold moisture and can slow the growth of weeds. The team will check the garden each week, water young plants when needed and record which pollinators visit.

CHECK THE TEXT · Find a clue

A clue from the text is called evidence.

Illustrated Year 4 Creative Studio for planning and creating work.

ENGLISH

Explaining Garden Care

03 · Creative Studio

YOUR WRITING JOB: Write two short paragraphs explaining how to care for a native garden. Use because, so, or this means that at least twice.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Write an explanation using a clear topic sentence and connected supporting details.

YOUR MISSION

Write two short paragraphs explaining how to care for a native garden. Use because, so, or this means that at least twice.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

An explanation tells what to do and why it helps. Use ideas from the Native Garden reading, then connect each care action to its effect.

  1. STEP 1Choose at least three useful care details from the reading.
  2. STEP 2PARAGRAPH 1 — Introduce caring for the native garden and explain your first care ideas.
  3. STEP 3PARAGRAPH 2 — Add another care idea and explain why it helps.
  4. STEP 4Use because, so, or this means that at least twice, then finish clearly.

NEED TO GET YOUR IDEAS READY?

Choose any way that helps. These are optional — you can always do the whole mission on screen.

ON SCREEN — use the planning boxes below.PEN & PAPER — if you want to, draw or jot your ideas first.SAY IT OUT LOUD — explain your idea to yourself before writing.TALK IT THROUGH — if someone is available, you can talk with a friend, sibling, whānau member or adult.

PRACTISE · Plan it one step at a time

SELF-CHECK · Check your work

This checklist helps you check your work. You do not have to tick every box to submit — the mission check looks at the work you created.

Illustrated Year 4 Maths Lab for exploring numbers, shapes and data.

MATHS

Adding & Subtracting Four-Digit Numbers

04 · Maths Lab

Work through one maths question at a time. Your answers will be checked before the next mission unlocks.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Add and subtract up to four-digit numbers using place value and regrouping in a native-garden context.

YOUR MISSION

1) The native-plant nursery has 2,748 seedlings. Another 1,395 seedlings arrive. How many seedlings are there altogether? 2) The class has 6,000 mānuka seeds. They sow 2,867 of them. How many seeds are still waiting to be sown? 3) A pollinator survey records 3,425 insect visits in the morning and 2,506 in the afternoon. How many insect visits were recorded altogether? 4) The nursery has 8,104 native seeds. So far, 3,779 have germinated. How many have not germinated yet?

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Regrouping means trading 10 ones for 1 ten, 10 tens for 1 hundred, or 10 hundreds for 1 thousand.

  1. STEP 1Read the question and decide what you need to find.
  2. STEP 2Notice the important numbers and units.
  3. STEP 3Choose a strategy and work it out.
  4. STEP 4Type the answer, then check that it makes sense.

PRACTISE & SOLVE · One question at a time

Read → choose a strategy → work it out → check your answer. Correct answers stay correct if another question needs another go.

Illustrated Year 4 Maths Lab for exploring numbers, shapes and data.

MATHS

Planning with Seedling Totals

05 · Mission Deck

This is your real-world Native Garden challenge. Work out what the problem asks you to find or make.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Use addition/subtraction to make a planting plan.

YOUR MISSION

A garden has 1,275 seedlings. 468 are planted on Monday and 397 on Tuesday. How many remain?

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Start with the steps below. They show you what to look for and what to do.

  1. STEP 1Read the whole challenge once.
  2. STEP 2Find the numbers, facts or rules you need.
  3. STEP 3Choose a useful strategy.
  4. STEP 4Show your solution clearly enough that someone else could follow it.

CREATE · What do I need to solve?

A garden has 1,275 seedlings. 468 are planted on Monday and 397 on Tuesday. How many remain?

Choose a way to show your thinking. There can be more than one good strategy.

Ways to think away from the screen

PEN & PAPER — show your working there if it helps.

SAY IT OUT LOUD — explain what you need to find.

TALK IT THROUGH — if someone is available, you can discuss your strategy.

Illustrated Year 4 Arcade for playing learning challenges.

ENGLISH

Word Builder

06 · Arcade
GAME BREAK

Play the challenge and follow the instructions inside the game. Complete at least one challenge successfully to finish this Game Break.

ICONIC ARCADE · TERM 1 · WEEK 2

Word Builder

Single-player · touch friendly · progress saves on this device

Build all three mission words from scrambled letter tiles.

Choose a challenge to begin.

How did Week 2 feel?

07 · Clubhouse

This part is about your own learning. There are no right or wrong feelings.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Reflect on independence, challenge level and the next useful practice step.

YOUR MISSION

Choose an honest self-assessment.

Need help? See the steps
TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Choose what feels true for you, then write one thing you understand better now.

  1. STEP 1Choose how the week felt.
  2. STEP 2Write one thing you understand better now.

How did this week feel?

There are no right or wrong answers. Choose what feels true for you.

ICONIC ARCADE · NATIVE GARDEN

Grow the Garden

Guess the word · grow the kōwhai · keep the weeds away
ROUND 1 OF 3 WEEDS 0 / 5
Kōwhai seed resting in prepared soil
EASY CLUE

Plants need this when the soil is dry.

Round 1: use the clue and choose letters to uncover the word.

YEAR 4 HOMEWORK CLUB

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Recommended next: Term 1, Week 1 →