United States · Common Core State Standards
4th Grade State History & Geography
A deep dive into the geography, indigenous peoples, exploration, settlement, and government of our state. Students in 4th grade trace their state from its earliest inhabitants through statehood and beyond.
Our State's Geography
The physical landscape of our state: its landforms, climate zones, and natural resources, and how geography has shaped where people live and how they make a living.
The mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, and coastlines that make up our state. Students identify major landforms and understand how they divide the state into distinct regions.
How climate varies across our state and why. Students explore how elevation, latitude, and proximity to water create different weather patterns and growing seasons.
The natural resources of our state, including forests, water, minerals, and fertile soil, and how people have used (and sometimes overused) them throughout history.
Using maps and globes to locate our state and its major cities. Students learn to use cardinal directions, scales, and legends to navigate and represent spatial data.
Investigating how people modify their environment through dams, irrigation, and urban development, and the resulting consequences.
Indigenous Peoples
The first people of our state: who they were, how they lived, what they believed, and what happened when Europeans arrived.
The earliest people to live in our state. Students explore archaeological evidence and oral histories that reveal how the first inhabitants lived thousands of years ago.
The distinct tribal nations that called our state home. Students learn that Indigenous peoples were not one group but many nations, each with their own language, government, and territory.
The art, stories, ceremonies, and daily life of Indigenous peoples in our region. Students explore how these traditions connected people to the land and to each other.
What happened when European explorers and settlers arrived. Students learn about trade, cooperation, conflict, displacement, and the devastating effects of disease on Indigenous communities.
Understanding the legal status of tribal nations today and their contributions to the state's culture and economy.
Exploration & Settlement
European explorers who came to our region, the colonies they established, and the diverse communities that grew from early settlements.
Why European explorers came to North America, who they were, and what they found. Students examine the motives of exploration and the perspectives of the people who were already here.
Daily life in the early settlements, covering farming, trade, religion, and family life. Students explore how colonists adapted to new environments and built communities.
The diverse communities that developed in our region, from farming villages to trading posts to port towns. Students explore how geography, resources, and culture shaped each community.
An examination of the role of enslaved people and indentured servants in the early development and economy of the state.
Statehood & Growth
The story of how our state became a state: the events, leaders, and turning points that shaped its journey from territory to statehood and beyond.
The events and decisions that led our territory to become a state. Students explore what it means to become part of the United States and the debates that accompanied that process.
How our state grew and changed through migration, industry, railroads, and invention. Students examine the forces that transformed small settlements into cities and farmland into industry.
The leaders, innovators, activists, and everyday people who shaped our state. Students research individuals who made a lasting impact on their community and state.
Exploring the impact of canals, railroads, and early highways on the state's economy and settlement patterns.
The stories of different groups of people who moved to our state from other countries and other parts of the U.S.
State Government
How our state government works: the three branches, our state constitution, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.
The legislative, executive, and judicial branches of our state government. Students learn how each branch works and why the system of checks and balances matters.
The written plan that sets out the rules for our state government. Students explore what a constitution does and how it protects the rights of citizens.
What it means to be a citizen of our state. Students explore both the rights people have and the responsibilities they share, from voting to following laws to helping their community.
How county and city governments provide services like schools, parks, and police and fire protection.
How people in our state choose their leaders through voting and campaigns.
Our State in the Modern World
Exploring our state's current economy, global connections, and future challenges.
Identifying the key products and services our state provides to the world today, from technology to agriculture.
How our state trades with and is connected to other countries around the world.
Current efforts to protect our state's land, water, and wildlife for the future.
Celebrating the many cultures that make our state a vibrant place to live through food, music, and art.