GRADE 5 LITERACY IN SOCIAL

STUDIES: THE UNITED STATES,

CANADA AND LATIN AMERICA
PREPARED BY:
CASTA GARCIA-ROSEN
HAIDEE GARCIA
OLGA GRITSIPIS
DAYNA RODRIGUEZ
KATARZYNA ZARZECKI
EDUG 805-61
PROFESSORS MARIA & JAMES QUAIL
DECEMBER 10, 2013

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

Birthright Citizenship Rights

UNIT TOPIC

AND

LENGTH:

The unit examines birthright citizenship in the United States and the
Dominican Republic and explores the roles of citizenship and individual
rights as they are defined in their constitutions.

Students will visualize, identify and describe the use of power, authority
and governance in the United States and Latin America with real historical
events.

The final performance assessment will be administered in the final week of

a four- week unit on the topic of citizenship rights.

COMMON CORE LEARNING STANDARDS:

New York State Learning Standards for Social Studies:
Standard 1- History of the United States and New York
Standard 2- World History
Standard 3- Geography
Standard 4- Economics
Standard 5- Civics, Citizenship, and Government

K-8 Social Studies Framework:

Grade 5: The United States, Canada, and Latin America

Social Studies Unifying Themes:

1. Individual Development and Cultural Identity
2. Development, Movement, and Interaction of Cultures
3. Time, Continuity, and Change
4. Geography, Humans, and the Environment
5. Development and Transformation of Social Practices
6. Power, Authority and Governance
7. Civic Ideals and Practices
8. Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
9. Global Connections and Exchange

FRAMEWORK: The Common Core Standards for Literacy in

Social Studies 5-12:
1. Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

2. Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an
accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary
specific to domains related to history/social studies.
6. Identify aspects of a text that reveal an authors point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded
language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).
7. Integrate visual information (e.g., charts, graphs, photographs, videos, or maps) with other
information in print and digital texts.
8. Distinguish among fact, opinion, and reasoned judgment in a text.

FRAMEWORK: The Common Core Writing Standards for

Literacy in Social Studies 5-12:
1. Write arguments focused on discipline-specific content.
a. Introduce claim(s) about a topic or issue, acknowledge and distinguish the claim(s)
from alternate or opposing claims, and organize the reasons and evidence logically.
b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that
demonstrate.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships
among claims(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
d. Establish and maintain a formal style.
e. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows and supports the argument
presented.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events or technical
processes.
a. Introduce a topic, clearly previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and
information into broader categories as appropriate to achieving; include formatting
(e.g. headings), graphics (e.g., charts, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding
comprehension.
b. Develop the topic with relevant, well-chosen facts, definitions, concrete details,
quotations, or other information and examples.
c. Use appropriate and varied transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationship
among ideas and concepts.
d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the
topic.
e. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone.
f. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the
information or explanation presented.
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. With some guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as
needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on how
well purpose and audience have been addressed.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and present the
relationships between information and ideas clearly and efficiently.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms
effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.
NYS COMMON CORE LEARNING STANDARDS FOR ELA & LITERACY
SPEAKING & LISTENING STANDARDS K-5
S.L.5.5 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade
5 topics and texts, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
S.L.5.4 Report on a topic or text or present an opinion sequencing ideas logically and using
appropriate facts and relevant descriptive details to support main ideas or themes speak
clearly and understandable rate.
LANGUAGE STANDARDS
L.5.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple meaning words and phrases based
on grade 5 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
L.5.4.C Consult reference materials, both print and digital, to find the pronunciation and determine
or clarify the precise meaning of key words and phrases.

The Social Studies Practices:

1. Chronological Reasoning and Causation
2. Comparison and Contextualization
3. Geographic Reasoning (people, places, regions, environment, interactions)
4. Gathering, Using, and Interpreting Evidence
5. The Role of the Individual in Social and Political Participation

Grades 5-8 Key Ideas and Conceptual Understandings:

5.8 The roles of citizenship and individual rights are defined by different constitutions and
governing systems and governing systems in the Western Hemisphere, and these definitions
and who has been included in them have changed over time.
5.8.a Citizens have different rights and responsibilities in the nations of the Western Hemisphere.
5.8.b Women and other minority groups have not always been granted the rights of citizenship in
the nations of the Western Hemisphere.
5.8.c. Most constitutions of nations in the Western Hemisphere have added statements about the
protection of individual rights of their citizens.
RL.5.3: Compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing
on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).
RI.5.9: Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to
write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.
W.5.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas
and information clearly.
5.MD- Represent and Interpret Data

BIG IDEAS/ENDURING

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

UNDERSTANDINGS:

As soon as we are born we

acquire certain rights.
The rights that a person
acquires at birth are
determined by the
constitution of the country
where that person is born
and where their parents
where born.
The constitutions of countries
such as the United States
and the Dominican Republic
do not grant the same rights
to people who are born in
their territory.
Citizenship acquisition varies
in the Western Hemisphere
and Latin America.
Minority groups such as
Haitian immigrants and
Mexican immigrants are
granted citizenship
differently throughout the
Western Hemisphere
People can change laws to
help change citizenship
rights.

CONTENT:

Students will Know:

The ways individuals can
acquire citizenship in the
United States & Latin
America
The 1st Article of 14th
Amendment of the United
States Constitution and the
18th article of the Dominican
Republic that defines who is
a citizen.
The pros and cons of
birthright citizenships as
described within the US and
Dominican Republic.
The differences in birthright

Should countries grant citizenship

rights to children whose parents
entered the country illegally?
Does it matter where a person or
their parents were born?
How does the acquisition of
citizenship for children in the Western
Hemisphere differ?
How are citizens affected by the
rights they have and do not have?

SKILLS:

Students will be able to:

At the end of the unit students will be able
to:
Access maps of the United States and
the Dominican Republic focusing on
the borders between the United
States and Mexico and the Dominican
Republic and Haiti.
Draw conclusions about the use of
power, authority or governance in
the United States and the Dominican
Republic
Categorize data by selecting
appropriate headings for data
distinguishing between relevant and
irrelevant information and events
placing ideas in order.

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

citizenships in the Dominican
Republic and United States.

Recognize the differences between

right of the soil (Jus Soli), by right of
the blood (Jus Sanguinis, and
naturalization.
Identify the differences between the
United States and Dominican
Constitution in terms of birthright
citizenship rights.
Speak in effective ways by
participating in a debate.
Participate in group planning and
discussions by following democratic
procedures in helping to make good
decisions.

KEY TERMS/VOCABULARY:

Throughout the unit students will acquire different vocabulary terms to help
them understand the units content. The words will vary depending on the
students specific language skills and prior knowledge.

SAMPLE

ACADEMIC VOCABULARY FROM BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP UNIT:

14th Amendment, Constitution, Minority (groups), Jus Soli- right of the soil, Jus
Sanguinis, Naturalization, Undocumented

ASSESSMENT

EVIDENCE AND ACTIVITIES:

Assessment Task 1:
Citizenship Survey/ Group Bar Graph/Birth & Naturalization
Certificates/Family Interviews
Formative: DOK 1 & 2 Written Task

The initial assessment will consist of a quiz that will assess comprehension
of citizenship acquisition. The task should help students make sense and
reflect on new ideas that apply to the initial task.

ASSESSMENT TASK 2:
Formative: DOK 3 Strategic Thinking- Graphic Organizer (Article)
Teacher and student will read and reflect on articles together in class.

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

This task will consist of using graphic organizers to arrange information
from multiple media sources that will aid them in constructing their final
argument.
Students will be assigned a viewpoint: In favor or opposed to birthright
citizenship (Jus Soli-right of the soil).
Teacher will collect graphic organizers and assess the groups knowledge.

FINAL PERFORMANCE TASK:

Part I: Debate

FORMATIVE: DOK 3 AND 4 STRATEGIC/EXTENDED THINKING- ORAL DEBATE

At the end of the unit, students will perform an oral debate by drawing
connections from the articles to develop a logical argument.
Students will work in groups to present their assigned viewpoint, in favor
or against birth right citizenship. In your debate, be sure to:
o Begin by introducing the topic and your argument in favor or
against birth right citizenship.
o Provide reasons for your argument citing evidence from the
articles.
o Use words and phrases that connect your argument to the
articles and information learned in class.
o Provide a concluding statement that relates to the argument
you presented.
Part II: Written Opinion
Students will write an opinion piece individually in favor or against
birthright citizenship. In your opinion piece, be sure to:
o Provide reasons for your argument citing evidence from the
articles.
o Use words and phrases that connect your argument to the
articles and information learned in class.

LEARNING PLAN & ACTIVITIES:

TASK 1:

Consists of an in class citizenship survey that will allow students to identify

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

patterns, measure and compare nationalities among student population.
Present visual representations of birth and naturalization certificates from
the United States and the Dominican Republic. This allows students to
interpret, compare and contrast civil registry documents.
Conduct a family interview that will be used to collect information to
understand how family members obtain their citizenship.
The initial assessment will consist of a quiz that will assess comprehension
of citizenship acquisition. The task should help students make sense and
reflect on new ideas that apply to the initial task.
TASK 2:
Locate geographical points on a map.
Access data such as newspaper articles, photo diaries and news segments
to classify information on a graphic organizer.
TASK 3:
Students will work in groups. They will perform an oral debate by drawing
connections from the articles, other sources and graphic organizers to
develop a logical argument.
Students will write an opinion piece individually in favor or against
birthright citizenship. Making sure they cite evidence from the articles.

DIFFERENTIATE INSTRUCTIONS:
Ideas for supporting English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities.
The teacher will:
Provide Spanish translations on the survey and family interview questions
for the ELL Students.
Use visual aids: birth and naturalization certificates, survey, bar graph,
family interview questions and maps that enable comprehension of ELL
and Special needs students.
Provide an example of an English translation version of a Dominican
Republic birth certificate.
Pair higher-level students with ELL or Special needs students to help in
survey, interpretation of bar graph, debate, graphic organizers for article
review and other multimedia sources.
Include sentence starter to assist in quiz and opinion piece writing,
Provide extended time periods for special need students throughout the
unit tasks.
Model oral debate with a video of the debate process.

RESOURCES:
5TH GRADE INFORMATIONAL TEXTS
Websites and Web-tools used

Unit Outline 5th Grade Social Studies

http://www.nsrfharmony.org/resources.html
http://www.khanacademy.org/
http://www.mathwire.com/archives/algebra.html
Materials Used
Guess My Rule Activities and Input/Output Tables
Square Patterns worksheet
Table Tile worksheet and Grid Paper
Aussie Fir Tree Performance Task
Text Rendering or Final Word Protocols (See National School Reform Faculty
Website Above)
Looking at Student Work Protocols (See National School Reform Faculty Website
Above)
Texts

Used(fiction, non-fiction, on-line, media, etc...)

The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure by Hans Magnus Enzensberger
Life by the Numbers (Chapter 3: Patterns of Nature) by Keith Devling
Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences (Chapter 1: Examples
and Principles) by John Allen Paulos