Grade: 5

Content Area: Social Studies

Course Name: U.S. History to 1800

Unit 1: Indigenous Societies in Early America (The beginning of European Contact)

Description of Course: During this unit students will learn the history of Native Americans, Causes and effects of early European exploration, and early European settlements of North America.

Approximate Time Needed:

15-20 class periods, depending on time allotted for social studies instruction.

Learning Targets

Assessments

Instructional Considerations

Instructional Approach

Resources

1.1 I can…describe traits, attributes, and daily life of pre-Columbian societies in the Americas before 1500.

1.2 I can…identify why Europeans wanted to explore other lands from the late 1500’s to the mid-1700’s.

1.3 I can…describe interactions among Europeans, Africans and the indigenous peoples of North America.

1.4 I can...compare and contrast the lives of the English, French, and Spanish colonies.

1.5 I can...explain what an era is

Pre-Assessments:

None specifically, up to individual instructors to determine which assessments work with the needs of their students.

Formative Assessments:

Indicated in activities

Benchmark Assessment:

Student Background Knowledge: In grades K-4 students learned concepts having to do with historical inquiry as well as human interactions among different cultures and groups of individuals from various parts of the world. Students were also introduced to the idea of how past events connect to, change, and lead to the next over time. All of these concepts and skills will help the students in this unit.

Essential Questions: 1. What were North American and Mesoamerican societies like before the arrival of Europeans? 2.What motivated Europeans to explore other lands? 3.What were positive and negative impacts of interactions of people from different parts of the world during this time of colonization and settlement? 4. What were the similarities & differences among the Spanish, French, & British patterns of colonization in North America?

5.What constitutes an era?

Academic Language:

describe, identify, compare and contrast, explain

Content Specific Language:

Unit Glossary

Click the link below to get the lesson plan:

Lesson Plan for Unit 1

Cross-Content Integration:

 ELA Standard 5.2.7.7: Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently. (This will be completed in the upcoming European explorer project.)

 ELA Standard 5.2.3.3: Explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text based on specific

information in the text. (Columbian Exchange lesson and activities)

Web Resources:

included in each individual lesson

Research:

included in each individual lesson

Technology Resources:

necessary to have access to word processing tools such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Pages

Community Resources:

School and/or neighborhood libraries