Grade 4 Social Studies
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
NATIVE AMERICANS: FIRST
INHABITANTS OF NEW YORK
STATE
THREE WORLDS MEET
COLONIAL AND
REVOLUTIONARY PERIODS
THE NEW NATION
Essential Question: How did
Native Americans influence
the development of New
York?
Essential Question: How did
three diverse cultures interact
and affect each other?
Essential Question: How did
the American Revolution
affect lives in New York?
Essential Question: What
does it mean to be free?
Content
Geography:
• Location of New York
• Geographic features of New York
State and New York
• Important bodies of water, landforms,
mountains, etc., of New
• Location of the Iroquois/ Algonquian
territories of New York
First Native Inhabitants of New York
State:
• Algonquians, Iroquois
• Location and development of Native
American cultures in New York State
Content
Exploration:
• Reasons for European exploration of
the western hemisphere
• Major explorers of New York State
interact with native populations
• Three worlds interact: European,
African and Native Americans
FOCUS: Case study of early New
Amsterdam/ New York:
– Dutch, English and French influences
in New York State
– the establishment of New Amsterdam
by the Dutch West India Company
– growth of lower Manhattan
– key people in early New York City
development
– the British in New York
– differences between British rule of
New York and Dutch rule
– the British expand the slave trade in
New York
– interaction between Native
Americans, Africans and Europeans
– forced migration
Content
The 13 Colonies:
• The role of geography
• Reasons for colonists come to the
Americas
• Distinct characteristics
• The 13 colonies and mercantilism
theory
• Colonies furnish England with raw
materials
Content
The Challenge of Independence:
• Role of New York in the development
of the new nation
FOCUS: Case study of a New York
State Native American culture
Example: The Lenape
Life in the New York Colony:
• Diversity in early New York
• Colonial life in New York before the
Revolutionary War
• Social, economic, and political
conditions of diverse New York
The American Revolution in New
York City and New York State:
• The colonists resist British
Parliament’s revenues
• The Declaration of Independence
• Strategic role of New York City and
New York
• Battle of Saratoga
• New York City and New York State
leaders and events of Revolution
• Impact of the war on New York City
Ideas/Ideals About Freedom:
• Foundations for a new government/
ideals of American democracy
The Development of the
Constitution:
• The Constitution as a
• The Bill of Rights and individual
liberties
• Impact of Peter Zenger decision
• Lack of inclusiveness
• Key individuals/groups from New
York who helped strengthen democracy
in the U.S.
• Individuals and groups protected by
rights and freedom and those not
protected by rights and freedoms
• Values, practices, and traditions that
unite all Americans
and New York State
-Quilting/ Class Quilt
-Quilting/ Class Quilt
-Quilting/ Class Quilt
-Print-making
-Print-making
-Print-making
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
-Note-taking
-Note-taking
-Note-taking
-Researching/ using technology to
do research
-Researching/ using technology to
do research
-Researching/ using technology to
do research
-Creation of movies, and dioramas
to show visitors about different
aspects of Lenape life
-Non-fiction and Fiction Reading
-Non-fiction and Fiction Reading
-Non-fiction and Fiction Reading
-Art Projects
-Art Projects
-Art Projects
-Use of gathered information to
turn the classroom into a Lenape
Museum
-Dioramas
-Dioramas
-Dioramas
-Videos
-Videos
-Videos
-Note-taking
-PowerPoint
Presentations
-PowerPoint
Presentations
-PowerPoint
Presentations
-Researching/ using technology to
do research
-Poems
-Poems
-Poems
-Non-fiction and Fiction Reading
-Reports
-Reports
-Reports
-Art Projects
-Bibliography
-Bibliography
-Bibliography
Activities:
Quilting/ Class Quilt
-Print-making
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH:
looking at the dioramas in the Hall
of the Native Americans, collecting
information, and sketching to find
about their history
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
-Dioramas
-Tiles
-Tiles
-Tiles
-Prints
-Play
-Prints
-Prints
-Play
-Videos
-PowerPoint
Presentations
-Play
Internet Research:
-reading of Colonial American
perspectives
-blog with links to kid-friendly
internet sites
-slideshows with voiceovers and
music to tell the story of an
historical figure (chosen from a list
of extraordinary men, women, and
children who fought for the
freedom of others) and their idea
of freedom
-Poems
-Reports
-Bibliography
-Tiles
-Prints
-Play
Culminating Project
-Use of gathered information to
turn the classroom into a Lenape
Museum
Theme Integration
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-The Museum of the American
Indian:
Find out about not only life in the
past but life today
-AMNH: looking at the dioramas in
the Hall of the Native Americans,
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
Field trips to museums
-NYHS
-AMNH
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
collecting information, and
sketching to find about their history
-The Caves at Inwood
-Morris Jamal Mansion
-Fraunus Tavern Museum
-Federal Hall
Technology
-Researching/ using technology to
do research
iMovie:
-Creation of movies, and dioramas
to show visitors about different
aspects of Lenape life