US History for Grades 4-6

This course will give students the opportunity to learn how we came to be the United States. We will learn about the explorers who “discovered” America, the Native peoples who were here, and the geographical make-up of North America. Students will develop map skills as they explore the formation and geography of the states. We will learn about the great figures of U.S. history and what made them important to history.

We will have a concentration on Virginia as we weave the story of the colonies becoming independent states and a united country; the expansion into the frontier and what life was like for the European immigrants as the population grew. We will see the struggles, differences, and similarities of the North and South and what led to the Civil War as well as the healing that came after. We will explore the Industrial Revolution that took place and the advancement of technology that enabled the country to move into the 20th Century.

Throughout the year, we will use a variety of resources to experience hands-on, aspects of life during each time period, including food demonstrations, topography skills, colonial experiences, the life of the citizens during the Civil War, and how gizmos and gadgets helped move people in the 20th Century.