Embedded Files
These lessons were created by Vancouver educators through a Library of Congress grant. All materials and resources are provided, and all lessons contain all needed resources (slides, handouts, etc.)
These lessons were created by Vancouver educators through a Library of Congress grant. All materials and resources are provided, and all lessons contain all needed resources (slides, handouts, etc.)
*The picture book collection that is part of the K-3 lessons can be found at each individual building. Please connect with your Teacher Librarian to find out more.
*The picture book collection that is part of the K-3 lessons can be found at each individual building. Please connect with your Teacher Librarian to find out more.
Kindergarten Curriculum Overview:
Kindergarten Curriculum Overview:
The Story of Self
The Story of Self
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Rachael Derbin, Rachel Fisher, Anahisse Hodge (Dual Language), Nikki Peterson, Heather Rhone
Kindergarten Lessons
Kindergarten Lessons
Kindergarten Scope and Sequence
One-page document to access all lessons for the year
Unit 1: Getting to Know Me and My Friends
Unit 1: Getting to Know Me and My Friends
Lesson 1.1 All Are Welcome in My Classroom/ 1.1 DL Todo el mundo cabe aqui
Lesson 1.2 Our Names are Important / 1.2 DL Nuestros nombres son importantes
Lesson 1.3 Sometimes We Hear Gibberish/ 1.3 DL A veces escuchamos blablablá
Lesson 1.4 We Can Be Kind
Lesson 1.4 DL Nosotros podemos ser amables
Lesson 1.5 I Am a Kindergartner
Unit 2: Getting to Know Our Families and Our Lives
Unit 2: Getting to Know Our Families and Our Lives
Lesson 2.1 All Families are Welcome in our Classroom
Lesson 2.2 Our School Neighbors
Lesson 2.3 Exploring Our Tribal Nations: Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Lesson 2.4 Clothes for Every Season
Lesson 2.5 Building Together
Lesson 2.5 DL Construyendo juntos
Unit 3: Getting to Know My School and How I Fit In
Unit 3: Getting to Know My School and How I Fit In
Lesson 3.1 Our Class is a Family
Lesson 3.1 DL Nuestra familia de clase
Lesson 3.2 Say Something
Lesson 3.2 DL Di algo
Lesson 3.3 Our Class Can Help
Lesson 3.4 Needs and Wants
Lesson 3.5 Needs and Wants - I Can Save
1st Grade Curriculum Overview:
1st Grade Curriculum Overview:
The Story of Family
The Story of Family
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Chelbie Buckingham (Dual Language), Melissa Ferreira, Shari Parea, Carrie Yang, Chelsea Walker
1st Grade Lessons
1st Grade Lessons
* One set of picture books to support these lessons is available in your building! Check with your Teacher-Librarian to access them. A second set will be coming out to schools in Fall 2025.
1st Grade Lessons
1st Grade Lessons
One-page document to access all lessons for the year
Unit 1
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 2
Introduction to Unit 2: What is Teamwork?
Lesson 2.1 Families Use Teamwork
Lesson 2.2 Teamwork is Powerful
Lesson 2.3 Children Use Teamwork
Lesson 2.4 Using Teamwork to Protect What's Important
Lesson 2.5 Teamwork Connects Us
Lesson 2.6 Changing the Future With Teamwork
Unit 3
Unit 3
Lesson 3.1 Wants and Needs Within Families
Lesson 3.2 Why Do Families Move? Then
Lesson 3.3 Why Do Families Move? Now & Then/Por que se mudan las familias? (DL)
Lesson 3.4 In Between Homes
Lesson 3.5 Global Environments
2nd Grade Curriculum Overview:
2nd Grade Curriculum Overview:
The Story of Community
The Story of Community
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Rachael Honsinger, Katie Lewis, Stephanie MacDonald, Mary-Catherine McElroy, Devon Peterson
* Dual Language Team: Chelbie Buckingham, Anahisse Hodge, Ana Ruiz-Lopez, Angel Sierra-Figueroa
2nd Grade Lessons
2nd Grade Lessons
One-page document to access all lessons for the year
Unit 1: Social Contract
Unit 1: Social Contract
Unit 2: First Communities
Unit 2: First Communities
Lesson 2.1 Our Community: First People
Lesson 2.2 Our Community: The Cowlitz People part 1
Lesson 2.3 Our Community: The Cowlitz People part 2
Lesson 2.4 Our Community: The Pacific Northwest
Lesson 2.5 Our Community: A River's Gift
Unit 3: Basic Map Skills
Unit 3: Basic Map Skills
Lesson 3.1 Basic Mapping Skills/Destrezas de mapas
Lesson 3.2 Creating a Map/Crear un mapa
Unit 4: Goods and Services
Unit 4: Goods and Services
Unit 5: Businesses Needed
Unit 5: Businesses Needed
Unit 6: Creating the Characters
Unit 6: Creating the Characters
Unit 7: Providing Goods and Services
Unit 7: Providing Goods and Services
Unit 8: Advertising
Unit 8: Advertising
Lesson 8.1 Creating the Advertising/La Publicidad
Unit 9: Problem and Solution
Unit 9: Problem and Solution
Unit 10: Building Community Spaces
Unit 10: Building Community Spaces
Unit 11: Celebrating Our Community
Unit 11: Celebrating Our Community
3rd Grade Curriculum Overview:
3rd Grade Curriculum Overview:
The Story of Culture
The Story of Culture
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Sandra Albrechtson, Stephanie Klein, Michaelle Lake, Nadia Love
* Dual Language Team: Chelbie Buckingham, Ramon De Suze, Anahisse Hodge, Ana Ruiz-Lopez, Angel Sierra-Figueroa
3rd Grade Lessons
3rd Grade Lessons
* One set of picture books to support these lessons is available in your building! Check with your Teacher-Librarian to access them. A second set will be coming out to schools in Fall 2025.
* Newer books added to these lessons will be coming to buildings in the Fall of 2025.
3rd Grade Lessons
3rd Grade Lessons
One-page document to access all lessons for the year
Unit 1: What is Culture?
Unit 1: What is Culture?
Lesson 1.1: What is Culture?/¿Qué es cultura?
Lesson 1.2: Cultural Universals and Symbols
Lesson 1.3: Place-Based Cultural Influences
Lesson 1.3 DL: Influencias Culturales Basadas en el lugar
Lesson 1.4: Exploring Culture
Unit 3: Customs, Traditions, and Value
Unit 3: Customs, Traditions, and Value
Lesson 3.1: Values
Lesson 3.2: Customs & Traditions Around the World
Lesson 3.2 DL: Celebraciones y Tradiciones en todo el mundo
Unit 4: Communication and Education
Unit 4: Communication and Education
Lesson 4.1: Communication Part 1: What? and Why?
Lesson 4.2: Communication
Lesson 4.3: Communication: Language and Geography
Lesson 4.4: US Education Then and Now
Lesson 4.5: Education Around the World
Unit 5: Government, Transportation, and Economics
Unit 5: Government, Transportation, and Economics
Lesson 5.1: Government
Lesson 5.2: Economics
Lesson 5.3: Transportation
Unit 6: Recreation and the Arts
Unit 6: Recreation and the Arts
Lesson 6.1: Recreation
Lesson 6.2: The Arts
Unit 7: The Parade PBL
Unit 7: The Parade PBL
Lesson 7.1: Celebrating Cultures Through Parades
Lesson 7.2: Final Project
4th Grade Curriculum Overview:
4th Grade Curriculum Overview:
The Story of WA State: Since Time Immemorial to Statehood
The Story of WA State: Since Time Immemorial to Statehood
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Wendy Campos, Angela Dasso, Laney Hendrickson, Ramona Lomeli, Mary-Catherine McElroy, Morgan Miller, Trevor Mueller, Lani Steppe, April Wiltgen, Melisa Woods, Nicole Wright
Teacher Resources --Read First!
Teacher Resources --Read First!
Please read through this resource prior to teaching the materials
Curriculum Overview - 4th grade Social Studies: Washington State History 4th Grade Lessons
4th Grade Lessons
One-page document to access all lessons for the year
Unit 1: Since Time Immemorial to Statehood
Unit 1: Since Time Immemorial to Statehood
Lesson 1.1 Introduction
Lesson 1.2 Native Storytelling
Lesson 1.3 Maps of Tribal Nations
Lesson 1.4 Maps & Physical Geography
Lesson 1.5 How Native Nations Use Natural Resources
Lesson 1.6 Culminating Project/Optional Activities
Unit 2: European Trade Grows - 1846 Early Exploration & Colonization
Unit 2: European Trade Grows - 1846 Early Exploration & Colonization
Lesson 2.1 Land vs Settler Colonialism
Lesson 2.2 Before the Fort (Land, People, & the Introduction of European Diseases)
Lesson 2.3 Europeans in the Pacific Northwest (Lewis and Clark)
Lesson 2.4 Business at Fort Vancouver
Lesson 2.5 Living in British Fort Vancouver
Lesson 2.6 Life in the Kanaka Village
Lesson 2.7 54' 40' or Fight!
Unit 3: 1846-1865 American Colonization - Civil War
Unit 3: 1846-1865 American Colonization - Civil War
Lesson 3.2 Oregon Trail
Lesson 3.3 Donation Land Claim Act
Lesson 3.4 Washington Becomes Its Own Territory
Lesson 3.5 Land Treaties
Lesson 3.6 George Washington Bush
Unit 4: 1865-1889 End of Civil War - Washington Statehood
Unit 4: 1865-1889 End of Civil War - Washington Statehood
Lesson 4.1 The Long Wait for Statehood
Lesson 4.2 Who Was Here Before Statehood?
Lesson 4.4 Chinese Exclusion Act and Washington
Lesson 4.6 William Owen Bush
Lesson 4.7 Boarding Schools
5th Grade Curriculum Overview: The Story of the United States: Since Time Immemorial to 1791
5th Grade Curriculum Overview: The Story of the United States: Since Time Immemorial to 1791
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Joleen Brick, Erin Dixon, Jeannine Fielding, Jennifer Flores, Heidi Gardner, Meagan Graves, Ashley Holden, Tricia Hoffarth, Michaell Lake, Mary-Catherine McElroy, Carol Patrick, Torri Phelan, Heather Rhone, Kit Ross, Jamie Rupp, Samantha Wilkes
5th Grade Lessons
5th Grade Lessons
* Some of the lessons may refer to Newsela which we no longer have access to. We have received additional grant funding to revise this work, and will be updating the lessons as soon as we can. Temporary replacement resources have been added to the lessons for use as we revise. Please email Rose Nelson if you come across a missing resource.
This document is the scope & sequence that the grant team has developed and can be used for planning and PLC support
Updated Lessons
These will be updated as the revision team is working - Thank you for your patience!
Next Work Day: 11/13/25
Unit 1: Development of Tribal Nations in North America (Since Time Immemorial to 1491)
Unit 1: Development of Tribal Nations in North America (Since Time Immemorial to 1491)
Lesson 1.1 Constitution Day
Lesson 1.2 Class Constitution
Lesson 1.3 What is history?
Lesson 1.4 Comparing Maps
Lesson 1.5 Tribal Nations in North America
Unit 2: Encounter, Colonization, and Devastation (1492 - 1763)
Unit 2: Encounter, Colonization, and Devastation (1492 - 1763)
Unit 3: Revolution and Constitution (1763 - 1791)
Unit 3: Revolution and Constitution (1763 - 1791)
Previous Lessons
These lessons are the originally developed lessons that are being revised
Unit 1: American Beginning
Unit 1: American Beginning
Lesson 1.1 Map Skills
Lesson 1.2 Create a Map
Lesson 1.3 Comparing Maps
Lesson 1.4 Choosing Where to Live (lesson under revision)
Lesson 1.5 Introduction to Pre-Colonial America & Background Building (lesson under revision)
Lesson 1.6 North America before 1492
Lesson 1.7 People Indigenous to North America
Lesson 1.8 Aztec Encyclopedia
Lesson 1.9 Discussion: Museum Tour
Lesson 1.10 Introduction to Explorer Lessons
Lesson 1.11 Taino/Columbus
Lesson 1.12 Aztec/Cortes
Lesson 1.13 Zuni/Coronado
Lesson 1.14 Iroquois/Cartier
Lesson 1.15 Explorer Assessment
Unit 2: Early Settlements & Road to Revolution
Unit 2: Early Settlements & Road to Revolution
Lesson 2.1 Intro: Why did European Countries Settle in North America (LESSON UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
Lesson 2.2 Early Settlements (LESSON UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
Lesson 2.3 Native Americans & Early Settlers (LESSON UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
Lesson 2.4 The African Slave Trade & Early Settlers
Lesson 2.5 Colonial Regions
Lesson 2.6 Intro: What is WAR?
Lesson 2.7 The French and Indian War
Lesson 2.8 The Proclamation of 1763
Lesson 2.9 The Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, & the Townshend Acts
Lesson 2.10 Quartering Act
Lesson 2.11 Boston Massacre
Lesson 2.12 Boston Tea Party
Lesson 2.13 Intolerable Acts
Lesson 2.14 First Continental Congress
Lesson 2.15 Battles of Lexington and Concord
Lesson 2.16 Second Continental Congress
Lesson 2.17 Declaration of Independence
Unit 3: After Declaration, Constitution, Branches of Government
Unit 3: After Declaration, Constitution, Branches of Government
Lesson 3.1 After the Declaration, What Comes Next?
Lesson 3.2 The Revolution: Through the Eyes of Soldiers
Lesson 3.3 The Revolution: Through the Eyes of Women
Lesson 3.4 The Revolution: Through the Eyes of Native Americans
Lesson 3.5 The Revolution: Through the Eyes of African Descendants
Lesson 3.6 The Constitution: Government Workshop
Lesson 3.7 Preamble Challenge
Lesson 3.8 Three Branches
Lesson 3.9 Bill of Rights
7th Grade Curriculum Overview
7th Grade Curriculum Overview
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Brad Dye, Molly Herrera, Katie Lewis, Heather Rhone, Elizabeth Stebe, Lani Steppe, Wendi Moose, Andrew Wright
The 7th Grade lessons are currently under revision
Lessons will be updated as the revision team is working - Thank you for your patience!
Next Work Day: 12/4/25
7th Grade Lessons
7th Grade Lessons
Working Scope and Sequence of Topics
This document is the scope & sequence that the grant team has developed and can be used for planning and PLC support
Unit 1: Current Day Mini Unit: Then & Now
Unit 1: Current Day Mini Unit: Then & Now
Unit 2: Territory & Treaty Making (1854-1889)
Unit 2: Territory & Treaty Making (1854-1889)
Lesson 2.1: Exploring PNW/Tribal Homelands
Lesson 2.2: Review of 4th-Grade Essentials: Chinese Exclusion Act, Lewis and Clark, & Oregon Trail
Lesson 2.3: Review: Westward Expansion/Manifest Destiny
Lesson 2.4: State, Local, & Tribal Government
Unit 3: Railroads, Reform, Immigration, and labor (1889-1930)
Unit 3: Railroads, Reform, Immigration, and labor (1889-1930)
Unit 4: Turmoil & Triumph (1930 -1974)
Unit 4: Turmoil & Triumph (1930 -1974)
Unit 5: New Technologies in contemporary Washington (1975 - present)
Unit 5: New Technologies in contemporary Washington (1975 - present)
8th Grade Curriculum Overview
8th Grade Curriculum Overview
* VPS Teacher-Led Curriculum Design Team: Allie Bull, Amanda Clow, Erica Bell, Andrew Saxton, Elizabeth Stebe, Samantha Wilkes, Melisa Woods, John Zingale
The 8th Grade lessons are currently under revision
Lessons will be updated as the revision team is working - Thank you for your patience!
Next Work Day: 12/11/25
8th Grade Lessons
8th Grade Lessons
* The 8th-grade lessons are currently being revised and will be updated as they are completed
Working Scope and Sequence of Topics
This document is the scope & sequence that the grant team has developed and can be used for planning and PLC support
Unit 1: Fighting for Independence
Unit 1: Fighting for Independence
Lesson 1.1: Vocabulary
Lesson 1.2: Historical Thinking
Lesson 1.3: Enslavement and the Slave Trade
Lesson 1.4: Colonies and the Movement of People
Lesson 1.5: Review of the Revolutionary War
Unit 2: Establishing the New Nation
Unit 2: Establishing the New Nation
LESSONS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION
Unit 3: Enslavement
Unit 3: Enslavement
LESSONS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION
Unit 4: Expansion and Removal
Unit 4: Expansion and Removal
LESSONS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION
Unit 5: Reform
Unit 5: Reform
LESSONS CURRENTLY UNDER REVISION
Unit 6: Civil War
Unit 6: Civil War
Lesson Intro North vs South
Lesson 1 Differences in Economy
Lesson 2 Cotton Gin
Lesson 3 Frederick Douglass
Lesson 6 Cornerstone Speech
Lesson 7 South's Justification for Secession
Lesson 8 Civil War Battles
Lesson 9 Impact of Photography
Lesson 10 Female Soldiers
Lesson 11 Influences of Indigenous Groups During the Civil War
Lesson 12 Black Regiments
Lesson 13 Resistance to Enslavement
Lesson 14 Gettysburg Address
Lesson 15 Summative Assessment: Concept Map
Unit 6: Reconstruction
Unit 6: Reconstruction
Lesson 2 Reconstruction Amendments
Lesson 3 African Americans in Politics
Lesson 4 The Black Codes
Lesson 5 Violent Responses to Change
Lesson 6 Great Migration
Lesson 7 Plessy vs. Ferguson
Lesson 8 Issues Today
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