Curriculum:Grade 4 Social Studies
Chicopee Public Schools
Overview: In grade 4, students study the geography and people of the United States today. Students learn geography by addressing standards that emphasize political and physical geography and embed five major concepts: location, place, human interaction with the environment, movement, and regions. In addition, they learn about the geography and people of contemporary Mexico and Canada. Teachers may choose to teach the standards on the geography and social characteristics of the nations in Central America and the Caribbean Islands. Teachers may also choose to have students study in the first half of the school year one early civilization. We recommend China because it is not taught in grade 7 and can be easily connected to the English language arts curriculum through its myths, legends, and folktales.
|
Term |
Topics |
Standards |
Stories from Houghton Mifflin Reading Series |
|
1-September |
Understanding Geography Latitude and longitude, Land forms and Water, Basic Map Skills, Natural Resources, Climate, Regions of the United States. |
4.8 On a map of the world, locate North America. On a map of North America, locate the United States, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, Mississippi and Rio Grande Rivers, the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and the Rocky and Appalachian Mountain ranges. (G)
4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G)
4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G)
4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G) |
Map skills can relate to all of the stories in the Houghton Mifflin Series. |
|
1-October |
Themes of Geography A Nation of Many People, Immigration, Communities, Occupations, Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens, Civics and Governmental Institutions. |
4.14 Identify the five different European countries (France, Spain, England, Russia, and the Netherlands) that influenced different regions of the present United States at the time the New World was being explored and describe how their influence can be traced to place names, architectural features, and language. (H, G)
4.15
4.16 Identify major immigrant groups that live in Massachusetts and where they now live in large numbers (e.g., English, Irish, Italians, French Canadians, Armenians, Greeks, Portuguese, Haitians, and Vietnamese). (H, G)
|
Grandfather’s Journey (Theme 1)
A Very Important Day (Theme 2)
The Last Dragon (theme 4)
Maria Isabel (theme 4)
Tomas and the Library Lady (Theme 2)
|
|
2-Nov./Dec. |
The Northeast. Geography- Northeast states, Capitals, Major Cities, Weather, Unique Geographic Features, Native Americans, Major Immigrant groups, Regional Landmarks, Economy |
4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G)
4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G)
4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G)
4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). (G)
4.13
4.15
4.16
|
The Stranger (theme3)
Sing to the Stars (theme 4)
Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man (theme 5) |
|
2-Jan./Feb. |
The South Geography - Southern states, Capitals, Major Cities, Weather, Unique Geographic Features, Native Americans, Major Immigrant groups - Slavery and other Groups, Regional Landmarks, Economy |
4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G)
4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G)
4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G)
4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). (G)
4.15 |
Tanya’s Reunion (theme 2)
Happy Birthday, Dr. King! (Theme 5) |
|
3-March |
The Midwest Geography - Midwest states, Capitals, Major Cities, Weather, Unique Geographic Features, Native Americans, Settlers and Major Immigrant groups, Regional Landmarks, Economy |
4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G)
4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G) 4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G)
4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). (G)
4.15 |
By the Shores of Silver Lake (theme 1)
Tomas and the Library Lady (Theme 2)
Skylark (theme 6) |
|
3-April/May |
The West Western states, Capitals, Major Cities, Weather, Unique Geographic Features, Native Americans, Settlers and Major Immigrant groups, Regional Landmarks, Economy |
4.9 On a map of North America, locate the current boundaries of the United States (including Alaska and Hawaii). Locate the New England, Middle Atlantic, Atlantic Coast/Appalachian, Southeast/Gulf, South Central, Great Lakes, Plains, Southwest Desert, and Pacific states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See Appendix H for a listing of states in each region. (G)
4.10 Identify the states, state capitals, and major cities in each region. (G)
4.11 Describe the climate, major physical features, and major natural resources in each region. (G)
4.12 Identify and describe unique features of the United States (e.g., the Everglades, the Grand Canyon, Mount Rushmore, the Redwood Forest, Yellowstone National Park, and Yosemite National Park). (G)
4.15 |
Akiak (theme 1)
Boss of the Plains (theme 2)
Salmon Summer (theme 6)
Wildfires (theme 6) |
|
3-May/June |
Canada and Mexico Provinces, Capitals, major Cities, Native Americans, Means of Gaining Independence, Culture, People, National Landmarks, Economy |
4.17 On a map of North America, locate Canada, its provinces, and major cities. (G)
4.18 Describe the climate, major physical characteristics, and major natural resources of Canada and explain their relationship to settlement, trade, and the Canadian economy. (G, E)
4.19 Describe the major ethnic and religious groups of modern Canada. (G, H, C, E)
4.20 Identify when Canada became an independent nation and explain how independence was achieved. (H, G)
4.21 Identify the location of at least two Native American tribes in Canada (e.g., Kwakiutl and Micmac) and the Inuit nation and describe their major social features. (H, G)
4.22 Identify the major language groups in Canada, their geographic location, and the relations among them. (H, G)
4.23 On a map of North America, locate Mexico and its major cities. (G)
4.24 Describe the climate, major physical characteristics, and major natural resources of Mexico and explain their relationship to the Mexican economy. (G)
4.25 Identify the language, major religion, and peoples of Mexico. (H)
4.26 Identify when Mexico became an independent nation and describe how independence was achieved. (H, G)
|
Marven of the Great North Woods |
|
Return to Chicopee Home Page | Return to Social Studies |