SocialStudies:CaliforniaHistory

Author:KimberlyHarris
Datecreated:01/13/201511:41PMEDTDatemodified:03/23/201511:23PMEDT

VITALINFORMATION
TotalNumberofStudents

Thereare28studentscurrentlyinthisclass.

Area(s)StudentsLiveIn

Thestudentsliveinasuburbanneighborhood.

Free/ReducedLunch

Approximately60%ofthestudentsatthisschoolreceivefreeorreducedlunch.

EthnicityofStudents

Thereare8Whitestudents.
Thereare3AfricanAmerican/Blackstudents.
Thereare4Asian/PacificIslanderstudents.
Thereare13Hispanic/Latinostudents.

EnglishLanguageLearners

Thereare9EnglishLanguageLearnersandtheyareallproficientoradvanced.

StudentswithSpecialNeeds

Thereis1studentwithanIEP,2attendlearningcenterand2areGATEqualified.

Subject(s)

SocialStudies

TopicorUnitofStudy

ThislessonisaboutthediscoveryofgoldinCalifornia.

Grade/Level

Grade4

Comments

KEYCONCEPTS&STANDARDS
BigIdea&Essential
Questions

WhatwerethethreemainsettlementsinCalifornia?
HowdidthesesettlementtsshapeCalifornia?

LearningOutcome(s)

ThestudentswillgainanunderstandingofthemainthreesettlementswhichshapedCalifornia.Theywillalsogainthe
skillstowriteafiveparagraphessay.

Summary

ThelessonwillbeginwithareviewofCaliforniahistory.Thestudentswillthenbreakoffintogroupstoreadand
highlightsourcesaboutoneofthethreemainsettlements.Eachgroupwillthenshareouttheirinformationtobeplaced
inaninputchart.Thestudentswillthenwriteafiveparagraphessaybasedonthesesettlements.

Standards

CACaliforniaCommonCoreStateStandards(2012)
Subject:EnglishLanguageArts&LiteracyinHistory/SocialStudies,Science,andTechnicalSubjects
Grade:Grade4students:
Strand:Writing
Domain:
TextTypesandPurposes
Standard:
2.Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineatopicandconveyideasandinformationclearly.
Domain:
ProductionandDistributionofWriting
Standard:
4.Produceclearandcoherentwriting(includingmultipleparagraphtexts)inwhichthedevelopmentand
organizationareappropriatetotask,purpose,andaudience.(Gradespecificexpectationsforwritingtypesare
definedinstandards13above.)
Standard:
5.Withguidanceandsupportfrompeersandadults,developandstrengthenwritingasneededbyplanning,
revising,andediting.(EditingforconventionsshoulddemonstratecommandofLanguagestandards13uptoand
includinggrade4.)
Domain:
ResearchtoBuildandPresentKnowledge
Standard:
9.Drawevidencefromliteraryorinformationaltextstosupportanalysis,reflection,andresearch.

CACaliforniaK12AcademicContentStandards
Subject:History&SocialScience
Grade:GradeFour

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Area:California:AChangingStateStudentslearnthestoryoftheirhomestate,uniqueinAmericanhistoryintermsof
itsvastandvariedgeography,itsmanywavesofimmigrationbeginningwithpreColumbiansocieties,itscontinuous
diversity,economicenergy,andrapidgrowth.InadditiontothespecifictreatmentofmilestonesinCaliforniahistory,
studentsexaminethestateinthecontextoftherestofthenation,withanemphasisontheU.S.Constitutionandthe
relationshipbetweenstateandfederalgovernment.
SubStrand4.2:Studentsdescribethesocial,political,cultural,andeconomiclifeandinteractionsamongpeopleof
CaliforniafromthepreColumbiansocietiestotheSpanishmissionandMexicanranchoperiods.
Standard4:Describethemappingof,geographicbasisof,andeconomicfactorsintheplacementandfunctionof
theSpanishmissionsandunderstandhowthemissionsystemexpandedtheinfluenceofSpainandCatholicism
throughoutNewSpainandLatinAmerica.
Standard6:DiscusstheroleoftheFranciscansinchangingtheeconomyofCaliforniafromahuntergatherer
economytoanagriculturaleconomy.
Standard8:DiscusstheperiodofMexicanruleinCaliforniaanditsattributes,includinglandgrants,
secularizationofthemissions,andtheriseoftheranchoeconomy.
SubStrand4.3:Studentsexplaintheeconomic,social,andpoliticallifeinCaliforniafromtheestablishmentofthe
BearFlagRepublicthroughtheMexicanAmericanWar,theGoldRush,andthegrantingofstatehood.
Standard1:IdentifythelocationsofMexicansettlementsinCaliforniaandthoseofothersettlements,including
FortRossandSuttersFort.

Comments

ASSESSMENTS
Assessment/Rubrics

Iwilluseaformativeassessmentduringthislesson.Iwillusetheirdiscussionbasedonthenotestakenfromthe
sourcestogaugetheirunderstanding.Iwillalsoobservethemduringtheirgroupworkandwilldiscusswhattheyare
findingwithintheirgroup.Theywillalsobeassessedbasedontheiressay.

Comments

MATERIALSANDRESOURCES
InstructionalMaterials&
Technology(handouts,etc.)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Highlighters
Pencils
Chartpaper
Markers
Settlementsinputchart
CaliforniaSettlementsSources
Binderpaper

Comments

IMPLEMENTATION
SequenceofActivities
1. ThestudentswillbeginthelessonreviewingwhattheyknowaboutCaliforniahistory.
2. TheywillthenbreakoffintodifferentgroupstoreadinformationabouttheMexicanSettlements,FortRossand
Sutter'sFort.
3. Eachgroupwillhaveadifferenttopictoreadandwillbecomeexpertsonthetopic.
4. Thestudentswillreadinsmallgroupsandhighlightinformationabouttheirtopic.
5. Next,thestudentswillselectonepersontoshareinformationtotheclass.
6. Theywillhelptocompleteaninputchartwiththetitles"WhoCreated?","Where?","Why?",and"OtherInfo".
7. Eachstudentwillbecompletinganindividualchartthemimicstheclassone.
8. Oncethecharthasbeencompleted,thestudentswillbeginwritingtheiressays.
9. Theywillcreateoneparagraphforeachofthesettlements.
10. Thestudentswilluseboththeclasschartaswellastheirindividualonetowriteinformativeparagraphsaboutthe
differentsettlementsinCalifornia.
GroupingStrategies

Thestudentswillbegroupedasawholeclass,smallgroupsandindividually.

DifferentiatedInstruction

IwillprovidesentencestartersforstudentswhoarespecialneedsandIwillrequireadditionalinformationfrom
advancedstudents.

Comments

REFLECTIONS
PriortoLesson
PostLesson
Comments

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