Grade 4 · History
Goal
Explain what the group did on its journey and why, using details from the text.
You'll need
Scissors, a glue stick, and crayons.
Help with the hands, not the answer
Add these words to the student's AAC device before the lesson
explore, river, mountains, ocean, map, boat, west, journey, land, plants, animals, Native nations, President, notes, group
Words from the check are left out on purpose.
What's in this packet
Standards the check measures
CA Common Core ELA RI.4.3: Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.
CA Common Core ELA RI.4.4: Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic or subject area. (See grade 4 Language standards 4–6 for additional expectations.) CA
CA Common Core ELA L.4.2.d: Spell grade-appropriate words correctly, consulting references as needed.
Related, but not fully taught or measured here
CA History-Social Science (grade 5) 5.8.3: Demonstrate knowledge of the explorations of the trans-Mississippi West following the Louisiana Purchase (e.g., Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Zebulon Pike, John Fremont).
These are California's standards. Outside California, check the code and wording against your state's framework before citing them in an IEP.
Activity answers
Color the answer. Who sent them to explore? Thomas Jefferson. How did they travel up the river? By boat.
Person or place?. People: Meriwether Lewis; William Clark; Sacagawea. Places: Missouri River; Rocky Mountains; Pacific Ocean
The journey. 1. United States buys land 2. Group goes up river 3. Group crosses mountains 4. Group reaches the ocean
Who or what?. Thomas Jefferson: sent the group west. Sacagawea: helped them talk. Pacific Ocean: farthest point west. Maps and notes: what they brought back
The route. Upper left: Rocky Mountains. Bottom left: Pacific Ocean. Upper middle: Missouri River. Right: St. Louis
Spell the word. RIVER
In 1803, the United States bought a huge area of land called the Louisiana Purchase. Many Native nations already lived on this land. President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the West.
In 1804, their group set out up the Missouri River from near St. Louis. A Shoshone woman named Sacagawea joined them and helped them talk with the Shoshone, who gave them horses. Then the group crossed the Rocky Mountains.
In late 1805, the group reached the Pacific Ocean. They returned in 1806 with maps and notes about the land, the plants, and the animals.
Color the right box.
Who sent them to explore?
How did they travel up the river?
Sort the cards.
People
Places
Cut out along the dashed lines
Put them in order.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Match each one.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Label it. Color the route red.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Spell this word.
Cut out along the dashed lines
How the student chose answers (mark one)
Independent, adult could not see
Independent, adult could see
With touch, a held device, or cues
Mark the last one if anyone touched the student, held anything for them, or cued them while they chose. Help with cutting or gluing after they chose doesn't count as support, but an adult who saw the choice means "adult could see."
Help after the student chose
Results
Date ____________ Check run by (role) ____________________
| Item | Standard | Student's answer | Right? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RI.4.3 | ||
| 2 | RI.4.3 | ||
| 3 | RI.4.4 | ||
| 4 | RI.4.4 | ||
| 5 | L.4.2.d | ||
| 6 | L.4.2.d |
Each question with four choices can be guessed right 1 time in 4. These 6 items are too few to conclude from alone. The on-screen report waits for 20 items at a level.
In the 1840s, many families traveled west on the Oregon Trail. The trail ran about 2,000 miles from Missouri to Oregon. The trip took four to six months. Wagons carried food and supplies, so most people walked beside them. Families left in spring so they could cross the mountains before snow fell. The trail crossed the lands of Native nations.
Choose your answer, then color its box.
Why did most people walk?
Why did families leave in spring?
Choose your answer, then color its box.
In this text, what does supplies mean?
In this text, what does trail mean?
Spell the word for frozen flakes that fall in winter. Choose each letter. Glue them on the strips.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Spell the name of the state at the end of the trail. Choose each letter. Glue them on the strips.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Keep this away from the check, and use it only for scoring afterward.
| Item | Standard | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | RI.4.3 | Why did most people walk? | Wagons were full of supplies |
| 2 | RI.4.3 | Why did families leave in spring? | To cross mountains before snow fell |
| 3 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does supplies mean? | Things people need for a trip |
| 4 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does trail mean? | A path that people travel |
| 5 | L.4.2.d | Spell the word for frozen flakes that fall in winter. | SNOW |
| 6 | L.4.2.d | Spell the name of the state at the end of the trail. | OREGON |