In fifth grade unit 6, Informational Research, students will be organized into reading clubs consisting of 3-5 students of similar or mixed reading levels as they read text sets made up of related informational text and primary sources (photographs, letters, posters etc.) to understand ways in which Americans have fought for freedoms. Guiding research questions connected to Social Studies content for this unit: What is freedom? Why has freedom become one of the most important core democratic values in our country? What are some examples of people being denied freedom? What are some of the ways people have fought for freedom?
- In the first concept, Readers read to build background knowledge; Readers will learn to read quickly to get a broad overview of the topic, gather information on what they see and observe and cross-check their prior knowledge by confirming or dis-confirming through research.
- In the second concept, Readers write notes as they read; Readers will learn to various strategies for note taking. Readers will utilize their reader’s notebooks, post-its and chart paper to create tables. Timelines, labeled drawing, boxes and bullets and the R.A.N Chart (see background page 2). Readers will learn that writing organized notes prepares their thinking for writing and talking about the information they are learning.
- In the third concept, Readers use sophisticated strategies to question, synthesize and analyze information; Readers will ask questions of their research and search for answers to their questions. They will be asked to think about why these events were important and why do they matter.
- In the fourth and final concept, Readers build and present knowledge to teach others; Readers learn that after researching readers use notes to talk about the content of their research with others. Readers will write and speak like essayist when sharing ideas about their topic. Readers will use content specific vocabulary when talking with others and celebrate by teaching others about their topic.
This unit is designed to provide content-based integration with fifth grade social studies. Because it is intended to be used near the end of the year it provides an opportunity to review what students have learned about freedom and different issues relating to freedom in the early history of the United States. In addition, it can provide opportunities for students to apply and extend what they have learned to other time periods in American History.
Big Ideas
As a result of voyages of Columbus many more explorers crossed the Atlantic and claimed land in the Americas. This led to great problems for Native Americans who had lived in the Americas for thousands of years. Ultimately it cost them their freedom.
European explorations of the Americas led to encounters and exchanges with Native Americans. As a result of these encounters, Native American empires, cities, and groups were destroyed.
As disease and enslavement seriously reduced the American Indian populations, the Spanish began to force enslaved Africans to work in their mines and on their plantations completely taking away their freedom.
The Separatists, or Pilgrims, wanted to start a settlement in North America for religious reasons. They were looking for religious freedom.
A few years after the Plymouth Colony was founded, Puritans, looking for religious freedom founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Religious tensions in Massachusetts Bay rose when Puritans denied religious freedom to those who did not fully adopt the Puritan religion. This led to the establishment of other colonies in New England.
European settlement had many negative consequences for Native Americans. These included the loss of land, the loss of hunting areas, and disease. This resulted in a serious contradiction. Settlers who had come seeking various kinds of freedom including political freedom, economic freedom and religious freedom were denying those same freedoms to Native Americans.
Enslaved Africans were forced into ships and across the Middle Passage to the Americas. The English enslaved Africans and forced them to work in the colonies. Enslaved Africans had no rights and no freedom. They were treated like property.
Colonial political experiences during the first half of the 1700’s influenced colonists’ views of their political rights and responsibilities. These political experiences included colonial legislatures and New England town meetings. These experiences fueled the desire for political freedom.
Various acts were passed by the British King and Parliament as a way to raise and exert control over the colonies. These included the Sugar Act, Stamp Act and Quartering Act. These laws raised issues about freedom, taxation, representative government, and trade and were protested by the colonists in different ways.
A chain of events including the formation of the Sons of Liberty led eventually to the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which became the first battles of the American Revolution. The colonists viewed this conflict as a fight for their freedom.
Colonists officially declared their desire for independence and freedom in the Declaration of Independence which was written in 1776.
The Declaration included ideas colonial leaders had about government. For example, Thomas Jefferson used ideas about natural rights such as life and liberty in the Declaration.
Ultimately the Colonists gained independence and freedom after a long conflict with the British.
A Constitutional Convention was held in 1787 to draft a plan for government. Many issues had to be resolved by compromises during the Constitutional Convention. One of the most complicated issues at the Convention was that of slavery. Compromises over slavery resulted in slaves being counted as 3/5ths of a person and the continuation of the slave trade for 20 years.
A Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution after it was ratified. It was made up of ten amendments to the Constitution. These amendments guaranteed rights such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to a fair and public trial.
Specific Grade Level Content Expectations
5 – U2.2.2 Describe the life of enslaved Africans and free Africans in the American colonies.
5 – U3.1.2 Describe the causes and effects of events such as the Stamp Act, Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, and the Boston Massacre. (C)
5 – U3.1.5 Use the Declaration of Independence to explain why the colonists wanted to separate from Great Britain and why they believed they had the right to do so. (C)
5 – U3.1.6 Identify the role that key individuals played in leading the colonists to revolution, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Thomas Paine
