North American Geography

Strand: History

Grade 4

Main Concepts:

· Immigrants settle in different parts of the world in search of a better life.

· {The United States is a nation of immigrants from all over the world}

· {Canada and Mexico are large independent North American nations. Each of those nations achieved their independence in different ways}

Overarching Question: Why do certain populations choose to migrate?

Strand: History Grade: 4

Goal: To address the History standards in the Massachusetts History and Social Science Curriculum Framework

Regions of the United States

· Observe and describe national historic sites and describe their function and significance.

· Describe the diverse nature of the American people by identifying the distinctive contributions to American culture of several indigenous peoples in different areas of the country:

African Americans, including an explanation of their early concentration in the South because of

slavery and the Great Migration to northern cities in the 20^th century, and recent African immigrant groups and where they tended to settle in large numbers.

Major European immigrant groups who have come to America, locating their countries of origin and where they tended to settle in large numbers.

Major Spanish speaking and Asian immigrant groups who have come to America in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, locating their counties of origin and where they tended to settle in large numbers.

· Identify major immigrant groups that live in Massachusetts and where they now live in large numbers

Canada

· Identify when Canada became an independent nation and explain how independence was achieved.

· Describe the major ethnic and religious groups of modern Canada.

· Identify the location of at least two Native American tribes in Canada and the Inuit nation and describe their major social features.

Mexico

· Identify the language, major religion, and peoples of Mexico.

· Identify when Mexico became an independent nation and describe how independence was achieved.

Strand: History Grade: 4

ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS

Students will understand that:

• Immigrants settle in different parts of the world in search of a better life.
• {The United States is a nation of immigrants from all over the world}
• Canada and Mexico both achieved independence by different means.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• What has an effect on an immigrant’s choice of region?
• {Why do particular groups of people choose to live in a particular region?}
• What effect do immigrants have on their chosen region?
• {How does diversity shape a community?}
• {What are the major immigrant groups that live in Massachusetts and why did they choose where to settle?}
• Why did North American countries seek independence?
• {How was that independence achieved?}
• Which National historic sites depict North American immigration and independence?

Strand: History Grade: 4

Results: Knowledge and Skills
We agree that our students will know: .	Our students will be able to:
Evidence/Assessments: What/how will we assess? Students will:
Learning Experiences/Instruction How will we organize instruction? Ÿ