LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Social Studies — Grade 5

Goal 4: The learner will trace key developments in United States history and describe their impact on the land and people of the nation and its neighboring countries.

Objective 4.03. Describe the contributions of people of diverse cultures throughout the history of the United States.

Additional related resources

We’re in the process of aligning our content for students to the Standard Course of Study. As we do, you’ll find it here.

General resources

Aligned lesson plans

World War II at home: Victory Gardens
Students will learn about home front activities during World War II. Using primary source documents and photographs, students will discover how children their own age participated by growing Victory Gardens. They will design their own gardens and propaganda posters.
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)
By Linda Mazzei.
Native American music: Two North Carolina tribes
In this lesson plan, students will listen to songs from two North Carolina tribes. Students will learn about the music through listening, analyzing, singing, moving, and playing instruments.
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Music Education and Social Studies)
By Merritt Raum Flexman.
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.
George Washington's obituary
The following lesson will introduce students to the research process -- formulating questions, choosing resources, fact finding, and note-taking. After completing their research, they will write a short obituary for George Washington. Activities will integrate Reading, Language, Social Studies, Writing, and Computer Skills.
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Social Studies)
By Kathy Blades.
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.
Farm animal immigrants
Students will identify a rare or endangered farm animal and then locate its country of origin on a world map. Students will also research the animal and its uses to determine why it was imported.
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)
By Meg Millard and Pamela Webb.

Resources on the web

What makes a hero?
A common lament one hears today is that young people lack heroes to emulate. Is that true? Do your students have heroes? Who are they? What qualities of a hero do they represent? Which historical figures would students recognize to be heroes? Are there... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: EDSITEment
The Statue of Liberty: The meaning and use of a national symbol
In this lesson from EDSITEment, students explore the nature of national symbols. How was the Statue of Liberty designed to be a symbol? How have circumstances enhanced its meaning? Help clarify the nature of symbols for your students as they study the Statue... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)
Provided by: EDSITEment
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: Facing challenges—real and imagined
In this lesson from Xpeditions, students will consider how they perceive geographic features and obstacles, and how the Lewis and Clark expedition members might have done so. The mental maps of expedition members could not prepare them for what lay ahead;... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 5 Information Skills and Social Studies)
Provided by: Xpeditions
Lewis and Clark: Native American Contributions
In this lesson from Xpeditions, students will learn about specific instances in which Native Americans helped the Lewis and Clark expedition overcome obstacles. The expedition faced many difficult challenges, due primarily to the group's lack of knowledge... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)
Provided by: Xpeditions
Lewis and Clark: Building a Lasting Legacy
In this lesson from Xpeditions, students will discuss the significant contributions made by Native Americans and other team members during the Lewis and Clark expedition. Students will draw or make a diorama that focuses on the geographic perspective of... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3 and 5 English Language Arts, Information Skills, and Social Studies)
Provided by: Xpeditions
Lewis and Clark: A Legacy to Remember
In this lesson, students will design a memorial that illustrates the legacy of the Lewis and Clark expedition from a geographic perspective. This lesson should be done after the students study the Lewis and Clark expedition or view the large-format film... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Social Studies)
Provided by: Xpeditions
Interpreting rock art of the Anasazi
Students are introduced to the ancient Anasazi people through samples of rock art preserved in the public lands of the Four Corners region. (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 5 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)
Provided by: National Geographic
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
Exploring cross-age tutoring activities with Lewis and Clark
In this ReadWriteThink lesson, cross-age tutoring gives high school students the opportunity to guide elementary students (in grades 3-5) to a deeper understanding of the adventures of Lewis and Clark. Students use the book How We Crossed the West... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 3–5 and 9–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: ReadWriteThink
American prehistory: 8000 years of forest management
In this lesson from the Forest History Society in Durham, North Carolina, students study the evidence of 8000 years of Native American prehistoric land use practices. By analyzing images of Native American material culture, students will understand how... (Learn more)
Format: lesson plan (grade 5–6 and 8 English Language Arts and Social Studies)
Provided by: Forest History Society