Weeks 29-36 • Focus: Immigration, Industry, and Environmental Conservation
The final quarter brings the study of New York State into the modern era. Students will explore the waves of immigration that shaped the state's identity, focusing on the experience of living in New York City tenements. They will learn about the state's industrial growth and the entrepreneurs who powered it. This historical context provides a powerful backdrop for the science unit on natural resources and energy, leading into a capstone project on conservation and responsible citizenship that synthesizes the year's learning.
Academic Skills:
Content Knowledge:
Exploring late 19th and early 20th-century immigration and the immigrant experience
If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island
by Ellen Levine
Immigrant Kids
by Russell Freedman
This week explores the various factors that "pushed" immigrants from their home countries (poverty, persecution, lack of opportunity) and "pulled" them to America (jobs, freedom, land, opportunity). New York served as a gateway for millions of these immigrants.
Introduce immigration to America in the late 19th/early 20th century. Create a chart of "push" and "pull" factors. Discuss why New York was a major entry point. 4.7a
Begin reading If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island. Discuss the immigrant experience upon arrival. 4.RI.3
Explore the Ellis Island experience. Create a flowchart showing the processing of immigrants through Ellis Island, including health inspections and legal admission.
Introduce decimals as fractions with denominators of 10 and 100. Connect to money concepts (e.g., $1.25 = 1 + 25/100). NY-4.NF.6
Begin immigration research project. Student selects an immigrant group (Irish, Italian, Eastern European Jewish, etc.) to research. 4.W.7
Practice adding and subtracting decimals in the context of money. Create word problems about immigrants' budgets and expenses. NY-4.NF.6
Begin CKSci Unit 5: Using Natural Resources for Energy. Discuss how immigrants provided labor for mining coal and other natural resources. 4-ESS3-1
Explore primary sources (photographs, diary entries, letters) from immigrants at Ellis Island.
Continue research project. Learn to take notes from multiple sources and organize information in categories. 4.W.8
Learn to compare decimals to the hundredths place. Use symbols >, =, and < to compare money amounts. NY-4.NF.7
Read Immigrant Kids. Focus on living conditions in tenements. Create vocabulary chart of tenement-related terms. 4.RI.4
Study tenement buildings. Examine floor plans and photographs of typical Lower East Side tenements. Discuss challenges: overcrowding, poor ventilation, limited sanitation. 4.7a
Work with decimal money amounts in the context of immigrant budgets. Calculate typical expenses for a family (rent: $15.00/month, bread: $0.05/loaf, etc.). NY-4.NF.6
Continue exploring natural resources. Discuss the importance of coal for heating tenement buildings and the environmental impact of its use. 4-ESS3-1
Complete immigration research project. Synthesize information from multiple sources into a cohesive report. Include information about the country of origin, journey to America, and adaptation to life in New York. 4.W.7
Virtual tour of the Tenement Museum (if accessible online). Discuss how immigrants preserved their cultures while adapting to American life.
Present immigration research projects. Create a class "Immigration Museum" with student reports and artifacts. 4.SL.4
Problem-solving with decimals. Calculate if an immigrant family could save enough to bring other relatives to America based on typical wages and expenses. NY-4.NF.7
Social Studies Materials:
Math Materials:
Exploring New York's industrial development and the innovators who shaped it
The Boy Who Invented TV: The Story of Philo Farnsworth
by Kathleen Krull
Using Natural Resources for Energy
Core Knowledge Foundation (CKSci Reader)
Introduce key New York industries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries: garment manufacturing, steel production, banking, and publishing. Create an industry map of New York.
Begin geometry unit. Identify and classify two-dimensional shapes based on the presence or absence of parallel lines, perpendicular lines, and angles of specified size. NY-4.G.1
Continue CKSci Unit: Using Natural Resources for Energy. Study how industries used coal, oil, and water power. Investigate the environmental impacts of early industry. 4-ESS3-1
Read about working conditions in factories. Compare and contrast different perspectives: factory owners vs. workers. 4.RI.9
Explore the garment industry and the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911. Discuss how this tragedy led to workplace safety reforms.
Find examples of geometric shapes in industrial machinery and architecture. Draw and label these shapes. NY-4.G.1
Write an informative essay explaining cause and effect: "How Industry Changed New York State." Include at least three specific effects with supporting details. 4.W.2
Study how industrial processes transform natural resources into finished products. Create a flowchart showing the steps in steel production. 4-ESS3-1
Read The Boy Who Invented TV. Discuss the characteristics of successful inventors: curiosity, persistence, problem-solving. 4.RI.3
Begin research on New York entrepreneurs and inventors. Focus on figures like Thomas Edison (electric light), J.P. Morgan (banking), or Joseph Pulitzer (publishing).
Explore how Edison's electric light transformed New York City. Compare renewable and nonrenewable energy sources. 4-ESS3-1
Identify and draw lines of symmetry for various shapes. Find examples of symmetry in industrial designs, machinery, and architecture. NY-4.G.3
Create and present "Shark Tank: Historical Edition" where students pitch their chosen inventor's most significant innovation as if seeking investment. 4.SL.4
Create "New York Innovation Museum" exhibits. Students develop displays about their chosen inventor/entrepreneur, including biography, key innovations, and lasting impact. 4.W.2
Discuss the environmental impact of industrialization. Create cause-and-effect charts showing how innovations affected the natural environment, both positively and negatively. 4-ESS3-1
Complete geometry unit. Create "Innovation Blueprint Challenge" where students design a product using specific geometric shapes and lines of symmetry. NY-4.G.1, NY-4.G.3
Social Studies Materials:
Math & Science Materials:
Exploring environmental stewardship and civic responsibility
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
by William Kamkwamba & Bryan Mealer
Using Natural Resources for Energy
Core Knowledge Foundation (CKSci Reader)
New York has a rich history of conservation efforts, from Theodore Roosevelt's protection of the Adirondacks to modern initiatives addressing climate change. This week explores how citizens can be responsible stewards of the environment.
Explore Theodore Roosevelt's conservation legacy in New York. Discuss the creation of the Adirondack Park and forest preserves. 4.7b
Complete CKSci Unit on Using Natural Resources for Energy. Compare renewable and nonrenewable resources. Create a T-chart of advantages and disadvantages of each. 4-ESS3-1
Begin reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Discuss how innovation can address environmental challenges. 4.RI.3
Apply math to environmental context. Calculate water or energy usage, and problem-solve ways to reduce consumption. NY-4.OA.3
Research modern conservation challenges and efforts in New York: water quality in the Hudson River, urban green spaces, or waste management. Create an "Environmental Issues and Solutions" chart. 4.7b
Draft a persuasive letter to a local official about an environmental issue in the community. Include a clear opinion and supporting reasons. 4.W.1
Create and solve multi-step word problems about recycling, energy conservation, or water usage. NY-4.OA.3
Conduct a home or school environmental audit. Identify ways to reduce waste, conserve energy, and protect natural resources. 4-ESS3-1
Discuss what it means to be a good citizen at different levels: school, community, state, nation, and world. Create a "Citizenship Web" showing how individual actions connect to broader impacts.
Finalize persuasive letters. Edit for clarity, organization, and supporting evidence. 4.W.1
Create a year-end capstone project: "New York: Past, Present, Future." This project synthesizes learning about New York's history while looking toward future challenges and opportunities.
Year-end math review through problem-solving challenges related to New York history, immigration, industry, and conservation. NY-4.OA.3
Share capstone projects. Write a personal reflection on the most important lessons learned about New York State history this year. 4.W.4
Conservation Materials:
Capstone Project Materials:
Formalizing year-end assessment and celebrating growth
This final week is for completing the year-end assessment required by NYS and celebrating your child's incredible growth and achievements throughout the fourth-grade year.
Schedule and administer one of the approved tests:
Have a certified teacher or qualified individual review the portfolio and write a narrative assessment of the child's progress in fourth grade.
Host a special event where the student showcases their learning through a "New York State History Museum":
Compile all necessary documentation for your final report:
| Title | Author | Week(s) Used |
|---|---|---|
| If Your Name Was Changed at Ellis Island | Ellen Levine | Weeks 29-30 |
| Immigrant Kids | Russell Freedman | Weeks 29-30 |
| The Boy Who Invented TV | Kathleen Krull | Weeks 31-33 |
| Using Natural Resources for Energy | Core Knowledge Foundation | Weeks 31-35 |
| The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind | William Kamkwamba & Bryan Mealer | Weeks 34-35 |
You've completed an amazing year of fourth grade New York State history! Your child has developed a deep understanding of their home state, from its geography and earliest inhabitants through its development into a modern center of industry, innovation, and culture.