Charting the Course: 4th Grade Social Studies

Essential Standard: 4.G.1  Understand how human, environmental and technological factors affect the growth and development of North Carolina.

Clarifying Objective: 4.G.1.1  Summarize changes that have occurred in North Carolina since statehood (population growth, transportation, communication and land use).

Day 2

Today you will be learning about the changes in population, transportation and communication since North Carolina became a state in 1789.

Since 1789, North Carolina's population has expanded and diversified.  Population growths in urban locations have growth patterns which have been a result of business-oriented state government and the enterprise of industrialists.  Since becoming a state, North Carolina landscape has changes.  More of the land is being used for bomes, businesses, neighborhoods, shopping centers and more.  Since gaining statehood, there have been advances in transportation and communication.  These changes have offered advances, but, have also presented challenges.   For example:  canals, railroads, roads, bridges, automobiles, and airplanes have helped solve the problems of transportation.  The invention of telephones, digital technology have helped with communication.

Vocabulary

• population
• urban
• rural
• suburban
• industrialists
• transportation
• communication
• locomotion

1.  Using the Graphic Organizer and your dictionary or an online dictionary such as www.dictionary.com, write the word, definition, antonyms, synonyms, and a sentence using the word.

2.  Visit http//:library.thinkquest.org/5729/

• Complete the History of Communication Graphic Organizer.  Your organizer will include, Early Methods of Communication, Telephone, Radio, Television, Computer, and the Printing Press.  Include the inventor and year. 
  
• Complete the Communication Timeline starting from 1730.

3.  Read the book, City Mouse, Country Mouse by Rozanne Lanczak Williams and watch video on link provided.  You will also watch a video presentation on Brainpopjr titled Rural, Suburban, urban.

• Complete Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the lives of the two mice.
• Visit the North Carolina Census Bureau links and answer the following questions.  Which County has the largest population?  Is it a urban, rural, or suburban county?  What was this county like 100 years ago?  How many people lived there compared to now? Where there any business in that area?  How many now?

4.  Over the years, transportation has changed.  People used to travel or move goods using animals.  They rode horses, and carriages to travel.  Journeys across the country would take days!  In the 1700's steam engine locomotives made traveling easier.  In the 1800's and 1900's gas powered automobiles were invented.

• Complete the Timeline of Transportation Changes, include, inventors, pictures and facts.
• Write a brief summary on Henry Ford and his invention.
  

Day 3

Today, you will learn about the Wright Brothers. 

Did you know???

• The first glider they built was unsuccessful?
• In 1901, the hot air balloon was the only form of flying that kept people airborne?
• December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made four powered flights at Kitty Hawk in North Carolina?
• June 23, 1905, the Wright Brothers flew the third flyer, the first practical flying machine?
• August 8, 1908, Wilbur Wright flew to LeMans, France?
  

You will be completing research using the links below provided for you.  During the completion of your research, you will be required to complete a Character Map of the Wright Brothers which will be required to turn in with your written assignment.  You will be required to complete a written assignment summarizing the information from your research. Once you have completed your writing, you will work with a peer and together you will both use the Peer Edit Checklist to edit your work.  You will then type your work on your laptop in a Word document using 12 inch Times New Romans font. Please include Clipart and or pictures in your summary report. You will print your document for turn in with Character Map.  Save work to desktop on your laptop. 

Included in your summary, should be the answers to the following questions:

1.  Where are the Wright Brothers originally from?

2.  When did the brothers start calling themselves the Wright Brothers?

3.  How fast did their plane go on its first flight?

4.  How long did their first flight last?

5.  Where in North Carolina did the take flight? Why?

Please use links below to help with research:

1. http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/wright/

2. http://www.wrightflyer.org/Background/facts.html

3. http://www.gardenofpraise.com/ibdwrigh.htm

4. http://www.aero-web.org/history/wright/wriframe.htm

5. http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/ushistory/wrightbrothers2.htm

6. http://www.history.com/videos/wright-brothers-are-first-in-flight

I am finished now what?

You will use any medium to create a glider or an airplane for display in the classroom!  You can draw, paint, color, use paper mache etc. to complete your project.