Grade 4: NYS Social Studies Standards (Key Ideas and Performance Indicators)
Social Studies Standard 5: Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.
Key Idea 1. The study of civics, citizenship, and government involves learning about political systems; the purposes of government and civic life; and the differing assumptions held by people across time and place regarding power, authority, governance, and law. (Adapted from: The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994).
Students in grades Grade 4 will demonstrate this understanding by-
- Explaining the probable consequences of the absence of government and rules
- Describing the basic purposes of government and the importance of civic life
- Understanding that social and political systems are based upon people's beliefs
Key Idea 2. The state and federal governments established by the Constitutions of the United States and the State of New York embody basic civic values (such as justice, honesty, self-discipline, due process, equality, majority rule with respect for minority rights, and respect for self, others, and property), principles, and practices and establish a system of shared and limited government. (Adapted from: The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994).
Students in grades Grade 4 will demonstrate this understanding by-
- Explaining how the Constitutions of New York State and the United States and the Bill of Rights are the basis for democratic values in the United States
- Understanding that the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New York are written plans for organizing the functions of government
- Understanding the structure of New York State and local governments, including executive, legislative, and judicial branches
- Identifying their legislative and executive representatives at the local, state, and national governments.
Key Idea 3. Central to civics and citizenship is an understanding of the roles of the citizen within American constitutional democracy and the scope of a citizen's rights and responsibilities.
Students in grades Grade 4 will demonstrate this understanding by-
- Examining what it means to be a good citizen in the classroom, school, home, and community
- Identifying and describing the rules and responsibilities students have at home, in the classroom, and at school
- Understanding that effective, informed citizenship is a duty of each citizen, demonstrated by jury service, voting, and community service
- Identifying basic rights that students have and those that they will acquire as they age.
Grade 4: English Language Arts Standards (Key Ideas and Performance Indicators)
ELA Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.
Grade 4 students will demonstrate this standard by-
- Reading from informational texts such as textbooks, historical biographies, children's historical magazines, and electronic encyclopedias about the importance of the Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, and the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights
- Recognizing and using organizational features of texts, such as table of contents, indexes, page numbers, and chapter headings/subheadings to locate historical information
- Identifying and interpreting significant historical facts taken from United States maps, graphs, charts, and other visuals
- Writing brief summaries about the lives of those individuals and groups who helped to develop and strengthen democracy in the United States
- Developing concept maps and semantic webs that define important historical concepts such as government, citizenship, the public or common good, democracy, justice, equality, and patriotism
- Developing charts that show the three branches of local, New York State, and the federal government and describe the functions of each branch
- Producing a clear, well-organized, and well-developed explanation of the duties of citizenship in a constitutional democracy such as the United States
- Listening for information presented by guest speakers who explain how citizens can participate in political decision and policy making on the local, state, or national level
- Listening to other students who present information about a local or state public policy issue or problem, alternative ways to resolve it, the solution that they support, and how they plan to implement their solution.
ELA Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for literary response and expression.
Grade 4 students will demonstrate this standard by-
- Reading folktales about the history of New York State and the United States featuring individuals who helped extend the meaning of democracy and good citizenship
- Reading and singing poems and patriotic songs to determine those values, practices, and traditions that unite all Americans
- Viewing broadcasts of plays and stories about the history of their local communities, New York State, and/or the United States to identify themes; describe characters, their actions and motivations; and related sequences of events
- Using graphic organizers such as timelines to record significant historical events
- Writing document-based essays of a few paragraphs and based on a series of documents that address an important historic topic or theme
- Producing clear, well-organized responses to historical biographies or stories read or listened to, supporting the understanding of themes, characters, and events with details from the story
- Writing poems, songs, plays, or stories about an important historic event describing the main characters, their significance to United States history, and how they contributed to the development of democracy
- Role playing significant historical events such as the signing of the Mayflower Compact and Declaration of Independence, founding of the first colonies in the Americas, victory at the Battle of Saratoga, writing of the United States Constitution, opening of the Erie Canal, and opening of Ellis Island.
- Listening to guest speakers or museum presenters as they discuss the history of their local communities
- Listening to government representatives as they explain the steps in public policy making and describe how citizens can participate at the local and State levels
- Speaking about the important roles of citizenship including voting, jury service, petitioning, letter writing, and other service to their local community
ELA Standard 3: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.
Grade 4 students will demonstrate this standard by-
- Reading to analyze and evaluate information, ideas, and experiences from resources, such as editorials in student newspapers, school and local government websites, newspaper and television advertisements, and local government documents
- Analyzing ideas and information about local government and policy making based on prior knowledge and personal experiences
- Using opinions and reactions of teachers and classmates to evaluate personal interpretations of ideas, information, and experiences related to local issues and problems
- Writing the following to analyze and evaluate ideas, information, and experiences: persuasive and informative essays, editorials about local issues and problems for classroom and school newspapers, reports about a local problem and policy issue, and an advertising campaign
- Using relevant examples, reasons, and explanations to support ideas about ways to solve local policy issues and problems
- Expressing opinions and making judgments that demonstrate a personal point of view about a local public policy issue or problem
- Creating an advertising campaign, using word and pictures, in order to illustrate an opinion about how to resolve a local government issue or problem
- Using ideas from two or more sources of information to generalize about causes, effects, or other relationships when discussing a local government public policy problem or issue
- Maintaining a portfolio that includes written analysis and evaluation of a local problem or issue as part of the public policy making process
- Listening to analyze and evaluate ideas, information, and experiences in, for example: class and group discussions about local government issues and problems, role plays about local government decisions, and classroom presentations related to public policy making projects
- Speaking to express opinions and judgments in, for example: role plays about public policy issues and problems and small group presentations as the culminating step in a local public policy making project.