4th Grade Social Studies: Complete Curriculum of Fourth Grade Social Studies

Fourth Grade Social Studies is taught to the National Council for the Social Studies (U.S.) standards, covering history, economics, civics, and geography. Students will explore the four regions of the United States, learning about geography, history, and culture. We will examine each individual state's past and present, looking at its economics, natural resources, and government. Students will learn about each state's capital, largest cities, agriculture, indigenous people, landmarks, and what makes it unique. 

I am currently enrolled in my final course through the Gettysburg College-Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History master of arts in American history program. In addition, I have bachelor of arts degrees in English, journalism, and political science. I was the director of a social justice center for three years during which time I routinely taught about and facilitated conversations about historical and current political events for both teen and adults participants. Before that, I was a newspaper editor and reporter for 15 years. I have been teaching history, social studies, and English Language Arts classes for the past five years. I am currently lead teacher at The Foster Woods Folk School, which focuses on education, storytelling, and the arts within an ecosocial justice framework aimed at celebrating and improving our connections as a global community of human and non-human earthlings. In this role, I work with learners of all ages with a primary focus of working with learners in grades three through 12.  

There is daily homework to be completed outside of class time. Homework includes reading and writing assignments, as well as worksheets and other learning projects. 

Weekly homework is assessed as follows: 
Comprehension Quiz: 20 Percent 
Writing Assignment: 40 Percent
Project/Worksheet: 40

Learners earning a C (70 percent) or greater will receive a letter of completion that reflects their final grade. 

50 minutes per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.

Materials will come from a myriad of sources including NewsELA, the Zinn Education Project, Learning for Justice, and the Council for Economic Education.