4th grade - Orchard Elementary - Richland, WA - Month-long unit
From ancient lava and Ice Age floods to people, treaties, and Washington today.
Welcome! This classroom site is a full month-long (4-week) Washington State History unit with a special focus on Eastern Washington place: basalt layers, Missoula floods, rivers and sagebrush, Plateau peoples since time immemorial, exploration and settlement, treaties, statehood, and our modern communities -- including Richland. Teachers plan with the Classroom Aide. Students read, discuss, and practice with the Study Guide, printable packet, and quiz.
Choose your path
About 20 school days of pacing on the Teacher Aide. Weeks of rich reading on the Study Guide.
Teacher Classroom Aide
Full month unit plan: big ideas, OSPI alignment, week-by-week day plans, vocabulary glossary, assessment plan, sensitive-topic guidance, and a printable unit outline.
Student Study Guide
Long-form illustrated reading by week, expanded timeline, stop-and-think questions, week review boxes, printable multi-section study packet, and an 8-of-24+ quiz.
Four weeks at a glance
One big idea each week -- about five school days per week.
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Week 1
Land shapes people
Columbia River Basalts, Missoula floods and scablands, reading Eastern WA landscapes, maps, and geology vocabulary.
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Week 2
Since time immemorial
Plateau cultures (with a brief coastal contrast), rivers and salmon, trade, oral history as a source, respectful norms, STI companion lessons.
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Week 3
Encounter to treaties
Exploration and trade, immigration and settlement, Oregon Trail era (age-appropriate), treaties and territory, multiple perspectives.
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Week 4
Statehood to today
1889, cities and farms, irrigation and dams, careful WWII Hanford/Richland, modern civic and environment connections, cumulative assessment.
The story arc we will follow
From deep time to today -- the same arc students meet in the study guide.
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Millions of years ago
Columbia River Basalt Group lava floods
Layers of basalt build the Columbia Plateau.
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Ice Age
Missoula floods and channeled scablands
Giant floodwaters carve coulees and dramatic landforms kids can recognize.
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Land today
River, basalt cliffs, sagebrush country
Eastern Washington's look connects past and present.
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Since time immemorial
Plateau peoples of the inland Northwest
Homelands, salmon, rivers, and trade -- taught with respect.
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Late 1700s-1840s
Exploration, encounter, and trade
Maritime and overland travel, including the Lewis and Clark era.
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1800s
Immigration, settlement, treaties, territory
Multiple perspectives; treaties matter.
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1889
Statehood and growth
Washington becomes a state and communities expand.
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Modern Washington
Cities, farms, rivers, Richland story, Washington today
Irrigation, dams, wartime Hanford/Richland (carefully), and life now.
About this classroom site
Written for Mrs. Mandeville's 4th-grade class at Orchard Elementary (Richland School District). This is a month-long unit (about 20 school days). Geology sections ground Eastern Washington place. History eras align with OSPI Grade 4 Washington State History, including local tribal history. Teachers should pair this site with OSPI Since Time Immemorial units.