Unit 2: The Americas Before Exploration & The Age of Exploration Grade 4
Length: 5 weeks
Overarching Questions:
  1. What was the legacy and culture of the indigenous settlements of Tennessee?
  2. Who were the early explorers and what was their impact on the indigenous people in America? (RI 4.5, Cause and Effect)

Anchor Texts
1.Early Native American Groups (Attached zip file will send you to questions, vocabulary, and other activities--you will need to download this to your computer)
(RI 4.2 Main Idea and key details, summarizing RI 4.5 Describe overall structure of text)

2. Benchmark Universe (3rd Grade Set, Unit 10) Ponce de Leon/Sail on Columbus (RI 4.1 drawing conclusions, L4.5-antonyms RL 4.6-point of view , RL 4.3-setting, characters, problem/solution, cause/effect, RI 4.5-text structure, sequence of events)
Teacher's Guide
CTDR Teacher's Guide
Questions for: Ponde de Leon and the Fountain of Youth:
1.What happened after the soldiers and Ponce de León left the ships?
2.Why did joy and hope turn to despair in the colony?
3.What clues on page 7 support the inference that the children on the ship believe that life will be perfect in Florida?
4. After Ponce de Leon died, his dreams died, too. What does that tell you about his character and the characters of his followers?
5. What conclusion can you draw about why Alonzo Sanchez’s family was willing to leave their home and sail to Florida with Ponce de León?
Questions for: Sail On, Columbus!
1.What details tell you the setting of the story?
2. What problem does Rodrigo have? How is his problem resolved?
3. What problem does Columbus have? What character traits enable Columbus to accomplish his goal?
4. How are the author of the story and the older men on the ship the same? How are they different?
5.What clue on page 15 tells you that there is an argument going on at the meeting?
Questions connecting both texts
1.How are the settings connected in the two stories?
2. How are the stories endings alike? How are they different?
3. From what point of view is each story told? How does the point of view help you understand the historical events?
4.What problems do the characters face? Are the problems similar?
5. How are the problems resolved? Are the solutions similar or different?
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary Word / Meaning
tranquil / peaceful and quiet
frigid / intensely cold
elderly / rather old
grave / serious, important
roiling / in a state of turbulence, being stirred up
despair / loss of hope
deceptive / misleading
agitated / upset, stirred up
miserable / very unhappy
roam / to go from place to place with no purpose or direction
overcast / clouded over
3. Readworks: Vikings & European Explorers - Christopher Columbus- (RL 4.1 make logical inferences, RL 4.2 Theme and summarizing, L 4.4b Determine meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words, (prefix mis )
Questions for text:
1.According to the text, whose discoveries brought Europe and the Americas into contact for the first time?
2.Based on the passage, why will Columbus’ impact on history be debated for years to come?
3. How was Columbus able to pay for his voyage to the Americas?
4.Why did Columbus sail west across the Atlantic Ocean?
Vocabulary:
Vocabulary / Meaning
expedition / a journey made for a special purpose
mistreated / to treat badly
vision / dream or plan
passage / a route or way through
debate / discussion for or against
brutally / cruelly
Narrative Read Aloud:
4. Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing-Judy Blume (RL 4.1 Drawing Inferences, RL 4.2 Theme and summarizing, RL 4.3 Describe character, setting, or event)




Other Texts:
Benchmark Universe Books:
The Rough Faced Girl, Grade 3, Unit 7 (Reader’s Theater: character, writing prompt available)

Native American at the Time of the Explorers, Unit 3, Grade 4 (inferences, text features cause/effect)


The Voyages of Christopher Columbus, Grade 3 and 5 (sequence of events, prefix:un, prepositions, text features)


Student Book
Articles-
Readworks.org;
Vespucci-
Magellan-
K12reader.com



Eastern Woodland Natives.pdf
Bartering for Basics
Conflict Over North American Lands
Colonization.pd
The_Wampanoagtribe and Plymouth Colony
Cobblestone: Go to Google Drive Share Folder for articles and questions
“France’s Footprint”
“French Colonies”
“Steps in Time”
“LaSalle Sets Sail”
Story Works: Go to Google Drive Share Folder for article
“The School at the Edge of the Earth”
Read Aloud
Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles IRA pg 19
The Rough Faced Girl Paul Goble
Benchmark Universe, The Rough Faced Girl (3rd Grade Set, Unit 4: Metaphors,Synonyms, Story Elements)

The Legend of the Indian PaintbrushTomie de Paola
The Legend of the BluebonnetTomie de Paola
●Write a reflective piece focused on the connections they have made to culture and experiences represented in a book.
The Discovery of the Americas: From Prehistory Through the Age of Columbus by Betsy and Giulio Maestro
Exploration and Conquest: The Americas After Columbus 1500-1620 by Betsy and Giulio Maestro
Around the World in a Hundred Years: From Henry the Navigator to Magellan by Jean Fritz
Suggested Narratives for Read Aloud:
Use the link below for narrative book review;

Frindle-Andrew Clements

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing-Judy Blume

Maniac Magee-Jerry Spinelli

The BFG-Roald Dahl

Writing Assignments with prompts: (Links for prompts are below)
Informational: Read both passages. Write an essay about how Native American tribes used natural resources to develop their culture. Use facts and details from both passages to explain your answer. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
Informational: Compare and Contrast the Woodland and Mississippian agricultural practices. Use facts and details from both passages to explain your answer. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
Informational: Archaic and Woodland Indians left behind artifacts. Using both articles describe the artifacts scientist discovered about the Archaic Indians in Tennessee. (can interchange indian groups) Use facts and details from both passages to explain your answer. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
Opinion: Read two passages about Woodland Indians. Write an opinion essay explaining which author did a better job describing the culture of the Woodland Indians. Use facts and details from both passages to support your choice. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
Narrative: Using any of the articles below, become one of the members of a tribe you have learned about. Write in the point of view of one of the members. (Alternates: write from the point of view of a mastodon, write from third person point of view) Use facts and details from the passage in your writing.. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
****Use the following links for the above prompts:


k12k.com/file/d/0B35G3XYLevtbSGV0V2N2SHFTUHc/view?usp=sharing
Opinion: Based on the Anchor Text # 3 Readworks: Vikings & European Explorers - Christopher Columbus-In your opinion, discuss whether Columbus was a hero or not. Use facts and details from the passage to support your choice. Remember to use standard English grammar, punctuation, and write in complete sentences.
Narrative: Write a narrative in the point of view of a crew member of Henry Hudson.

Additional Resources:
  1. Archaic, Paleo, Woodland, and Mississippian Indians:
  2. Native Americans' customs and traditions
  3. More Eastern Woodland Natives
  4. Articles on Paleo, Archaic, Woodland, Mississippian, Assessments

5. Studies Weekly Week 4: Digging into the Past- Coats-Hines Site, Pinson Mounds, Old Stone
Fort, Chucalissa Indian Village ://
6. Creek, Chickasaw, and Cherokee Powerpoint (4.2)

7. Slideshow for explorers and Columbian Exchange

8. Studies Weekly, Week 8, The Old World Meets the New World

9. Studies Weekly, Week 7, Early French and English Explorers: Cartier, Hudson, LaSalle

10. Studies Weekly, Week 6, Magellan Video

Resources for Social Studies throughout the year: (Use arrows to change standards)

Culminating Activity:
Write an essay analyzing the impact of exploration and settlement on the indigenous peoples and the environment, including military campaigns, Columbian Exchange, and European agricultural practices. Refer to the social studies link, “Resources for social studies throughout the year,” below and go to Standard 4.5.

Reading Standards:
RI 4.1 Using details to explain what author says explicitly and when drawing inferences
RI 4.2 Main idea and how supported by key details, summarizing
RI 4.3 Explain events: What happened and why
RI 4.4 Vocabulary- Determine meaning of academic and domain-specific words
RI 4.5 Describe overall structure: cause/effect, compare/contrast, sequence
RI 4.9 Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak
RL 4.1 Drawing inferences from text
RL 4.2 Determine theme from details in the text; summarize (This will be taught with any
RL 4.3 Describe character, setting, or event, drawing on specific details
RL 4.6 Compare and contrast point of view from different texts
RL 4.9 Compare and contrast treatment of similar themes and topics
Writing Standards:
W 4.1 Write opinion
  1. Introduce a topic clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are grouped to support the writer’s purpose.
  2. Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details.
  3. Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (for instance, in order to, in addition)
  4. Provide a concluding statement related to the opinion presented.
W 4.2 Write informative/explanatory
  1. Introduce a topic clearly, and group related information in paragraphs and sections. Include formatting (headings, illustrations, multimedia) to aid comprehension
  2. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, and other examples related to the text.
  3. Link ideas within categories of information with words and phrases (another, for example, also, and because)
  4. Use precise language and domain specific voc. To inform about or explain the topic.
  5. Provide a concluding statement related to the information presented.
W 4.3 Write narratives
  1. Orient the reader by establishing a situation and introducing a narrator and/or characters; organize an event sequence that unfolds naturally.
  2. Use dialogue and description to develop experiences and events or show the responses of characters to situations.
  3. Use a variety of transitional words and phrases to manage the sequence of events
  4. Use concrete words and phrases and sensory details to convey experiences and events precisely.
  5. Provide a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences or events.

Language Standards:
L 4.1.b Progressive verbs (I was walking, I am walking, I will be walking)
L 4.1.f Complete sentence, recognizing fragments and run-ons
L 4.1.g Frequently confused words (homophones) (too, to, two, there, they’re, their)
L 4.2.a/d Command of conventions of standard English capitalization, and spelling
L 4.3 b Use punctuation for effect
L 4.4.b Determine or clarify meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words (prefixes- mis, un)
L 4.5.c Demonstrate understanding or words by relating to opposites (antonyms/synonyms)