Fourth Grade Social Studies Curriculum Guide
provided through the Teaching American History Grant
for the Winthrop Olde English Consortium
United States History-- Beginnings to 1865
Unit Title: The United States as a New Nation
Pacing Suggestions: Three weeks
Enduring Understandings and Essential Questions:
y Compare and contrast the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
What kind of government is necessary for a nation to be successful?
Should the executive branch be more powerful than the legislative or judicial branches?
What would happen if one branch became more powerful than the other two?
y Examine the need for compromise in writing the Constitution
Why is it important for leaders to compromise in order to reach an agreement?
y Examine the Bill of Rights and how they apply to everyday life
Is the Bill of Rights still relevant today?
Can we have rights without responsibilities?
y Explain how political parties helped form a democracy
Are political parties necessary for a government to operate effectively?
Standards Correlation:
Standard 4-4: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the beginnings of
America as a nation and the establishment of a new government.
Assessment 1:
y Introduction: Students will work in small groups (3 or 4) to make an ABC book about the
Constitution and Bill of Rights.
y Timeframe: Students will have approximately three class periods, but they may also have to
work on the book outside of class.
y Materials: Students will use construction paper, markers, glue, binding materials, old
newspapers, magazines, etc. to make the book. Information will be gathered from various
reference sources (encyclopedias, almanacs, Internet, textbooks, trade books, etc.) and should
be available for to students to use.
y Instruction: Students will work in small groups (3 or 4) to make a book entitled The ABCs of
Democracy. Each letter of the book will contain accurate, relevant information concerning
the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Each letter will also be illustrated in some way. The
book will be neat and organized, published in book format, and will have a title page. Class
time will be given, but students may also work at home to complete the book.
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: Diverse learners will benefit with the
book being a group project. They will be able to rely on the help of their classmates.
Higher-
•
ability students can do the research while struggling students look for or make illustrations,
etc. Furthermore, the book may be typed to help those who struggle with handwriting,
spelling, etc.
Scoring Rubric: The book will be scored in the areas of required elements (book format, title
page, complete pages with explanation and illustration), knowledge gained, content accuracy,
relevance of graphics, attractiveness, and mechanics. (See attached sheet.)
Assessment 2:
• Introduction: Students will independently keep a journal throughout this unit to record
responses and what they learned through each activity.
y Timeframe: This is an ongoing assessment that students will work on as they complete the
unit. It will be handed in and graded at the end of the unit.
y Materials: Journals can be very simple or very sophisticated. The journals can be papers
stapled together, or they can be made by the student, in which they would need construction
paper, scissors, glue, markers, etc.
y Instruction: Students will give a thought-provoking response to every activity. They may
also answer specific questions given by the teacher. Each response should be written in
paragraph format. Adequate and detailed information should relate to the topic or activity
studied.
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: This is an informal assessment with
lots of personal responses, thoughts, etc. It should be graded on the individual abilities of the
student and the efforts made rather than the amount “right or wrong.”
y Scoring Rubric: The journal will be scored in the areas of amount of information, quality of
information, paragraph construction, and mechanics (see attached).
Content:
y Early United States, Harcourt Brace and Co., 2000.
y A copy of the Constitution is also needed. This may be found in the back of the textbook, or
any other copy.
y Various references sources: encyclopedias, almanacs, trade books, textbooks, magazines,
etc.
y Scavenger hunt sheet (see attached)
y Reasoning Questions (see attached, for more information see Richard Paul’s website at
www.criticalthinking.org )
y Power Sheet (see attached)
y Walk About Questions (see attached)
y Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution by Jean Fritz (optional)
y Various episodes of the non-fiction historical-based cartoon Liberty’s Kids from the PBS
network (optional)
y Suggested websites:
• http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/bdexhome.html The Work of the Continental Congress and the
•
Constitutional Convention
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/constitution.htm The Constitution is the basis for
government in the United States. It spells out how the government is formed, who
makes it up, and how to pass and amend laws. It is one of the most famous
documents ever written.
•
y
y
http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_index.htm This section covers the history of the
Constitution of the United States. It includes information about the writing the Constitution, the
Great Compromise, the Constitution’s signers, the Bill of Rights, the Amendments to the
Constitution and what they mean to Americans, and much more.
http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/documents/constitution/
http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/explore/us_history/constitution.html#fw..co205400.a.c30 non-
fiction information to supplement the text
y
http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/History/US_History/Founding_Fathers/
a biography of our
founding fathers
Activities Overview:
y Constitutional Scavenger Hunt: a great opening activity to build background knowledge (1
day)*
y Classroom Constitution and Bill of Rights: What better way for students to learn about what
was involved in the writing of the Constitution than to write their own! (3 days)*
y Richard Paul’s Wheel of Reasoning: Students use critical thinking skills to analyze the
Constitutional Convention and the Constitution (2 days)
y Comparing and contrasting the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution: enough said!
(1 day)
y Classifying Powers Granted: Students read through the Constitution and group powers
according to the three branches and the two levels (national and state). (1 day)
y The Power of Compromise: Students role-play and research the major compromises of the
Constitutional Convention. (2 days)
y The Need for Political Parties: Students use critical thinking skills to analyze the need for
political parties. (1 day)
y The ABCs of Democracy: Culminating activity and assessment (3 days)*
*Only the first two activities and the last activity need to be done in the order they
are given.
Activity 1: Constitutional Scavenger Hunt
y Introduction: Students will use various reference materials to answer specific questions
about the Constitution. As they read, students will be building background knowledge about
the Constitution and will be practicing using reference materials!
y Timeframe: 1 class period
y Materials: Scavenger Hunt Sheet (see attached), encyclopedias, almanacs, Internet,
textbooks, magazines, tradebooks, etc.
y Instruction: Small groups will rotate to various stations around the room for a certain
amount of time locating the answers to the questions. Each station will have different
reference material. (Depending on class size, 4-5 stations with 4-5 students per group are
recommended.)
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: Different levels of reference books
could be used to accommodate different learning abilities.
y Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: The questions could be graded at the end for
a daily grade.
y Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments: This could also be an enrichment
activity for students who have finished other things.
Activity 2: Classroom Constitution and Bill of Rights
y Introduction: As a whole, the class will write a Constitution and Bill of Rights to be posted
for all to see. Through this exercise, students will hopefully see the importance of a
Constitution, the importance of sharing or dividing powers, and the importance of limiting
powers. They will also understand the necessity of compromise in making decisions.
y Timeframe: 3 class periods (2 days for writing the Constitution and 1 day for the Bill of
Rights)
y Materials: large chart paper and markers
y Instruction:
Day 1
1. The teacher will carefully plan small heterogeneous groups of about 5 students.
2. The small groups will brainstorm and list powers granted to the teacher, the students,
and both to represent the national and state governments.
3. Students will then brainstorm and list powers granted to the boys and to the girls to
represent the branches of government and the system of checks and balances.
4. A whole class discussion will follow where the class will revise and come up with one
Constitution that everyone (or at least the majority) agrees with.
5. The new Class Constitution will be written on large chart paper and posted so that it
can be easily read by anyone.
Day 2
1. The same method will be used to write a Class Bill of Rights. The teacher should
point out what responsibilities come with each given right, and only the rights where students
are willing to take the responsibilities should be accepted.
y Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: Students should write a reflection telling
what they learned from this activity. They should include why they think a Constitution is
important, the importance of sharing powers, and the importance of compromise. The
reflection could be graded on a 15-point scale according to the South Carolina PACT Writing
Rubric.
Activity 3: Richard Paul's Wheel of Reasoning
y Introduction: Students use critical thinking skills to analyze the Constitutional Convention
and the Constitution. Students will use various reference materials to answer specific
questions about the Constitution. As they read, students will be building background
knowledge about the Constitution and will be practicing using reference materials!
y Timeframe: 2 class periods (reading may need to be done as homework, group reading, or
teacher read-aloud prior to this day)
y Materials: Wheel of Reasoning Questions (see attached), Wheel of Reasoning (see
www.ctiticalthinking.org for more information), Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution by
Jean Fritz, textbook, or Internet websites such as the following:
• http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/bdsds/bdexhome.html
• http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/constitution.htm
• http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_index.htm
y
y
y
y
y http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/documents/constitution/
y http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/explore/us_history/constitution.html#fw..co205400.a.c30
Instruction:
1. While reading or being read this book (or textbook sections on the Constitutional
Convention and the writing of the Constitution) students will take notes in their journals.
2. Students will then answer reasoning questions with a partner. After students have
had the opportunity to think about and answer the thinking questions, the class will discuss
the responses together and complete the reasoning wheel.
Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: The teacher may vary the text being
read by the students. For example, Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution is probably easier
then the social studies textbook, but there may also be other trade books easier than this one.
Many textbooks offer recorded readings on tape or CD to further help struggling readers.
Since reading should be done ahead of time, it can be done individually, with partners, or
groups, or even as a teacher read-aloud.
Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: The questions could be graded at the end for
a daily grade.
Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments
*for more information on Richard Paul, go to www.criticalthinking.org
Activity 4: Comparing and contrasting the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution
y Introduction: Students use compare and contrast the Articles and the Constitution.
y Timeframe: 1 class period (reading about the Article of Confederation may need to be done
as homework, group reading, or teacher read-aloud prior to this day)
y Materials: 12 small cards or strips of paper for each student, text on the Articles of
Confederation
y Instruction:
1. Individually, using the CARD strategy, students will list 6 strengths of the
Constitution and 6 weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation.
2. For each set, they will then eliminate two and order the remaining four cards in each
group according to importance (i.e., best strengths and worst weaknesses).
3. In small groups (2-3 students), students will discuss each persons remaining four in
each list and justify their order giving evidence to support their conclusions. Determine as a
group what is the greatest strength or strengths (no more than 2) and the greatest weakness.
4. Students will write a group paragraph comparing and contrasting the two government
documents and give evidence from the individual documents to support their conclusions.
5. Groups will share their paragraphs with the rest of the class.
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: Since reading should be done ahead
of time, it can be done individually, with partners, or groups, or even as a teacher read-aloud.
Students benefit from writing a group paragraph because lower-level students can share their
ideas orally and not be hindered by the written part.
y Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: The questions could be graded at the end for
a small daily grade.
y
Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments: Students can write a brief news
report on the ways people worked together to change the United States government during
this time in history.
Activity 5: Classifying Powers Granted
y Introduction: Students read through the Constitution and group powers according to the three
branches and the two levels (national and state)
y Timeframe: 1 class period
y Materials: Power Sheet (see attached), construction paper, glue, copy of the Constitution
y Instruction:
1. Students will read the Constitution with their group and group powers granted
together accordingly.
2. They will cut apart the words and phrases from the Power Sheet and group them
together in six different groups: powers granted to the states, the nation, both the executive
branch, legislative, and judicial branch.
3. Once the list of each group has been formed, students can glue them down.
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability : Students should be grouped
heterogeneously so that each group has at least one fluid reader. This person can read aloud
the Constitution while the others listen and then sort powers.
y Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: The sheet could be graded at the end for a
daily grade.
y Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments: Research the system of checks
and balances or how a bill becomes a law to see how the three branches work together. List
what might happen if there was no system of checks and balances.
Activity 6: The Power of Compromise
y Introduction: Students research and role-play the major compromises of the Constitutional
Convention.
y Timeframe: 2 class periods
y Materials: various reference materials, graphic organizer
y Instruction:
Day 1
1. Students will research one of the major compromises in the Constitution in small
groups and write a 1-paragraph summary on that compromise.
2. Students will then play jigsaw, and each student will “teach” a small group about his
or her compromise. To play jigsaw divide students into four groups A, B, C, and D. Each
group will work on a particular compromise. Then each group will be sub-divided into
groups 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (or as many as needed). All the 1’s will get together, and all the 2’s,
3’s, and so on. In the new numbered groups, there should be at least one person from each
letter (A, B, C, and D) in the original groups. These students will then take turns teaching
each other about the four compromises.
3. Students will take notes on each of the four compromises.
Day 2
y
y
4. Now that students have background knowledge on the compromises of the
Constitution, they will work in small groups to write a short skit portraying life at the
convention and the compromises that made it all possible. (This may also be used as an
enrichment activity for students who have finished other assignments.)
Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: Students could respond in their journals on
the importance of compromise and what may have happened without these compromises.
Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments: Day 2 activities could be used for
enrichment activities. Students could also perform the skits on a separate day.
Activity 7: The Need for Political Parties
y Introduction: Students use critical thinking skills to analyze the need for political parties.
y Timeframe: 1 class period
y Materials: Walk About Questions, different colored pens or markers, large chart paper if
possible
y Instruction:
1. Students will be using the Walk About strategy where each question is posted on a
separate sheet of paper and groups of students rotate around the room at regular intervals
answering the questions.
2. Each group will have certain color ink to write with that they will also take with them
to each station. This will help the teacher to see when groups might need more assistance.
3. Furthermore, no group can write the same thing that has already been written. This
forces the students to think deeper.
4. After answering each question, each group will go back to their original question and
discuss the results.
5. Each group will present their question to the class.
y Differentiation for Diverse Learners/Levels of Ability: All groups will discuss the questions,
but only one person needs to write. This will help those who struggle with writing or
spelling, etc.
y Informal and Formal Assessment Suggestions: The teacher can easily see which group wrote
what answers according to the colors used. This will help him/her to see which groups still
need additional help. The students could write a response about what they learned through
this activity.
y Suggestions for Extension Activities and/or Assessments: Students could research the
second election and the political parties in that election. They could also research political
parties through the years and how they have changed.