Fourth Grade

Students demonstrate an understanding of the physical and human geographic features and political systems that define places and regions in the United States. 

Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the Southeastern region of the United States. 

Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the Northeastern region of the United States.

Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the Middle Western region of the United States. 

Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the Southwestern region of the United States. 

Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, and social structures in the Western region of the United States. 

Chronological and Spatial Thinking 

Research, Evidence, and Point of View 

Historical Interpretation

Explain and use the coordinate grid system of latitude and longitude to determine the absolute locations of places in the United States and on Earth.

Distinguish between the North and South Poles; the equator and the prime meridian; the tropics; and the hemispheres, using coordinates to plot locations. 

Describe the various regions of the United States; water, landforms, vegetation, and climate, and how their characteristics and physical environments affect human activity. 

Identify the locations of the oceans, rivers, valleys, and mountain passes and explain their effects on the growth of cities. 

Describe how areas in the United States vary in land use, elevation, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, architecture, services, and transportation. 

Discuss what the U.S. Constitution is and why it is important (a written document that defines the structure and purpose of the U.S. government and describes the shared powers of federal, state, and local governments). 

Describe the similarities (written documents, rule of law, consent of the governed, three separate branches) and differences (scope of jurisdiction, limits on government powers, use of the military) among federal, state, and local governments. 

Explain the structures and functions of state governments, including roles and responsibilities of their elected officials. 

Trace the evolution of US water system into a network of dams, aqueducts, and reservoirs.  

Describe the history and development of the US public education system. 

Describe the impact of natural resources, technology, and economics of the regions of the United States.

Explain the major geographic features of the Southeast and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement in this region.   

Examine the Native American cultures that originated from this region and examine the main features of their art and architecture.

Discuss the impact of the key historical events within the region.

Describe the ways in which resources permitted the growth of economies, how these resources have and are being used, and their impact on the emergence of cities in this region. 

Compare and contrast the growth and development of industry and agriculture within the region.

Explain the major geographic features of the Northeast and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement in this region. 

Examine the Native American cultures that originated in this region and examine the main features of their art and architecture. 

Discuss the impact of the key historical events within the region 

Describe the ways in which resources permitted the growth of economies, how these resources have and are being used, and their impact on the emergence of cities in this region. 

Compare and contrast the growth and development of industry and agriculture within the region.

Explain the major geographic features of the Mid-West and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement in this region. 

Examine the Native American cultures that originated in this region and examine the main features of their art and architecture. 

Discuss the impact of the key historical events within the region. 

Describe the ways in which resources permitted the growth of economies, how these resources have and are being used, and their impact on the emergence of cities in this region. 

Compare and contrast the growth and development of industry and agriculture within the region. 

Explain the major geographic features of the Southwest and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement in this region. 

Examine the Native American cultures that originated in this region and examine the main features of their art and architecture. 

Discuss the impact of the arrival of Europeans in the region. 

Describe the ways in which resources permitted the growth of economies, how these resources have and are being used, and their impact on the emergence of cities in this region. 

Compare and contrast the growth and development of industry and agriculture within the region. 

Explain the major geographic features of the Western region and discuss the physical settings that supported permanent settlement in this region. 

Examine the Native American cultures that originated in this region and examine the main features of their art and architecture. 

Discuss the impact of the key historical events within the region. 

Describe the ways in which resources permitted the growth of economies, how these resources have and are being used, and their impact on the emergence of cities in this region. 

Compare and contrast the growth and development of industry and agriculture within the region. 

Students place key events and people of the historical era they are studying in a chronological sequence and within a spatial context; they interpret time lines. 

Students correctly apply terms related to time, including past, present, future, decade, century, and generation. 

Students explain how the present is connected to the past, identifying both similarities and differences between the two, and how some things change over time and some things stay the same. 

Students use map and globe skills to determine the absolute locations of places and interpret information available through a map’s or globe’s legend, scale, and symbolic representations. 

Students judge the significance of the relative location of a place. Examples: proximity to a harbor, on trade routes and analyze how relative advantages and disadvantages can change over time. 

Students differentiate between primary and secondary sources.

Students pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents, eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks, and architecture. 

Students distinguish fact from fiction by comparing documentary sources on historical figures and events with fictionalized characters and events.

Students summarize the key events of the era they are studying and explain the historical contexts of those events. 

Students identify the human and physical characteristics of the places they are studying and explain how those features form the unique character of those places. 

Students identify and interpret the multiple causes and effects of historical events. 4SSK12: Students conduct cost-benefit analyses of historical and current events.