Rhode Island State Standards for Social Studies: Grade 4

RI.1. Civics and Government: Civic Life, Politics, and Government.

1.a. Student should be able to provide a basic description of government. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.a.

1.b. Student should be able to explain the difference between authority and power without authority, and that authority comes from custom, law, and the consent of the governed. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.b.

1.c. Student should be able to explain why government is necessary in their classroom, school, community, state, and nation, and the basic purposes of government in the United States. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.c.

1.d. Student should be able to explain some of the major things governments do in their school, community, state, and nation. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.d.

1.e. Student should be able to explain the purposes of rules and laws and why they are important in their classroom, school, community, state, and nation. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.e.

1.f. Student should be able to explain and apply criteria useful in evaluating rules and laws. 4
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.f.

1.g. Student should be able to explain the basic differences between limited and unlimited governments. 21
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.g.

1.h. Student should be able to explain why limiting the powers of government is important to their own lives. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.h.

RI.2. Civics and Government: Foundations of the American Political System.

2.a. Student should be able to explain the importance of the fundamental values and principles of American democracy. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.a.

2.b. Student should be able to identify some important beliefs commonly held by Americans about themselves and their government. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.b.

2.c. Student should be able to explain the importance of Americans sharing and supporting certain values, principles, and beliefs. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.c.

2.d. Student should be able to describe diversity in the United States and identify its benefits. 13
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.d.

2.e. Student should be able to identify and evaluate ways conflicts about diversity can be prevented and managed. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.e.

2.f. Student should be able to identify ways people can work together to promote the values and principles of American democracy. 11
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.f.

RI.3. Civics and Government: Purposes, Values, and Principles of American Democracy.

3.a. Student should be able to describe what the United States Constitution is and why it is important. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.a.

3.b. Student should be able to give examples of ways the national government protects individual rights and promotes the common good. 6
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.b.

3.c. Student should be able to explain the most important responsibilities of their state government. 6
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.c.

3.d. Student should be able to explain the most important responsibilities of their local government. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.d.

3.e. Student should be able to identify the members of the legislative branches and the heads of the executive branches of their local, state, and national governments. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.e.

RI.4. Civics and Government: World Affairs.

4.a. Student should be able to explain that the world is divided into different nations, which interact with one another. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.a.

4.b. Student should be able to explain the major ways nations interact with one another. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.b.

RI.5. Civics and Government: Roles of the Citizen in American Democracy.

5.a. Student should be able to explain the meaning of citizenship in the United States. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.a.

5.b. Student should be able to explain how one becomes a citizen of the United States. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.b.

5.c. Student should be able to explain why certain rights are important to the individual and to a democratic society. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.c.

5.d. Student should be able to explain why certain responsibilities are important to themselves and their family, community, state, and nation. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.d.

5.e. Student should be able to explain the importance of certain dispositions to themselves and American democracy. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.e.

5.f. Student should be able to describe the means by which citizens can influence the decisions and actions of their government. 17
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.f.

5.g. Student should be able to explain the importance of political leadership and public service in their school, community, state, and nation. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.g.

5.h. Student should be able to explain and apply criteria useful in selecting leaders in their school, community, state, and nation. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.h.

RI.1. Geography: The World in Spatial Terms.

1.a. Student knows and understands the characteristics and purposes of geographic representations (such as maps, gloves, graphs, diagrams, aerial and other photographs, and satellite-produced images). 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.a.

1.b. Student knows and understands the characteristics and purposes of tools and technologies (such as reference works and computer-based geographic information systems). 4
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.b.

1.c. Student knows and understands how to display spatial information on maps and other geographic representations. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.c.

1.d. Student knows and understands how to use appropriate geographic tools and technologies. 12
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.d.

1.e. Student knows and understands the locations of places within the local community and in nearby communities. 13
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.e.

1.f. Student knows and understands the location of Earth's continents and oceans in relation to each other and to principal parallels and meridians. 4
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.f.

1.g. Student knows and understands the location of major physical and human features in the United States and on Earth. 19
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.g.

1.h. Student knows and understands the spatial elements of point, line, area, and volume. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.h.

1.i. Student knows and understands the spatial concepts of location, distance, direction, scale, movement, and region. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.i.

1.j. Student knows and understands that places and features are distributed spatially across Earth's surface. 16
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.j.

1.k. Student knows and understands the causes and consequences of spatial interaction on Earth's surface. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.k.

RI.2. Geography: Places and Regions.

2.a. Student knows and understands the physical characteristics of places (e.g., landforms, bodies of water, soil, vegetation, and weather and climate). 53
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.a.

2.b. Student knows and understands the human characteristics of places (e.g., population distributions, settlement patterns, languages, ethnicity, nationality, and religious beliefs). 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.b.

2.c. Student knows and understands how physical and human processes together shape places. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.c.

2.d. Student knows and understands the concept of region as an area of Earth's surface with unifying geographic characteristics. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.d.

2.e. Student knows and understands the similarities and differences among regions. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.e.

2.f. Student knows and understands the ways in which regions change. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.f.

2.g. Student knows and understands how to describe the student's own community and region from different perspectives. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.g.

2.h. Student knows and understands ways in which different people perceive places and regions. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.h.

RI.3. Geography: Physical Systems.

3.a. Student knows and understands the components of Earth's physical systems: the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.a.

3.b. Student knows and understands how patterns (location, distribution, and association) of features on Earth's surface are shaped by physical processes. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.b.

3.c. Student knows and understands how Earth-Sun relations affect conditions on Earth. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.c.

3.d. Student knows and understands the components of ecosystems. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.d.

3.e. Student knows and understands the distribution and patterns of ecosystems. 56
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.e.

3.f. Student knows and understands how humans interact with ecosystems. 19
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.f.

RI.4. Geography: Human Systems.

4.a. Student knows and understands the spatial distribution of population. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.a.

4.b. Student knows and understands the characteristics of populations at different scales (local to global). 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.b.

4.c. Student knows and understands the causes and effects of human migration. 12
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.c.

4.d. Student knows and understands how the characteristics of culture affect the ways in which people live. 22
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.d.

4.e. Student knows and understands how patterns of culture vary across Earth's surface. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.e.

4.f. Student knows and understands how cultures change. 20
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.f.

4.g. Student knows and understands the location and spatial distribution of economic activities. 6
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.g.

4.h. Student knows and understands the factors that influence the location and spatial distribution of economic activities. 11
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.h.

4.i. Student knows and understands the transportation and communication networks used in daily life. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.i.

4.j. Student knows and understands the types and spatial patterns of settlement. 9
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.j.

4.k. Student knows and understands the factors that affect where people settle. 9
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.k.

4.l. Student knows and understands how spatial patterns of human settlement change. 9
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.l.

4.m. Student knows and understands the spatial characteristics of cities. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.m.

4.n. Student knows and understands the types of territorial units. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.n.

4.o. Student knows and understands the extent and characteristics of political, social, and economic units at different scales (local to global). 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.o.

4.p. Student knows and understands how people divide Earth's surface. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.p.

4.q. Student knows and understands how cooperation and conflict affect places in the local community. 4
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.q.

RI.5. Geography: Environment and Society.

5.a. Student knows and understands how people depend on the physical environment. 1
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.a.

5.b. Student knows and understands how people modify the physical environment. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.b.

5.c. Student knows and understands that the physical environment can both accommodate and be endangered by human activities. 43
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.c.

5.d. Student knows and understands how variations within the physical environment produce spatial patterns that affect human adaptation. 1
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.d.

5.e. Student knows and understands the ways in which the physical environment provides opportunities for people. 13
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.e.

5.f. Student knows and understands the ways in which the physical environment constrains human activities. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.f.

5.g. Student knows and understands the characteristics of renewable, nonrenewable, and flow resources. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.g.

5.h. Student knows and understands the spatial distribution of resources. 13
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.h.

5.i. Student knows and understands the role of resources in daily life. 18
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.i.

RI.6. Geography: Uses of Geography.

6.a. Student knows and understands how places and geographic contexts change over time. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.a.

6.b. Student knows and understands that people's perceptions of places and geographic contexts change over time. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.b.

6.c. Student knows and understands that geographic contexts influence people and events over time. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.c.

6.d. Student knows and understands the dynamic character of geographic contexts. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.d.

6.e. Student knows and understands how people's perceptions affect their interpretation of the world. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.e.

6.f. Student knows and understands the spatial dimensions of social and environmental problems. 26
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 6.f.

RI.1. History: Chronological Thinking.

1.a. The student distinguishes between past, present, and future time. 9
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.a.

1.b. The student identifies the temporal structure of a historical narrative or story. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.b.

1.c. The student establishes temporal order in constructing students' own historical narratives. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.c.

1.d. The student measures and calculates calendar time. 3
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.d.

1.e. The student interprets data presented in time lines. 65
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.e.

1.f. The student creates time lines. 65
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.f.

1.g. The student explains change and continuity over time. 8
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 1.g.

RI.2. History: Historical Comprehension.

2.a. The student identifies the author or source of the historical document or narrative. 11
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.a.

2.b. The student reconstructs the literal meaning of a historical passage. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.b.

2.c. The student identifies the central question(s) the historical narrative addresses. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.c.

2.d. The student reads historical narratives imaginatively. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.d.

2.e. The student appreciates historical perspectives. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.e.

2.f. The student draws upon data in historical maps. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.f.

2.g. The student draws upon visual and mathematical data presented in graphs. 14
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.g.

2.h. The student draws upon visual data presented in photographs, paintings, cartoons, and architectural drawings. 12
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 2.h.

RI.3. History: Historical Analysis and Interpretation.

3.a. The student formulates questions to focus their inquiry or analysis. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.a.

3.b. The student compares and contrasts differing sets of ideas, values, personalities, behaviors, and institutions. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.b.

3.c. The student analyzes historical fiction. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.c.

3.d. The student distinguishes between fact and fiction. 5
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.d.

3.e. The student compares different stories about a historical figure, era, or event. 2
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.e.

3.f. The student analyzes illustrations in historical stories. 37
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 3.f.

RI.4. History: Historical Research Capabilities.

4.a. The student formulates historical questions. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.a.

4.b. The student analyzes the interests and values of the various people involved. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.b.

4.c. The student interrogates historical data. 10
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.c.

4.d. The student marshals needed knowledge of the time and place, and construct a story, explanation, or historical narrative. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 4.d.

RI.5. History: Historical Issues: Analysis and Decision Making.

5.a. The student identifies problems and dilemmas in the past. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.a.

5.b. The student analyzes the interests and values of the various people involved. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.b.

5.c. The student identifies causes of the problem or dilemma. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.c.

5.d. The student proposes alternative choices for addressing the problem. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.d.

5.e. The student formulates a position or course of action on an issue. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.e.

5.f. The student identifies the solution chosen. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.f.

5.g. The student evaluates the consequences of a decision. 7
Suggested Titles for Rhode Island Social Studies State Standard 5.g.