4th Grade Social Studies

We will be using the Scott Foresman “Our California” social studies textbook/workbook this year.  Students will circle, highlight, and answer questions in the book as we learn.

Unit 1: The Land of California

Lessons 1-5

1. How do you locate places on Earth?
   

2. How is Earth divided?
   

3. How are the areas of California different?
   

4. How have California's landforms and water affected...
   

5. How are California's communities alike and different
   

Unit 2:Early People in California

Lessons 1-8

1. How did early people live in California?
   

2. How did early Europeans come to California?
   

3. How did the Spanish change how CA Indians lived?
   

4. What was Spain's influence in California?
   

5. What was life like in Spanish and Mexican California?
   

6. How did California's early economy change?
   

7. How did the Mexican War for Independence affect...
   

8. How did Mexican rule affect California?
   

        Juan Cabrillo

        Gaspar de Portola

        Juan Bautista de Anza

        Captain James Cook

        Vitus Bering

        Sebastian Vizcaíno

        Sir Francis Drake

Unit 3: Early History to Statehood

Lessons 1-5

1. Where were California's settlements?
   

2. How and why did people travel to California?
   

3. How did the discovery of gold affect California?
   

4. How did women help California grow?
   

5. How did California's government change?
   

Unit 4: Growth and Development Since 1850

Lessons 1-9

1. How did the movement of people and ideas change in...
   

2. How did the Gold Rush change California's economy?
   

3. How did different people coming to California affect ...
   

4. How have immigration and settlement helped CA...
   

5. What was California's role in the twentieth century?
   

6. What new industries came to California in the 20th...
   

7. How did California's water system develop?
   

8. How did California's education system develop?
   

9. How have Californians made our state unique?
   

Unit 5: California Government

Lessons 1-5

1. Why was the United States Constitution created?
   

2. How does the California Constitution affect you?
   

3. How are federal, state, and local governments alike ...
   

4. What does our state government do for us?
   

5. How are California's communities governed?