Social Studies - 4th Grade

Social studies in our combination class of 4^th and 5^th graders is taught in a two-year rotation. We use multiple sources to promote seeing history from all points of view and our social studies curriculum is a vehicle for our social justice mission.

Unit Themes in Alternating Years

California History

• Native Californians
• California Geography
• Early European Explorers
• California Mission System
• California Gold Rush
• State Government
• Japanese-American Internment during WWII

US History

• Stereotypes and Prejudice
• Native American Cultural Regions
• US Geography and Map Reading
• European Explorers and Roots of Colonization
• Life in Colonial America
• Slavery in the US
• Conflict leading to Revolutionary War
   

Approaches to Learning

• Hands on projects and experiences
• Timeline and mapping activities
• Historical fiction and readings from various sources/voices
• Writing projects, class discussions, researching, and oral presentations
• Field trips such as Sutter’s Fort in Sacramento and the State Capitol