Unit Plan 21 (Grade 4 Social Studies): State and Local Leaders

Focus: Describe the roles of state and local leaders—including governors, mayors, and councils—and match these leaders to their responsibilities and public services. Students evaluate civics-related sources (webpages, news snippets, fact sheets) for relevance, credibility, and perspective, and practice telling the difference between fact and opinion when learning about leaders.

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: Social Studies (Civics • Inquiry/Skills)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

Students explore the question, “Who leads our state and community—and what do they do?” They learn about key leaders such as the governor, mayor, and city council or county commission, focusing on what decisions they make and which public services they oversee (schools, parks, roads, safety). Using short readings, simple bios, and kid-friendly news excerpts, they also consider where information about leaders comes from, noticing fact vs opinion and point of view. By the end of the week, students create a “Leaders & Responsibilities Match-Up” profile or mini-poster that shows who does what at different levels of government.

Essential Questions

• Who are the main leaders at the state and local levels (governors, mayors, councils), and what do they do?
• How do state and local leaders help provide public services like roads, parks, schools, and safety?
• How can we tell the difference between facts and opinions when we read about leaders?
• What is perspective or point of view, and how can it affect the way leaders are described in articles or websites?
• Why is it important to use relevant and trustworthy sources when learning about government and leaders?

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to:

1. Identify key state and local leaders, including the governor, mayor, and council/board (city council, county commission, school board or similar).
2. Describe basic responsibilities of each leader or group (e.g., governor oversees state agencies, mayor helps manage city services, council passes local ordinances).
3. Match leaders to public services and decisions they influence (roads, parks, safety, schools, local rules).
4. Evaluate simple sources about leaders (webpages, fact sheets, short news excerpts) for relevance (Does this help answer my question?) and credibility (Is it from a reliable place?).
5. Distinguish facts from opinions and identify the perspective or point of view in at least one source about a leader or decision.
6. Create a “State and Local Leaders & Responsibilities” product (chart, mini-poster, or booklet page) that correctly matches leaders with their roles and includes at least one note about source perspective.

Standards Alignment — 4th Grade (C3-based custom)

• 4.C3.Civ.2 — Describe roles of state/local government (branches, levels, agencies) and public services.
  • Example: Match departments (transportation, parks) to services provided.
• 4.C3.Inq.3 — Evaluate sources for relevance, credibility, and perspective; distinguish fact/opinion.
  • Example: Identify author point of view in a local history article.

Success Criteria — Student Language

• I can name the governor, a mayor, and a local council or board and tell what they do.
• I can match each leader to at least one public service or responsibility (like parks, roads, schools, or local rules).
• I can explain the difference between a fact and an opinion in something I read about a leader.
• I can say who created a source and what their point of view might be.
• I can decide if a source is relevant and trustworthy for my question about leaders.
• I can make a chart or poster that shows leaders and responsibilities clearly, with at least one note about where I got my information.