Asking good questions about the past
Students learn how to ask real questions about people and events and where to look for answers. They start checking whether a source is trustworthy and back up what they say with evidence.
What does a student learn in
This is the year social studies zooms in on Maryland itself. Students study the state's regions, rivers, and people, and how its government works alongside the federal government. They ask real questions, weigh sources, and back up what they say with evidence. By spring, students can explain how Maryland's land and history shaped the communities living there today.
- Maryland history
- Maryland geography
- State government
- Citizens and laws
- Maps and regions
- Money basics
- Using evidence
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Mapping Maryland's land and people
Students use maps and photos to explore Maryland's mountains, bay, and cities. They look at how the land shapes the way people live and how people change the land around them.
- 3
Maryland's story across time
Students trace Maryland from early Native nations through colonial days to today. They hear from many voices, including communities often left out, and learn to explain why events happened and what came next.
- 4
How government and citizens work
Students look at how Maryland, tribal, and federal governments are set up and what each one does. They talk about the rights people have, the rules they follow, and how everyday choices shape a community.
- 5
Money, choices, and trade
Students weigh trade-offs when spending or saving and see how prices and competition move goods around. They practice basic money habits like saving for something they want instead of buying right away.
- 6
Sharing what they found
Students pull their learning together into writing, talks, and projects that take a clear stand. They also study people and movements that pushed for fairness and think about action they can take now.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 4.
Inquiry, Disciplinary Skills, and Processes
Inquiry, Disciplinary Skills, and Processes
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Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries
Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that guide their research on history, geography, or government.
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Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence
Students decide whether a source can be trusted, then use facts from it to back up a point they're making. They learn to tell the difference between a firsthand account and one written later by someone else.
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Communicate Conclusions
Students share what they learned from their research by writing, speaking, or presenting it to others, then use that learning to do something real about the topic.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Develop Questions and Plan Inquiries | Students come up with a big question worth digging into, then break it into smaller questions that guide their research on history, geography, or government. | MD-SS.INQ.4.1 |
| Evaluate Sources and Use Evidence | Students decide whether a source can be trusted, then use facts from it to back up a point they're making. They learn to tell the difference between a firsthand account and one written later by someone else. | MD-SS.INQ.4.2 |
| Communicate Conclusions | Students share what they learned from their research by writing, speaking, or presenting it to others, then use that learning to do something real about the topic. | MD-SS.INQ.4.3 |
Civics
Civics
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Civic Reasoning and Participation
Students practice the habits that make groups work: taking turns, listening to different views, and making fair decisions. These are the same habits used in town meetings, classrooms, and elections.
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Government Institutions
Students learn how Maryland's state government, the U.S. federal government, and tribal governments are set up, what each one does, and how they work together or divide power.
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Rights, Laws, and Public Issues
Students look at real laws or policies and explain what rights they protect and what responsibilities they create for people living under them.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Civic Reasoning and Participation | Students practice the habits that make groups work: taking turns, listening to different views, and making fair decisions. These are the same habits used in town meetings, classrooms, and elections. | MD-SS.CIV.4.1 |
| Government Institutions | Students learn how Maryland's state government, the U.S. federal government, and tribal governments are set up, what each one does, and how they work together or divide power. | MD-SS.CIV.4.2 |
| Rights, Laws, and Public Issues | Students look at real laws or policies and explain what rights they protect and what responsibilities they create for people living under them. | MD-SS.CIV.4.3 |
Economics
Economics
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Economic Decision Making
Students weigh the pros and cons of a choice, then decide if what they gain is worth what they give up. It's the same thinking behind choosing to spend birthday money on a game now or save it for something bigger later.
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Markets and Exchange
Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how competition between sellers affects what things cost and how goods end up distributed across a town, a country, or the world.
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Personal Finance
Students learn how money decisions work in real life: why saving matters, how credit means borrowing money you pay back later, and how investing can grow what you have over time.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Economic Decision Making | Students weigh the pros and cons of a choice, then decide if what they gain is worth what they give up. It's the same thinking behind choosing to spend birthday money on a game now or save it for something bigger later. | MD-SS.ECON.4.1 |
| Markets and Exchange | Markets are places where buyers and sellers agree on prices. Students learn how competition between sellers affects what things cost and how goods end up distributed across a town, a country, or the world. | MD-SS.ECON.4.2 |
| Personal Finance | Students learn how money decisions work in real life: why saving matters, how credit means borrowing money you pay back later, and how investing can grow what you have over time. | MD-SS.ECON.4.3 |
Geography
Geography
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Geographic Representations
Students read maps, photos, and geographic data to figure out what a place looks like, how it connects to nearby areas, and what patterns show up across a region.
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Human-Environment Interaction
Students look at how geography changes what people do, and how people change the land around them. In Maryland, that might mean explaining why farms spread across flat areas or how cities grow near rivers.
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Movement and Connections
Students look at why people moved to certain places, where they settled, and how their food, language, and traditions spread to nearby regions.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Geographic Representations | Students read maps, photos, and geographic data to figure out what a place looks like, how it connects to nearby areas, and what patterns show up across a region. | MD-SS.GEO.4.1 |
| Human-Environment Interaction | Students look at how geography changes what people do, and how people change the land around them. In Maryland, that might mean explaining why farms spread across flat areas or how cities grow near rivers. | MD-SS.GEO.4.2 |
| Movement and Connections | Students look at why people moved to certain places, where they settled, and how their food, language, and traditions spread to nearby regions. | MD-SS.GEO.4.3 |
History
History
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Continuity and Change
Students look at how life in Maryland and the United States has changed over time and what has stayed the same. They compare different periods in history to understand why those shifts happened.
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Perspectives
Students look at the same event in Maryland's past through the eyes of different groups, such as Native communities, immigrants, or enslaved people, to understand why people saw it differently.
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Causation and Argumentation
Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed because of it, then back up their thinking with facts from real sources.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Continuity and Change | Students look at how life in Maryland and the United States has changed over time and what has stayed the same. They compare different periods in history to understand why those shifts happened. | MD-SS.HIST.4.1 |
| Perspectives | Students look at the same event in Maryland's past through the eyes of different groups, such as Native communities, immigrants, or enslaved people, to understand why people saw it differently. | MD-SS.HIST.4.2 |
| Causation and Argumentation | Students look at why a historical event happened and what changed because of it, then back up their thinking with facts from real sources. | MD-SS.HIST.4.3 |
Peoples of the Nation and World
Peoples of the Nation and World
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Diverse Communities and Cultures
Students read about, discuss, and compare the lives and ideas of people from different backgrounds, looking at how those differences have shaped Maryland, the country, and the wider world.
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Movements for Equity
Students look at real movements, like the fight for voting rights or fair wages, and explain what people wanted to change, why it mattered, and whether it worked.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Diverse Communities and Cultures | Students read about, discuss, and compare the lives and ideas of people from different backgrounds, looking at how those differences have shaped Maryland, the country, and the wider world. | MD-SS.PEOPLES.4.1 |
| Movements for Equity | Students look at real movements, like the fight for voting rights or fair wages, and explain what people wanted to change, why it mattered, and whether it worked. | MD-SS.PEOPLES.4.2 |
Assessments
The state tests students at this grade and subject take.
NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress)
Federally administered sample-based assessment in reading, mathematics, science, and writing. NAEP results inform state-by-state comparisons rather than individual student or school accountability.
- When given:
- biennial in winter
- Frequency:
- every two years
Common Questions
What does fourth grade social studies actually cover?
Students study Maryland and its place in the country. They look at how the state government works, how money and jobs move through communities, how maps tell stories, and how Maryland's history shaped the people living here today.
How can I help with social studies at home?
Talk about the news at dinner and ask what students think and why. Visit a local landmark, museum, or state park and read the signs together. A short conversation about a real place or current event does more than a worksheet.
Do students need to memorize a lot of dates and names?
Some key people and events come up often, but the work is more about explaining causes and effects than reciting facts. Help by asking questions like why did that happen and what changed afterward. Understanding the story matters more than the date.
How should I sequence the year across civics, economics, geography, and history?
Many teachers start with geography and Maryland's regions to give students a map in their heads, then move into history, civics, and economics so each new topic has a place to land. Inquiry skills run through every unit rather than sitting in their own.
What does mastery look like by the end of the year?
Students can ask a real question about a place or event, find evidence in a map or short source, and explain a claim in writing or a short presentation. They can also point to more than one perspective on the same event.
My child says social studies is boring. What helps?
Tie it to a place students can actually see. A walk through a Maryland town, a look at old family photos, or a trip to the harbor or a farm gives the textbook something to hold onto. Curiosity usually follows a real visit.
Which skills tend to need the most reteaching?
Sourcing and claim writing are the usual sticking points. Students can find a fact but struggle to say where it came from or whether the source is trustworthy. Short, repeated practice with two sources on the same event helps more than long research projects.
How is personal finance handled at this age?
The focus is on saving, spending, and simple trade-offs, not budgets or investing in any serious sense. At home, let students handle a small amount of money for a real choice and talk through what they gave up to get it.
How do I know students are ready for fifth grade?
Look for students who can read a map, summarize a short primary source in their own words, and back up an opinion with a reason from the text. If they can do that with a paragraph about Maryland history, they are ready for the wider United States focus ahead.