California Social Studies Grade 4

NEW: All packs are now fully editable on Google Docs.

I am in the process of adding digital activities for Google Slides to make it easier to use it for digital learning. It takes a while to do each pack, so I will add them as I finish! So far I have added:

• California Regions
• Mexican-American War and Gold Rush
• Missions activity
• Ranchos activity
• Social Studies Teacher for the Day- a fun way to end the year by having your children teach their classmates
• Native Americans in California Part 1
• Native Americans in California Part 2
• California Geography
• California Explorers
• Constitution
• Levels of government
• California Constitution
• NEW: Great Depression
• NEW: California During WW2
• NEW: California after WW2

My Social Studies packs for the United States and Ohio have been very well-received. I love writing about history and making history fun for kids. After someone requested I work on a California Social Studies pack, I was hooked. California history is fascinating!

This zip file includes six main packs in four zip files.

1. Climate and Geography (79 pages)

Your students will learn about the four regions of California and create a salt dough map of them. (Recipe is included) They will also learn about latitude and longitude and will look at various maps to see where California is located. There are also six map centers included in this file.

2. Native Americans (40 pages)

Your students will learn about the four regions of Native Americans. They will break up into small groups and research the climate, natural resources, homes, and lifestyle of their tribe and then create a museum display to show what they learned.

3. Explorers, Missions, and Ranchos (83 pages)

Your students will learn about five European explorers who explored California. For each explorer, there is a fun activity to help them remember them. They will learn about five American explorers. They will also learn about Missions and how they affected the Native Americans. (NOTE: There is not a Mission-building project in this pack because the new standards want teachers to get away from this and focus on how the Missions affected the Native Americans). Finally, they will learn about Ranchos and how Native Americans continued to suffer.

4. Mexican American War, Gold Rush, and Statehood (65 pages)

In this unit your students will learn about the events leading up to statehood including the war to make California a part of the United States and the Compromise of 1850.

Your students will complete six stations that tell them all about the Gold Rush. These organized stations will take a number of days to complete. They will measure and mark their claim, they will look at primary and secondary sources, and they will write a journal about their pretend journey. They will also learn about some great people who became famous during the Gold Rush.

5. Government (71 pages)

Your students will learn about the California Constitution. They will learn about different types of governments like local, state, national, tribal, and school district. They will set up a possible government for the Gold Rush. Small groups will study different issues- wildfires, mudslides, and droughts and create a presentation. They will also learn about activists who helped made a difference in California.

6. The Great Depression and World War II (35 pages)

Your students will learn about the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl and the immigrants that moved to California during that time. They will learn about the immigrant farm workers during World War II. They will also learn about the union leaders who helped the farm workers fight for their rights. They will plan a celebration for Cesar Chavez Day. Finally, they will learn about California's economy and research one of California's leading crops.

7. After World War II (44 pages)

This small file includes lesson on irrigation and water, immigration after WWII, and a research page on California commerce.

Take a look at the preview!