5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
Grade: 5
Unit 4
SOCIAL STUDIES
INSTRUCTIONAL ALIGNMENT
Creation of Government – 2nd
& 3rd Nine
Weeks
Students will investigate the three branches of government and the complex system of checks and balances. Students will know organizational structures of the levels of
governments and powers of the United States government. Students will also analyze the nation’s founding documents and reflect upon its basic principles.
Essential Standard: 5.H: Analyze the chronology of key events in the United States.
5.G: Understand how human activity has and continues to shape United States.
5.E: Understand personal choices result in benefits and consequences.
5.C&G: Understand the development, structure, and function of government in the United States.
5.C: Understand how increased diversity resulted from migration, settlement patterns, and economic development in the United States.
Clarifying Objective(s):5.H.1.2,1.3,2.1-2.3; 5.G.1.4; 5.E.2.1,2.1; 5.C&G.1.11.3,2.1-2.4; 5.C.1.2,1.3
Essential Question(s):

Why do we need laws?

Why do we need a Constitution?

What does it mean to be a U.S. citizen?

How many and what kind of people should lead a country?

What are the relationships between different cultures and government?

What is the correlation between human activity and the government of an area?

What are the ways the United States and its neighbors specialize in economic activities, and relate these
to increased production and consumption?

How have the major documents of the United States affected the foundation of the American idea of
constitutional government?

What are some of the contributions of people of diverse cultures throughout the history of the United
States?
Pacing Guide: 2nd/ 3rd Nine Weeks
3 weeks/ 5 weeks (8 weeks)
Unit of Study
“Creation of
Government”
Major Concepts

“All
Government”

Imperialism

Change

Revolution

Civilization
Instructional Task
5.H.1.2
1. Define/Review
political, economic
and social aspects
of colonial life.
2. Define/Review
colony.
3. Define
imperialism,
Essential
Vocabulary
Pre: Change,
Revolution,
Civilization
Instructional Resources
Text Resources:

Old text/workbooks

Newspapers (including online)

Library books

Encyclopedia

Magazines
Sample Assessment
Prompts
*Students should
compare and contrast
the Articles of
Confederation and the
Constitution. Students
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
4.
5.
change, revolution,
and civilization.
Explain the
original thirteen
colonies’
governmental
procedures.
Produce a
performance piece
based on the
government of the
thirteen colonies.
5.H.1.3
1. Define conflict,
battle, war, and
Reconstruction.
2. Explain the early
government of the
United States.
3. Compare and
contrast the
impact of
government
before, during, and
after a major
conflict, battle,
and/or war.
4. Summarize the
changes of
government during
major conflicts,
battles, and wars
throughout United
States history.
5. Create a detailed
re-enactment of a
rise/fall of
government during
the period of
Reconstruction.
5.H.2.1
1. 1. Define/Review
the term
“Founding
Fathers” and
explain where the

Current: Three
Branches of
Government, idea
of a “System”
Introductory:
Imperialism
Printables
Unit 2 Lesson 8 of Harcourt SS Text:
Cause & Effect page 96
Summarize page 97
Digital Resources:

Discovery Education

Gaggle Tube

School Tube

http://www.archives.gov/research/alic/reference/govtdocs.html#govdoc

http://www.library.yale.edu/govdocs/

http://www.archives.state.ut.us/research/guides/publications.htm

http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_threebranches.htm

Integration Opportunities & Additional Resources:
www.readinga-z.com CCS pays for our subscription (Famous First Ladies
Level Q) (Your Road to the White House Level X)
www.schooltube.com (The Preamble {3min} School House Rock)
(Constitution Day {10min:12sec}) (Six Principles of the US Constitution
{2min:29sec}) (How Ben Franklin printed the Constitution {3min:46sec})
(Federalist vs. Anti-Federalists {1min:29sec}) (Three Ring Government
{3min:01sec} School House Rock) (It’s Just A Bill {3min:01sec} School
House Rock) (United States Treasury Photostory {1min:07sec}) (Securities
and Exchange Commission {1min:30sec}) (Federal Trade Commission
{1min:10sec}) (Federal Reserve {1min:20sec})
www.smarttech.com Smart Board Downloads (United States Government –
6.09MBfile) (Three Branches of Government, The Bill of Rights) (The Three
Branches of Government) (The Three Branches of Government {yes there are
2})
www.eharcourtschool.com primary sources (art/NARA: Educators and
Students: Observing Constitution Day) (art/Portraitore in the U. S. Capitol)
(art/Temple of Liberty: Building the Capitol for a new nation) (art/Vote: The
Machinery of Democracy) (documents/Digital History: The Three-Fifths
Compromise) (documents/Journals of the Continental Congress)
(documents/NARA: The Constitution of the United States [also has the
Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights]) (documents/NARA:
Educators and Students: Observing Constitution Day) (documents/The
National Archives: Bill of Rights) (documents/National Constitution Center:
Centuries of Citizenship: a Constitutional Timeline)
www.edhelper.com subscription needed (Documents that Shaped our Country)
(The Constitutional Convention – Reader’s Theater) (How Laws Are Made)
(Wendy’s World – The Pledge of Allegiance) (The Documents that Shaped
America)
should use additional
research tools to find
more information about
each document and
display their findings
either using craft
materials or technology.
*Students can work in
small groups to roleplay using compromise
to resolve conflict
peacefully. Present
students with an
appropriate conflict to
discuss (school
uniforms, year round
school, amount of
homework, etc.).
Students in each groups
should present
arguments for one side
of the conflict.
Emphasize that students
must listen politely and
wait their turn to present
their side’s argument.
Then the students on
each side should give up
something they want in
order to reach a
compromise.
*Imagine that you are a
newspaper reporter
covering the
Constitutional
Convention. Write an
article explaining how
the delegates are writing
the Constitution.
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
2.
3.
term originated
from.
Hypothesize the
state of the United
States government
without our
“Founding
Fathers.”
Produce examples
of the
contributions of
the Founding
Fathers that relate
to the United
States government.
5.H.2.2
1. Define/Review
values, principles,
and democracy.
2. Organize a
timeline of events
leading up to a
major change in
government in the
United States.
5.H.2.3
1. Define roles, laws,
minorities, society, and PreColonial.
2. Restate the major laws
that impacted women and
minorities on American
society from Pre-Colonial
through Reconstruction.
3. Assess the roles of women
and minorities as compared
to those of other members of
society.
4. Defend the roles of
women and minorities in
Pre-Colonial through
modern day society,
compare and contrast.
5.G.1.4
1. Define/Review
migration,
Literary Connections:

Novel Study (contact librarian for availability)

http://www.thecapitol.net/VisitingDC/bookschildren.htm
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
2.
3.
4.
immigration, and
the term push and
pull factors.
Paraphrase the
terms migration,
immigration, and
the term push and
pull factors in the
classroom setting.
Compare and
contrast the major
governments of
today.
Hypothesize why
people left/came to
the America’s.
5.E.2.1
1. Define budget, spending,
saving, income, financial,
and develop.
2. Explain the
effects/relationship between
financial hardship and
government.
3. Explain the “Founding
Fathers” plan of budget for
spending and saving.
4. Compare and contrast
early American economic
budget with today’s
economic budget.
5. Be able to create a budget
for a chosen aspect of
government (i.e. campaign
election, a new bill, etc.)
5.E.2.2
1.
2.
Define/Review
costs, benefits,
spending,
borrowing, and
saving.
Evaluate and
assess the costs and
benefits of
borrowing,
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
spending, and
saving within
various
governments.
5.C&G.1.1
1. Define/Review
government,
development, and
United States
government.
2. Differentiate the
United States’
government with
other governments
that have
influenced the
United States.
3. Compare and
contrast the ways
in which each
government has
influenced the
United States’
government.
5.C&G.1.2
1. Define structure, system,
checks and balances,
legislative, judicial,
executive branches of
government.
2. Measure the importance
of each branch of
government.
3. Reconstruct the structure
of the United States
government.
5.C&G.1.3
1. Define/Review
historical
documents and
foundation.
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
2.
3.
Extrapolate
examples and
conclude which
documents they
are and their
importance to the
government.
Organize key
founding
documents (i.e.
Declaration of
Independence,
Articles of
Confederation,
etc.) and compare
and contrast the
key founding
documents.
5.C&G.2.1
1.
2.
3.
Define/Review
value, principle,
and democratic
republic.
Analyze and
compare the major
governments in the
world.
Explain how major
values, principles,
and key figures
affected the
creation of various
governments.
5.C&G.2.2
1. Define rights,
responsibilities, citizens,
“common good”, United
Public Schools of Robeson County
States Constitution, and Bill
of Rights.
2. Identify the need for
governments to have a
Constitution and Bill of
Rights.
3. Determine where the
phrase “common good”
originated and how does it
relate to rights and
responsibilities of citizens.
5.C&G.2.3
1. Define privileges,
democratic, jury, defending,
required, voting, and
“running for office.”
2. Defend the privileges and
rights we are granted as
United States’ citizens.
3. Assess the responsibilities
of United States’ citizens.
4. Conclude how the United
States Constitution protects
us as United States citizens.
5.C&G.2.4
1. Define civic participation,
integral, participation,
opportunity, political
process, and elected
officials.
2. Appraise the
opportunities to be directly
involved in the political
process.
3. Justify reasons to
communicate with elected
officials and to evaluate its
effectiveness (Do the
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
students feel they have been
heard?).
4. Distinguish a way to
communicate with elected
officials.
5.C.1.2
1. Define/Review borrowing
and sharing of traditions
and technology, trade route,
and interactions.
2. Discuss the act of
borrowing and sharing of
traditions and technology
between the different
governments.
3. Describe the
contributions of people of
diverse cultures throughout
the history of the United
States as it relates to
government.
5.C.1.3
1. Define/Review movement,
goods, ideas, cultural
groups, development,
cultural, politics, economy,
geographic and cultural
diversity, and region.
2. Give examples
of how different
types of movement
of goods, ideas,
and various
cultural groups
have shaped
governments.
3. Conclude the
how and why some
5th Grade
Public Schools of Robeson County
governments
succeed/fail.
4. Defend your
reasons why
certain
governments
succeed/fail.
5. Justify how
movements of goods,
ideas, and various
cultural groups
influenced the
development of regions
in the United States, in
regards to government.
6. Compare and
contrast the
governmental changes
in rural and urban
settlement patterns in
the United States (i.e
government spending,
financial aid).
5th Grade