4th Grade Social Studies Standards

Introduction

The goal of social studies education is for children to develop thinking and decision-making skills that prepare them for responsible citizenship in a democratic society. Fourth graders continue to work toward this goal by examining the reasons why and how people move from one place to another through their study of the migration and settlement of Colonial America. Students will describe diverse forms of self-government used by various groups in Colonial America while assessing the ability of various forms of government to foster civic virtues and uphold democratic principles. Students will compare and contrast different ways that the government interacts with the economy. Students will describe and evaluate the relationship between resource availability, opportunity costs, migration and settlement. Students will compare the distinctive cultural characteristics of groups that immigrated or were brought forcibly to the United States from other nations or regions. Students will explain examples of conflict and collaboration among diverse groups of people as they encountered one another.

Key Vocabulary

May include, but is not limited to: cause and effect, collaboration, Colonial America, colonial Kentucky, consumers, demand, factors of production, ingenuity, innovation, landforms, migration, monarchy, opportunity costs, producers, profit, settlement, supply

Looking Back, Looking Ahead: Connections to Grade 3 and 5

In grade 3, students begin to apply the concept of the community globally, understanding the impact of interaction between groups within the continent of Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania (Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia). In grade 4, students will use this knowledge to discover the reasons people move to and from different places, including the interactions and implications resulting from this movement. In grade 5, students will examine the conflict and compromise that resulted from this movement to understand the tensions and factors that led to the fight for independence and the establishment of the United States of America.