our social studies curriculum
- Fifth grade: United States History
BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE
- In the behavioral science strand, students will examine the influence of the culture and choices made by various groups of people on the development of the United States.
- Through history, students will learn about how events, people, and ideas shaped and influenced the United States. Students will gain a general understanding in order to have the foundations necessary for later grades where an in-depth study of the role of the United States in world affairs will be covered. Teachers are encouraged to guide students in drawing connections between contemporary issues and their historical origins. They are meant to be revisited throughout the course of the school year so that by the end of the school year students can understand the ways in which the standards relate to the United States throughout history.
- While studying geography, students will understand the relationship between geography and the people, goods, and ideas of the United States.
- In the civics and government strand, students will explore the development, structure, and function of the United States government as well as the role of individual rights and responsibilities.
- In economics, students will examine how life is affected by economic factors and decisions.
CIVICS & gOVERNMENTDevelopment, structure and function of the US gov’t Democratic republic.
|
GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACYHow human activity has shaped the US
|
HISTORY / CULTURERole of prominent figures that shaped the US
Culture - how increased diversity resulted from migration settlement patterns and economic development in the US |
ECONOMICS & FINANCIAL LITERACYMarket economy in the US --permanent choices result in benefits & consequences
|
- Building on their knowledge of economic principles, students focus on economic growth in the United States and develop an understanding of production, specialization, and the division of labor.
- Students begin to apply economic principles to their own lives as they learn to make responsible financial choices in spending and saving
- Students begin the study of United States history with American Indian groups indigenous to the United States before the arrival of European settlers and conclude with the Civil War and Reconstruction period.
- Students will focus on the same time period as in fourth grade, but will transfer their understanding from North Carolina to the national level. Learned concepts will be applied within the context of American history.
- Using primary and secondary sources, fifth grade students will compare founding documents of the United States with those of North Carolina such as the United States Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution.
- Students will learn about the “Founding Fathers” who envisioned the path for our democratic republic, while also exploring the contributions of diverse groups to the building of our nation.
- Speeches that laid the foundation of American ideals and institutions will be studied along with the examination of everyday life during the Pre-Colonial period through Reconstruction.
- Students will expand their knowledge of human systems as they understand push/ pull factors of migration and immigration and their influence on culture in the United States.
- Students deepen their understanding of human-environment interactions by assessing positive and negative effects of human activities on the physical environment of the United States