FOURTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES

Alaska Content Standards

 

HISTORY

 

Standard A.  A student should understand that history is a record of

                        human experiences that links the past to the present and

                        future.

Standard B.  A student should understand historical themes through

                        factual knowledge of time, places, ideas, institutions,

                        cultures, people, and events.

Standard C.  A student should develop the skills and processes of

                        historical inquiry.

Standard D.  A student should be able to integrate historical

                        knowledge with historical skill to effectively participate

                        as a citizen and as a lifelong learner.

 

 

GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENSHIP

 

Standard A.  A student should know and understand how societies

                        define authority, rights, and responsibilities through a

                        governmental process.

Standard B.  A student should understand the constitutional

                        foundations of the American political system and the

                        democratic ideals of this nation.

Standard C.  A student should understand the character of government

                        of the state.

Standard D.  A student should understand the role of the United States in international affairs.

Standard E.  A student should have the knowledge and skills necessary

                        to participate effectively as an informed and responsible

                        citizen.

Standard F.  A student should understand the economies of the United

                        States and the state and their relationships to the global

                        economy.

Standard G.  A student should understand the impact of economic

                        choices and participate effectively in the local, state,

                        national, and global economies.

 

 

         

GEOGRAPHY

 

Standard A.  A student should be able to make and use maps, globes,

                        and graphs to gather, analyze, and report spatial

                        (geographic) information.

Standard B.  A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain

                        information about the human and physical features of

                        places and regions.

Standard C.  Student should understand the dynamic and interactive

                        natural forces that shape the earth’s environments.

Standard D.  A student should understand and be able to interpret

                        spatial (geographic) characteristics of human systems,

                        including migration, movement, interactions of cultures,

                        economic activities, settlement patterns, and political units

                        in the state, nation, and world.

Standard E.  A student should understand and be able to evaluate how

                        humans and physical environments interact.

Standard F.  A student should be able to use geography to understand

                        the world by interpreting the past, knowing the present,

                        and preparing for the future.

 

 

COURSE CONTENT

The fourth grade social studies curriculum will focus on exploring regions in the United States and the world and Alaska Studies.  Students should do an in-depth study of the geography, history, culture, and economy of Alaska.  Historical, economic, and geographical concepts expand discussions on national topics, developmental stages of the nation, global issues, supply and demand, and the role of technology, and geographic patterns.

 

CULTURE    

·        Explore cultural celebrations as observed by various groups in Alaska (i.e., potlatch)

·        Describe and compare the diverse cultures within Alaska

·        Examine the environmental adaptations of each native culture group

·        Explore similarities and differences in how groups, societies, and cultures address similar human needs and concerns

·        Show different cultural regions on an Alaskan map identifying such things are religion and language

·        Summarize the contributions of people of the various groups in Alaska

·        Recognize that culture affects one’s values, beliefs, and attitudes

·        Identify the influence of immigration and migration

·        Explain the value of cultural diversity within and across groups

CITIZENSHIP/GOVERNMENT

·        Assume specific roles in group activities

·        Understand the unique character of government in Alaska

·        Explain the past and present importance of gold mining, lumbering, fishing, fur trapping and the discovery of oil on Alaska’s development

·        Explains the significance of Alaska Day and Earth Day

·        Recites the Pledge of Allegiance to honor the United States

·        Understands the composition of local and state legislative systems (governor, senators, and representatives)

·        Describe the different purposes of various organizations

·        Describe how cooperation and conflict affect places in different communities

·        Identify the three branches of the national government

·        Identify different groups that came to America and examine how they have contributed to the diversity of the nation

·        Identify the different reasons why people immigrated to the United States

·        List some of the rights covered by the Bill of Rights and explain why they are important

HISTORY

·        Historical studies emphasizing: heroes, folktales, inventors, and Alaska legends

·        Participates in state and regional celebrations (Seward’s Day, Iditarod, Fur Rendezvous)

·        Sequence events which shaped Alaskan History

·        Use a timeline to place events in sequence

·        Identify major ideas (e.g., democracy, free enterprise) that influence history

·        Identify attempts to reform social, political, or economic conditions

·        Explain how historical events have been influenced by geographic factors

GEOGRAPHY

·        Locate, identify, and label Alaska’s 6 geographic regions, 4 cultural regions, and major land and water features

·        Understand how maps are depiction’s of real life objects or places

·        Demonstrate and understanding of the 5 themes of geography: location, place, human environment interaction, movement and region as related to Alaska

·        Knows and uses major latitude and longitudinal markers

·        Use a map key to understand political and physical maps

·        Use political and physical maps in appropriate situations

·        Identifies Alaska’s strategic position within the Pacific Rim: geographically, economically, culturally

·        Uses maps and globes to relate to current events

·        Use a variety of geographic tool, (e.g., maps, globes, charts, graphs, technology, map keys, and symbols) to gather and interpret data and draw conclusions about physical patterns

ECONOMICS

·        Investigate the Alaskan Permanent Fund program

·        Investigate an economic product by asking and answering geographic questions, e.g., determining the location of the raw materials, processing or manufacturing, and distribution of products

·        Compare and contrast the wants and needs of people in different parts of Alaska and the means used to fulfill those wants and needs

·        Explain the difference between needs and wants

·        Use economic concepts such as supply, demand and price to explain events in a region

·        Know economic activities that use natural resources in the local region, state, and nation (e.g., agriculture, mining fishing, forestry) and the importance of the activities in these areas

·        Identify examples of making economic choices based on a region’s natural resources, and explain what is given up when making those choices

 

Textbook:
ISBN#:
Publisher:
Explore Our Land 0-618-04578-3 Houghton Mifflin
Geography Lv. 4 0-395-80646-1 Houghton Mifflin