Course Description

  • In Social 5, students explore the history of North America in the period before 1800. They learn about complex societies that existed on the continent before 1500, and subsequent interactions between indigenous peoples, Europeans and Africans during the period of colonization and settlement. Students will examine regional economies and learn that profit motivates entrepreneurs (such as early American fur traders). They trace the development of self-governance in the British colonies and identify major conflicts that led to the American Revolution. In addition, they analyze the debates that swirled around the creation of a new government and learn the basic principles of democracy that were set forth in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

Proficiency Targets

  • Based on Classroom Assessments, the student will be able to:

    Civic Skills: 5.1.1.1

    • Describe how a citizen successfully participates in a democratic society.
    • Explain how civic engagement is important to a democratic society and the general welfare.
    • Identify a problem in society, analyze it, and create an action plan.

    Rights and Responsibilities: 5.1.3.5

    • Identify and Explain the rights listed in the first 10 amendments.
    • Give examples of how the rights are used in daily life.

    Government and Political Process: 5.1.4.7

    • Identify the three branches of the United States government, and explain their primary.
    • Explain how each branch serves to check and balance the powers of the government.

    Economic Choices: 5.2.1.1

    • Explain the difference between short and long term economic goals.
    • Apply a decision-making process to identify an alternative choice that could have been made to a historical event.

    Geography - TODALSS: 5.3.1.1

    • Use TODALSS to interpret and analyze maps of various kinds.
    • Use TODALSS to create various kinds of maps.

    Physical and Human Characteristics: 5.3.1.3

    • Identify the human and physical characteristics of the colonial regions, and explain how these characteristics impacted the region.

    Historical Skills: 5.4.1.2

    • Pose questions about a topic in history.
    • Use evidence from multiple sources to draw conclusions about a historical event.
    • Explain a historical event from multiple perspectives.

    First Americans: 5.4.4.15

    • Describe the key characteristics of the major early American civilizations and regions.
    • Understand how these civilizations developed and what happened to them.

    European Colonization: 5.4.4.16

    • Explain why Europeans colonized America.
    • Describe the impact colonization had on the natives, colonists, and Africans.
    • Identify the similarities and differences between the Spanish, French, and English colonies.
    • Identify why did the slave trade develop in America.
    • Explain how the African communities develop their own culture.

    13 Original Colonies and American Revolution: 5.4.4.17

    • Explain what events led to the American Revolutionary War.
    • Describe the development of self-government in the colonies.
    • Identify the main events of the Revolutionary War and their importance.
    • Compare and Contrast how the war impacted various groups involved in the war.

    13 Original Colonies and American Revolution: 5.4.4.17

    • Explain the purpose of the founding documents.
    • Describe the successes and failures of the gov. under the Articles of Conf.
    • Describe the major issues debated at the Constitutional Convention.
    • Identify the principles of the United States Government that make it successful.

Resources

  • Texts:

    • Build Our Nation - Houghton Mifflin
    • We the People - Center for Civic Education