Discover Colorado - Online Resources

4th Grade Primary Resource Sets created by the Colorado Department of Education

The Ute-Relations Between the Ute and the Anglo-American Settlers During the 1800s. This primary source set focuses on the changes to Ute Territory as a result of the 1868 Treaty and the ensuing conflict of the Meeker Massacre. This primary resource set aligns with Chapter 10 in Discover Colorado.
The Dearfield Community. This primary source set and lesson ideas explores life in Dearfield, Colorado. Today, what's left of this community is part of the Registered Historic Places in Colorado. This primary source set aligns with Chapter 11 in Discover Colorado.
The Lives of Women and Children in Colorado’s Mining Towns. This primary source set and lesson ideas focuses on life for women in children in Colorado's mining towns. This primary source set aligns with Chapter 9 in Discover Colorado.
A History of the American Bison. This primary source set looks at the importance of the bison to Native Americans and then the subsequent decline of the bison population due to over hunting. This primary source set aligns with Chapters 5 and 6 in Discover Colorado.

History Colorado Online Exhibits

Instructional Units Created by the Colorado Department of Education

Whose Land is it Anyway? In this unit, students will focus on the interdependence of organisms in their environments. Students will understand the cause and effect relationships of Colorado’s environmental systems by identifying, observing and analyzing patterns among biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of ecosystems. Across the unit’s 4-6 week duration, students will explore the diverse economic, social, civic, geographic and ecological factors that influence Colorado. This unit aligns with Chapters 1 and 2 in Discover Colorado.
Boom and Bust. This unit focuses on the human and social phenomenon of cycles of boom and bust. Colorado’s dynamic history, unique physical geography, and diverse natural and human resources provide the content and context for the unit. Across the unit’s 4-6 week duration, students will consider the social/cultural forces and resources that drive and/or sustain particular economic “booms.” Likewise they will examine the factors (including limitations of physical resources/geography and the effects of human activity) that can facilitate economic “busts.” This unit aligns with Chapters 7, 9, and the Economics section in Discover Colorado.
Choices and Consequences. In this unit, students will learn about the social and economic development of Colorado; as well as the important role that physical and natural resources have played in developing and establishing economic stability in the state. Students will investigate how different groups have adapted to their environment and used the local resources and how resource use has had both a positive and negative impact on the region. Finally, students will study how the use and availability of resources have affected community expansion and development and how state and federal governments work together to manage and regulate the use of these resources. This unit aligns with Chapters 12 and the Economics and Government and Citizenship sections in Discover Colorado.

Virtual Field Trips from Doing History, Keeping the Past

Lessons on Local Government

Everfi/Vault: Free online game about economics and PFL