Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Grade 4 Year-Long Overview
Students in social studies should explore key questions through multiple sources to develop claims about
social studies content. As such, teachers must create instructional opportunities that delve deeply into
content and guide students in developing and supporting claims about social studies concepts.
Grade 4 Content Focus




Geography of the U.S.
Exploration and colonization
Revolutionary War
U.S. as a modern society
Grade 4 Claims
 What are the physical characteristics of the US and how
did this impact colonization?
 What were the influences and effects of the
Revolutionary War?
 How did the technological advancements and key
historical events impact our current society?
Content: Students begin to understand the physical characteristics of the nation and learn a basic
understanding of the history of America from early explorers to present day society. They begin to understand
the democratic foundations that built the current political system of today through significant historical events
that helped to shape the country into what it is today. Students explain how society, the environment, the
political and economic landscape, and historical events influence perspectives, values, traditions, and ideas. To
accomplish this, they:
 Use key questions to build understanding of content through multiple sources
 Corroborate sources and evaluate evidence by considering author, occasion, and purpose
Claims: Students develop and express claims through discussions and writing which examine the impact of
relationships between ideas, people, and events across time and place. In a fourth grade class, students are
beginning to use source based documents as a foundation for their claims. Since the readability level of many
traditional historical documents are above that a typical fourth grader’s reading level, the teacher should
make adjustments and support the students’ knowledge of each document during instruction. To accomplish
this, they:
 Recognize recurring themes and patterns in history, geography, economics, and civics
 Evaluate the causes and consequences of events and developments over spans of time and across
disciplines
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Sample Scope and Sequence
Unit 1
Regional
Geography of the
United States
August-MidSeptember
GLEs1: 4.1.1-7,
4.4.1-7, 4.5.1-3,
4.6.1-2
1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Exploration and
Colonization
Becoming the
United States
Our Nation
Grows
Innovation and
Change
Modern America
Mid-SeptemberMid-October
GLEs: 4.1.1-7,
4.2.2, 4.9.2-3,
4.9.7
Mid-OctoberDecember
GLEs: 4.1.1-7,
4.2.1-2, 4.2.4,
4.7.1-4, 4.8.1-4,
4.9.5-6
January-February
March-Mid-April
Mid-April-May
GLEs: 4.1.1-7,
4.2.1-3
GLEs: 4.1.1-7,
4.2.2, 4.2.5, 4.3.1,
4.9.2, 4.9.4,
4.9.6-7, 4.9.10
GLEs: 4.1.1-7,
4.2.2, 4.3.1, 4.8.4,
4.9.1, 4.9.4,
4.9.8-9
Note: The GLEs apply to every unit as they describe the historical thinking skills students should use to learn and
demonstrate understanding of social studies content.
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 1: Regional Geography of the United States
(August–Mid-September)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore the variety of landforms and geographic make-up of the
United States, and how each region has influenced economic development. This sets the stage for the unit
to follow where students explore the early days of exploration and colonization through various
geographic regions.
Topic and Days Content and Claims
Landforms
10 days
Regions
10 days
Possible Sources
 How can we define the location of Possible Sources
 Outline Map with Landforms, National Geographic
a place? (4.4.1-4.4.7)
 How are the characteristics of each
 Types of Land, Harcourt School
region similar and different?
 Outline Maps, Education Place
(4.5.1 )
 Landform Regions of the United States, Eduplace
 Physical Map of the United States, FEMA
 United States Landforms, Mr. Nussbaum
 Major Landforms, World Atlas
 How do the physical characteristics Possible Sources
 United States Regions, National Geographic
of each region shape its economic
development? (4.5.2)
 Let’s Explore the Pacific Northwest, Kathleen Connors
 How do the physical characteristics
 Let’s Explore the Great Basin, Kathleen Connors
of each region influence human
 Let’s Explore the Midwest, Kathleen Connors
settlement? (4.5.3)
 Let’s Explore the Northeast, Kathleen Connors
 How do natural processes and
 Let’s Explore the Southwest, Kathleen Connors
human processes impact the land
 States and Regions, Harcourt School
and water around them? (4.6.1-2)
 Regions of the U.S., Scholastic
 Railroad Maps 1828-1900, Library of Congress
 Northeast, Discovery Education
 West, Discovery Education
 South, Discovery Education
 Midwest, Discovery Education
 Interactive Maps, Eduplace
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 2: Exploration and Colonization
(Mid- September–Mid-October)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore early settlers to the New World and learn about the early colonies
established. This sets the stage for the unit to follow where students explore the democratic ideals that
pushed the nation into the Revolutionary War.
Topic and Days Content and Claims
Early Explorers
10 days
Early Settlers
10 days
Sample Task and Possible Sources
 How did early explorers lead to the Possible Sources
 Early Voyages of Exploration 1492-1609, Prentice Hall
discovery and settlement of the
early colonies? (4.2.2)
 Exploration of North America, 1492-1700, Eduplace
 What were the risks involved with
 Age of Exploration: Life on the Seas, History.com
exploration and early settlement?
 Exploring the Americas (Chester the Crab’s Comics
(4.9.3)
with Content Series), Bentley Boyd
Sample Task
 What were the motivations for
exploration and early settlement?
 Louisiana Instructional Task
(4.9.2-3, 4.9.7)
o Growth of NY during Colonial Period
Possible Sources
 You Wouldn’t Want to Be an American Colonist!: A
Settlement You’d Rather Not Start, Jacqueline Morley
 Observations Gathered out of a Discourse of the
Plantation of the Southern Colony, George Percy
 The New Americans: Colonial Times: 1620-1689 (The
American Story), Betsy Maestro
 Early American Frontier, 1774, Archiving Early
America
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 3: Becoming the United States
(Mid-October–December)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore early the early origins of how the United States came to be
and the role of the founding father played in developing our democratic society. This sets the stage for the
unit to follow where students examine westward expansion and the idea of manifest destiny.
Note: This content could be taught in conjunction with the If You Lived at the Time of the American
Revolution (Lessons 1 -5, 7, 9, and 12) from the English Language Arts Guidebook for Grade 4.
Topic and Days Content and Claims
Founding
Fathers
10 days
 How did the founding fathers
impact the formation of the
United States? (4.2.2)
 How did explorers and pioneers
impact the growth of the United
States? (4.2.1-2)
American
Government
15 days




Citizenship in
America
10 days
How have key events led to the
expansion of democracy? (4.2.4)
How have our country’s major
democratic documents shaped
our government’s structure and
functions? (4.7.2)
What are the purposes and
necessities of a government?
(4.7.3)
What are some of the significant
changes made to the constitution
over time, and what impacts did
they have on our country? (4.7.1,
4.7.3)
 How are the three branches of
government different in both
structure and function? (4.7.4)
 What are the key requirements to
become a United States citizen?
(4.8.1)
 What are the differences between
a citizen’s rights, responsibilities,
Possible Sources
Possible Sources
 Illustrated Timeline of US Presidents, Mary Englar
 “Thomas Jefferson,” ReadWorks
 Who was Thomas Jefferson?, Dennis B. Fradin
 “George Washington,” ReadWorks
 “American Government- James Madison,”
ReadWorks
Possible Sources
 “Colonization & Revolutionary War,” ReadWorks
 You Wouldn’t Want to Be at the Boston Tea Party!:
Wharf Water Tea You’d Rather Not Drink, Peter Cook
 “Paul Revere’s Ride,” ReadWorks
 Texts from ELA Guidebook Unit, Grade 4:
o Liberty!: How the Revolutionary War Began,
Lucille Recht Penner
o And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? Jean
Fritz
o Those Rebels, John and Tom, Barbara Kerley
o . . . If You Lived at the Time of the American
Revolution, Kay Moore
o George vs. George: The American Revolution as
Seen from Both Sides, Rosalyn Schanzer
Possible Sources
 U.S. Constitution Interactive, Mr. Nussbaum
 Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution!, Jean Fritz
 If You Were There When They Signed the
Constitution, Elizabeth Levy
 The Constitution, Suzanne LeVert
 “American Government- Branches of Government,”
ReadWorks
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
and duties? (4.8.2)
 What elements of a democracy
are dependent upon good
citizenship? (4.8.3-4)
 How does a government provide
goods and services? (4.9.5, 4.9.6)





“American Government - Preamble to the United
States Constitution,” ReadWorks
Requirements for Citizenship, U.S. Immigration
Services
“American Government - Bill of Rights Part I and II,”
ReadWorks
The New Nation, Joy Hakim
Our National Symbols, Linda Carlson Johnson
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 4: Our Nation Grows
(January–February)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore early the early origins of how the United States grew in size
through the idea of manifest destiny and the impact technology made on this growth. This sets the stage for
the unit to follow where students explore more technological changes and the effect these inventions had on
the economy and workforce in the United States.
Topic and Days
Content and Claims
Sample Task and Possible Sources
Westward
Expansion and
Manifest Destiny
15 days
 How have our leaders impacted
the growth of the United States?
(4.2.2)
 How did explorers and pioneers
impact the growth of the United
States? (4.2.1-2)
 How have migration patterns
impacted the boundaries of the
U.S.? (4.2.3)
Louisiana
Purchase
10 days
 How have our leaders impacted
the growth of the United States?
(4.2.2)
 How did explorers and pioneers
impact the growth of the United
States? (4.2.1-2)
 How have migration patterns
impacted the boundaries of the
U.S.? (4.2.3)
Possible Sources
 Growth of a Nation, Animated Atlas
 Westward Ho!, Lucille Recht Penner
 Into the West, Terry Collins
 PBS “The West” from pre-1500 to 1979
 Artifacts and Images of the Era of Manifest Destiny,
Authentic History Center
 Boomtowns of the West, Bobbie Kalman
 You Wouldn’t Want to Be a Pony Express Rider!: A
Dusty, Thankless Job You’d Rather Not Do, Tom
Ratliff
 You Wouldn’t Want to Live in a Wild West Town!:
Dust You’d Rather Not Settle, Peter Hicks
 You Wouldn’t Want to Be an American Pioneer!: A
Wilderness You’d Rather Not Tame, Jacqueline
Morley
 California Gold Rush, Shirley Jordan
 What was the Gold Rush?, Joan Holub
 “Panning for History,” ReadWorks
Possible Sources
 The Louisiana Purchase, Learning Liftoff
 Thomas Jefferson and the Louisiana Purchase, Emily
Raabe
 Building an Empire: The Louisiana Purchase, Linda
Thompson
 Louisiana Purchase map, Mr. Nussbaum
 Lewis and Clark, National Geographic
 Lewis and Clark, U.S. Mint
 “American Explorers,” Center for Urban Education
 You Wouldn’t Want to Explore with Lewis and Clark!:
An Epic Journey You’d Rather Not Make, Jacqueline
Morley
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Transcontinental
Railroad
10 days
 How have our leaders impacted
the growth of the United
States? (4.2.2)
 How did explorers and pioneers
impact the growth of the United
States? (4.2.1-2)
 How have migration patterns
impacted the boundaries of the
U.S.? (4.2.3)
Sample Task
 Louisiana Instructional Task
o The Transcontinental Railroad
Possible Sources
 Building the Transcontinental Railroad, Steven
Offinski
 Transcontinental Railroad, Alan Pierce
 Transcontinental Railroad, John Perritano
 The Great Railroad Race – Diary of Libby West,
Kristiana Gregory
 You Wouldn’t Want to Work on the Railroad!: A
Track You’d Rather Not Go Down, Ian Graham
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 5: Innovation and Change
(March–Mid-April)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore causes of mass immigration and inventions that shaped the
immigration patterns across the landscape. This sets the stage for the unit to follow where students explore
how modern American came to be through influential leaders in the Civil Rights Movement and the impact of
a rapidly advancing technological society.
Topic and Days Content and Claims
Immigration
10 days
 How have immigration patterns
impacted the culture of the U.S.?
(4.2.2, 4.2.5)
Innovations
10 days
 How do new inventions and
processes affect people and the
country? (4.3.1)
Industrial
Revolution
 How did increased manufacturing
lead to rapid urbanization? (4.9.2)
 How did industry create demands
for increased skill and knowledge?
(4.9.10)
 How did industrialization impact
consumers? (4.9.4, 4.9.6-7)
10 days
Sample Tasks and Possible Sources
Possible Sources
 “Immigration,” ReadWorks
 The Irish Potato Famine: Irish Immigrants Come to
America (1845-1850), Jeremy Thornton
 You Wouldn’t Want to Sail on an Irish Famine Ship!:
A Trip Across the Atlantic You’d Rather Not Make,
Jim Pipe
 Religious Intolerance: Jewish Immigrants Come to
America (1881-1914), Jeremy Thornton
 If Your Name was Changed at Ellis Island, Ellen
Levine
 Ellis Island, R. Conrad Stein
Possible Sources
 Robert Fulton, Steven Roberts
 Timeless Thomas: How Thomas Edison Changed our
Lives, Gene Barreta
 Henry Ford, Mike Venezia
 “Henry Ford: A Giant of a Man,” PassageBank
 Famous Inventors, Biography.Com (Passages and
media links
Possible Sources
 America Enters the Industrial Revolution, Susan
Hamer
 The Industrial Revolution, Melissa McDaniel
(Scholastic)
 Industrial Revolution for Kids, Cheryl Mullenbach
 Industrial Revolution, Debra Housel
 Industrial Revolution, Susan Hamen
 Industrial Revolution, Alan Pierce
 “The Industrial Revolution,” ReadWorks
Social Studies Scope and Sequence:
Grade 4
Unit 6: Modern America
(Mid-April–May)
Unit overview: In this unit students explore how modern American came to be through influential leaders in
the Civil Rights Movement and the impact of a rapidly advancing technological society.
Topic and Days Content and Claims
Civil Rights
Movement
10 days
 How have our leaders impacted
the United States? (4.2.2)
 How did civil rights leaders work
to solve a current issue? (4.8.4)
Technological
Advances
10 days
 How do new technologies affect
people and the country? (4.3.1)
Modern
Economy
10 days
 How do people plan their finances
to thrive in our modern economy?
(4.9.1, 4.9.4, 4.9.8-9)
Sample Tasks and Possible Sources
Possible Sources
 “Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Center for Urban
Education
 Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and
the Right to Vote, Tanya Lee Stone
 1913 Women’s Suffrage Parade, The Atlantic
Possible Sources
 @ Home and City, NASA
 15 Ways Phones Evolved, BGR
 Illuminating Photography, YouTube
 Inventions in Science and Technology: Ideas that
Changed the World, Ian Graham
 Inventions in Communication: Ideas that Changed
the World, Ian Graham
 Great Discoveries and Inventions that Improved
Human Health, Antonio Casanellas
Sample Task
 Louisiana Instructional Task
o Economics Case Study: Janesville, WI
Possible Sources
 Managing Money: Spending and Saving, PBS Kids
 Financial Fables, Federal Reserve
 Hands on Banking, Wells Fargo
2011 Social Studies Grade-Level Expectations:
Grade 4
History
Standard 1 – Chronological and Historical Thinking
Students use chronological sequencing of key events and symbols to understand the movement of people and
the expansion of boundaries in the United States.
4.1.1
Construct timelines of historical events
4.1.2
Use timelines to explain how changes over time have caused movement of people or expansion of boundaries
in the United States
4.1.3
Use appropriate vocabulary of time
4.1.4
Produce clear and coherent writing to:
 compare and contrast past and present viewpoints on a given historical topic
 conduct simple research
 summarize actions/events and explain significance
 differentiate between the 5 regions of the United States
4.1.5
Explain the historical significance of U.S. political symbols
4.1.6
Define and distinguish between primary and secondary sources
4.1.7
Summarize primary resources and explain their historical importance
Standard 2 – People and Events
Students explain the historical significance of key people and events in order to examine the expansion of the
boundaries and development of democracy in the United States.
4.2.1
Explain how early explorations affected the expansion of boundaries and development in the United States
4.2.2
Cite evidence to support the key contributions and influence of people in the history of the United States
4.2.3
Explain the voluntary migration of people and its significance in the development of the boundaries of the
United States
4.2.4
Draw conclusions about the relationship of significant events in the history of the United States to the
expansion of democracy in the United States
4.2.5
Use the concepts “melting pot,” “salad bowl,” and “cultural mosaic” to explain the impact of immigration on
population growth and diversity in the United States
Standard 3 – People and Events
Students examine the impact of scientific and technological advances on the development of the United
States.
4.3.1
Explain how inventions and new processes affected the lives of people, migration, and the economy of regions
of the United States
2011 Social Studies Grade-Level Expectations:
Grade 4
Geography
Standard 4 – Maps and Globes
Students use map skills to construct and interpret geographical representations of the world.
4.4.1
Locate and label continents, oceans, the poles, hemispheres, and key parallels and meridians on a map and
globe
4.4.2
Locate and label on a map the major physical features of each of the five regions of the United States and
summarize how they affect the climate, economy, and population of each region
4.4.3
Identify the states of each of the five regions of the United States
4.4.4
Measure approximate distance on a map using scale to the nearest hundredth mile
4.4.5
Determine the approximate longitude and latitude coordinates of various locations in the United States
4.4.6
Interpret various types of maps using a key/legend, compass rose including cardinal and intermediate
directions, latitude/longitude, and scale
4.4.7
Use mental mapping to construct a map of the United States regions and the world to include map elements
(title, compass rose, legend/key, scale)
Standard 5 – People and Land
Students compare and contrast the physical and human characteristics of each United States region in order
to understand their similarities and differences.
4.5.1
Compare and contrast the distinguishing physical characteristics of the five regions of the United States
4.5.2
Analyze how physical characteristics of a region shape its economic development
4.5.3
Identify and explain how the physical characteristics of a region influenced human settlement
Standard 6 – Environment
Students describe how natural and man-made processes change the geography of regions in the United
States.
4.6.1
Illustrate how natural processes have created and/or changed the physical characteristics of places in the
United States
4.6.2
Describe the human impact on the land and bodies of water of the five regions of the United States
Civics
Standard 7 – Government and Political Systems
Students explain the structure and purposes of government and the foundations of the United States’
democratic system using primary and secondary sources.
2011 Social Studies Grade-Level Expectations:
Grade 4
4.7.1
Identify and summarize significant changes that have been made to the United States Constitution through the
amendment process
4.7.2
Explain the significance of key ideas contained in the Declaration of Independence, the United States
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
4.7.3
Identify and analyze the basic purposes and necessity of government as identified in the Preamble to the
United States Constitution
4.7.4
Differentiate between the structure and function of the three branches of federal government
Standard 8 – Role of Citizen
Students examine the rights, responsibilities, and duties of a United States citizen in order to understand how
individuals contribute to the democratic system of government.
4.8.1
Identify the key requirements to become a United States citizen
4.8.2
Differentiate between citizens’ rights, responsibilities, and duties
4.8.3
Describe the qualities of a good citizen and how good citizenship contributes to the United States’ democracy
4.8.4
Explain how good citizenship can solve a current issue
Economics
Standard 9 – Fundamental Economic Concepts
Students demonstrate knowledge of economic concepts.
4.9.1
Develop a logical argument to support the choice of a particular want after all needs are met
4.9.2
Identify examples of human, natural, and capital resources and explain how these resources are used to
produce goods and provide services
4.9.3
Define the terms profit and risk and explain how they relate to each other
4.9.4
Investigate the relationship between supply, demand, and price
4.9.5
Describe how government pays for goods and services through taxes and fees
4.9.6
Summarize the roles of households, businesses, jobs, banks, and governments in the economy
4.9.7
Explain why individuals and businesses engage in barter and trade
4.9.8
Differentiate between money (currency), checks, debit cards, and credit cards and identify advantages and
disadvantages of each type of monetary exchange
4.9.9 Define budget, income, and expense and explain the benefits of making and following a budget
4.9.10 Analyze the benefits of increasing skills