What do the Grade 4 Environmental Science cards cover?

12 cards across 5 chapters of the national textbook: የከተማችን መገኛ, ሳይንስን መገንዘብ, ተፈጥሮአዊ አካባቢ, ማህበራዊ አካባቢ and ድንበር ተሻጋሪ ጉዳዮች. You can take any chapter one card at a time on the page itself.

Is there a national exam in Grade 4?

No. Ethiopia sets national exams in Grade 6, Grade 8 and Grade 12 only. These cards are for your school's own exams, and for the national exam that comes a few years later.

Where do these cards come from?

They are drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, the Ministry of Education textbook for this grade. A second pass that cannot see the chapter then re-derives every formula, constant and table row, and anything it cannot confirm is held back instead of published.

Yes. Every card here is free to read and the printable sheet is free to download. Neither needs an account.

When was this last checked?

30 August 2026. Cards arrive chapter by chapter, and the line under each one says when that card was last read through.

Ethiopian Grade 4 Environmental Science short notes

01

የከተማችን መገኛ

Addis Ababa Geographic FactsReference tableAbsolute Location · Average Elevation · Highest Elevation · +1

Geographic Fact	Measurement / Detail
Absolute Location	9° 1' 48" N, 38° 44' 24" E
Average Elevation	2400 m above sea level
Highest Elevation	Mount Entoto (> 3200 m)
Lowest Elevation	Bole International Airport area

When you use it

Use this card when answering questions about the numerical coordinates, elevation, and terrain extremes of Addis Ababa.

Watch out

Entoto is the highest peak in the north, whereas Bole is in the low-lying southern portion of the city.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 1-36, then checked twice before it went up

Map Scale and Map North Arrow ErrorsCommon mistake

When you use it

Use this card to avoid common misconceptions regarding map scale ratios and direction indicators.

Watch out

The orientation arrow on a standard map points to the North, not the East. In a map scale such as 1 cm to 1 km, 1 cm on the paper represents 1 km on the actual ground.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 1-36, then checked twice before it went up

Relative vs Absolute LocationReference tableRelative Location · Absolute Location

Location Type	Definition	Expression Method
Relative Location	Position compared to surrounding objects	Cardinal directions and landmark boundaries
Absolute Location	Exact position on Earth	Degrees of Latitude and Longitude

When you use it

Use this table to choose whether to describe a place using landmarks or numerical coordinate lines.

Watch out

Relative location changes depending on the reference point, but absolute location is fixed by coordinates.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 1-36, then checked twice before it went up

02

ሳይንስን መገንዘብ

Density FormulaFormula

\rho = \frac{m}{V}

\rho = \frac{m}{V}

$\rho$: Density $kg\,m^{-3}$
$m$: Mass $kg$
$V$: Volume $m^3$

When you use it

Use this formula to calculate the density of a substance from its measured mass and volume.

Watch out

Do not divide volume by mass. Mass must always be in the numerator.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 37-76, then checked twice before it went up

Physical versus Chemical ChangeCommon mistake

When you use it

Use this distinction when determining whether an observed process creates a new substance or remains reversible.

Watch out

Tearing paper or melting wax is a physical change because no new substance forms. Burning paper or rusting iron is a chemical change because a new, irreversible substance is formed.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 37-76, then checked twice before it went up

03

ተፈጥሮአዊ አካባቢ

Weather vs ClimateCommon mistake

When you use it

Use when distinguishing daily atmospheric changes from long-term regional conditions.

Watch out

Do not call a single cold or rainy day the climate. Weather is the daily condition of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern recorded over many years.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 77-110, then checked twice before it went up

04

ማህበራዊ አካባቢ

Cottage and Light IndustriesReference tableCottage Industry · Light Industry

Industry Type	Tools and Method	Examples
Cottage Industry	Simple manual tools, traditional handcrafted production	Weaving, pottery, blacksmithing, woodwork, bamboo craft
Light Industry	Factory processing, produces goods for consumers or export	Leather products, paper and printing, textile, food processing

When you use it

Use this table to compare traditional cottage industries with modern light manufacturing industries.

Watch out

Handcrafts such as pottery and weaving belong to cottage industries, not light industries.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 111-154, then checked twice before it went up

Retail and Wholesale TradeRule

When you use it

Use this rule to distinguish between retail trade and wholesale trade methods.

Watch out

Retail trade delivers products directly from producers to individual consumers, whereas wholesale trade distributes goods in large quantities to merchants or retailers.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 111-154, then checked twice before it went up

Tangible and Intangible HeritageReference tableTangible Heritage · Intangible Heritage

Heritage Category	Nature	Examples
Tangible Heritage	Physical and touchable historical objects or buildings	Monuments, Emperor Menelik Palace, National Museum, Etege Taitu Hotel
Intangible Heritage	Non-physical, expressed through speech, songs, or rituals	Meskel celebration, Irreecha celebration, traditional songs, folklore

When you use it

Use this table to classify cultural and historical heritages into tangible and intangible types.

Watch out

Do not classify festivals and ceremonies as tangible heritage. Even though they use physical objects, the celebrations and traditions are intangible.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, pages 111-154, then checked twice before it went up

05

ድንበር ተሻጋሪ ጉዳዮች

Afforestation versus ReforestationCommon mistake

When you use it

Use this distinction when asked how tree planting practices prevent drought and protect the ecosystem.

Watch out

Afforestation means planting trees on land where trees never grew before, while reforestation means replanting trees on deforested land.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, page 155 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Drought and FamineRule

When you use it

Use this rule to define drought, famine, their causes, and the vulnerability of lowlands.

Watch out

Drought is prolonged lack of rainfall, whereas famine is the resulting shortage of food. Lowland areas are more vulnerable to drought than highland areas.

Drafted from Grade 4 Environmental Science, page 155 onwards, then checked twice before it went up

Grade 4 Environmental Science

የከተማችን መገኛ

ሳይንስን መገንዘብ

ተፈጥሮአዊ አካባቢ

ማህበራዊ አካባቢ

ድንበር ተሻጋሪ ጉዳዮች

The same subject in other years

Your other Grade 4 subjects

Questions students ask

Revise, then test yourself