Category: Grade 5 Social Studies

Economics

Unit description: The peoples of the Western Hemisphere have developed various ways to meet their needs and wants. Many of the countries of the Western Hemisphere trade with each other, as well as with other countries around the world. In this unit, students will study how different types of economic systems have developed across time and place within the Western Hemisphere. Students will also explore how peoples of the Western Hemisphere have engaged in a variety of economic activities to meet their needs and wants including trade and how trade lead to interdependence among them. 

Download the complete Social Studies Grade 5 Unit 7 framework to customize for your own planning.

Standards 

Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4; Themes: TCC, GEO, ECO, EXCH

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big ideas of the unit: The peoples of the Western Hemisphere have developed various ways to meet their needs and wants.

What are the different types of economic systems that have developed across time and place within the Western Hemisphere?

• Traditional, market, and command economies have developed across time in the Western Hemisphere.

What are the characteristics, similarities and differences of traditional, market and command economy?

• Economic systems, including traditional, market, and command, address the three economic questions: what will be produced, how it will be produced, and who will get what is produced?

What types of economic activities have people of the Western Hemisphere engaged in to meet their needs and wants? 

• Natural resources drive how countries meet their wants and needs, including production of products and variety of services.
• In the Western Hemisphere there are many variations of how countries use their natural resources to meet their wants and needs.

How does trade with other countries lead to interdependence? 

• Countries trade with other countries to meet the wants and needs of and needs of their citizens.
• Products are imported and exported building interdependent relationships between countries.

Government

Unit description: The political systems of the Western Hemisphere vary in structure and organization across time and place. In this unit, students will study how government structures, functions, and founding documents vary from place to place in the countries of the Western Hemisphere. Students will explore legal, political, and historic documents that define the values, beliefs, and principles of constitutional democracy and how across time and place, different groups of people in the Western Hemisphere have struggled and fought for equality and civil rights or sovereignty. In addition, students will investigate Multinational organizations and nongovernmental organizations in the Western Hemisphere who seek to encourage cooperation between nations, protect human rights, support economic development, and provide assistance in challenging situations.

Download the complete Social Studies Grade 5 Unit 6 framework to customize for your own planning.

Standards

Standards: 5; Themes: GOV, CIV

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big idea of the Unit: The political systems of the Western Hemisphere vary in structure and organization across time and place.

How do government structures, functions, and founding documents vary from place to place in the countries of the Western Hemisphere?

• The basic structure of the federal government, including how the leader is chosen, how laws are created and how laws are enforced differ in countries across the world.
• The United States has a federal government, including the president,Congress, and the courts.

Which legal, political, and historic documents define the values, beliefs, and principles of constitutional democracy?

• The Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights, the British North America Act, and the Canadian Bill of Rights highlight key values, beliefs, and principles of each constitutional democracy.

Across time and place, who are the people in the Western Hemisphere who have struggled and fought for equality and civil rights or sovereignty?

• Groups such as Native Americans, African Americans, women, or another cultural, ethnic, or racial minority in the Western Hemisphere, who have struggled or are struggling for equality and civil rights or sovereignty.

What role do multinational organizations and nongovernmental organizations play in promoting cooperation, peace, and cultural understanding? 

• Multinational organizations and nongovernmental organizations in the Western Hemisphere seek to encourage cooperation between nations, protect human rights, support economic development, and provide assistance in challenging situations.

Comparative Cultures

Unit description: The countries of the Western Hemisphere are diverse and the cultures of these countries are rich and varied. Due to their proximity to each other, the countries of the Western Hemisphere share some of the same concerns and issues. In this unit, students will study how countries of the Western Hemisphere have varied characteristics and contributions that distinguish them from other countries. Students will also investigate how countries in the Western Hemisphere face a variety of concerns and issues specific to the region.

Standards 

Standards: 1, 2; Themes: ID, MOV, SOC

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big idea of the unit: The countries of the Western Hemisphere are diverse and the cultures of these countries are rich and varied.

What are they key cultural characteristics of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean?

• Key cultural characteristics include things such as the languages, religions and contributions,

What is a current issue that two or more Western Hemisphere countries are facing together? 

• Issues neighboring countries face together change over time. Some examples include environmental issues, immigration, and trade.

Download the complete Grade 5 Social Studies Unit 5 framework to customize for your own planning.

Geography in the Western Hemisphere

Unit description: The diverse geography of the Western Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement in distinct ways. Human communities in the Western Hemisphere have modified the physical environment. In this unit, students will identify regions in the Western Hemisphere and explore their common identifiable characteristics. In addition, students will investigate how the physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity in these areas. 

Standard

Standard: 3, Theme: GEO

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big idea of the unit: The diverse geography of the Western Hemisphere has influenced human culture and settlement in distinct ways.

How are physical maps useful in helping us understand different characteristics of a region?

• Physical maps reflect the varied climate zones, landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources of the Western Hemisphere.

What regions is the Western Hemisphere divided into and what are their common identifiable characteristics?

• The Western Hemisphere can be divided into regions. 
• Regions are areas that share common, identifiable characteristics such as physical, political, economic, or cultural features. 
• Regions within the Western Hemisphere include:  North America (Canada and the United States)  Mesoamerica (Mexico and Central America)  Caribbean  South America

How does the physical environment influence human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity?

• The physical environment influences human population distribution, land use, and other forms of economic activity. 

Download the complete Grade 5 Social Studies Unit 4 framework to customize for your own planning.

European Exploration And Its Effects

Unit description: Various European powers explored and eventually colonized the Western Hemisphere. This had a profound effect on Native Americans and led to the transatlantic slave trade. In this unit students will study how Europeans traveled to the Americas in search of new trade routes, including a northwest passage. Students will also investigate the interaction between European explorers and Native Americans and how cultural diffusion eventually led to the Colombian Exchange reshaping the lives and beliefs of many people. In addition, students will study the slavery of Africans brought to the Americas during the Middle Passage.

Standards 

Standards: 1, 2, 3, 4; Themes: MOV, TCC, GEO, ECO, EXCH

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big idea of the Unit:  European Exploration had a profound effect on Native Americans and led to the transatlantic slave trade.

Why did Europeans travel to the Americas? What were they searching for?

• Europeans traveled to the Americas in search of new trade routes, including a northwest passage, and resources. They hoped to gain wealth, power, and glory.

Who were some of the most influential explorers of this time and what geographic areas did they explore? 

• Christopher Columbus, John Cabot, Jacques Cartier, Pedro Cabral, and Vasco Nunez de Balboa were some of the most influential explorers of the Western Hemisphere.

How did the interactions between Europeans and Native Americans affect exploration?

• European interactions with Native Americans resulted in a number of changes, for example Conquests by Cortez and Pizarro resulted in demographic change and the French in Canada impacted the fur trade.

How did the Colombian Exchange affect people living in the Americas? 

• Columbian Exchange which reshaped the lives and influenced the beliefs of people.

What is the Middle Passage and why is it so important to our history? 

• Americas sold captured Africans as slaves. Their transport across the Atlantic was known as the Middle Passage.
• Slavery supplied the New World with its major workforce and brought enormous profits to international slave traders at the expense of human lives, causing a separation in America.

Download the complete Grade 5 Social Studies Unit 3 framework to customize for your own planning.

Complex Societies and Civilizations

Unit Description: In this unit, the students will develop an understanding of the history and geography of the Western Hemisphere. They will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between simple and complex societies (religion, job specialization, cities, government, language and writing systems, technology, and social hierarchy). They will identify, list and discuss the benefits of living in a complex society. Finally, the students will compare and contrast political states of the Maya and the Aztec, noting the territories that they controlled, the type of rule each had, and how the ruler attempted to unify the people.

Standards

• Standards: 2, 3; Themes: ID, TCC, GEO, GOV

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

Big Idea: Although these complex societies and civilizations have certain defining characteristics in common, each is also known for unique cultural achievements and contributions.

• How are complex societies different from one another?
  • Students will compare and contrast the similarities and differences between simple and complex societies (religion, job specialization, cities, government, language and writing systems, technology, and social hierarchy)
• What are the benefits of living in a complex society or civilization such as those seen of the Mayas, Aztecs and Incas?
  • Students will identify, list and discuss the benefits of living in a complex society. They will be able to identify specific characteristics, cultural achievements and contributions that are still present today.
• How do civilizations adapt and modify their environment to meet the needs of their people?
  • It is vital to compare and contrast political states of the Maya and the Aztec, noting the territories that they controlled, the type of rule each had, and how the ruler attempted to unify the people,

Prerequisite Skills

Teachers should note that some Key Ideas and Concepts may require extra time or attention. These include Key Ideas 5.3 European Exploration and its Effects, 5.6 Government, and 5.7 Economics.

Download the complete Grade 5 Social Studies – Complex Societies and Civilizations framework to customize for your own planning.

Unit description: In this unit, students will learn about how the first humans in the Western Hemisphere modified their physical environment as well as adapted to their environment. Students will have the opportunity to investigate how their interactions with their environment led to various innovations and to the development of unique cultures.Students will learn about early peoples living together in settlements and how this lead to the development of shared cultures with customs, beliefs, values, and languages that give identity to the group.

Standards

• (Standards: 1, 2, 3; Themes: ID, MOV, TCC, GEO)

Essential Questions and Big Ideas

• Big Idea of the Unit
• Early settlers of the Western Hemisphere adapted to the environment and developed rich and unique cultures.
• How did early settlers travel to North America?
  • Early settlers traveled to North America by foot and by boat.
• What caused settlement of specific areas?
  • Early North Americans settled in areas where there was a water and food source and natural protection.
• How did the location of settlements affect cultures and beliefs?
  • Climate, land and water formations and connections with other humans affected the cultures and beliefs of early Americans.
• How did regional location create differences in Native American cultures?
  • Cultures of Native American tribes across the continent were developed based on the resource allocation and climate of the region they resided.

Download the complete Grade 5 Social Studies – Early Peoples of the Americas framework to customize for your own planning.