States and Regions

Harcourt Social Studies States and Regions Fourth Grade

The following is a synopsis of the Fourth Grade Social Studies Curriculum. Each child will be given a textbook, study guide, flashcards for vocabulary and worksheets to help assist him/her to gain proficient/advanced knowledge.

I. Chapter One – Exploring the United States a. hemispheres, continent, country and oceans b. relative location of the United States c. longitude/latitude to describe absolute locations d. use maps to identify states and cities of U.S. e. landform regions of U.S. f. major rivers, lakes and coasts in the U.S. g. elevations in U.S. h. weather and climate in U.S. i. natural resources in U.S.

II. We The People a. understand cultural diversity in U.S. b. ideals that unite Americans c. settlement patterns and regions in which Americans live d. Francis Scott Key e. symbols of Patriotism f. rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship g. three branches of government h. sites, monuments i. why we honor the past j. economic concepts related to scarcity k. how economy has changed over time

III. Regions Around You a. why people divide places into regions b. how transportation connect regions c. read maps that show land uses, natural resources and industries d. political regions in U.S. e. three levels of government f. Benjamin Banneker g. physical features of North America

IV. Exploring the Northeast a. geography and climate of the Northeast b. how people use natural resources c. Katherine Lee Bates d. early people of Northeast e. role in the American Revolution f. important sequential events in the early history of Northeast g. how improved transportation and immigration helped Northeast cities grow h. industrial revolution i. primary sources and secondary sources

V. The Northeast Today a. New England’s history shapes life there today b. how people in Northeast use natural resources c. Theodor Geisel d. major cities in Middle Atlantic States e. benefits and challenges of city life f. population densities of the U.S.

VI. Exploring the Southeast a. physical features of the Southeast b. natural resources of Southeast and how they are used c. geography of Southeast and how it affected settlement and early life in the region. d. analyze the causes and effects of the Civil War e. understand responsibilities of being a U.S. citizen f. regional and global interdependence and trade g. analyze the economic effects of advances in transportation

VII. The Southeast Today a. economic specialization in the Atlantic Coast states b. three branches of state government c. Thurgood Marshall d. cultural diversity of Gulf Coast states e. tourism, fishing and farming as industries in the region f. how mountains affect the culture and economy of inland South states g. ways people damage and also protect environment h. Bill Monroe

VIII. Exploring the Midwest a. geography and climate of the Midwest b. how people in the Midwest use the land c. Native Americans of the Midwest ways of life d. Exploration and settlement of the region e. identify states and territories of the United States by using maps f. changes in transportation in the 1800’s to early 1900’s g. how transportation improvement helped Midwest grow h. Samuel Clemens

IX. The Midwest Today a. identify the ethnic groups and cultures of the Great Lakes States b. economy of the Great Lakes States c. Benjamin S. Carson d. cities and farms of the Plains States e. how region’s urban and rural areas are linked f. Laura Ingalls Wilder

X. Exploring the Southwest a. physical features of the Southwest b. how people in the region use natural resources c. historical basis of Southwest culture d. how and when Southwest became part of U.S. e. ranching, farming and oil industries f. how people cooperate to share and protect natural resources

XI. The Southwest Today a. cultural diversity in Texas and Oklahoma b. leading industry that has developed in Texas and Oklahoma c. Wilma Mankiller d. growing economy of Arizona and New Mexico e. how and why people conserve water in desert regions f. John Wesley Powell XII. Exploring the West a. landforms and natural resources of the West b. Native Americans of the West c. Why settlers moved to the West d. People use the West’s land and waterways e. Ways people in the West protect the environment f. Margaret Murie

XIII. The West Today a. life in the mountain states b. biggest cities and main industries of the Mountain states c. Eppie Archuleta d. diverse population of the Pacific states e. main industries of the Pacific states

Key Vocabulary for each chapter: I. hemisphere, equator, prime meridian, continent, relative location, border, gulf, absolute location, line of longitude, line of latitude II. landform, sea level, plateau, source, tributary, mouth, basin, canyon, elevation, relief, III. temperature, precipitation, climate, humidity, line graph IV. natural resource, renewable, groundwater, industry, mineral, nonrenewable, environment, conservation V. specialize, candidate, campaign, ballot, volunteer, skyscraper, commute, urban sprawl, pollution, population density VI. peninsula, wetland, piedmont, fall line, growing season, hurricane, fertilizer, plantation, slavery, cash crop, abolish, Union, civil war, raw material, international trade, import, export, justice, Civil Rights VII. state legislature, governor, food processing, pulp, high-tech, Sun Belt, tourism, resort, barrier island, mainland, wildlife refuge, coral, reef, map scale, tradition, reclaim, habitat, endangered, extinct VIII. prairie, tornado, drought, ore, flowchart, adapt, survey, township, ordinance, frontier, pioneer, self-sufficient, sod, historical map, flatboat, migration, steamboat, entrepreneur, stockyard, assembly line, mass production, industrial economy IX. architecture, hub, barge, freight, urbanization, meatpacking X. mesa, butte, rain shadow, cloudburst, arroyo, aquifer, reservoir, aqueduct, irrigation, fact, fiction, pueblo, adobe, nomad, mission, land grant, cause, effect, arid, migrant worker, commercial conflict, compromise, cooperate, resolve XI. aerospace, reservation, crude oil, refinery, dredge, observatory, xeroscape, evaporation XII. Continental Divide, volcano, lava, crater, earthquake, fault, timberline, time zone, barrier, wagon train, forty-niner, boomtown, telegraph, transcontinental railroad, public land, hydroelectricity, ecosystem XIII. Satellite, Global Positioning System, consumer, opinion, microchip, archipelago, crossroads, heritage, consequence