Social Studies - 4th Grade
Social studies in our combination class of 4th and 5th 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