Events, people and ideas of the past, and how they connect across time.
4.1 History: where American Indian groups in Texas came from, and how they were alike and different, prior to European exploration
4.1A Explain the possible beginnings of American Indian groups living in Texas
4.1B Recognize and compare the lifestyles of Texas American Indian groups before Europeans arrived, for example the Jumano, Caddo, Karankawa, and Lipan Apache
4.1C Describe the cultural regions that American Indians inhabited, for example Gulf, Plains, Puebloan, and Southeastern
4.1D Locate American Indian groups still present in Texas, for example the Kickapoo, Alabama-Coushatta, and Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
4.2 History: causes and results of Europeans exploring and colonizing Texas
4.2A Summarize why Europeans explored and settled Texas, including economic opportunity, rivalry, and the wish to expand
4.2B Recognize the achievements of major explorers and explain how they influenced Texas settlement, including René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle; Francisco Coronado; and Cabeza de Vaca
4.2C Explain when, where, and why Spain founded Catholic missions and settlements in Texas, and name key people involved
4.2D Recognize Texas's part during the Mexican War of Independence, plus how that conflict affected Texas development
4.2E Recognize the achievements of major empresarios, including Martín de León and Stephen F. Austin, and explain what motivated them economically and how they influenced the settlement of Texas
4.3 History: the significance of the Texas Revolution, of the Republic of Texas, and of annexation by the United States
4.3A Analyze what led to the Texas Revolution, its major events, and its effects, including the Battle of San Jacinto, the Runaway Scrape, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Battle of the Alamo
4.3B Summarize the key contributions of people such as Enrique Esparza, Susanna Dickinson, Antonio López de Santa Anna, José Francisco Ruiz, Plácido Benavides, Juan N. Seguín, David Crockett, James Bowie, and William B. Travis
4.3C Recognize leaders who were vital in founding Texas as a republic and as a state, including Anson Jones, Mirabeau Lamar, Sam Houston, and José Antonio Navarro
4.3D Describe how the Republic of Texas succeeded, struggled, and organized itself, for example by writing a constitution, facing money problems, handling relations with American Indians, and creating the Texas Rangers
4.3E Explain the events that led the United States to annex Texas and the impact of the U.S.-Mexican War
4.4 History: shifts in politics, economy, and society in Texas during the later 1800s
4.4A Describe how the Civil War and Reconstruction affected Texas
4.4B Explain how the cattle industry grew and developed and what it meant for Texas, for example through Lizzie Johnson, Richard King, and Charles Goodnight
4.4C Explain how railroads changed Texas life, including their effects on cities and major industries
4.4D Explain how American Indian life changed due to the Red River War, the building of U.S. forts, the building of railroads, and the loss of buffalo
4.5 History: major issues, events, and people in Texas during the 1900s
4.5A Explain how events such as World War II, the Dust Bowl, and the Great Depression changed Texas life, and how notable people such as Bessie Coleman, Cleto Rodríguez, and Audie Murphy, plus local individuals, made a difference
4.5B Explain how the oil and gas industry developed and how it drove urbanization and industrialization across Texas, including Spindletop and key figures such as Pattillo Higgins
Geography and Place
Maps, places and regions, and how people and environments shape each other.
4.6 Geography: what regions are
4.6A Find, identify, and describe Texas's physical regions (Coastal Plains, North Central Plains, Great Plains, and Mountains and Basins), noting traits such as vegetation, climate, landforms, and economic activities
4.6B Compare Texas's four physical regions: Coastal Plains, North Central Plains, Great Plains, and Mountains and Basins
4.7 Geography: where people settle, in what patterns, and which geographic factors shape those choices
4.7A Explain how geographic influences, for example climate and landforms, shape where Texans settle and how population is distributed, in the past and now
4.7B Recognize and explain settlement patterns, for example where Texas towns and cities were situated at different times
4.8 Geography: how people adjust to and alter their environment
4.8A Describe how Texans, past and present, have adjusted to and altered their environment, for example by clearing timber, agricultural production, draining wetlands, generating energy, and building dams
4.8B Explain why Texans, past and present, have adjusted to and altered their environment, for example to use natural resources for basic needs, ease transportation, and improve recreation
4.8C Compare the benefits and drawbacks of human changes to the Texas environment, past and present
Economics and Personal Finance
How people earn, spend, save and trade, and how economies work.
4.9 Economics: how early Texas societies carried out basic economic activity
4.9A Explain the ways Texas's early American Indian groups met needs and wants economically, for example hunting, trading, and farming
4.9B Explain how early settlers in Texas met their needs and wants economically
4.10 Economics: what defines free enterprise in Texas and how it helps people
4.10A Describe how free enterprise works, including supply and demand
4.10B Recognize examples of free enterprise benefits, such as choice and opportunity
4.10C Describe how free enterprise developed in Texas, for example through the railroad boom and cash crops that early colonists grew
4.11 Economics: how work and economic activity are patterned across Texas
4.11A Recognize how people across Texas regions have earned a living, past and present
4.11B Explain how climate, natural resources, and other physical geographic factors have shaped where economic activities are found in Texas
4.11C Recognize how exploration, immigration, migration, and scarce resources influenced Texas economic development and growth
4.11D Explain how progress in transportation and communication has changed economic activity in Texas
Government and Civics
How governments are organized, how laws are made, and the principles behind them.
4.12 Government: the varied ways people set up governments as Texas first developed
4.12A Compare the self-government of various American Indian groups, for example the Comanche and the Caddo
4.12B Compare features of Spanish colonial government with those of Texas's early Mexican governments
4.13 Government: key ideas found in historical documents of both Texas and the nation
4.13A Recognize why the Texas Constitution and the Texas Declaration of Independence were written and explain their importance
4.13B Recognize and explain the basic roles that the Texas Constitution gives each of the government's three branches
4.13C Recognize what the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and the U.S. Constitution intended, what they mean, and why they matter (Celebrate Freedom Week)
Citizenship and Civic Life
The rights and responsibilities of citizens and how people take part in their communities.
4.14 Citizenship: major customs, symbols, and celebrations that belong to Texas
4.14A Explain the meaning of Texas's patriotic symbols and landmarks, including the Alamo, the San Jacinto Monument, and the six flags flown over Texas
4.14B Perform "Texas, Our Texas" by singing or reciting it
4.14C Recite the Pledge to the Texas Flag and explain what it means
4.14D Describe the origins and importance of celebrations in Texas, for example Juneteenth and Texas Independence Day
4.15 Citizenship: why it matters that each person takes an active part in democracy
4.15A Recognize notable people who volunteered in state and local civic affairs, for example Clara Driscoll and Adina de Zavala
4.15B Explain how individuals can volunteer in state and local civic affairs, for example by respectfully expecting officials to keep their word, writing letters, and joining historic preservation efforts and service projects
4.15C Explain what individuals owe in state and local elections, for example staying informed and voting
4.15D Recognize why historical figures and other notable people who modeled active democratic participation matter, for example Wallace Jefferson, Henry B. González, Ann Richards, Lorenzo de Zavala, Barbara Jordan, Sam Houston, and local individuals
4.15E Explain how to contact state and local leaders, whether elected or appointed
4.15F Use voting to reach decisions as a group
4.16 Citizenship: why strong leadership matters in a constitutional republic
4.16A Recognize state, local, and national leaders, including the governor, local Texas Legislature members, the local mayor, senators and local representatives in the United States Congress, and Texans who became president of the United States
4.16B Recognize the qualities of past and present leaders at the state and local level
Culture and Society
The beliefs, customs and traditions of different groups and how cultures change and interact.
4.17 Culture: how racial, ethnic, and religious groups have contributed to the culture of Texas
4.17A Recognize customs, celebrations, and traditions of groups in Texas, whether cultural, regional, or local, for example Fiesta San Antonio, Oktoberfest, and Cinco de Mayo
4.17B Summarize how artists from racial, ethnic, and religious groups helped develop Texas culture, for example Julius Lorenzo Cobb Bledsoe, Chelo Silva, and Lydia Mendoza
Science, Technology, and Society
How inventions and scientific advances have changed the way people live and work.
4.18 Science, technology, and society: how science and technology have shaped life in Texas
4.18A Recognize famous inventors and scientists, for example Millie Hughes-Fulford, Michael DeBakey, Joseph Glidden, and Gail Borden, and what they contributed
4.18B Describe how innovations and discoveries in technology, energy, agriculture, and aerospace have helped Texas individuals, businesses, and society
Social Studies Skills
Finding, analyzing and communicating information from sources, and reasoning about evidence.
4.19 Social studies skills: thinking critically to organize and apply information from many valid sources, technology included
4.19A Tell apart valid primary and secondary sources, find them, and use them to learn about Texas, for example artifacts, documents, visual and written material, oral accounts, biographies, interviews, and technology
4.19B Distinguish and compare what primary and secondary sources report about one issue or event
4.19C Analyze information through absolute and relative chronology: order events in sequence, group them, trace causes and effects, compare, contrast, find main ideas, summarize, generalize, predict, and draw inferences and conclusions
4.19D Arrange and interpret information in visuals, including maps, timelines, charts, and graphs, as well as in outlines, reports, and databases
4.19E Recognize varying viewpoints on a topic, issue, or event from history or the present
4.19F Pinpoint the main claim a primary or secondary source makes
4.19G Build a claim on a social studies topic and present it, with supporting evidence, through images, speech, or writing
4.20 Social studies skills: gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data with geographic tools
4.20A Apply map elements to make and read maps: compass roses, scales, symbols, legends, and grid systems
4.20B Interpret geographic data, natural resources, and population distribution by presenting them in varied formats, for example maps and graphs
4.21 Social studies skills: communicating through writing, speaking, and visuals
4.21A Use social studies vocabulary accurately
4.21B Weave main ideas and supporting details into spoken and written communication
4.21C Share ideas aloud, drawing on research and experiences
4.21D Produce written and visual work, for example bibliographies, outlines, graphic organizers, reports, and journal entries
4.21E Use basic language skills for respectful discussion of social studies topics, including topics with more than one perspective
4.22 Social studies skills: solving problems and making decisions, on one's own and with others
4.22A Practice democratic procedures by simulating decisions about school, local, or state issues
4.22B Work through a problem-solving and decision-making process: spot a problem, collect information, brainstorm options and weigh their pros and cons, pick and carry out a solution, then judge whether it worked
How many 4th Grade TEKS Social Studies Standards are there?
There are 73 4th Grade TEKS Social Studies Standards on this page, in 8 strands: History and Chronology, Geography and Place, Economics and Personal Finance, Government and Civics, Citizenship and Civic Life, Culture and Society, Science, Technology, and Society, and Social Studies Skills.
How do I write an assessment for a 4th Grade TEKS Social Studies standard?
Pick a standard on this page and choose Make a quiz or Make an exit ticket. AssessmentWiz opens the generator with the standard's code and text filled in, so every question targets that standard.
What does a code like 4.1A mean?
TEKS social studies codes read grade, knowledge and skills statement, student expectation. In 4.1A, the first number is the grade (K for kindergarten), the next number is the knowledge and skills statement, and the letter is the student expectation under it.