Grade 4 Social Studies

May - June
Essential Framing Question
Big Idea:
Big Idea: Uncovering the past....shaping the future.
Has early societies impacted the way we live today?
Overall Curriculum Expectations
A1. Application: compare key aspects of life in a few early societies (3000 BCE1500 CE), each from a different region and era
and representing a different culture, and describe some key similarities and differences between these early societies and
present-day Canadian society (FOCUS ON: Continuity and Change; Perspective)

A2. Inquiry: use the social studies inquiry process to investigate ways of life and relationships with the environment in two of
more early societies (3000 BCE1500 CE), with an emphasis on aspects of the interrelationship between the environment and life
in those societies (FOCUS ON: Interrelationships)

A3. Understanding Context: demonstrate an understanding of key aspects of a few early societies (3000 BCE1500 CE), each from
a different region and era and representing a different culture, with reference to their political and social organization, daily life,
and relationships with the environment and with each other (FOCUS ON: Significance)

Summative Task: Critical Challenge- Demonstration of Learning

As an archeologist, you have uncovered a scrapbook that depicts the key aspects of daily life of early societies.
Design to spec: Students will design and create a scrapbook that demonstrates the key aspects of daily life in early
societies and will compare them to each other and to present day.(knowledge and application, communication-
product). Students will identify the most significant differences and similarities and through a flipbook insert, will
determine the interrelationships between the societies and their environment (thinking- conversation/observation
and product).

Ancient Civilization(China, Egypt, Greece, India, Myan,(Medieval (Europe) (Today)

2 early societies- Different region and era
Lesson Challenge 1
S.E. Addressed:
Read:
Have students create a list of questions they have
based on (in inquiry journals/small)
Question: How did early societies rely on natural
resources and location to meet their needs?
Task: Deconstruct a variety of maps to determine
the resources found in a location and infer how
early societies used their resources to meet their
needs.
*Draw a map
Lesson Challenge:
S.E. Addressed:
Question: How did early societies rely on their
location to meet their needs?
Task: Analyse a variety of texts pertaining to
landforms processes and events in order to
determine locations of early societies.
Design to Spec: Create a convincing PSA/poster
that demonstrates a call to action that protects a
natural resources used by a society.
Lesson Challenge 2
S.E. Addressed: A1.1
Question: How are societies
socially organized?
Task: Perform to spec: Students will create
a tableaux that effectively demonstrates
the different roles of the social hierarchy of
the society. They will create a
caption that describes the most significant
differences/ changes between different
societies and present day. Students will
gather information from a variety of
sources of how societies are
structured
Wanted Poster
Lesson Challenge:
S.E. Addressed: A1.3
Question: How do the daily lives of
children differ from society to another?
Task: Judge better or best: Students will
investigate the daily lives of young people
through pen pal letters and will) and will
decide which society would be most ideal
for their family.
Students will compare the differences and
similarities between different early
Lesson Challenge 3
S.E. Addressed: 3.10
Question: Why were there
significant differences
between beliefs and values in
various early civilizations?
Task: Compare a myth or legend
of one civilization to a myth or
legend of another.
Using a two paneled poster,
illustrate the belief being depicted
in the myth/legend
and create a caption that
explains the belief/value.
*Picture that represents conflict
Lesson Challenge:
S.E. Addressed: 3.9
Question: Why did groups have
conflicts?
Task: Design to spec: Students
will create three effective
interview questions that you
would ask individuals who
were part of the conflict.
Students will gather
information of the different
 societies with a partner life (e.g.
recreation, education, family life,
responsibility, etc
*Letter
perspectives of the individuals
who were part of the conflict
and infer why they were part
of it.

Lesson Challenge:
S.E. Addressed:
Question: What significant challenges are created
by natural occurrences ( floods, volcanoes, etc)?
Task: Design to spec: Create a caption for a
given photograph that effectively describes the
impacts of the natural process on the land used
by an early society.
*Picture and caption

Lesson Challenge:
S.E. Addressed:
Question: How has technological innovations
affected early societies?

Task: Design to spec: Students will read articles

about different technological innovations. Create
a timeline that demonstrates the change in
technological developments over time in a
society.
*One technological innovation- how its changed
through time

Resources Key Vocabulary

Timeline
BCE: Before Common Era
CE: Common Era
ME: Modern Era