WATERFORD
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
SOCIAL
STUDIES CURRICULUM
GRADE
5
Unit Title:
Standard: 1
Historical Thinking,
4
Applying History,
5
6
Rights and Responsibilities of Citizens,
7
Political Systems,
13
Limited Resources,
14
Economic Systems,
25
Economic Interdependence
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
Government is a necessity for law and order. |
|
2. |
There were important historical events that led up to the formation of the United States Government. |
|
3. |
Citizenship is essential through participation and contributions in a democratic society. |
|
4. |
There are comparisons and contrasts to local, state, and national government structures. |
|
1. |
James Madison said, “If angels were to govern man, {no}..controls would be necessary. Another way of saying this is: If people were perfect, we wouldn’t need laws.” Have students write about why rules are necessary. Encourage them to draw from their own experiences. |
|
2. |
Conduct a mock election to passing a law. During role playing, have students create a pamphlet describing the process of how a bill becomes a law through the explanation of each branch and their functions. |
|
3. |
Have students imagine that they are covering the
Constitutional Convention for a |
|
4. |
Analyzing the Bill of Rights, have students write about the right that is most important to them. Encourage critical thinking on what would happen if that right was not protected by the Bill of Rights? |
|
5. |
Have students find out who are their elected officials at the local, state, and national levels. Ask students to write a letter to one of their elected officials about an issue that concerns students personally. |
|
1. |
Why a democracy and how would your life be different if you didn’t live in a democracy? |
|
2. |
What are the different levels and functions of government and who are the leaders? |
|
3. |
What are the differences and similarities to local, state,
and national governments? |
|
4. |
Why is it important for people in the |
The student will be
able to:
|
1. |
Explain the need for law and order. |
|
2. |
Demonstrate an awareness of the need for a strong representative government. |
|
3. |
Examine the Constitution as the plan government, including the Bill of Rights and amendments. |
|
4. |
Write a classroom Constitution to role play government structure. |
|
5. |
Compare local, state, and national government structures. |
|
6. |
Use the Bill of Rights to evaluate over the necessity to our government and it’s relationship to their role as a citizen. |
|
7. |
Take a position and debate a controversial issue. |
|
8. |
Define the different levels and functions of our government system. |
|
1. |
Field Trip: Arrange to visit local/state government facilities. |
|
2. |
Guest Speaker: Arrange to have a State Representative, Mayor visit the classroom. |
|
3. |
Display Constitution and the Bill of Rights on a bulletin board. |
|
4. |
If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution – Scholastic |
|
5. |
|
|
6. |
We the People textbook funded by the Center for Civic Education |
|
7. |
#1 - Time for Kids Nonfiction teaching set |
|
8. |
Technology: “All About Elections,” “The Graph Club” Cd Rom |
|
9. |
|
|
10. |
http: //www.teacher.scholastic.com |
|
11. |
http: //www.sfsocialstudies.com |
Unit Title: Westward Expansion
Standard:
1 Historical Thinking,
2 Local,
3 Historical Themes,
9 Places and Regions,
10
Physical System,
11
Human Systems,
12
Human and Environmental Interaction,
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
The westward movement extended the frontier lands of the |
|
2. |
The pioneers carried their hopes and dreams to inspire them through the travels westward. |
|
3. |
It affected the lives and plight of Native Americans. |
|
1. |
Create cooperative groups that assume a particular wagon family identity. Provide the students with a realistic view of what pioneer life was like, why people went west, and what happened to them along the trail. Using various challenges through their stimulated journey west, have students write diary entries, perform mapping skills, and mathematically keep track of their wagon supplies. |
|
2. |
On a map trace the main route of the pioneers and it’s effect on the Native Americans. Have students write two paragraphs about their move to reservations: one paragraph in support of the resettlement movement and the other, opposed. How has it affected current times? |
|
3. |
Create advertisements to attract newcomers to places in the west. Have students include exaggeration, as the ads of the time did. |
|
1. |
What were the causes of the westward movement and how did
the changes affect the |
|
2. |
How did the westward expansion affect the lives of Native Americans? |
|
3. |
How did people travel west and what was the reality of life on the frontier? |
The student will be
able to:
|
1. |
Explore the lure of the west and the reality of life on the frontier. |
|
2. |
Outline the causes of the Westward movement. |
|
3. |
Describe the means of traveling in a conestoga wagon. |
|
4. |
Construct a conestoga wagon. |
|
5. |
Trace the main routes of the pioneers. |
|
6. |
Explain the plight of displaced Native Americans. |
|
7. |
Explain how additional land was needed and how it was acquired. |
|
1. |
If You Traveled West in a Covered Wagon – Scholastic |
|
2. |
Atlas of Our Country |
|
3. |
Chancy and the Grand Rascal, A Family Apart, and Tall Tales - Pegasus Novels |
|
4. |
“Pioneers” stimulation – Interact Publishers, Inc. |
|
5. |
Ch. 8 pg. 182-203 – America Yesterday and Today textbook |
|
6. |
#9 - Time For Kids Nonfiction teaching set |
|
7. |
Vol. 2 - Issue D “Dare to Dream,” Vol. 4 - Issue A
“Castles, Cabins, and Capsules”- Rigby
Literacy Comprehension Quarterly |
|
8. |
“Tuckers Gold,” “As Long as Grass Should Grow and Water Flow”– Rigby Literacy |
|
9. |
“Gold Dust or Bust,” “The Incredible Westward Movement” – Bad Wolf Press (plays) |
|
10. |
Technology - “ |
|
11. |
http://www.sfsocialstudies.com |
Unit Title: Civil War and Slavery
Standard: 1
Historical Thinking,
2
Local,
3
Historical Themes
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
Conflict occurs when people have different points of view. |
|
2. |
The Civil War resulted from conflicting sectional views on
economic, social, and political issues. |
|
3. |
The equality of all people is an ongoing struggle and is
connected to the rights that exist. |
|
4. |
Slavery and the Civil War had an impact on geographical regions and societal status. |
|
5. |
Reconstruction was necessary for rebuilding the South, but impacted African Americans. |
|
1. |
Use the “Civil War” stimulation to reenact the North and South soldier life and views on economic, social, and political issues. Have students read and analyze various parts of the war through diary entries, music, literature, debates, and cooperative discussion. |
|
2. |
Have students imagine that they are traveling back in time to the 1800's and write a diary from the perspective of a slave who escaped on the Underground Railroad or an abolitionist who helps runaways. Extend their understanding of equal rights, by relating it to current times through stimulating questioning such as, “Is there a way that you can work "Underground" to help others?” “What can you do to make a difference?”, and “What ideas or causes do you strongly believe in?” |
|
3. |
Explain the various historical documents that affected the legal rights of the people. Using the Emancipation Proclamation have student make “Civil War posters” that spread the news that slaves are to be freed and the meaning of this document. Encourage students to rewrite components of the document in the language of today. |
|
4. |
Hold a Reconstruction congress in which Democrats, Republicans, and Radical Republicans present bills before Congress, debate them, and formulate a program. Use the concepts during that time to spark discussion and debate. |
|
1. |
What were the causes of the Civil War? |
|
2. |
How did the results of the Civil War affect the north, south and west and the gender roles and status views of the people? |
|
3. |
What were the meanings and significance of the political documents during this time? |
|
4. |
How did slavery effect geography and the struggle for human rights? |
The student will be
able to:
|
1. |
Explain the major events and causes of the Civil War. |
|
2. |
Describe the results of the Civil War on geography and societal status. |
|
3. |
Recognize the impact of the struggle for human rights and equality for all and the fundamental beliefs of abolitionism. |
|
4. |
Evaluate provisions of the Emancipation Proclamation, |
|
5. |
Analyze purpose, meaning and significance of the |
|
6. |
Analyze the Reconstruction time period and the conflicts associated with it. |
|
1. |
If You Lived at the
Time of the Civil War? If You Traveled
on the Underground Railroad, If You Grew Up with Abraham Lincoln -
Scholastic |
|
2. |
“Civil War” - Stimulation from Interaction Publishers, Inc. |
|
3. |
Technology -
Groliers Online |
|
4. |
http: //teacher.scholastic.com |
|
5. |
Walking The Road to
Freedom, House of Dies Drear, A Family Apart, Charley Skedaddle, Which way to
Freedom – Pegasus Trade Books |
|
6. |
Chapter 10 pg. 222-240 and |
|
7. |
#5, #12 - Time for
Kids Nonfiction teaching set |
|
|
Vol. 2 - Issue D “Dare to Dream,” Vol. 3 - Issue D “Main Character” - Rigby Literacy Comprehension Quarterly |
|
8. |
Pink and Say – Patricia Pollaco |
|
9. |
Atlas of Our Country
|
|
10. |
Field Trip – Arrange to see a topic related performance at
The Garde, |
Unit Title: The Growth of Industries
Standard: 1
Historical Thinking,
2
Local,
3
Historical Themes,
9
Places and Regions,
11
Human Systems,
12
Human and Environmental Interaction,
13
Limited Resources,
14
Economic Systems,
15
Economic Interdependence
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
The |
|
2. |
Inventors contributed to the growth of our society. |
|
3. |
Technological developments revolutionalized land and water transportation and communication which ultimately affected the environment. |
|
4. |
Industrialization affected gender roles and changed the lives of men, women, and children. |
|
1. |
Using Hyperstudio, choose one inventor and research his/her achievements. Include biographical information and description of machine, explanation on how things were before the invention was made, what effects it had on life and work, and why they feel it was such as important event. |
|
2. |
Have students create a venn diagram to compare and contrast life before and after the Industrial Revolution. Instruct students to include its effect on communication, transportation, and the environment. |
|
3. |
Choose a demographic group (men, women, children) and write a “report from the scene” on what life it like for them during the industrial revolution. |
|
4. |
The world is changing! And your customers don’t want to be left behind! Invite student to create a catalog of the new technological developments. Have them illustrate it, label it, describe it, and credit it’s contributions to communication, land and/or water transportation. |
|
1. |
What were the causes of the change from an agrarian to an industrial society? |
|
2. |
What were the changes to the environment and society as a result of technological developments? |
|
3. |
What were the global changes and contributions of American inventors? |
|
4. |
How did the industrial revolution affect gender roles and the lives of men, women, and children? |
The student will be
able to:
|
1. |
Investigate and explain the causes of the change from an agrarian to an industrial society. |
|
2. |
Research the contributions of the American inventors to our growth. |
|
3. |
Explain how major technological developments revolutionalized land and water transportation and communication, and analyze how they affected the environment. |
|
4. |
Analyze how the industrial revolution affected gender roles and changed the lives of men, women, and children. |
|
1. |
Chapter 9 pg. 204-221 and Chapter 12 pg. 256-260 – America Yesterday and Today textbook |
|
2. |
“Making the World a |
|
3. |
Technology – Hyperstudio |
|
4. |
http: www.sfsocialstudies.com |
|
5. |
http://www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/inventor/trans4.htm |
Unit Title: Immigration
Standard: 1
Historical Thinking,
2
Local,
3
Historical Themes,
4
Applying History,
8
International Relations,
9
Places and Regions,
11
Human Systems,
13
Limited Resources
Estimated Number of Days to
Complete Unit: 35 days
The student will
understand that:
|
1. |
Immigration affects societies. |
|
2. |
People aspire to improve their life. |
|
3. |
Immigration is an essential part of the American
experience and enriched American culture. |
|
4. |
Immigration presents challenges and opportunities. |
|
5. |
When people with different cultures come in contact, there
are changes to all. |
|
1. |
Have each student take on the identify of an immigrant
through completion of an identification tag and passport. Performing role playing activities
(packing, inspections, emotions) have students imagine and record their
experiences on the journey to |
|
2. |
Distribute pictures of the Statue of Liberty and have
students describe what Ellis Island/Statue of |
|
3. |
Host a talk show where “immigrants” talk about their life
experiences in |
|
4. |
Instruct students to assess their own family origin, emphasizing that people come from different lands with various cultures and have become par |