Grade 4 · History
Goal
Explain what the railroad changed 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
railroad, train, tracks, wagon, workers, mountains, east, west, meet, spike, connect, faster, months, California, Utah
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 4) 4.4.1: Understand the story and lasting influence of the Pony Express, Overland Mail Service, Western Union, and the building of the transcontinental railroad, including the contributions of Chinese workers to its construction.
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. Which was faster? Train. Where did the lines meet? Utah.
Before or after the railroad?. Before: Trip by wagon; Months of travel; Hard to cross. After: Trip by train; Far faster travel; Lines connected
Building the railroad. 1. Two companies start 2. Workers build through mountains 3. Lines meet in Utah 4. Trains cross the country
Who or what?. Central Pacific: built east. Union Pacific: built west. Promontory Summit: where lines met. Golden spike: marked the finish
The route. Top left: Promontory Summit. Bottom left: Sacramento. Middle: railroad. Right: Omaha
Spell the word. TRAIN
In the 1860s, crossing the United States was hard. A trip by wagon could take months. Two companies set out to connect California to the railroads in the East.
The Central Pacific built east from Sacramento, California. The Union Pacific built west from Omaha, Nebraska. Many Chinese workers built the Central Pacific line through the mountains, and many Irish workers built the Union Pacific line.
On May 10, 1869, the two lines met at Promontory Summit, Utah. A golden spike marked the finish. Now people and goods could cross the country far faster than by wagon.
Color the right box.
Which was faster?
Where did the lines meet?
Sort the cards.
Before
After
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 railroad 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 1860, mail was slow to reach California. The Pony Express was a new way to carry letters across the West. A rider raced from station to station and changed to a fresh horse along the way. After a long stretch, a new rider took the mail bag and kept going. This way of passing work from one person to the next is called a relay. The trip from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, took about ten days. In 1861, a telegraph line crossed the country and could send messages much faster. The Pony Express soon ended.
Choose your answer, then color its box.
Why did riders change horses along the way?
Why did the Pony Express end?
Choose your answer, then color its box.
In this text, what does relay mean?
In this text, what does fresh mean?
Spell the word for letters and packages sent to people. Choose each letter. Glue them on the strips.
Cut out along the dashed lines
Spell the name of the animal the riders raced on. 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 riders change horses along the way? | A fresh horse could keep up the speed |
| 2 | RI.4.3 | Why did the Pony Express end? | The telegraph sent messages much faster |
| 3 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does relay mean? | Passing work from one to the next |
| 4 | RI.4.4 | In this text, what does fresh mean? | Rested and ready to run |
| 5 | L.4.2.d | Spell the word for letters and packages sent to people. | |
| 6 | L.4.2.d | Spell the name of the animal the riders raced on. | HORSE |