OUSD Social Studies Curriculum on Newsela (4/5)
The 4th and 5th Grade OUSD Social Studies Curriculum on Newsela is an online curriculum that has been custom curated for OUSD. Students and teachers can access Newsela through Clever.
This curriculum focuses on California History (4th grade) and U.S. History (5th Grade). The Newsela platform includes individual articles that are adjusted to each student's reading level. Students can take reading comprehension quizzes after reading each article, and teachers can view assessment data.
Scroll down for an overview of each grade level scope and sequence, and a Newsela "cheat sheet" to access Newsela video tutorials. You can also jump directly to the grade level pages for 4th or 5th grade, where you can find more details and links. To provide feedback on the Social Studies curriculum on Newsela, click here.
OUSD Teacher Spotlight!
Christina Anderson at Fruitvale Elementary talks about how she uses Newsela to teach social studies to her 4th and 5th graders. See Christina and her students in the classroom as they use Newsela to build literacy skills and learn about the world.
4th Grade Social Studies - California History
Fall
California History:
Early Years
Chapter 1
Physical and Human Features that Define California
Chapter 2
Pre-Contact Settlements and People
Chapter 3
European Exploration and Colonial History
Winter
California History:
18th and 19th Centuries
Chapter 4
Missions, Ranchos, and the Mexican War for Independence
Chapter 5
The Gold Rush and Statehood
Chapter 6
California as Agricultural and Industrial Power
Spring
California History:
20th and 21st Centuries
Chapter 7
California in a Time of Expansion
Chapter 8
California in the Post-War Era: Immigration, Technology, and Cities
5th Grade Social Studies - U.S. History
Fall
Indigenous Lands
Chapter 1
The Land and People Pre-Contact
Chapter 2
Age of Exploration
Chapter 3
Cooperation and Conflict in North America
Winter
Colonial America
Chapter 4
Settling the Colonies
Chapter 5
The Road to War
Chapter 6
The American Revolution
Spring
The U.S. Forms and Expands
Chapter 7
Development and Significance of U.S. Constitution
Chapter 8
Life in the Young Republic
Chapter 9
The New Nation’s Westward Expansion
