WATERFORD PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM
GRADE 4
Unit Title: Explorers
Standards: 1
Historical Thinking,
2
Local,
3
Historical Themes,
4
Applying History,
8
International Relations,
11
Human Systems,
12
Human and Environmental Interaction,
13
Limited Resources
Estimated
Number of Days to Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will understand that:
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1. |
The cultural diversity of the United States is due in part to early exploration. |
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2. |
European expansion to the New World had positive and negative impacts on its current inhabitants. |
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3. |
Individuals and nations had a variety of motives to expand their economic, political, and cultural influence into other areas of the world. |
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4. |
Peoples and nations responded to exploration in a variety of ways. |
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1. |
Students will write an expository essay including background, travels and accomplishments of an assigned explorer. These reports will be presented orally to the class. Students are invited to dress as their explorer during the presentation. |
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2. |
Participation in exploration re-enactments and simulations. |
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3. |
Illustrate routes traveled by each explorer on a world map. |
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4. |
Write an “Explorer Wanted” job ad for a specific location
in the |
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5. |
Create a resume to be submitted for “Explorer Wanted” job ad. |
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1. |
Why did the Europeans explore the New World? |
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2. |
Who were the "winners" and "losers" in European Exploration? |
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3. |
What similarities/differences exist between European Explorers and Native Americans? |
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4. |
What were the reasons and motives behind the Europeans search for new trade routes? |
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5. |
What happens when cultures collide? |
The student will be able to:
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1. |
Identify the routes and origins of the following: Vikings, English, Spanish, French and Dutch Explorers. |
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2. |
Summarize the economic, political and cultural motives for the explorations. |
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3. |
Describe the effect of the exploration of the New World on its inhabitants. |
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4. |
Describe the effect of exploration on the people in Europe. |
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5. |
Explain the political, economic and social consequences of the voyages of discovery for the people of Europe and The New World. |
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1. |
Textbook – Our Country – Chapters 4 and 5 |
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2. |
Explorers Who Got Lost by Diane Sansevere-Dreher, et al |
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3. |
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4. |
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5. |
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6. |
Rigby Literacy Nonfiction – Treasure Lost at Sea: The Nuestra Senora de Atocha |
Unit Title: Colonization
Standards: 1 Historical Thinking,
2 Local,
3 Historical Themes,
4 Applying History,
7 Political Systems,
8 International Relations,
9 Places and Regions,
10 Physical Systems,
11 Human Systems,
13 Limited Resources,
14 Economic
Systems 15 Economic Interdependence
Estimated
Number of Days to Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will understand that:
|
1. |
Europeans traveled to |
|
2. |
During colonization, Native Americans and Europeans made compromises and sacrifices. |
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1. |
In small groups students will use a variety of resources
to create a Hyperstudio slideshow on the |
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2. |
Sail to the |
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3. |
Letters Home: Students
will assume the role of a colonist and write letters home to relatives in |
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4. |
Culminating Activity: Colonial Fair – Students will research a particular trade from colonial times. They will use this research to set up a booth representing their skill/trade. All booths will be assembled in one central location to allow for viewing. |
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1. |
Why do people move? |
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2. |
How did the Colonists establish economic, political and
religious independence from |
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3. |
How did the Colonial beginnings of our country have an impact on our present-day culture and government? |
The student will be able to:
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1. |
Explain the reasons people wanted to leave |
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2. |
Label new settlements on a |
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3. |
Describe the interactions between the colonists and Native Americans. |
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4. |
Identify the founders and governing structure of the |
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5. |
Compare and contrast the geography, economy and culture of
the |
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6. |
Describe the daily life in a colony, i.e. occupations, schooling. |
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7. |
Explain the similarities and differences between the new
settlements and |
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1. |
Textbook – Our Country – Chapters 6 through 10 |
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2. |
…If You Lived in Colonial Times by Ann McGovern |
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3. |
…If You Sailed on the Mayflower by Ann McGovern |
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4. |
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5. |
Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder |
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6. |
Who's that Stepping
on Plymouth Rock? by Jean Fritz, |
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7. |
Sarah Morton's Day, A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl by Kate Waters |
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8. |
Samuel Eaton's Day, A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Boy by Kate Waters |
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9. |
Book of the American Colonies by Howard Egger-Bovet and Marlene Smith-Baranzini |
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10. |
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11. |
http://earlyamerica.com |
Unit Title: Revolutionary War/American
Revolution
Standards: 1
Historical Thinking,
2
Local,
3 Historical
Themes,
4
Applying History,
5
6
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens,
7
Political Systems,
8
International Relations,
11
Human Systems,
13
Limited Resources
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
The Americans had a revolution that led to the freedoms we experience today. |
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2. |
Political, religious and economic ideas and interests brought about the American Revolution. |
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1. |
Chronicle the Revolution. (1) Throughout the unit assign an individual to illustrate key events. Each can be displayed on the wall to create a timeline. (2) At the end of the unit small groups work together to illustrate major events to create a book. |
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2. |
Participate in simulations and re-enactments of key events. |
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3. |
Create an oral/written report on a key person or event of the Revolution. |
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4. |
A Soldier’s Diary – Student will choose a side to write from. As each major battle is fought, they will write an entry commenting on the course of events. Each entry should include specific location where the battle took place, the number of soldiers involved and the outcome. |
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5. |
Town Crier – Students write a newspaper article on selected event of the Revolution. |
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1. |
What is a relationship between a government and its people? |
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2. |
What are the factors that contribute to a revolution? |
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3. |
How does a war affect those not directly involved in the fighting? |
The student will be
able to:
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1. |
Describe life in the colonies from 1750 – 1775. |
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2. |
Identify key economic, political and social events that contributed to the Revolutionary War. |
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3. |
Identify the key people of the Revolutionary period. |
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4. |
Compare and contrast British and American attitudes toward the conflict. |
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5. |
Compare and contrast British and American armies and resources. |
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6. |
Locate major battle sites on a |
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7. |
Discuss the significance of major battles to the war’s progression. |
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8. |
Explain how war led to the unification of the colonies and to the beginning of a new nation. |
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9. |
Identify the roles of the Native Americans, African Americans and women in the Revolutionary War. |
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10. |
Describe how foreign countries such as |
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11. |
Discuss the impact of the Revolution on the daily life and
families of |
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1. |
Textbook – Our Country – Chapters 11 and 12 |
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2. |
Jean Fritz historical series |
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3. |
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4. |
If You Lived at the
Time of the American Revolution |
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5. |
War Comes to Willy Freeman by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier |
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6. |
George Washington’s Socks by Elvira Woodruff |
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7. |
My Brother Sam is Dead by Chris Collier and James Lincoln |
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8. |
Winter of Red Snow
by Kritiana Gregory |
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9. |
The Secret Soldier by Ann McGovern |
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10. |
Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes |
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11. |
Rigby Literacy – Comprehension Quarterly – Vol. 4, Issue B – George Washington’s Manners |
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12. |
Time For Kids Exploring Nonfiction – Level 4 – Social
Studies – Card 1 “Yankee Doodle,” Card
12 |
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13. |
Video: School House Rock: The American Revolution |
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14. |
Unit Title: Regions of the
Standard:
9 Places and Regions,
10
Physical System,
11
Human Systems,
12
Human and Environmental Interaction,
13
Limited Resources
Estimated
Number of Days to Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will understand that:
|
1. |
The topography, climate, and natural resources of a region influence the culture, economy, and life-style of its inhabitants. |
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1. |
Students will create a state report and project. Individually they will write an expository piece on the land, people and economy of their assigned state. In addition they will create a state map and brochure (or poster) indicating all important cities, landforms, waterways and places of interest. |
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2. |
In small groups students will create a map of their assigned region. Each state will be labeled with important cities, landforms, waterways and places of interest. |
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3. |
Map Quiz - locate states, capitals, major waterways and
landforms on an |
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1. |
What makes regions unique and different? |
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2. |
What defines a region? |
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3. |
How do a region's geography, climate and natural resources affect the way people live and work? |
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4. |
How does where I live influence how I live? |
The student will be able to:
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1. |
Compare and contrast the uniqueness of each region and its contributions to the whole. |
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2. |
Research the influence of climate, topography, natural resources and raw materials on each region. |
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3. |
Identify the location of each region on a |
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4. |
Identify the major cities, landforms and waterways of each
region on a |
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5. |
Name the states contained in each region. |
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6. |
Outline the cultural contributions of the Native Americans, colonists and immigrants to the growth of each region. |
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1. |
Rigby Literacy Nonfiction – Facts About 50 States |
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2. |
CD Roms: Where in the World is Carmen San Diego, Great American States Race, States and Capitals, U.S. History 1 & 2, Encarta/Grolier |
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3. |
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4. |