Course Plan 1

5th Grade Integrated U.
S History
Teacher: Ashley Fisher

Course Length: Approximately 33 weeks, accounting for Winter Break, Spring
Break, Teacher In-Service Days, and Snow Days
Period Length: Each class length will be 50 minutes, 5 days a week
Number of Students: 30
Type of School: Elementary School in a rural community
Course Expectations:
This Integrated U.S. 5th grade History course is designed to delve further than the
traditional social studies courses that the student has taken in the prior grades (K-4). While the
student may have dabbled into history in the previous grades, this course is designed to hold a
microscopic lens over Early American History (Beginnings to 1800), all the while building upon
and incorporating the geographic, civic, and economic concepts that have already been
implemented. This course will follow a historical era sequence, broken into three main eras:
Beginnings to 1620, Colonization and Settlement, and Revolution and the New Nation. Within
each of these eras we will further break down the historical significance of each, studying
sequential units throughout the course (eight total units), in which students will develop a
mastery of the related topics.
While this course will primarily focus on the historical significance of this time period,
we will also be incorporating geography, civics, and economics throughout each unit. Geography
concepts will be critical in analyzing the characteristics of the land, regions, and cultures in
which the people of these eras lived in. These characteristics can in turn help us to determine
some of the possible causes of why people did what they did and events that occurred (for
example, many people died at Jamestown because the area was a swampy wetland in which
mosquitoes and other insects thrived upon that carried disease). In terms of civic learning, we
will be incorporating the essence of being a good citizen (developing a class definition of what a
good citizen is), analyzing if the historical people we study were good citizens in the actions
that they performed. This will be especially significant when we study the American Constitution
and Bill of Rights. Lastly, regarding economics, we will be incorporating the economic stability
and resources of the specific time periods we discuss. For example, we will differ between the
resources the British and the Colonists had during the American Revolution. Economic concepts
will be significantly relevant when we discuss European migration, the thirteen original colonies,
and the American Revolution. Students will have already been introduced to some of
geographical, economic, and civic concepts that we will be discussing, but the goal is to build
upon their knowledge that they already have and create a deeper understanding of such. Hence
the title Integrated History, we will be integrating these disciplines, in order to create a deeper
knowledge basis in the context of history.
Aside from merely learning historical context, this course will also develop a level of
critical thinking that the student will master by the time the course is completed. The student will
be able to analyze relationships among people, places, events, and time periods. Along with this
concept is incorporated taking on the various perspectives of different people and events. Instead
of simply learning how the Colonists felt and acted during the American Revolution, the student
will also take on the perspective of the British soldiers. Students will also be able to discuss how
at least two different social studies disciplines relate to/affect each other. For example, the
student will be able to explain how the landscape and climate (geography) affected which crops
could be grown in which colonies (history and economics). Regarding the reading material that
students will be engaged in, they will be able to critically read primary and secondary documents
to decipher points of view, contexts, and biases. They will also be able to read a document and
clearly express what they read either orally, visually (poster, picture), or through writing.
Students will be able to analyze historical problems and use their own problem solving skills to
create a solution. Lastly, in terms of citizen involvement, this course will allow students to
demonstrate their knowledge on when a citizen would create an action plan to conduct activities
pertaining to the community and public policy. All of the above mentioned goals are ones in
which the student will gain a higher level of critical thinking skills and build a solid foundation
which can be further shaped and molded in following history courses.
The above structure and expectations will be met through various in class and out of class
activities. Students will participate in group discussions, class discussions, unit tests, unit
projects, and homework assignments. However, the unit tests will be kept short in length because
the aim is to have the students complete more projects and hands on learning activities. These
forms of assessments will be graded according to demonstration of knowledge and effort
displayed. A major goal of this course is to create an interactive learning environment in which
the students are excited to learn about Early American History. Attempting to steer solely away
from the traditional textbook/lecture structure, students will be actively participating each and
every day, attempting to cater to all learning styles!
Course Goals:
By the end of this course, students will be able to
Describe the life of people living in North America prior to European exploration by
analyzing both primary and secondary documents
Analyze maps to determine where various Native American groups lived and the
differences among the groups
Identify the causes and consequences of European exploration and colonization, and how
it was even possible for these adventures to occur
Identify various explorers and the role that they contributed to European exploration
Describe the environmental, political, and cultural consequences of the interactions
among European, African, and Native Americans through the use of primary and
secondary sources
Analyze the relationships formed (positive or negative) between the Europeans, Native
Americans, and African Americans
Have a general idea of the major regions of Africa, including the ways people made a
living and family structures
Describe the Columbian Exchange and its relevance to the rest of the world
Describe the developments, characteristics, and contributions of the New England,
Middle, and Southern Colonies.
Describe the relationship between the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies
Describe Triangular Trade: routes, what was traded, the Middle Passage, the impact it
serves
Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the American colonies. Be able
to compare and contrast these lifestyles based upon the people and the region.
Identify the major political, economic, and ideological reasons for the American
Revolution
Describe how these major events impacted the American Revolution: French and Indian
War, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, the Boston Massacre
Explain why colonists wanted to break free from British rule, using the Declaration of
Independence (primary source)
Describe the role of these people in the quest for American Independence: George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John
Adams, and Thomas Paine
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of each side during the American Revolution
Explain the challenges faced by the new nation under the Articles of Confederation and
analyze the development of the Constitution
Analyze primary and secondary documents
Analyze maps, graphs, and charts
Incorporate geography, civics, and economics in the context of history
Units Overview:
Unit One: Native American Life and European Exploration (5 weeks)
How does the contact of different groups of people affect the way in which they continue to live
in?
In this unit based upon Native Life and European Exploration, students will first learn to
describe the way of living for the Native Americans during the Beginnings of Early American
History. They will learn the characteristics of the land and people of the differing groups of
Native Americans and be able to locate these regions on a map. Aspects such as family values,
family structures, trading, and land use will be discussed. The second half of this unit will focus
on European Exploration of the early American time period. Students will learn how these
explorations were even made possible through the use of politics and technology. They will
examine certain explorers and analyze the contributions that they made to European Exploration.
The resulting goal of this unit is to then tie the two topics together to analyze and discuss the
ways in which these two groups interacted with each other on shared land.
Goals of Unit One:
Describe the life of people living in North America prior to European exploration by
analyzing both primary and secondary documents
Analyze maps to determine where various Native American groups lived and the
differences among the groups
Identify the causes and consequences of European exploration and colonization, and how
it was even possible for these adventures to occur
Identify various explorers and the role that they contributed to European exploration
Major Activities:
Native American Journal: pick a Native American tribe and write a daily journal for one
week as if you were a member of that tribe. What would living conditions be like, what
would your daily activities be, and how would your life change after your people came in
contact with the Europeans? Unit Project Option.
Create a color coded map of the major Native American tribes prior to European
Exploration, and also the areas in which the Europeans conquered
European Explorer Letter: pretend that you are a European explorer sailing from your
native country over to the Americas. Write a letter to your family back home describing
what you see as soon as you reach land in America. What are the people like that you
encounter? What are the living conditions and land conditions like? Should more people
be sent over to explore the area, is it worth it? Unit Project Option.
Homework Assignments
Unit Exam (Review sheet will be given)
Unit Two: Interaction of the Three Worlds (3 weeks)

What is the relationship between the Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans and how did
they interact with each other?
In this unit based upon the interaction of the Three Worlds, students will describe how
these three groups came into contact with each other, taking on the perspective of each group.
They will use primary and secondary sources to compare and contrast these three groups values,
ways of living, and significance on early America. (This will include gaining basic knowledge of
major regions in Africa). Students will also describe the relationship, whether it be positive,
negative, or both, that these three groups have amongst each other based upon the ways that they
treated each other. Students will discuss and analyze the Columbian Exchange and its influence
on each of the three groups. Lastly, students will discuss how these interactions contributed to
the developing of early America.
Goals of Unit Two:
Describe the environmental, political, and cultural consequences of the interactions

among European, African, and Native Americans through the use of primary and
secondary sources
Analyze the relationships formed (positive or negative) between the Europeans, Native
Americans, and African Americans
Have a general idea of the major regions of Africa, including the ways people made a
living and family structures
Describe the Columbian Exchange and its relevance to the rest of the world
Major Activities:
Analyze maps to discover the regions in which each of these three groups lived
Create a picture book story that describes what it would be like for each of these groups
to interact with each other. Once completed, you will either read it out loud to the class.
Unit Project Option.
Create a Venn Diagram that compares and contrasts the ways in which these three groups
of people were similar and differed
Read a primary document accounting the life of someone in one of these three groups.
Write a reading response.
Unit Test (Review Sheet will be given)
Unit Three: European Struggle for Colonization of North America (5 weeks)

Why did Europeans struggle for control of North America and what were the significant
developments of each region that they aimed to colonize?
During this unit based upon European Colonization of North America, students will learn
to understand why it was such a beginning struggle for Europeans to gain control of North
America. They will learn the regions in which they aimed to gain control of and the major
developments of each of these regions (New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies). Students
will integrate geography and economics heavily into this unit, analyzing how the characteristics
of the land impacted lifestyles, and how economics played a key role in surviving based upon
resources allotted and product production.
Goals for Unit Three:
Describe the developments, characteristics, and contributions of the New England,

Middle, and Southern Colonies.
Describe the relationship between the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies

Major Activities:
Create a color coded map of the thirteen original colonies. Also, draw on this map the
resources that each region had and the product production that they engaged in (crops,
food, goods)
Colony Poster: create a poster that convinces your family member that is still back in
your native land to come live where you are living. Pick a colony, or colonial region,
(New England, Middle, Southern) and basically sell the area to your family. Be sure to
show the advantages to living there, and if there are any disadvantages (lack of sanitary
water for example) be sure to warn them of that so they can be prepared. Display to them
what their lifestyle would be like and what their daily activities would be. Unit Project
option.
Mini Book Report: choose a non-fiction story that describes one of the thirteen original
colonies. In a mini book report (one page), summarize what it would be like to live in that
colony, the daily activities, the family and community structure, the land characteristics,
and the economic production. Unit Project Option.
Unit Test (Review Sheet will be provided)
Unit Four: Slave Trade and Slavery in Colonial America (3 weeks)

What is the impact and significance of slavery on Colonial America?
In this unit centered around Slave Trade and Slavery in Colonial America, students will
first come to understand what Triangular Trade is, revolving around the main ideas of trade
routes, what was traded, the Middle Passage, and the impact it had on the life of Africans.
Students will learn to understand the life of both enslaved and free Africans in the colonies,
comparing and contrasting the two. Students will learn how Africans held close to their African
heritage in order to create an African-American culture within the colonies. Lastly, students will
learn how this new slavery system impacted Colonial America in a variety of ways.
Goals of Unit Four:
Describe Triangular Trade: routes, what was traded, the Middle Passage, the impact it
serves
Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the American colonies. Be
able to compare and contrast these lifestyles based upon the people and the region.
Major Activities:
Research project: Research the African-American culture that Africans created within
Colonial America. What aspects of their heritage that they held so close contributed to the
creation of this culture? Pick one aspect (music, storytelling, family structure and values)
and write a two page paper on your findings. Unit Project option.
Collage: choose whether you are taking on the perspective of an enslaved African or a
free African. Create a collage on a piece of paper (cutting out words and pictures) that
describes the life of one or the other. Unit Project Option.
Create Triangular Trade on a piece of paper, as in a poster.
Unit Five: Life in Colonial America (4 weeks)

What would it be like to live in one of the thirteen original colonies?
In this unit revolving around Life in Colonial America, students will describe what it
would be like to live in any of the thirteen colonies. They will again ensure that they can locate
the colonies on a map. Not only will students be learning the lifestyles among the three regions
and thirteen colonies, but they will also be analyzing the lifestyles based upon various classes
within the communities: wealthy landowners, farmers, merchants, indentured servants, the poor,
women, enslaved African Americans, free African Americans, Native Americans. Students will
compare and contrast these groups. They will also analyze the various forms of labor within the
colonies: cash crop farming, indentured servants, slaves. This unit has quite a bit of basis for
comparing and contrasting.
Goals for Unit Five:
Describe the lifestyle of each of the three regions of Colonial America: New England,
Middle, and Southern colonies
Analyze the various social classes within each community
Analyze the various forms of labor
Major Activities:
Have a Colonial Fun Day in which you can dress as how someone would during this
era, make a food dish in class of something the people would eat, and other various
stations and activities
Essay: Describe which colony you would like to live in and why. Discuss the advantages
and disadvantages to living in the colony you chose.
Unit Six: Causes of the American Revolution (5 weeks)

What were the major political, economic, and ideological reasons for the American
Revolution?
In this unit focused on the Causes of the American Revolution, students will examine
what events and people contributed to the start of the American Revolution. This unit will focus
heavily on primary sources as students read documents that colonists actually read during this
time era as well, which discuss the reasons why or why not go to war. Students will learn of
various acts and taxes imposed on the colonists by the British, the importance of the Declaration
of Independence, and the roles that key figureheads played in pushing Colonial America either
towards war or not.
Goals for Unit Six:
Identify the major political, economic, and ideological reasons for the American
Revolution
Describe how these major events impacted the American Revolution: French and Indian
War, Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, the Boston Massacre
Explain why colonists wanted to break free from British rule, using the Declaration of
Independence (primary source)
Describe the role of these people in the quest for American Independence: George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John
Adams, and Thomas Paine
Major Activities:
Declaration of Independence: Imagine you are a Colonist. Write a letter to King George
that states either you are unhappy with the way things are going in Colonial America and
why you want to go to war, or explain why you do not want to go to war and the reasons
why this is so. Unit Project option.
Class Debate: There will be a class debate between two sides: Loyalists vs. Patriots.
Debate the pros and cons of going to war
Unit Seven: The American Revolution and Its Consequences (4 weeks)

What were the major consequences of the American Revolution?
In this unit centered upon the American Revolution and its Consequences, students will
learn to describe the advantages and disadvantages that each side had during the war. They will
learn the significance of certain battles and leaders. The role of women, African Americans,
Native Americans, and other allies will be discussed. Lastly, the Treaty of Paris will be analyzed
to observe its significance in shaping America.
Goals for Unit Seven:
Identify the advantages and disadvantages of each side during the American Revolution
Know the importance of the Treaty of Paris
Major Activities
Reenacting the American Revolution: go to the gym and split the class into the British
and the Colonists. Play a game where one side has more/different resources and one side
has less. Allow this to show the challenges of the war.
Research Paper: Choose either a significant battle or leader in the war. Write a 3 page
paper on your findings. Unit Project option.
Unit Test (Review Sheet will be given)
Unit Eight: Creating a New Government, Constitution, and Nation (5 weeks)

In this unit focused on the creation of a new Government, Constitution, and Nation,
students will describe the Articles of Confederation and the powers of national and state
governments under this system. They will also describe the problems that the nation faced being
ruled under the Articles of Confederation and why the Constitution was then written. Students
will learn various terms such as individual rights, federalism, limited government power. Lastly,
students will analyze the Bill of Rights and their importance.
Goals for Unit Eight:
Explain the challenges faced by the new nation under the Articles of Confederation and
analyze the development of the Constitution
Major Activities:
Create a Constitution: Pretend that you are the President of your own nation. Create a
Constitution to govern your nation and your people. What rights will they have and what
will the role of your government be? Unit Project option.
Creating the Constitution Reenactment: Have a class wide discussion/reenactment, acting
out the process it took for the Constitution to be created. The groups can be split up into
the different colonies, and a class wide Constitution can be created.
Choosing your rights: Create your own Bill of Rights. What rights are most important to
you?
Classroom Procedures:
Classroom Expectations:
1. Respect yourself, your peers, your teacher, and your classroom. In return, we will respect
you!
2. Be engaged and interactive in what we are learning.
3. Come to class prepared to learn. Have all assignments and homework completed.
4. When in doubt, never be afraid to ask questions!
5. HAVE FUN!
Attendance: Follow school policy in the handbook. If you miss a day, check the Agenda, located
on the whiteboard in the front of the classroom, to see what we did in class on the day that you
missed. Also, check inside the Absent folder to see if any handouts were given. If you have any
questions about what you missed, please ask me. I understand circumstances may arise where
you may have to miss a day, but remember we will be doing quite a bit of in class work, so we
would love to have your shining face here every day with us!
Late Assignments: Each student will be given 3 Constitution Currency slips at the start of the
school year that can act as late pass freebies. If turning in a late assignment, staple one of your
Constitution Currencies to it and put the assignment in the Late Assignment folder located on my
desk, with no penalty. If you run out of your Constitution Currency slips, you can still turn in
your late assignment, but 3 points will automatically be deducted each day it is late. I will only
accept late work up to one week after its original due date. After one week, the assignment is an
automatic zero.
Assessments:
7 Unit Tests (50 points each): 350 points

3 Unit Projects (100 points each): 300 points
Mini Homework Assignments: 100 points
In-Class Group Participation: 50 points
***Any Constitution Currency slips you have left at the end of the year may be used as extra
credit. 3 extra credit points will be awarded per slip. Use them wisely!
Missing Tests: If you are absent the day of a test, you will have one week after the test was
originally given to make it up, either before or after school. See me to decide upon a day and
time.
Materials Needed: Each history class period you should have the following materials ready and
with you:
History notebook and folder

Pen or pencil
Any homework assignments due that day
Any questions you need answered by me
Your Learning Brain ready to learn and have fun!
Extra Help: If at any point during the year, you feel that you do not understand the material that
we are learning in class, please come in and see me before school, after school, or during lunch. I
am willing to set up a time to meet with you and go over anything that you are struggling with,
including classwork and homework. I am always here to help and want you all to be successful!
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Course Plan 1

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Course Plan 1

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5th Grade Integrated U.

Teacher: Ashley Fisher

Unit Two: Interaction of the Three Worlds (3 weeks)

Describe the environmental, political, and cultural consequences of the interactions

Unit Three: European Struggle for Colonization of North America (5 weeks)

Describe the developments, characteristics, and contributions of the New England,

Analyze primary and secondary documents

Unit Four: Slave Trade and Slavery in Colonial America (3 weeks)

Incorporate geography, civics, and economics in the context of history

Unit Five: Life in Colonial America (4 weeks)

Unit Six: Causes of the American Revolution (5 weeks)

Unit Seven: The American Revolution and Its Consequences (4 weeks)

Unit Eight: Creating a New Government, Constitution, and Nation (5 weeks)

7 Unit Tests (50 points each): 350 points

History notebook and folder

Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it

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