LESTER 4TH GRADE

SOCIAL STUDIES (CH.6-4) LAND RIGHTS

OBJECTIVE AND STANDARDS

Students will be able to write a

cohesive paragraph that shows their
understanding of the cause and effect
of the governments decision to move
California Indians to reservations.
California Social Science Content
Standard 4.4.2 Explain how the Gold
Rush transformed the economy of
California, including the types of products
produced and consumed, changes in
towns and economic conflicts between
diverse groups of people.
California Social Science Content
Standard 4.4.3 Discuss immigration
and migration to California between 1850
and 1900, including the diverse
composition of those who came; the
countries of origin and their relative
locations; and conflicts and accords
among the diverse groups.

CONNECTION TO PRIOR LEARNING

1. Students have been learning about the Gold Rush

and the effects of the Gold Rush on Californias
development, population, and economy. Earlier today we
read the lesson about land rights in California.
2. Students will be asked to recall what they
remember about California Indians and the displacement
of them onto reservations.
3. Students will brainstorm about what caused the
government to move California Indians to reservations.
4. Students will brainstorm about the effects of this
move.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3 - Explain
events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in
a historical, scientific, or technical text,
including what happened and why, based
on specific information in the text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.5 - Describe
the overall structure (e.g. cause/effect)
of events, ideas, concepts, or information
in a text or part of a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2 - Write
informative/explanatory texts to examine
a topic and convey ideas and information
clearly.
ASSESSMENT
Students will be assessed by their ability to organize and write a cohesive essay on the unit test that explains
the cause and effect of the government moving California Indians to reservations.
KEY POINTS - needed?

1. Because of the population increase during the Gold Rush, there was fighting over the land.
2. The Land Commission was supposed to settle conflict but instead it required Californios and
Indians to provide proof that they owned the land.
3. Native California land was used without permission for gold mining.
4. Indians made a deal with the government that there would be reservation land set aside for
them but the newcomers wanted this land too.
5. In the end, Indians were forced to move to reservations which had far fewer resources which
resulted in death by starvation and disease. Because of this, the Indian population decreased from
150,000 in California to 30,000.

OPENING (10 min.)

1. This morning we read chapter 6, lesson 4 which discussed the
issue of land rights during the Gold Rush period. The population of
California increased so much during this time that there were many
conflicts regarding ownership of the land.
2. What are some key points that you remember from the lesson?
Students may provide the following example answers:
a. Californios had to prove ownership of land
b. Many Californios could not prove ownership so
they hired lawyers - many ended up losing land anyway because
of legal costs
c. Squatters
d. Indian rights to land
e. Government moves CA Indians to reservations
f. Result to Indian population
3. Today we are going to explore the causes and effects of the
government forcing Indians to move to reservations. Throughout the
course of todays lesson, you will work with a partner to develop a multiflow map, write topic and concluding sentences based on that thinking
map and then you will write a paragraph in response. This will help
prepare you for our upcoming test where you will be asked to write an
essay on this topic.
4. The first thing Id like to do is brainstorm what you know/what you
remember. What are some of the events that caused the government to
move the Indians to reservations?
a. Create a circle map on chart paper with student
responses
5. What about what happened after the government moved the
Indians to reservations? How did this affect the California Indians if at all?
a. Create a circle map on chart paper with student
responses

INTRODUCTION TO NEW MATERIAL (10 min.)

1. Since our focus today is on the cause and effect of the
government moving California Indians to reservations, Id like to re-read
two sections of the lesson, Reservations and Forced to Move. Please
turn to p. 216.
a. Pull sticks to read paragraphs
2. After re-reading the section on reservations, is there anything that
we could add to the causes circle map? What did we miss?
a. Pull sticks for response
3. What about the effects circle map? Is there anything we
missed? Anything that we need to add?
a. Pull sticks for response
4. Now that we have re-read the lesson section and we have spent
some additional time brainstorming about the causes and effects, you will
create a multi-flow map that illustrates your understanding.

MATERIALS
-4th grade Social Studies
text
-Pencil
-Chrome Book with
access to google slides
and google docs
-Chapter 6 study packet

GUIDED PRACTICE (15 min.)

1. Rather than work in the packet as we have done in the past, we
are going to do something a little different. You will work with a partner to
create a multi-flow map on google slides.
a. The event in the middle of the multi-flow map
should be, The government moves California Indians to
reservations - on the left you should list all events that led to the
movement of Indians, and on the right you should list all of the
events that were effects from the move.
b. Briefly model structure of the multi-flow thinking
map
2. You will use one chromebook per pair and share the slide with me
and your partner.
3. You should name it with both your last names - land rights (e.g.
SMITH JONES - LAND RIGHTS)
4. You should use evidence from your text and our brainstorming
5. The partner you will be assigned to will be the person sitting next
to your writing partner with the exception of our tables of 5, the head of
those tables will work together at the back table.
6. You will have 15 minutes to create your multi-flow maps. At that
time I will randomly pick 2-3 sticks and you and your partner will come to
the front board and present your multi-flow map so please be sure that you
can explain it.
7. You may get a chromebook from the back table and start now (set
timer).
a. Walk around and observe students
b. provide direction if needed
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE (25 min.)
1. Call students attention and have them close their chromebooks.
2. Randomly choose a pair to come to the front to present their multiflow maps.
a. Pull maps up from google drive
b. Students will explain their thinking map to the
class
3. Call 1-2 more pairs to come to the front to present their multi-flow
maps.
4. Leave the last map on the board. If I were to ask you to make this
multi-flow map into a paragraph that explains the causes and effects of the

government moving the California Indians to reservations, what would be

the first thing you would do and how would you do it? Turn to your partner.
a. Pull sticks for responses - students should imply
that writing a good topic sentence and conclusion is key to writing
a good paragraph.
5. I am going to use the multi-flow map on the board as an example
to demonstrate how we can formulate a good topic sentence using so
what? and highlighting key words/phrases in the map
a. write so what? at the top of the map
i.
pull sticks to highlight or underline
key words and/or events in the map
ii.
ask students for a volunteer to
verbally model a good topic sentence from student
suggestions
6. Now, how can we formulate a good concluding sentence using so
why? Turn to your partner.
a. Write so why? at the bottom of the map
i.
ask what a conclusion should
do...what is its purpose
ii.
pull sticks for thoughts on how to
formulate a good conclusion
7. Explain that the next goal of the students is to use the map that
they created as a pair to draft an individual essay in response to the
prompt - Discuss the causes and effects of the government moving
California Indians to reservations. Write on board.
a. Before you begin writing your individual
paragraphs, you will have 5 minutes to discuss a good topic and
concluding sentence with your partner based on your thinking
maps
b. After that, you will have 15 minutes to write your
paragraph on your own.
8. Allow students to work on together for 5 minutes on topic and
conclusion and then call time for them to work independently on their
paragraphs (set 5 min timer).
a. Circulate the room and focus on topic sentences
and their relevance to the thinking map created.
b. Redirect any students who may need guidance
with events, causes or effects

CLOSING (5 min.)
1. Call time after 15 minutes and pull sticks for volunteers to share
their paragraphs.
2. Collect paragraphs - put names and titles at the top
3. Explain that I will match their paragraph up with their thinking
maps on google slides and I will provide feedback.
4. Their paragraphs will then be returned and serve as a study tool
for their unit test next week.

DIFFERENTIATION
1. For struggling students:
a. Provide 3 causes and 3 effects for the thinking map.

b. Provide support with writing topic and concluding sentences.

HOMEWORK
** Study for test on Tuesday