4th – 5th grades Lexile range: 645-845
Anchor Text Unit 1 Anchor Text Unit 2 Anchor Text Unit 3 Anchor Text Unit 4
Unit 1 - People continually build their identity
1. How do my surrounding affect my identity?
 Progress is Made by Asking Meaningful Questions and Conducting Careful Investigations pp. 1-47
 How Do Living Things Compete for Resources (Unit 2) p. 192
2. What happens when different peoples first meet?
 Early California History (Vistas pp. 94-149) 920L
 Selections from “Mountain-Making” in Back in the Beforetime, Tales of the California Indians retold
by Jane Louise Curry. (Vistas, P. 88
 California’s First People (Vistas, p. 94
 Newcomers to California (Vistas, p. 142
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How does an understanding of your culture and history build your identity?
Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say 620L
My Name Is María Isabel by Alma Flor Ada 790L
Tomas and the Library Lady (Theme 2)
A Very Important Day (Theme 2)
Tanya’s Reunion (Theme 2)
The Last Dragon (Theme 4)
One Land, May People (Vistas, p. 36
The Central Valley (Vistas, p. 54
Building a Colony (Vistas, p. 172
Ranchero Life (Vistas, p. 202
Life During the Gold Rush (Vistas, p. 236
Education for All (Vistas, p. 388
California Today (Vistas, p. 418
4. How does considering multiple viewpoints help us construct our identity and understand
historical events?
Unit2 – Interactions impact perspectives
1. What happens when different people interact?
 By the Shores of the Silver Lake, (Them 1) Lexile: 700L
 Tomas and the Library Lady, by Pat Mora (Theme 2)
 California Vistas Unit 4: A Growing State Lexile: 920L
 Exploring California (Vistas, p. 132)
 The Impact of Missions (Vistas, p. 162)
 The Mexican War for Independence (Vistas, p. 196)
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The Bear Flag Revolt (Vistas, p. 218)
Impact of the Gold Rush (Vistas, p. 254)
Connecting California to the World p. 278
An excerpt from Baseball Saved Us, by Ken Mochizuki (Vistas)
2. How does the human environment and technology influence the growth and development of
society?
Living Things Depend on One Another and Their Environment for Survival
a. Ecosystems (Harcourt Unit 3 p. 206)
b. Electricity and Magnetism (Harcourt Unit 1 p. 52)
3. How does technology affect people’s lives?
4. What happens when people and forces interact?
 Marven of the Great North Woods, by Kathryn Lasky
 Boss of the Plains, by Laurie Carlson (Theme 2)
 Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
 Reader’s Library: “Elena in America” by Sandra Speidel
 Online Leveled Readers: Electricity and Magnetism, Lessons 1-3 (Lexile: 660)
 Online Leveled Readers: Electricity and Magnetism, Lessons 4-7 (Lexile: 600)
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Unit 3 – Change is inevitable
1. All living things need energy and matter to live and grow
 Energy for Life and Growth (Harcourt Unit 2, p. 150)
2. How does the world change?
 Waves, Wind, Water, and Ice (Harcourt Unit 5, p. 318)
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How does technology change people’s lives?
Boss of the Plains (Theme 2) 800L
From Stagecoach to Railroad (Vistas, p. 280)
Changing Times (Vistas, Chp. 10)
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How do people change?
The Last Dragon (Theme 4) 500L
Why do people seek change?
By the Shores of the Silver Lake, (Theme 1) Lexile: 700L
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A Very Important Day (Theme 2) 470L
Cendrillon (Theme 3) 590L
Junipero Serra (Vistas, p. 169)
Rachel’s Journal (Vistas, p. 188)
Destination California (Vistas, Chp. 7)
Coming to California (Vistas, p. 314)
6. How has California changed?
 The Impact of the Missions (Vistas, p. 162)
7. Why do people want to preserve the natural environment?
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POEM: Sierra (Vistas p. 6)
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California’s Resources (Vistas p. 20)
The Battle to Save Whiteoak Creek (Vistas, p. 70)
Save Timber Woods! (HM Novel Unit, p. 48)
Saving Sea Turtles (HM Novel Unit, Teacher Read Aloud)
Seal Island Kids (Theme 6 Social Studies Link)
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What are the effects of change?
The Stranger (Theme 3) 590L
Wildfires (Theme 6) 900L
Skylark (Theme 6) 470L
The Mexican War for Independence (Vistas, p. 196)
The Bear Flag Revolt (Vistas, p. 218)
A Thirsty State (Vistas, p. 328)
9. What causes a society to grow?
 The Growth of California (Vistas, Chp. 11)
10. Does exploration lead to discovery?
 Paths to Discovery HM Novel Unit
Unit 4 – Perseverance
1. You can tell a lot about something by studying it
 Rocks and Minerals (Harcourt Unit 4, p. 268)
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What are the effects of working hard?
The Frog in the Milk Pail (HM Novel Unit, p. 20)
Marven of the Great North Woods (Theme 4) 700L
Gloria Estefan (Theme 5) 800L
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What does it mean to be a hero?
Happy Birthday Dr. King(Theme 5) 400L
Lou Gehrig, The Luckiest Man (Theme 5) 710L
Adventures of Greek Heroes (HM Leveled Library) 520L
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Why should we help/encourage other people?
The Last Dragon (Them 4) 500L
Sing to the Stars (Theme 4) 570L
Skylark (Theme 6) 470L