Grade: Four Unit: State and Local Government Unit Narrative In this unit students will learn about

the organization of government at the community and state level. Opportunities should be made available for students to discover how citizens may participate in government and economic structures. They should also consider the rights and responsibilities of citizens and government in the life of Vermonters and the environment. Why do people live in the places they live?

Overarching Essential Question(s) Topical Essential Questions Power Standards

How do VT citizens make decisions that impact themselves, their communities, and their state? PS#3 PHYSICAL & CULTURAL GEORGRAPHY

Students learn, and apply physical geography skills and the tools to identify locations; then investigate, understand, and analyze how cultures form and change over time and across various locations.

PS#4 CIVICS, GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY

Students examine the democratic principle to compare and contrast different types of governments, debate the rights and obligations of citizenship within them, and evaluate the concept of human rights and responsibilities within those institutions from local, national, and global perspectives in various times

PS#5 ECONOMICS

Students recognize and analyze the relationships among the needs and wants of individuals, societies, and governments, and identify and evaluate the economic and environmental factors that influence choices and decisions while accounting for the availability of resources.

FNWSU Social Studies Grade 4 June 2010

Power Indicators

Describe how people have changed the environment of Vermont for specific purposes. (ie, interstate, ski resources, farming, industry, clearcutting, etc) Discuss a state environmental issue. Analyze the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen of Vermont. (define examples of different levels of citizenship) Describe the structure and role of the Vermont government. (for example curriculum: gov. senate, house, branches identify) Explain how population influences representation and who that representation is at the state level. Describe how state government benefits Vermont. Explain how decisions have to be made between consumer and his/her responsibility to the government and vice versa. (taxes/public services) Identify choices Vermonters make as consumers and producers and some of the consequences of these choices. (environmental) Make predictions about the future of the state of Vermont based on understanding of past and present. (ie, What laws may change or be added over time? How will government change? What natural resources may disappear in Vermonts future? etc)

Inquiry Focus Assessment Concepts/ Vocab

FNWSU Social Studies Grade Four June 2010

Grade: Four Unit: Vermonts Past, Present, and Future Unit Narrative The emphasis of this unit is the Abenaki people and the history of Vermont. While many culture groups can be included, the Abenaki should be given special attention. Students should be given the opportunity to examine life in the past and how it has changed over time while exploring the question of how and why people have lived in Vermont. The study should lead to predictions of how Vermont may change or stay the same in the future. Why do people live in the places they live?

Overarching Essential Question(s) Topical Essential Questions Power Standards

How has the culture of the Abenaki and other groups been expressed in VT? How and why has life in VT changed over time? How do peoples ideas and experiences influence their description of an event? PS #2 HISTORY
Students analyze the influences of the past on the present, and their implication for the future by understanding and interpreting periods of conflict, change, and continuity in history.

PS #3 PHYSICAL & CULTURAL GEORGRAPHY

Students learn, and apply physical geography skills and the tools to identify locations; then investigate, understand, and analyze how cultures form and change over time and across various locations.

PS#4 CIVICS, GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY

Students examine the democratic principle to compare and contrast different types of governments, debate the rights and obligations of citizenship within them, and evaluate the concept of human rights and responsibilities within those institutions from local, national, and global perspectives in various times

FNWSU Social Studies Grade 4 June 2010

Power Indicators

Identify expressions of culture in Vermont. (ie, language, social institutions, beliefs and customs, economic activities, material goods, food, clothing). Describe contributions of cultural groups to Vermont. Identify ways in which Vermont culture has changed. Evaluate Lake Champlains influence on diversity within Vermont. (ie, Abenaki culture, Samuel de Champlain, trade routes, tourism) Examine various historical factors that have influenced changes over time at the state level. (ie, inclusion of Vermont as 14th state, Battle of Ticonderoga, Battle of Bennington, etc) Create a timeline of important events in Vermonts history. Describe how people have changed the environment of Vermont for specific purposes. (ie, interstate, ski resources, farming, industry, clearcutting, etc) Discuss differences between historical and present day objects in Vermont, and how these changes have affected the lives of Vermonters or production in Vermont. (ie, buckets and taps to pipeline, milking by hand to computerized milking systems, advancements in technology state-wide, etc) Analyze how conflicts in Vermonts history led to change over time within the state. (ie, Green Mountain Boys, Battle of Bennington, Abenaki culture, St. Albans Raid, etc) Identify an historical event that has influenced Vermont, and recognize various opinions and interpretations of the event. (ie, create a classroom debate that uses different interpretations/opinions of sides of a battle, create a persuasive writing piece journal, diary, newspaper article from the perspective of one historical figure, etc)

Inquiry Focus Assessment Concepts/Vocab

FNWSU Social Studies Grade Four June 2010

Grade: Four Unit: Vermont Geography and Land Use Unit Narrative This unit can be the beginning of a yearlong study of Vermont with an emphasis of why have and how have people lived in Vermont. Students should be given opportunities to identify major landforms, natural resources, and settlement patterns through map study. Landforms, resources and settlements should be considered from an historical perspective to introduce the Abenaki culture and early white settlers and brought to the present of current use. This will help lead to predictions about the future of land use in Vermont. Why do people live in the places they live?

Overarching Essential Question(s) Topical Essential Questions

Why have people lived in VT in the past; why do they now; and why might they in the future? How can the location of a physical or political feature of VT be described?

FNWSU Social Studies Grade 4 June 2010

Power Standards

PS #2 HISTORY

Students analyze the influences of the past on the present, and their implication for the future by understanding and interpreting periods of conflict, change, and continuity in history.

PS #3 PHYSICAL & CULTURAL GEORGRAPHY

Students learn, and apply physical geography skills and the tools to identify locations; then investigate, understand, and analyze how cultures form and change over time and across various locations.

PS#4 CIVICS, GOVERNMENT & SOCIETY

Students examine the democratic principle to compare and contrast different types of governments, debate the rights and obligations of citizenship within them, and evaluate the concept of human rights and responsibilities within those institutions from local, national, and global perspectives in various times Students recognize and analyze the relationships among the needs and wants of individuals, societies, and governments, and identify and evaluate the economic and environmental factors that influence choices and decisions while accounting for the availability of resources.

PS#5 ECONOMICS

Power Indicators

Identify physical characteristics of Vermont and analyze the influence on land use. Report reasons for human movement in Vermont. (i.e. settlements near resources) Evaluate Lake Champlains influence on diversity within Vermont. (ie, Abenaki culture, Samuel de Champlain, trade routes, tourism) List examples of goods and services within Vermont. Describe the connection between natural resources and the production of a Vermont product. Use a map to locate and identify physical features and political regions of Vermont. (ie, regions, towns, counties, mountains, rivers)

Inquiry Focus Assessment Concepts/Vocab

FNWSU Social Studies Grade Four June 2010

FNWSU Social Studies Grade 4 June 2010