West Virginia Early American History Lessons for Grades 1–4
West Virginia Early American History Lessons for Grades 1–4
West Virginia elementary teachers looking for early American history lessons can use the Early American History Bundle: eight units on Native Americans, explorers, the Pilgrims, pioneers, timelines, sources and life then and now, for $99.99. It fits best where the revised Policy 2520.4 turns to colonization and westward expansion. It has no West Virginia content, so your state strand stays separate.
Open the early American unitsFor early American history in a West Virginia elementary classroom, the Early American History Bundle ($99.99) gives you eight planned units: Native Americans, explorers, the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving, pioneers on the frontier, timelines, historical sources, and school and family life then and now. Each has lesson plans, differentiated worksheets, activities, answer keys and slides. It is not aligned to Policy 2520.4 and has no West Virginia history.
The resources
Early American History Bundle, Grades 1–4
8 resources in one download: $99.99 instead of $199.92 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Early American History Bundle | Native Americans, Explorers, Pilgrims & Pioneers | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Elementary History Curriculum | All 20 History Units | Grades 1–4
Ancient Civilizations Bundle | Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, Vikings & Stone Age | 8 Units | Grades 1–4
Civics & Civil Rights Bundle | Martin Luther King Jr., Voting, Direct Democracy & Freedom of the Press | 4 Resources | Grades 5–9
The real problem
What the revised Policy 2520.4 asks in the early grades
West Virginia's College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Social Studies, WVBE Policy 2520.4, were revised, and the new version took effect July 1, 2025. If you planned your year under the old version, reread your grade. In the revised sequence, Grade 1 includes a West Virginia history strand. Grade 2 builds citizenship and community and extends them to the nation, and Grade 3 widens to the broader community, introducing the state, nation and world. Grade 4 is where early American history becomes the main story: the growth of the United States from colonization through early westward expansion, with an introduction to government and economics. Grade 5 then picks up at the Civil War. So the fourth grade teacher needs the most material, and needs it to work for nine- and ten-year-olds reading at very different levels. These are also topics where care matters. Native peoples, explorers, the Pilgrims and settlers moving west each need a respectful, factual treatment and real sources, not a simple story. Writing that from scratch, next to the West Virginia content you still teach, is where most of the planning time goes.
Why it fits
How the eight units support the West Virginia sequence
The bundle covers the early American story and the skills for studying it, so it supports Grade 4 most directly and the earlier grades in part.
- Native Americans: First Peoples of North America starts the story before colonization, with respect and sources.
- Explorers & the Voyage to the Americas gives a planned unit on how European contact began.
- Pioneers & Life on the Frontier fits the early westward expansion part of fourth grade.
- Timelines & Measuring Time helps students keep colonization and expansion in the right order.
- The then-and-now units on school and family suit second and third grade community studies.
- Differentiated worksheets with word banks support fourth graders reading below grade level.
Getting started
A possible fourth grade order
A suggestion for a Grade 4 class. Adjust it to your county's pacing and add your own government and economics lessons.
- Set up the tools firstOpen with Timelines & Measuring Time and the historical sources unit, so students can put events in order and ask how we know about them.
- First peoplesTeach Native Americans: First Peoples of North America as a full unit, not a single day. It gives students the starting point before any European arrival.
- Explorers and early settlementFollow with Explorers & the Voyage to the Americas and Pilgrims & the First Thanksgiving, keeping the focus on facts, sources and the different perspectives of the people involved.
- Westward expansionPioneers & Life on the Frontier leads into early westward expansion. Add your own lessons on government and economics, which the bundle does not cover.
- Then and now as reviewClose with School Then and Now or Family & Daily Life Then and Now as a review, or pass them to a second or third grade colleague.
What to buy
What to buy for your grade
For early American history, the Early American History Bundle at $99.99 is the focused choice; its eight units are $199.92 separately. A teacher or school covering Grades 1–4 more broadly may prefer the Elementary History Curriculum ($169.99, parts $499.80) with all 20 elementary history units, these eight included. The Ancient Civilizations Bundle ($99.99, parts $199.92) suits enrichment on Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, the Stone Age and the Vikings. Fifth grade teachers moving into civics can look at the Civics & Civil Rights Bundle ($54.99, parts $79.96) on Martin Luther King Jr., the I Have a Dream speech, voting and freedom of the press.
Honest limits
Limits to check against your county's plan
These units were not written for West Virginia. They contain no West Virginia history, no Policy 2520.4 standard codes and no lessons on government or economics, so check each one against the revised standards and your county's plan. Grade 4 still needs your own material on the state and on how government works. Printing and any extra books are yours. The licence covers your own classes; grade teams should send Teach Lessons a short message first. If the bundle is not a fit, exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value, not a cash refund.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this aligned to West Virginia Policy 2520.4?
No. The bundle is not aligned to, approved by or endorsed by the West Virginia Board of Education or any county. Its topics overlap with the Grade 4 focus on colonization and early westward expansion, but compare each unit with the revised Policy 2520.4, effective July 1, 2025, and your county's curriculum before you use it.
Is there any West Virginia history in it?
No. The units cover early America in general. The West Virginia strand in Grade 1 and the state history taught later need your own materials. You can still use the timeline and sources units as tools for local history, for example placing a family or county event on a class timeline.
Is the Thanksgiving unit respectful toward Native peoples?
The Pilgrims & the First Thanksgiving unit and the Native Americans unit are framed factually and respectfully, with source activities. Read the lesson plans before teaching so you are comfortable with the wording, and add books by Native authors if you want students to hear more voices.
Does it work in first or second grade?
Parts of it do. The bundle is labeled Grades 1–4. The then-and-now units on school and family suit younger students, and the worksheets come with word banks, but first graders will need you to read the passages aloud. The full early American sequence fits fourth grade best.
How long does each unit take?
The product does not set a number of days. Each unit has an overview and three sub-units with a lesson plan, worksheet, activity, answer key and slides. You can spread a sub-unit over one lesson or several, so units can be fitted into your county's pacing guide.
Can I share it with my grade-level team?
The licence is for your own teaching. If your grade team or school wants to use it too, send Teach Lessons a short message before buying so team use can be arranged. In the meantime, please do not post the files on a shared drive open to others.
Plan your early American unit before the next grading period
Open the product page to see all eight units and what each includes.
Open the early American units