Social Studies — Grade 5

Observing connections: North Carolina pottery and face jugs (Lesson 3)

This is the third lesson in a series of three in which students are creating art based on their observations: Lesson 1 Observing connections—art, poetry and the environment; Lesson 2 Observing connections—changing landscapes; Lesson 3 Observing connections—North Carolina pottery and face jugs.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

By Lisa Mitchell.

A living timeline of civil rights

This fifth grade lesson plan is one piece of a civil rights unit. This particular lesson is an opportunity for students to demonstrate knowledge of a specific person or event that occurred during the civil rights movement. The students will share their research with others as they take on the role of a museum artifact.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)

By Laurie Lietz.

Jackie Robinson taught us more than baseball

After determining student knowledge about Jackie Robinson, the teacher/counselor reads "Teammates" by Peter Golenbock to fifth graders. The teacher/counselor then divides students into four groups to work cooperatively on questions. Groups select leaders and recorders and each group leader presents answers to the whole class. The teacher/counselor ends the activity with a question that individual students will respond to in writing.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

By Jan Huggins.

Freedom songs of the civil rights movement

Students will listen to freedom songs recorded during the civil rights movement, 1960–1965. Students will write about personal reactions to the music and lyrics. Through reading and pictures, students will briefly explore historical events where these songs were sung. Listening again, students will analyze and describe — musically — particular song(s).

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Music Education and Social Studies)

By Merritt Raum Flexman.

Formulating questions to meet information needs of ESL students

This is a multi-activity lesson plan to teach the concept of asking engaging, researchable questions prior to reading. This leads to effective inquiries during project or research work in any content area. Using engaging questions creates a sense of connectedness by linking academic contents with students' personal concerns. The lesson is primarily designed for English Language Learners although it can be adapted for mainstream students. This lesson can also be modified for use with grades 4-8.

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Development, Information Skills, and Social Studies)

By Deborah Wilkes, Kristi Triplett, and Karen Waller.

Civil rights wax museum project

In this lesson plan, students will choose African Americans prominent in the Civil Rights Movement and research aspects of their lives. They will create timelines of their subjects' lives and a speech about their subjects, emphasizing why they are remembered today.

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Sabrina Lewandowski.

Resources on the web

What was Columbus thinking?

In this lesson, students read excerpts from Columbus's letters and journals, as well as recent considerations of his achievements. Students reflect on the motivations behind Columbus's explorations, his reactions to what he found and the consequences, intended... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)

Provided by: EDSITEment

Weeping camel: What is a ritual?

In this Xpeditions lesson, students identify characteristics of traditional and modern rituals found in different cultures. Through reading articles and watching videos of several rituals, students identify some of their characteristics. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic

Musical Harlem

Students will learn to identify musical styles and musicians associated with Harlem, focusing on jazz. They will learn about the special role of music in Harlem as a unifier of a community and of a culture. Students can listen to audio samples and analyze... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Music Education and Social Studies)

Provided by: ArtsEdge

Lewis and Clark: Same place, different perspectives

In this lesson, students will write about several encounters between the Lewis and Clark expedition and various Native American groups from the viewpoint of an expedition member or one of the Native Americans. Students can see the large-format film Lewis... (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 5 Social Studies)

Provided by: Xpeditions

History in quilts

Students will recognize how people from different cultures and time periods have passed down the tradition of quiltmaking. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Provided by: National Endowment for the Humanities

Geographic groceries

Students explore the regions of their grocery store to see which foods hang out together and why. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade 1–7 Social Studies)

Provided by: National Geographic