Native Americans
Children should learn about the Native Americans who lived throughout North America, studying their crops, hunting traditions, homes and structures, trading practices, and rituals and ceremonies.
Fifth-graders should understand how the geography of regions influenced the way tribes lived. Your child may read tales and creation myths and visit museums and art galleries to see Native American artifacts and paintings.
Early explorers
Fifth-graders learn about our country’s earliest explorers — their backgrounds, hardships, and motivations. Students should plan on comparing Native Americans to the explorers and understanding the impact the explorers had on Native cultures. They may chart the arrival of the explorers with a timeline and draw their routes on a map. Your child’s class may also study the westward movement.
Colonial connection
Students learn about the 13 colonies, including the story of how they were settled, the challenges colonists faced, and the routines of everyday life. Children learn about early settlers including John Smith and William Penn. Many teachers compare the individual colonies as well as colonial and modern-day life. Kids learn about the origins and development of slavery and the colonists’ relationship with Native Americans.
The American Revolution
The American Revolution plays a central role in a fifth-grader’s education. Children should learn to explore the causes of the revolution, looking at the events and individuals involved, maybe looking at political cartoons from the time period or researching revolutionary leaders. Students will learn how the revolution was fought and won by studying its most important battles. Your child should be able to understand the difference between Loyalists (those who remained loyal to England) and Patriots (those who wanted independence). By reading historical novels and biographies from the time period, students can better understand the context surrounding the Declaration of Independence. Children might also participate in a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party or the ride of Paul Revere, and explore their effects on American history.
Establishing the new nation
Students should learn how a new nation grapples with the task of establishing itself by exploring the way the founders resolved problems. Your child might research the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Students will learn about the three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial) and study the inauguration of the first president, the development of the first political parties, and the way the nation’s standing in the world was affected by diplomacy and war. Children should be able to cite the contributions of major political leaders including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. They should map the expansion of the country and learn about the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark expedition, and pioneer life. Students might participate in a town meeting by discussing real problems and trying to solve them.
Civil War and Reconstruction
When it comes to the Civil War, students in fifth grade should be able to explain the causes, major events, and consequences. They’ll learn about key people, like Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant, and important documents, such as the Emancipation Proclamation and Constitutional Amendments 13, 14, and 15. Teachers should include a lesson on Reconstruction plans and the social and economic impact of slavery. Students may take part in a debate of the war and read letters and biographies from the time.
Current events
Current events are front and center in many classrooms — children examine the news using TV programs, newspapers, or the Internet. Classrooms might discuss how events affect life, now and in the future, and may compare them to past events. Discussing current events raises students’ awareness of the world around them and helps them connect the present with history and with information learned in other subjects. Being conversant with current events improves students’ ability to think critically and analytically. Their comprehension of nonfiction topics will also be enhanced, not to mention their motivation to be a lifelong reader.
|