Ohio Grade 4 Social Studies Academic Content Standards, Benchmarks, and Indicators 

S01. History

Benchmark A. Construct time lines to demonstrate an understanding of units of time and chronological order. (Chronology)

1)    Construct time lines with evenly spaced intervals for years, decades and centuries to show the order of significant events in Ohio history.

Benchmark B. Describe the cultural patterns that are evident in North America today as a result of exploration, colonization and conflict. (Settlement)

2)    Describe the earliest settlements in Ohio including those of prehistoric peoples.
3)    Explain the causes and effects of the frontier wars of the 1790s, including the Battle of Fallen Timbers, on American Indians in Ohio and the United States.

Benchmark C. Explain how new developments led to the growth of the United States. (Growth)

4)    Explain how Ohio progressed from territory to statehood, including the terms of the Northwest Ordinance.
5)    Explain how canals and railroads changed settlement patterns in Ohio and Ohio's economic and political status in the United States.
6)    Explain the importance of inventors such as the Wright Brothers, Charles Kettering, Garrett Morgan, Granville Woods and Thomas Edison.

S02. People in Societies

Benchmark A. Compare practices and products of North American cultural groups. (Culture)

1)    Describe the cultural practices and products of various groups who have settled in Ohio over time:
a)    The Paleo Indians, Archaic Indians, Woodland Indians (Adena and Hopewell) and Late Prehistoric Indians (Fort Ancient);
b)    Historic Indians of Ohio (Ottawa, Wyandot, Mingo, Miami, Shawnee and Delaware);  
c)    European immigrants;
d)    Amish and Appalachian populations;
e)    African-Americans;
f)    Recent immigrants from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Benchmark B. Explain the reasons people from various cultural groups came to North America and the consequences of their interactions with each other. (Interaction)

2)    Describe the impact of the expansion of European settlements on American Indians in Ohio.
3)    Explain the reasons people came to Ohio including:
a)    Opportunities in agriculture, mining and manufacturing;
b)    Family ties;  
c)    Freedom from political and religious oppression.

S03. Geography

Benchmark A. Use map elements or coordinates to locate physical and human features of North America. (Location)

1)    Use a linear scale to measure the distance between places on a map.
2)    Use cardinal and intermediate directions to describe the relative location of places.
3)    Describe the location of Ohio relative to other states and countries.
4)    Use maps to identify the location of major physical and human features of Ohio including:
a)    Lake Erie;  
b)    Rivers;
c)    Plains;
d)    The Appalachian Plateau;
e)    Bordering states;
f)     The capital city;
g)    Other major cities.

Benchmark B. Identify the physical and human characteristics of places and regions in North America. (Places and Regions)

5)    Describe and compare the landforms, climates, population, vegetation and economic characteristics of places and regions in Ohio.
6)    Identify manufacturing, agricultural, mining and forestry regions in Ohio.
7)    Explain how resources, transportation and location influenced the development of cities and industries in Ohio including major industries such as oil, steel, rubber and glass.

Benchmark C: Identify and explain ways people have affected the physical environment of North America and analyze the positive and negative consequences. (Human Environmental Interaction)

8)    Identify how environmental processes (i.e., glaciation and weathering) and characteristics (landforms, bodies of water, climate, vegetation) influence human settlement and activity in Ohio.
9)    Identify ways that people have affected the physical environment of Ohio including:
a)    Use of wetlands;
b)    Use of forests;    
c)    Building farms, towns and transportation systems;    
d)    Using fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides;
e)    Building dams.

Benchmark D. Analyze ways that transportation and communication relate to patterns of settlement and economic activity. (Movement)

10)    Use elevation, natural resource and road maps to answer questions about patterns of settlement, economic activity and movement.

S04. Economics

Benchmark A. Explain the opportunity costs involved in the allocation of scarce productive resources. (Scarcity and Resource Allocation)

1)    Identify the productive resources needed to produce a good or service and suggest opportunity costs for the resources involved.
2)    Explain how the availability of productive resources in Ohio promotes specialization in the production of goods and services and leads to trade.

Benchmark B. Explain why entrepreneurship, capital goods, technology, specialization and division of labor are important in the production of goods and services. (Production, Distribution and Consumption)    

3)    Explain how entrepreneurs organize productive resources to produce goods and services and that they seek to make profits by taking risks.

Benchmark C. Explain how competition affects producers and consumers in a market economy and why specialization facilitates trade. (Markets)

4)    Explain ways in which individuals and households obtain and use income.
5)    Explain why people in Ohio specialize in what they produce and then trade with others, which then increases the amount of goods and services available.
6)    Explain why many jobs in Ohio depend on markets in other countries and why Ohio is a market for goods and services from other countries.

S05. Government

Benchmark A. Identify the responsibilities of the branches of the U.S. government and explain why they are necessary. (Role of Government)

1)    Explain major responsibilities of each of the three branches of government in Ohio:
a)    The legislative branch, headed by the General Assembly, makes state laws.
b)    The executive branch, headed by the governor, carries out and enforces laws made by the General Assembly.
c)    The judicial branch, headed by the Ohio Supreme Court, interprets and applies the law.
2)    Explain why elections are used to select leaders and decide issues.

Benchmark B. Give examples of documents that specify the structure of state and national governments in the United States and explain how these documents foster self-government in a democracy. (Rules and Laws)

3)    Explain the purpose of a democratic constitution:
a)    To provide a framework for a government;
b)    To limit the power of government;
c)    To define the authority of elected officials.
4)    Explain that the Ohio Constitution tells how the state government should be organized and guarantees the rights of individuals.

S06. Citizenship Rights and Responsibilities

Benchmark A. Explain how citizens take part in civic life in order to promote the common good. (Participation)

1)    Describe the ways in which citizens can promote the common good and influence their government including:
a)    Voting;
b)    Communicating with officials;
c)    Participating in civic and service organizations;
d)    Performing voluntary service.

Benchmark B. Identify rights and responsibilities of citizenship in the United States that are important for preserving democratic government. (Rights and Responsibilities)

2)    Explain why personal responsibilities (e.g., taking advantage of the opportunity to be educated) and civic responsibilities (e.g., obeying the law and respecting the rights of others) are important.
3)    Explain the importance of leadership and public service.
4)    Explain why characteristics such as respect for the rights of others, fairness, reliability, honesty, wisdom and courage are desirable qualities in the people citizens select as their leaders.

S07. Social Studies Skills and Methods

Benchmark A. Obtain information from a variety of primary and secondary sources using the component parts of the source. (Obtaining Information)

1)    Obtain information about state issues from a variety of print and electronic sources, and determine the relevance of information to a research topic:
a)    Atlases;  
b)    Encyclopedias;
c)    Dictionaries;
d)    Newspapers;
e)    Multimedia/Electronic sources.
2)    Use a glossary and index to locate information.
3)    Use primary and secondary sources to answer questions about Ohio history.
4)    Describe how archaeologists and historians study and interpret the past.

Benchmark B. Use a variety of sources to organize information and draw inferences. (Thinking and Organizing)

5)    Identify main ideas and supporting details from factual information.
6)    Distinguish between fact and opinion.
7)    Read and interpret pictographs, bar graphs, line graphs and tables.
8)    Formulate a question to focus research.

Benchmark C. Communicate social studies information using graphs or tables. (Communicating Information)

9)    Communicate relevant information in a written report including the acknowledgement of sources.

Benchmark D. Use problem-solving skills to make decisions individually and in groups. (Problem Solving)

10)    Use a problem-solving/decision-making process which includes:
a)    Identifying a problem;  
b)    Gathering information;
c)    Listing and considering options;
d)    Considering advantages and disadvantages of options;
e)    Choosing and implementing a solution;
f)    Developing criteria for judging its effectiveness.