Fourth Grade Social Studies Vocabulary Word Wall Cards

With new curriculum, as well as new CCSS for social studies, come new opportunities for creativity. I wanted vocabulary word wall cards for important social studies terms, and I wanted them to have clear, kid-friendly definitions, pictures, and large type to be seen from a distance. You would think the new curriculum would come with this, but when it didn't I had to create my own. (The first part of this post has to do with materials to match the California curriculum. When I moved to Tennessee I created materials to match the Tennessee curriculum. Those materials can be found towards the end of this post.)

Obviously, I needed a set of cards which would have both the vocabulary from the new textbook, as well as the required vocabulary from the new CCSS. Of course, it did not exist yet, which is where the creativity comes into play. :) I got to play on my computer to create a new, comprehensive set.  The first set is Unit #1: The Land and Its People. This unit has a lot of geography terms, as well as some information about early Native Americans. Here's a sample page with three of the cards.

Sample Vocabulary Cards

This pin shows all the pages of the cards. There are 45 vocabulary cards in all!

The Land and Its People

You can find these vocabulary cards in my TpT shop here. I make more resources to go with the units as I have time, so click on the "Follow" button to be notified when I release new materials.

*Update: I've created six sets of these cards to cover the full year. If interested, you can find all six sets in my store, or bundled for savings here.

Social Studies Vocabulary Cards Bundle

When I moved to Tennessee I had to create a whole new set of cards to match the curriculum in my new state. While there is some crossover, many of the cards have different vocabulary. You can find my Tennessee social studies vocabulary cards here, by individual set, or bundled for savings.

Tennessee Social Studies Vocabulary Cards Bundle

I've done a lot of Internet research for the new curriculum. If you teach geography terms or early Native American history, you might want to check it out. Here's a screen shot from one of my Pinterest boards. I've already pinned lots of links to information on early American history to this board. You can only see a fraction of the links from this one screen shot. Click on the image to visit the board. You can also follow this board to receive notifications whenever I pin something new to it.

Thanks for reading my blog! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

"See" you next time!

U.S. History Resources at Your Fingertips!

Our social studies teacher's manual has all these wonderful links and book suggestions for teaching U.S. history. The problem is, who has time to look them up? When you come home exhausted, with papers to grade, lesson plans to make, and a family who needs your attention, how do you find the time to search out and organize all the extra materials suggested by the book?

Finally I decided to go through the TM chapter by chapter and add all the books, websites, and other links to my Pinterest boards. That way all the enrichment materials would be available in one place for my perusal. I realized that other teachers could probably use the links, too, so here they are.

My Social Studies Boards

This is what my social studies Pinterest boards look like right now. Carol's Garden is my product and blog board for my TpT store, but the next seven boards are reserved for all the links, websites, books, videos, etc. that are suggested by our U.S. history curriculum. Most of them have MANY links and ideas I've come across on my own, as well. 

Economy for Kids

The first history-based board I have is called CG (for Carol's Garden) Economy for Kids. This is where I put all the book titles, videos, and other working links suggested by our text to help teach economic ideas to students. I haven't added much of my own ideas to this board yet, but will as I come across useful material.

CG Early Native Americans and Geography

The second board is currently my favorite! Every geographic term I could find is illustrated, every paleo animal I found is shown, and all the books, websites, videos and other information about Native Americans suggested by our text is linked by pin.

CG Age of Exploration

My third history board includes links to information about the explorers who came to the New World, plus any links I could find to suggested lesson materials for the unit.

CG

CG Colonial America

Colonial America is covered on the fourth board, up to the 1800's.

CG American Revolution

Of course, the fun really starts with my fifth history board, which covers the American Revolution. This is one of my favorite subjects to teach, hands-down. We talk about the men and the women behind the Revolution, the spies, the heroes and the traitors. My students always enjoy this one!

CG Creating the New Nation and Government

The seventh board is one of the most important. These materials are selected to teach students about the U.S. government, explain how it was set up by the Founders, and encourage students to be informed citizens today.

CG New Frontiers and Westward Movement

The growth of the United States from thirteen original colonies to a trans-continental nation is covered on my eight board. Students are encouraged to consider multiple perspectives as they examine the motivations of the Native peoples as well as the U.S. government during this unit of study.

These pictures only show a small fraction of the hundreds of resources pinned to these boards. If you teach American history, you know the value of having all these resources at your fingertips. Anything that can save any teacher's time is valuable. I hope you find these boards, with all their pins, useful to you, as well. I hope you have a fabulous year. :)

"See you" soon!

New Conference Product Book!

I am so excited to see my new completed product book! I have been super-busy updating my TpT products with my new logo, uploading them, making new png's, and updating my book. Yet, I was in such a rush to get it mailed off to Michelle Luck (who travels the U.S. going to conferences for a whole group of sellers) that I forgot to take pictures!

However, tonight I realized that I can post the PDF, in case anyone else wants to see my new baby. :D

My Updated Conference Book

Just click on the caption to see the rest. I would love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment below. :)

Thanks! "See you" soon!