Texas Natural Resources Unit – 4th Grade Social Studies | TEKS-Aligned

Description

Help your students understand how Texans have adapted to and modified their environment with this no-prep, TEKS-aligned Social Studies unit for 4th grade. This engaging resource makes teaching about Texas natural resources simple and meaningful, while connecting students to real-world examples like farming, oil drilling, dam construction, and deforestation.

Your students won’t just learn how the land in Texas has been modified—they’ll explore why those changes were made and the effects they’ve had on people and the environment.

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✅ What’s Included:

• TEKS-Aligned Lessons
  6 ready-to-use, standards-based lesson plans designed for the 4th grade Texas curriculum.

• Unit Overview
  Clear summary to support teacher planning and learning objectives.

• Interactive Canva Presentation
  Visual slide deck to introduce concepts and keep students engaged.

• Engaging Vocabulary Activities
  Word matching, fill-in-the-blanks, foldables, and posters with real-life imagery.

• Over 20 Worksheets and Activities
  Graphic organizers, comprehension passages, hands-on activities, and more.

• Writing Prompts
  Encourage critical thinking and personal reflection on environmental change.

• End-of-Unit Quiz
  A simple assessment to check for understanding and reinforce mastery.

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🌍 Key Topics Covered:

• How Texans use natural resources to meet basic needs

• Ways people adapt to and modify their environment

• Why certain regions were settled and how geography influenced choices

• Positive and negative consequences of land modification

• Importance of conserving Texas’s natural resources

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👩‍🏫 Perfect For:

• 4th Grade Texas Social Studies

• TEKS Test Prep or Spiral Review

• Unit Studies or Sub Plans

• Cross-Curricular Integration with Reading & Writing

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📚 TEKS Standards:

• 4.8 Geography. The student understands how people adapt to and modify their environment. The student is expected to:
• 4.8 (A) describe ways people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as timber clearing, agricultural production, wetlands drainage, energy production, and construction of dams;
• 4.8 (B) explain reasons why people have adapted to and modified their environment in Texas, past and present, such as the use of natural resources to meet basic needs, facilitate transportation, and enhance recreational activities; and
• 4.8 (C) compare the positive and negative consequences of human modification of the environment in Texas, past and present.
• 4.11 Economics. The student understands patterns of work and economic activities in Texas. The student is expected to:
• 4.11 (B) explain how physical geographic factors such as climate and natural resources have influenced the location of economic activities in Texas;
• 4.20 Social Studies Skills. The student applies geographic tools to answer geographic questions.
• 4.20 (A) Apply geographic tools, including grid systems, legends, symbols, scales, and compass roses, to construct and interpret maps.

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