4th Grade Social Studies Skills
Standards Implementation

(Third Grade) 4th Grade Social Studies Skills (5th Grade)

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Culture | Economics | Geography | Governance and Civics | History | Individuals & Groups
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Page last edited 5/3/2009



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Culture Standards 4.1.1 | 4.1.2 | 4.1.3 | 4.1.4 | 4.1.5 | 4.1.6
Native American Groups - Identify pre-Colonial Native American groups (i.e., Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Aztec, Mayans, Olmec, and Mississippi Mound Builders). 4.1.1 USP1	American Indians and the Natural World - four different visions of living in and with the natural world (those of the Tlingit of the Northwest Coast, the Hopi of the Southwest, the Iroquois of the Northeast, and the Lakota of the Plains) Ancient Architects of the Mississippi - Wonders of Geometric Precision, the earthworks of the lower Mississippi were centers of life long before the Europeans arrived in America. The Ancient Aztecs - a ThinkQuest entry The Creek Portraits Index - Before the camera was invented, artists were relied on to preserve images Different Tribes - Compare daily life of Native American tribes from different regions and times. ( Author - Laurie Ayers ) Empires Past: Aztecs - The Aztecs were in many ways more advanced than Cortez and his men Map of the Eastern Indian Nations (1820) - Cherokee, Choctaw,Creek, and Seminole are illustrated Maya/Aztec/Inca of the Lords of the Earth - the Archaeology and Anthropology of the Americas. The Mayan Calendar - Among their other accomplishments, the ancient Mayas invented a calendar of remarkable accuracy and complexity. Mound Builders - a general term referring to the American Indians who constructed various styles of earthen mounds for burial, residential and ceremonial purposes The Sport of Life and Death - the Mesoamerican Ball game (an online journey into the ancient spectacle of athletes and gods)
17th Century - Identify cultural groups who inhabited North America in the 17th century (i.e., Puritans, Quakers, Spanish, and French). 4.1.2 USP1, 2	375 years ago at 360 degrees - view panoramic displays of life in the early colonies America as a Religious Refuge: the 17th Century - includes information about the Puritans | Part 2 includes information ab out the Quakers Cotton Mather - insight into him will give your students insight into the Puritans The Goody Parsons Witchcraft Case - Her story is a fascinating one that sheds light on the workings of the Puritan mind and the complicated social and cultural situation of the period. The 1692 Salem Witch Trials: Documents and Participants - research the historical documents of this Puritan witch hunt Through the Looking Glass - historical documents regarding the Mayflower families Timeline of Plymouth Colony - from the 1620's to the 1690's Would You Have Survived on the Colony? - An eight question quiz allows a student to compare life today to the Colonial culture.
Resolve Conflict - Determine how various groups resolve conflict (i.e., school, tribal councils, and courts). 4.1.3 GC	Conflict Resolution Case Studies - real-world case studies and analyses of contemporary conflicts Conflict Advice: Checklists of Things to Think About - checklists for intermediaries and adversaries ranging from international to interpersonal Conflict Resolution Information Source - index of resources available Personal Reflections - reflections on conflicts from those who have experienced them firsthand
Effect of Contact - Examine how Native American culture changed as a result of contact with European cultures (i.e., decreased population, spread of disease, increased conflict, loss of territory, and increase of trade.) 4.1.4 USP1	The Dutch - The Effects of Contact - Contact with the Dutch had a profound and devastating impact on the Lenape people. First European Contact - Cherokee Tribe History First Nations: Histories - detailed histories of the nations living in early North America from the Abenaki to the Winnebago Ways Europeans Changed Native Americans - Worksheet to download or do as a whole class activity.
Racial and Ethnic Groups - Identify various racial and ethnic groups in Tennessee at the founding of statehood (i.e., Cherokee, Creek, Shawnee, English, Scottish, French, and American born pioneers). 4.1.5 USP1	First Nations: Histories - detailed histories of the nations living in early North America including the Cherokee, Creek and Shawnee Marilee's Native Americans Resource - large list of Native American links Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture - resource for teacher Cherokee Nation - facts and information of the culture and lifestyle Cherokee and Creek Nations - exploring the life and times of the Cherokee and Creek Nations
American-Spanish Mission - Read and interpret facts from a historical passage about an early American-Spanish mission. 4.1.6 USP1	California Mission HIstory - the History of Mission Santa Barbara The Spanish Missions of California - a ThinkQuest site
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Economics Standards 4.2.1 | 4.2.2 | 4.2.3 | 4.2.4 | 4.2.5
Supply and Demand - Recognize the concept of supply and demand 4.2.1 E	Beanie Baby Prices Soar - a lesson plan at EconEd Link Review of the Laws of Supply and Demand - Brief simple explanation of this concept Supply and Demand at the Gold Rush - lesson plan Supply and Demand - lesson plan Exploring Supply and Demand - make decisions and create a graph on supply and demand. Supply and Demand - information
Tennessee Agriculture - Interpret a chart of major agricultural produce in Tennessee (i.e., cotton, tobacco, soy beans, rice, corn, cattle, wheat, swine, and sheep). 4.2.2 E	A Look at Tennessee Agriculture - a fact sheet about Tennessee agriculture Tennessee agriculture - Statistics that can be turned into charts using Excel
Colonial America - Identify major industries of colonial America using a map of the original thirteen colonies. 4.2.3 E	The 13 American Colonies: Characteristics of the Colonies - Each colony had its own unique characteristics, but historians lump them into groups based on where they were, why they were founded, and what kinds of industry they had.
Barter of Money - Recognize the difference between a barter system and a money system. 4.2.4 E	Establishment of a Money System - Dutch Colonists What is Money - info What is Money - from KidsCorner Bartering For Goods - resources for teacher and games and activities for students
European Impact - Analyze the impact of European exploration and colonization on the economy of Tennessee. 4.2.5 E	Why Explorers Explored he World? - Thinkquest Explorers of North America - four Quia quiz activities available Voyage of Exploration - Thinkquest activity Explorers Card Game - resource for teacher Follow an Explorer - "Theme Project: Choose a route of an explorer from the unit. Think about what you would see today if you traveled that route." - worksheet to print
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Geography Standards 4.3.1 | 4.3.2 | 4.3.3 | 4.3.4 | 4.3.5 | 4.3.6 | 4.3.7 | 4.3.8
Explorers - Identify on a map the routes of Americas’ explorers (i.e., Columbus, Balboa, Pizarro, and Desoto). 4.3.1 G	Journeys of Christopher Columbus - Click to see a progressive map of the journey of Christopher Columbus. Zoom Explorers of the 14th Century - maps and information The Art and Science of Fifteenth Century Navigation - maps and information.
Geographical Features - Identify and use key geographical features on maps (i.e., mountains, rivers, plains, valleys, and forests). 4.3.2 G	A Map For All Reasons - students identify the function of various parts of a map Are We There Yet? - students answer ten questions by reading information from maps Interactive map of the various types of features on the Earth's surface Label Maps at iKnowThat.com - Note : this link takes you to an index of activities. To work on this SPI , select any of the five entries in the Physical Features section, click on the green Maybe Later button to go to the activity, and then select either Puzzle or Labels to begin. What’s On a Map? - eight questions about using various parts of a map Geographical Features - Quia game Map Reading - Enchanted Learning - activities for learning map reading.
River Settlement - Recognize the reasons settlements are founded on major river systems. (i.e., transportation, manmade boundaries, and food and water sources). 4.3.3 G	History of Tennessee River - historical facts Mississippi River - background and historical facts Mississippi River - Wikipedia information about the river and its history Old Man River: History Along the Mississippi - River basics - People and Rivers - BBC site; how people and rivers interact.
River Systems - Recognize river systems that impacted early American history (i.e., Mississippi, Mystic, Charles, and Hudson). 4.3.4 G	Identify Major U.S. Rivers - after two incorrect answers, the river or body of water blinks red Life Along the River - Ancient architects of the Mississippi - from the National Park Service
Physical Processes - Determine how physical processes shape the United States' features and patterns (i.e., erosion, volcanoes, plate tectonics, and flooding). 4.3.5 G	Demonstrating Plate Tectonics with a Box - demonstrates divergent and convergent plate boundaries Land Formation - learn how various land forms were shaped.
latitude and longitude - Use latitude and longitude to identify major North American cities on a map (i.e., Boston, Mexico City, Toronto, Charleston, Savannah, Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Sante Fe, and Los Angeles). 4.3.6 G	Blank U. S. Map - This map could be used with a list of latitude and longitude values for U. S. Cities. List of latitude and longitude values for U. S. and Canadian Cities - from Fact Monster USA Latitude and Longitude Activity - from Enchanted Learning Find your Longitude - Interactive game Latitude and longitude - online Quiz Go to Enchanted Learning Software's Search page and enter latitude and longitude. You will find dozens of printable pages
Population Growth - Determine how density, distribution, and growth rate affected United States settlement patterns. 4.3.7 G	Animated Map of Population Growth - Watch animated map show how the population grew from 1AD to 2020 California's Native People - Life in the Desert Region From Boomtown to GhostTown - Lesson plan
Environment - Identify cause and effect relationships between population distribution and environmental issues (i.e., water supply, air quality, and solid waste). 4.3.8 G	Factors Affecting Population Density - charts and definitions along with explanations. Human Migration -The story of a community culture. - Lesson Plan
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Governance and Civics Standards 4.4.1 | 4.4.2 | 4.4.3 | 4.4.4
Branches of Government - Identify the 3 branches of federal and state governments. 4.4.1 G C	3 Branches of Government - fill in the blank worksheet to print 3 Branches of Government - quiz for one or two players, uses Jeopardy format Branches of Government - fourteen question multiple choice quiz to print Branches of Government - ten question fill in the blank quiz to print Branches of Government - online quiz The Branches of U.S. Government - from Ben's Guide to U.S. Government (3-5) Kids in the House - index page of games and activities related to the US House of Representatives Kids in the House: Activity Folder - an eleven page, highly colorful pdf document with several activities related to the House of Representatives [Note: the link to this document makes use of the Wayback Machine Internet Archive . Many school filters block the site but you could access the document at home and save it to print.] The Three Branches of Government - a ThinkQuest site The Three Branches of Government - a good nine-slide overview The Three Branches of Government - twenty-nine slides offering a more detailed explanation Three Branches of Government: Battleship Game - online quiz from Quia Three Branches of Government Review - online quiz in the Rags to Riches format
Bill of Rights - Identify the rights outlined by the Bill of Rights (i.e., Amendments 1, 5, 6, and 8). 4.4.2 G C	Bill of Rights - amendments 1 through 10 Bill of Rights - quiz in the form of a Concentration matching activity Bill of Rights - a Quia quiz Bill of Rights: for Kids - in simple words, easy to understand Bill of Rights: Flashcards - ten flashcards to be used as review Bill of Rights Flashcards - from Flashcard Exchange, click on the Study tab to begin Bill of Rights Match Game - select elementary or secondary version to start the game Bill of Rights: Matching Exercise - ten questions, use drop down menu to identify each of the ten amendments The Bill of Rights - from the National Archives The Bill of Rights - a twenty question multiple choice quiz, graded online [ Caution : Read the Bill of Rights before attempting to answer these questions] Freedom of Religion - a quiz produced by PBS Rights of Citizens: The Bill of Rights - from Ben's Guide to U.S. Government (3-5) What’s It All About? - an Introduction to the First Amendment
Mayflower Compact - Examine how the Mayflower Compact is a symbol of the first United States government. 4.4.3 G C	Constitutional Government - Mayflower Compact Self-Government - The Mayflower Compact was the first agreement for self-government to be created and enforced in America
Checks and Balances - Using a chart showing checks and balances, explain how one branch of government can limit the power of others. 4.4.4 G C	The Balance of Government: Our Government's Seesaw - This explanation is posted by the Truman Presidential Museum and Library. The page is followed by a worksheet to print. Checks and Balances - this site (from the Social Studies Help Center) has a very good chart halfway down the page Checks and Balances - a colorful page from Kids.net Checks and Balances - a chart followed by four questions Constitution: Checks and Balances - from Congress for Kids Constitutional Topic: Checks and Balances - from Constitution for Kids
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History Standards 4.5.1 | 4.5.2 | 4.5.3 | 4.5.4 | 4.5.5 | 4.5.6 | 4.5.7 | 4.5.8 | 4.5.9 | 4.5.10 | 4.5.11 | 4.5.12 | 4.5.13
Native Americans - Identify Native American groups in Tennessee before European explorations (i.e., Cherokee, Creek, and Chickasaw). 4.5.1 USP1	Tennessee Indian Tribes - Information and history on various tribes First People of Tennessee - Cherokee tribe information First Inhabitants of TN - short article.
Tennessee Political Leaders - Identify major Tennessee political leaders (i.e., Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston, James Polk, Sequoyah, David Crockett, and Nancy Ward). 4.5.2 USP1 , 2	Timeline of Sam Houston's Life - Timeline from birth to death The Family Album of Sam Houston - pictures of Sam and his family. Sam Houston Defends the Alamo - short article Nancy Ward - A leader and peace keeper within the Cherokee nation Sequoyah - biography Sequoyah Birthplace Museum - history of Sequoyah James K Polk Memorial - Biographical account with pictures. James K Polk - short history Davy Crockett - short history President Andrew Jackson - short history
Timeline - Interpret a timeline that depicts major historical pre-Civil War events. 4.5.3 USP2	American History Timeline - Civil War and pre-war conflicts Civil War Timeline - a small bit of pre-war is included, but most is the actual war period Events Leading to the Civil War - from 1619 to May 1861 Seeing Time (Using timelines as a resource) - gives students a chance to refine and extend their ability to construct, read, analyze, and draw conclusions from timelines (Author - Richard Johnson) Timelines: Timeless Teaching Tool - Timeline resources right at your fingertips in this article from Education World! Included: Activity ideas for teachers of all grades.
Early Hardships - Determine the hardships faced by early Tennessee settlers in the late 1700's (i.e., security, isolated communities, lack of access to goods, and natural geography). 4.5.4 USP1	Early History of Robertson County, TN
Reason for Settlement - Determine the reasons for colonial settlement (i.e., religious, economic, and individual freedom). 4.5.5 USP1	America as a Religious Refuge: the 17th Century - the persecutions that led immigrants to cross the Atlantic are detailed America as Religious Refuge : Overview Discussing immigration through literature - lesson plan
American Revolution - Examine the events that contributed to the outbreak of the American Revolution (i.e., taxation, judicial process, lack of representations, and quartering of troops). 4.5.6 GC	Liberty and Justice - Students discover reasons Americans went to war to win independence from England . ( Author - Julie Thompson ) United We Stand - Students take a look at how the thirteen original colonies joined to form the United States of America . ( Author - Julie Thompson )
Constitution - Determine why the United States Constitution was necessary (i.e., no single currency, no judicial branch, no enforcement of laws, and small and large states having unequal representation). 4.5.7 USP2	Constitutional Convention - A summary of each of the states constitution that led to the making of the U.S. Constitution History of the U. S. Constitution - from Wikipedia
Slave and Indentured - Interpret a timeline that depicts slave and indentured servants coming from Europe to life in North America. 4.5.8 USP1	Timeline of Early Slavery - 1400-1865 Harriet Tubmman Timeline - by students. Underground Railroad - Simulation game
Lewis and Clark - Determine the influence Lewis and Clark's expedition had on westward expansion. 4.5.9 USP2	The Lewis and Clark Adventure - Interactive site on this exploration Lewis and Clark's Great Adventure - Timelines, the expedition, the importance of the expedition and more! - a fill-in-the-blank activity
John Sevier - Recognize the accomplishments John Sevier contributed to Tennessee history (i.e., State of Franklin's one and only governor, Tennessee’s first governor, United States Congressman, and soldier). 4.5.10 USP1	John Sevier - This slide show gives a brief history of John Sevier and includes a writing assignment. John Sevier - from the TN encyclopedia web site
American Revolution - Interpret a visual contrasting life before and after the American Revolution (i.e., education, family size, transportation, and politics). 4.5.11 USP1	Central Pacific Railroad - many pictures and historical information about the railroads. Daily Life in Ohio up to 1903 - article with pictures Education in Ohio - article and pictures Transportation in Ohio -article and pictures Turns of the Century Exhibit - interactive exhibit ;explore the theme and era it represents.
Trail of Tears - Read and interpret a passage about the Trail of Tears. 4.5.12 USP2	Trail of Tears - History of the event Cherokee Removal Forts - Forts built for the express purpose of housing the Cherokee before their removal. Trail of Tears - Brief history
Louisiana Purchase - Analyze how the Louisiana Purchase influenced the growth of the United States (i.e., increased size, encouraged expansion, and increased natural resources). 4.5.13 USP2	Louisiana Purchase - facts, reading exercise, and a quiz. Senate Ratified the Louisiana Purchase Treaty October 20, 1803 - article with pictures
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Individuals Groups and Interactions Standards 4.6.1 | 4.6.2 | 4.6.3
Cooperation - Recognize how groups work cooperatively to accomplish goals and encourage change (i.e., American Revolution, founding of Tennessee, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, and colonies). 4.6.1 GC	The 13 American Colonies: Beliefs and Revolution - The Pilgrims in Massachusetts and the Quakers in Pennsylvania were examples of people who had left England so they could practice the religion they chose. The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union - article and primary source. Independence: The Articles of Confederation - facts and a follow up quiz Relationships Within Places: Humans and Environments - How individuals can change their surroundings. This Land Called Tennessee - article from Tennessee Encyclopedia
Slavery - Determine how the issue of slavery caused political and economic tensions between government policy and people's beliefs (i.e., abolitionists, plantation owners, state's rights, and central government). 4.6.2 USP2	Emancipation Proclamation - Lincoln orders freedom for slaves The Two Williamsburgs - Unit plan; see how different each side lived. Uses book "A Williamsburg Household" Slavery in America - interactive slavery environment - Audio with pictures walks you through Melrose in Natchez, Mississippi in this time period. Be sure to click on the interactive map and use the arrows to walk your way through the mansion. Understanding Slavery - Unit plan - Discovery Education Using Primary Sources in the Classroom: Slavery Unit - lessons in this unit view slavery from the perspective of the former slave, the former slaveholder, and from the legal perspective
Contrasting Views - Read and interpret a passage about a political or economic issue which individuals may respond to with contrasting views (i.e., state taxes, federal taxes, slavery, and Bill of Rights). 4.6.3 E	Elections and the American Way - interactive site Understanding Our Rights and Responsibilities - Unit plan with handouts and activities What Responsibilities Accompany Our Rights? - lesson plan with questions for individual views to be debated. "Discuss some important questions about the responsibilities of citizens. You must develop your own answers to these questions."
Review Help
	4th Grade Social Studies Links and Resources Lesson Plan for Native American Unit - Resources for this unit.

More 4th Grade Social Studies Concepts
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