The fourth grade year consists of examining California history through a variety
of perspectives. An important theme throughout our study is that "there
are many truths." The students begin the year with an exploration of Native
people and the cause-and-effect relationship of colonization by European governments.
They study early explorers, the California Mission Chain, and the Mexican California
period. The students then move to the era of Westward expansion/invasion from
the East, statehood, the Gold Rush and the building of the Transcontinental
Railroad. Finally, the students look at immigration as it specifically relates
to the Chinese experience in our state. Throughout all areas of study, the students
develop and apply critical thinking as they build an understanding of the patterns
of California's past.
Goals and Objectives
Students develop an understanding of the following topics:
Indigenous people before the journey of Columbus to the Western hemisphere
Native Californians and their way of life
California, US, and world geography
Early explorers of California
California Mission Period
Mexican California
Westward expansion/invasion from the East
California Gold Rush
Transcontinental Railroad
California statehood
Chinese immigration to California
Geography's influence on culture
The effects of an invading culture on a native one
Motivations of people (similarities and differences)
Skills
Geography skills
Understands and uses concepts of latitude/longitude
Locates northern and southern hemispheres on a map or globe
Locates and understands significance of equator/prime meridian
Use coordinates to find locations on a map
Explores and uses maps of the world, US, and California as sources of information
Uses an atlas
Research skills
Uses multiple sources to gather information (books, encyclopedias, journals,
videos, Internet, etc.)
Reads for specific information
Uses the Dewey decimal system
Uses a time line to understand the passage of history
Use an almanac as a resource for information
Reading skills
Reads for specific information
Evaluates and critiques social studies material
Identifies point of view
Writing skills
Takes notes from an oral presentation or from reading
Uses outlining skills
Writes a non-fiction report, including introduction, body, conclusion
Knows how to construct a bibliography
Uses paraphrasing and summarizing
Knows how to write a reflection
Synthesizes information from various sources
Writes from various historical perspectives
Thinking skills
Continues to understand fact versus opinion
Continues to understand the concept of fiction and non-fiction
Continues to understand the concept of cause and effect
Discussion and listening skills
Participates effectively in role playing
Works with others to produce group reports and presentations
Shows skills necessary for debates and discussions
Divides tasks and delegates responsibility when working with a group
Listens respectfully
Presentation skills
Chooses and creates effective presentation techniques
Creates a Hyperstudio project
Organizational skills
Organizes materials in binders
Organizes long-term assignments
Assessment and Evaluation
The fourth grade teachers use a variety of strategies and techniques for assessment
and evaluation of student work, including ongoing teacher evaluation of class
work, group work and homework, rubrics for assignments and projects (completed
by teachers), rubrics for assignments completed by students (self-assessment),
and portfolio assessment (self-assessment).
Materials
Books read by students are chosen from the following list: Encounter, Jane Yolen Patty Reed's Doll, Rachel K. Laurgaard By the Great Horn Spoon, Sid Fleischman Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott O'Dell Morning Girl, Michael Dorris Journey to Topaz, Yoshiko Uchida Thunder Rolling on The Mountain, Scott O'Dell The Journal of Wong Ming Chung, Lawrence Yep Coolies, Yin Pedro's Journal, Pam Conrad Oh California, Houghton Mifflin (textbook) The Missions of California (a series of books published by PowerKids
Press)
Field Trips
Bay sail aboard the C.A. Thayer
Academy of Sciences
Gold Rush Walking Tour
Coloma Outdoor Discovery School (Outdoor Education overnight trip)
Mission San Juan Bautista
Chinatown walking tour
Angel Island immigration station
References and Resources
The fourth-grade classrooms contain many resource books about the topics studied
for student use, including both fiction and non-fiction. Students also use the
rich resources of the San Francisco Day School Library Media Center, videos
and audiotapes, and explore web-based resources in the computer lab.
Resources for teachers include: California History-Social Science Curriculum Framework, 1998 National Standards for History, 1994. Document published by: National
Center for the History in the Schools
School membership in the National Council for the Social Studies
