Students learn social studies concepts within the context of their home, school, and community through the third grade and learn the history of Maryland and United States history through 1790 in fourth and fifth grades. Each grade has three units of study for the year. In 5th grade, students will study the following units: Colonial Period, the American Revolution, and Building a New Nation. For a full listing of the objectives associated with fifth grade social studies, you can visit the Howard County Public School System Social Studies Curriculum Page.
Students will also get the chance to enrich what they will learn about the Constitution by participating in a "We the People" simulated congressional hearing. If you are interested in volunteering to help a group during this process, please contact your child's homeroom teacher. To help students with their online research, they can go here to our SCH resource webpage or they can use the links listed below.
When we teach the Colonial Period and the American Revolution units to the students, we will be using a textbook published by TCI called History Alive! America's Past. To help students prepare for the assessments that follow each lesson, TCI has developed a wonderful online tutorial to help the students study and be successful. Please click on the title of the textbook above to go directly to this site. When your child receives work in their Friday Folder for social studies, please go over it with him or her. If they have received a grade below a 70%, our policy is that the student can make the corrections and turn it in on Monday for a C.
Below are some additional curriculum based links associated with each unit in 5th grade that the students may enjoy visiting. In addition, there is a link to general social studies web sites that would benefit all children regardless of their grade level. We encourage you to use these to help enrich your child's learning!
The
History Place -Informative website focusing on American history from the Colonial period to
present-day. Many on-line exhibits include timelines, photographs and biographies.
America's Story - Presented by the Library of Congress, a site with information about American people and historical events, and each of its states.
Jamestown Online Adventure - What would you do if you landed in a New World? See how you'd fare as an explorer by playing this cool Flash game. Pick your landing spot, your housing, food, and more!
The 13 Colonies of America: Clickable Map - This is a map of the 13 Colonies of America. Click on a colony to learn more about it.
Underground Railroad Adventure - This site allows the visitor to take the role of the slave and make decisions on whether to escape or stay. Find out what dangers there were while traveling on the Underground Railroad.
Order in the Court - This Web adventure puts students in the shoes of a colonial justice of the peace. They can choose from three cases to try, and in each one learn both the specifics of the case and the rules of colonial justice. At the end, students make their verdict and then compare it to the actual verdict of the real justices.
Understanding Slavery - How could slavery have survived so long in American history? The challenge for this site was to put American slavery into global context, and to explore the ways that it permeated American social and economic institutions. The result: a hybrid role play/interactive reference site that challenges the student to stop a slave auction, and then lets them explore the perspectives of the many people who had a stake in the institution.
Liberty Perspectives: Daily Life in the Colonies - Read some quick facts to learn what life was like in the colonies.
Colonial Life and the Community - Be a history detective. Go back in time and investigate the daily lives of the Daggetts, a colonial family from northeastern Connecticut. Collect clues to uncover answers to 7 questions about colonial life in the 1700s. Then prove your skills as a history detective by discovering "What's wrong with this picture?"
Intolerable Acts and the First Continental Congress - Find out what the British did in retaliation of the Boston Tea Party and how the First Continental Congress responded.
Women Soldiers in the American Revolutionary War - This site discusses specific women who contributed to Revolutionary War efforts.
Betsy Ross - This site contains a biography and tour of Betsy Ross's house, as well as a lot of information on the American flag.
Loyalty or Liberty? - As a spy during the American Revolution, explore Williamsburg and gather secrets-and then decide whether to share them with the Patriots or the Loyalists.
American Revolution Timeline - This site has a complete chronological history from The History Place, including images and documents.
Black Loyalists - Discover the untold story of how Canada became the home of the first settlements of free blacks outside Africa. Learn why slaves fought for the British during the American Revolution.
A Revolutionary Game - Want to
make your own American Revolution? You'll need a good horse,
a road map and a working knowledge of LIBERTY! This is an
interactive site to test a student's knowledge of the revolution.
White House- White House home page - link to White House for kids, tours, and other great links.
House of Representatives- The House of Representatives' home page includes links to three branches. Identify and/or contact representatives; browse and search historical documents of U.S.
United States Senate -The United States Senate's home page allows students to identify and/or contact senators; browse legislative activities, committee notes, and senate history.
Ben's Guide to Government for Kids - This site provides learning tools for K-12 students, parents, and teachers. These resources will teach how our government works, the use of the primary source materials of G, and how one can carry out their civic responsibilities.
Kids Democracy Project - This is an interactive site that allows students to see how government affects their lives, the voting process, and becoming president for a day.
Kids in the House - An interactive website for kids to help them learn more about the House of Representatives.
The Center for Civic Education - The primary goal of our textbook We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution is to promote civic competence and responsibility among the nation's elementary and secondary students. What makes the program so successful is the design of its instructional program, including its innovative culminating activity. Here you will find information on the mock congressional debates, which will be our culminating activity.
Center on Congress at Indiana University
The Center's goal is to explain the work and role of Congress to the average citizen. If you click on the section called "Learn About Congress" you will find interactive e-modules that will help you learn about everything from citizenship to how Congress works.
The National Constitution Center - Located in Philadelphia, this wonderful center is set up for students to learn about the Constitution with a hands-on approach. The website is full of wonderful resources to help students learn more about the Constitution. It includes primary sources, articles that relate to constitutional issues, historical information, and more!
Digital History - Digital History enhances history teaching and research through primary sources,
an online textbook, extensive reference resources, and interactive modules.
National Geographic's Inside the Oval Office - Put yourself in the president's office and make presidential choices.
The Constitution for Kids - This is a great site that tries to help students learn about the Constitution on their level.
Congress for Kids - Using appealing, full-color illustrations, and engaging activities, Congress for Kids will extend your learning in the basics about the American federal government. ... federal government doesn't have to be boring. Congress for Kids gives you access to interactive, fun-filled ... Sam is your guide through this wonderful website.
Ease History - EASE History is a rich learning environment that supports the learning of US history. Over 600 videos and photographs are currently available in EASE History. There are three entry points: Historical Events, Campaign Ads, and Core Values. Learn about US History through the prism of US presidential campaign ads, better understand the complexities of campaign issues and their historical context by looking at historical events, and explore the meanings of core values by examining how these values have been applied in both historical events and campaign ads. Three learning modes, single and multiple theme searches, and resources support the comparing and contrasting of historical cases. EASE History's goal is to support experience acceleration- to help learners think more like historians.
Oyez, Oyez, Oyez - take a tour of the Supreme Court, meet the Justices, or listen to cases being presented.