Grade 4 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 2, Lesson 1

Houghton Mifflin Social Studies
Oh, California

Lesson at a Glance
Chapter 2, Lesson 1: Discovering the First Californians (pp. 32-36)

The Big Idea
Framework Concept: Interconnectedness Archaeologists trace the first Californians from Asia.

Explain to students that the first Californians were descendants of hunters who came from Asia. On a globe, show students the path from the northern part of Asia across what is now the Arctic Ocean to California. Discuss with them possible reasons these early people moved from one place to another. Point out that hunters often followed animals great distances in search of food.

Lesson Outline
Use the Lesson Outline to preview the content of the lesson. You may wish to print it for your students as a guide during reading.

Check for Understanding

Have students write a paragraph in which they imagine they are an archaeologist who discovers an important object from the earliest people who lived in California. What did they find? Why is it important? What does it tell about California's past?
Invite students to create a picture timeline tracing their personal history including what they know about their own familiesÕ histories. They can get timeline format ideas from the timeline shown on pages 34-35.

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